Green School - Bali, Indonesia

Vincent Chevillot
Volunteer – Architecture & Design

Like many architecture students, Vincent's passion started with a box of Legos. "Everybody remembers those little primary blocks used to build the most beautiful buildings ever! Fifteen years later, I have a masters degree in architecture from the School of Marseille in France", Vincent recalls. In Vincent's third year of graduate studies, one of his exercises required him to go beyond drawing and thinking with and about materials--this helped Vincent realize he prefers build with his hands. After building a prototype of a teacher pavilion, he decided to take a year off to acquire some hands-on work experience. This has lead to projects as diverse as construction work in a wine cellar, the restoration of a urban house, and renovating a chalet.
When Vincent arrived at Green School, he was assigned a unique project: the concept, design, and production of a yurt, a small building. In one month, he has managed to design and build the yurt as well as design its interior furniture. Vincent spent half his time collaborating with designers and the other half with the Balinese workers, still doing hands-on work and learning their particular building methods. "I have realized that hands-on experience is the best way to learn", he reflects. Here at Green School, we couldn't agree more.

Patrick Powers
When I was sixteen, I walked into an auditorium and a Gamelan musician was giving a concert. I liked it so much that I found out where they rehearsed and joined. Later I went off to Boston to become a musician, but I soon gave up on that and went to Harvard University instead where I got my degree in biology. After I graduated, I spent twenty years programming computers, with an interlude where I got masters degrees in both mathematics and statistics. Later I set up a network of anemometers to send out reports on wind speed via pagers to windsurfers in Oregon. I lived simply and saved my money until I could retire, then sold my car and decided to give Bali a try. I have been in Ubud ever since. Now I look forward to bringing some of the things I have learned along the way to the Green School team.