I've been playing with Google Earth for the past hour and am very impressed indeed!

I highly recommend you check it out (it's free); you can download the new Beta v.4 here:

http://earth.google.com/earth4.html

I've placemarked several of the key locations at Auroville. To see them, first download and load Google Earth Beta 4, then click on this link:

http://sciy.blogharbor.com/AUROVILLE/GoogleEarth, AV_Placemarks

One of the neat things about this new Beta version is that it integrates with Google's newly acquired, easy-to-use 3D application, SketchUp, which you can download (free) from here:

http://sketchup.google.com/

Imagine using Google Earth to show the bird's eye view of the current buildings & roads at Auroville and then using SketchUp to overlay a transparent layer modeling the architectural drawings of the Galaxy Plan.

Folks involved in the current discussions re how to adapt the Galaxy Plan to current archetechtonics could easily go to the site, fly/walk through the 3D model and get a visceral sense of what it would be like in its current plan and possible modified forms. Perhaps the official plans for Pondicherry's dramatic growth around Auroville could also be included in a third transparent layer?

~ ron