Project Revival: Architects who are giving the past a future
But, is there a building she would love to restore? 'The Watson's Hotel,' comes her quick reply.VIKAS DILAWARI | 'All historic buildings are equally good, but some suffer neglect, others wrong repairs'
(Photograph by Mandar Deodhar)
advertisementConservation architect Vikas Dilawari has been restoring buildings since 1990. 'I was always interested in history and was fortunate to train under architect Ved Segan, who handled the first conservation project in the country—restoration of Gaiety Theatre in Shimla,' says Dilawari. Since then, there has been no looking back. 'In the last 35 years, we have conserved at least 75 buildings, of which 19 won the UNESCO Asia Pacific Awards,' he adds. His work includes Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Byculla, Mumbai; Aga Khan Palace, Pune; Archiepiscopal Palace, Old Goa; Flora Fountain, Mumbai; and Royal Bombay Yacht Club, Mumbai.We visited the CSMS Museum (photographed here) with him. 'I worked on it from 2019 till 2022 (for its centenary), then continued it till 2024,' says Dilawari. His work included restoring the exterior faade of the entire museum building. 'We did complete repairs of the top floor of the main building and the waterproofing of its terraces, along with repairs to the main dome and refurbishment of the key gallery under the dome from within. Also the refurbishing the two Tata galleries on the top floor and the common areas of the museum,' shares Dilawari.'I would love to restore any unloved residential buildings of Mumbai,' says the architect who thoroughly enjoyed restoring Hira Baugh in CP Tank and Lal Chimney Complex in Agripadagave.SUNITA KOHLI | 'In India we are spoilt for riches, with the vast numbers of our old historical buildings'
(Photograph by Adil Hasan)
Padma Shri in 1992, Sunita Kohli is an interior designer, architectural restorer and furniture manufacturer. She is known for conserving and decorating Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House, the Prime Minister's Office, the bungalows of the Prime Minister's residence, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum and Hyderabad House in New Delhi. She has also designed the National Assembly Building in Thimphu, Bhutan, and conserved and decorated Naila Fort, Jaipur. All these, apart from a large number of hotels and hotel boats in Egypt and residences across India.'I was brought in to do the restoration, conservation and decoration of Hyderabad House (photographed here) for the first time in 1982 when Queen Elizabeth II had come to inaugurate the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting,' says Kohli. In 1988-89, she was brought in again, with the government giving her just nine months to complete it. 'The entire House and the gardens were restored. HH has a butterfly plan and is replete with all the idioms of Neoclassical architecture. I wanted to carefully conserve all these elements,' she shares. She not only restored the gardens designed by Lutyens but also designed, in true Lutyenesque style, the two large interior courtyards and an apparently incomplete room, which went on to become the much used Mughal Dining Room. Every room, anteroom and loggia in the House was designed, named and assigned a purpose, barring the obvious Ballroom and Banquet Hall. The Rotunda at the rear, designed to house the Nizam's concubines, was converted by Kohli into the administrative block. As of today, Kohli hopes for an army of architectural conservationists to save buildings in India from being lost owing to time and neglect.advertisementAAHANA MILLER | 'I would love to restore any Art Deco building'
(Photograph by Mandar Deodhar)
Architect Alfaz Miller's success story is linked to the interior architecture and restoration assignment for ANZ Grindlays Fort office in Mumbai (1989). Stepping into his legacy is his daughter, Aahana Miller, now the principal architect at ABM (founded by Alfaz). 'My interest in restoration led me to pursue an undergraduate degree in Interior Architecture at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). This major is an amalgam of architecture and conservation, involving an innovative approach to transform existing buildings,' says Aahana, who during her course was fascinated by how the Japanese designed modern buildings while retaining their heritage. She joined ABM in 2018, working alongside her father who had extensive experience in restoration and adaptive reuse.advertisementShe took us to Blue Sea Worli in Mumbai. 'ABM undertook this transformation with a careful balance—modernising the space while preserving its essence. The banquet previously lacked a defined entryway, so we introduced a striking ACP-clad portal, flanked by two oversized urns, to create a grand first impression,' says Aahana. The building's faade, which had deteriorated over time, was completely revamped, and new outdoor lighting was installed to improve its visual appeal. 'A secondary entrance into the main banquet was designed with a stepped portal, featuring double doors and an airlock for seamless functionality,' adds Aahana, who if given a chance would love to restore New India Assurance Building, a beautiful example of Art Deco in Mumbai.Subscribe to India Today Magazine
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India Today
21-05-2025
- India Today
Project Revival: Architects who are giving the past a future
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today Home issue May, 2025)ABHA NARAIN LAMBAH | 'Conservation is not only about monuments. It is about buildings people use every day'From Royal Opera House in Mumbai and Bikaner House in Delhi to the Chamba Lakhang Temple of Maitreya Buddha in Basgo, Ladakh, and the restoration of Shalimar Bagh Kashmir, conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah's (pictured above) unique approach can be found stamped on heritage buildings across the country. Lambah set up Abha Narain Lambah Associates in 1998 and specialises in architectural conservation, building restoration and retrofit, museum design and historic interiors, among other she has been photographed at The David Sassoon Library and Reading Room in Mumbai. 'We restored the original profile of the pitched tiles roof that had been demolished and replaced by a flat RCC slab, restoring the original spatial integrity of the library and restoring its interiors,' says Lambah. But, is there a building she would love to restore? 'The Watson's Hotel,' comes her quick DILAWARI | 'All historic buildings are equally good, but some suffer neglect, others wrong repairs' (Photograph by Mandar Deodhar) advertisementConservation architect Vikas Dilawari has been restoring buildings since 1990. 'I was always interested in history and was fortunate to train under architect Ved Segan, who handled the first conservation project in the country—restoration of Gaiety Theatre in Shimla,' says Dilawari. Since then, there has been no looking back. 'In the last 35 years, we have conserved at least 75 buildings, of which 19 won the UNESCO Asia Pacific Awards,' he adds. His work includes Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Byculla, Mumbai; Aga Khan Palace, Pune; Archiepiscopal Palace, Old Goa; Flora Fountain, Mumbai; and Royal Bombay Yacht Club, visited the CSMS Museum (photographed here) with him. 'I worked on it from 2019 till 2022 (for its centenary), then continued it till 2024,' says Dilawari. His work included restoring the exterior faade of the entire museum building. 'We did complete repairs of the top floor of the main building and the waterproofing of its terraces, along with repairs to the main dome and refurbishment of the key gallery under the dome from within. Also the refurbishing the two Tata galleries on the top floor and the common areas of the museum,' shares Dilawari.'I would love to restore any unloved residential buildings of Mumbai,' says the architect who thoroughly enjoyed restoring Hira Baugh in CP Tank and Lal Chimney Complex in KOHLI | 'In India we are spoilt for riches, with the vast numbers of our old historical buildings' (Photograph by Adil Hasan) Padma Shri in 1992, Sunita Kohli is an interior designer, architectural restorer and furniture manufacturer. She is known for conserving and decorating Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House, the Prime Minister's Office, the bungalows of the Prime Minister's residence, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum and Hyderabad House in New Delhi. She has also designed the National Assembly Building in Thimphu, Bhutan, and conserved and decorated Naila Fort, Jaipur. All these, apart from a large number of hotels and hotel boats in Egypt and residences across India.'I was brought in to do the restoration, conservation and decoration of Hyderabad House (photographed here) for the first time in 1982 when Queen Elizabeth II had come to inaugurate the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting,' says Kohli. In 1988-89, she was brought in again, with the government giving her just nine months to complete it. 'The entire House and the gardens were restored. HH has a butterfly plan and is replete with all the idioms of Neoclassical architecture. I wanted to carefully conserve all these elements,' she shares. She not only restored the gardens designed by Lutyens but also designed, in true Lutyenesque style, the two large interior courtyards and an apparently incomplete room, which went on to become the much used Mughal Dining Room. Every room, anteroom and loggia in the House was designed, named and assigned a purpose, barring the obvious Ballroom and Banquet Hall. The Rotunda at the rear, designed to house the Nizam's concubines, was converted by Kohli into the administrative block. As of today, Kohli hopes for an army of architectural conservationists to save buildings in India from being lost owing to time and MILLER | 'I would love to restore any Art Deco building' (Photograph by Mandar Deodhar) Architect Alfaz Miller's success story is linked to the interior architecture and restoration assignment for ANZ Grindlays Fort office in Mumbai (1989). Stepping into his legacy is his daughter, Aahana Miller, now the principal architect at ABM (founded by Alfaz). 'My interest in restoration led me to pursue an undergraduate degree in Interior Architecture at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). This major is an amalgam of architecture and conservation, involving an innovative approach to transform existing buildings,' says Aahana, who during her course was fascinated by how the Japanese designed modern buildings while retaining their heritage. She joined ABM in 2018, working alongside her father who had extensive experience in restoration and adaptive took us to Blue Sea Worli in Mumbai. 'ABM undertook this transformation with a careful balance—modernising the space while preserving its essence. The banquet previously lacked a defined entryway, so we introduced a striking ACP-clad portal, flanked by two oversized urns, to create a grand first impression,' says Aahana. The building's faade, which had deteriorated over time, was completely revamped, and new outdoor lighting was installed to improve its visual appeal. 'A secondary entrance into the main banquet was designed with a stepped portal, featuring double doors and an airlock for seamless functionality,' adds Aahana, who if given a chance would love to restore New India Assurance Building, a beautiful example of Art Deco in to India Today Magazine
India Today
19-05-2025
- India Today
Past perfect: The return of the heritage home
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today Home issue dated May 2025)If walls could speak, a Rajasthani haveli or a Chettinad house would read like a palimpsest, layer upon layer of memories accumulated over many generations. Today, even as modern high-rises and cookie-cutter villas reshape our social and urban fabric, heritage homes, whether period structures or new builds inspired by traditional typologies, continue to captivate architects and homeowners drawn by the allure of a slower, simpler, and more meaningful way of life. From the Kath-Khuni style of building in the western Himalayas to the evocative Indo-Portuguese influences that inform the design of Goan houses, we shine a spotlight on the enduring legacy of heritage residential architecture across the A BLANK SLATEThe Kath-Khuni building, popular in the north Indian hills, is a response to the region's climate and seismic activity. Deep stone plinths provide a solid base, projecting wooden balconies invite you to soak in panoramic views, and slate tile-covered roofs offer protection against heavy rains. 'Kath-Khuni architecture is not just an engineering style. It's a heartfelt expression of harmony between human ingenuity and the natural world,' notes Jay Thakkar, a senior associate professor at the Faculty of Design and co-founder of Design Innovation and Craft Resource Centre at CEPT University, Ahmedabad. 'Originating from Himachal Pradesh, it has a sustainable approach and deep-rooted cultural significance,' he shares. Thakkar calls them 'living entities' that adapt to the rhythms of life and nature around them. CLASSIC CHIC: Casa Caisua in Goa by Raya Shankhwalker Architects advertisementA COASTAL SURPRISEGoan architecture is often mistakenly identified as purely Indo-Portuguese. 'The two must not be conflated,' says architect Raya Shankhwalker of Goa-based Raya Shankhwalker Architects. Shankhwalker shares that Goa has rich and evolved building traditions that predate the Portuguese-era. 'The central courtyard is the defining feature of the pre-Portuguese era homes, an adaptation to the region's hot, humid climate,' he explains.A good example of Goan architecture style is Casa Caisua in Anjuna, Goa. The home was built by his maternal grandfather in the early 1900s. Now a guesthouse, the conversion accommodated key changes, executed while preserving the original facade. Internally, the characteristic high ceiling was retained, with only a discreet loft added above the washroom for added storage. The old walls have been restored to their pristine glory, complemented by an earthy and locally sourced material palette comprising laterite, polished cement floors, timber, and Goa, we head to Pondicherry, where Shankhwalker is currently restoring a Franco-Tamil villa, a style born in the 17th and 18th centuries. 'We've taken pains to restore the Madras roof, which is a defining feature of this type. We've also removed a room extension to restore the full splendour of the original pillared portico,' he A Nalukettu home by Temple Town (left); The Light House by SJK Architects (top right); reinterpretation of a Manduva house by 23 Degrees Design Shift (bottom right) SLOPING TOWARDS SUCCESSThe traditional Manduva Logili house has predominated the architecture of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for centuries. Now mostly relegated to villages, this inward-facing house type is deeply responsive to the local climate, with thick walls made of mud wattle, shaded verandahs, and sloping red-tiled roofs. The heart of the home is the courtyard where the family gathers, rituals unfold, and the house breathes.'Growing up in Telangana, I've always admired Manduva houses. The serene courtyards, sloping roofs, the earthy scent of timber and stone—they call for a slower, more grounded way of life,' says Neelesh Kumar, co-founder and partner at Hyderabad-based studio, 23 Degrees Design Shift. 'So when we were approached to transform a small farmhouse into a home for an extended family, the Manduva felt like a natural starting point. It allowed us to anchor the design in something familiar, while still giving us the freedom to reinterpret it for contemporary living.'advertisementRather than replicating the traditionally compact layout of a Manduva, where the courtyard is tightly enclosed, the volumes at the Courtyard House are gently spaced out. This allows the house to breathe, inviting light and breeze while softening transitions between the public and private GOOD DESIGN SECOND COMING: SJK architects have reimagined a typical haveli (top left and right); a contemporary Manduva-style home in Nagpur by 23 Degrees Design Shift (below left and right) In Nagpur, The Light House by SJK Architects derives inspiration from havelis, large residences with communal courtyards (chowks), projecting balconies (jharokhas), and intricate brick or stone lattice screens (jaalis), vernacular to many western and northern regions of climate-responsive dwellings, along with the timber-based Wada residential architecture, more predominant in Maharashtra, served as an inspiration for the design of the house.'The clients, a multigenerational family, held a deep nostalgia for havelis. Considering this and the regional context of Maharashtra's wada architecture, we devised an eight-foot wide linear atrium that slices through the centre, with its proportions derived from detailed studies of scale and sun movement throughout the seasons,' says Vaishali Mangalvedhekar, Partner at Mumbai-based SJK third of the balcony area is customised into contemporary jharokhas in varying configurations across the levels, creating a dynamic look. 'Much like the traditional jaalis of havelis, the lattices are also an essential climate control device that temper harsh sunlight, facilitate airflow, and serve as a rain buffer,' explains WITH THE PASTFurther south, in the vibrant city of Thrissur, Meera Pyarelal's interior design practice Temple Town has reimagined the interiors of an ancestral Nalukettu home. With its symmetrical grid plan enclosing a central courtyard, distinctive clay-tiled roof, and gabled windows, a Nalukettu home (nalu meaning four and kettu meaning halls) has all the ingredients to protect it from Kerala's oppressive hot and humid weather and heavy monsoon rains.'Having spent most of their lives abroad, the clients—three generations of a family—yearned for a home that would reconnect them to their roots in Kerala. It needed to hold space for family functions around the courtyard, like in bygone days, encouraging a return to a slower, more intentional way of life,' says Pyarelal. 'We used recycled and reclaimed wood. The furniture was exclusively custom-made using responsibly sourced teak at Temple Town. A memorable challenge was collecting every window from Karaikudi, Chettinad, well before the construction commenced. We painstakingly put them together despite the complexities posed by their different shapes and sizes.'advertisementPyarelal attributes the renewed interest in heritage homes to a broader shift in lifestyle and values. Thakkar, who's authored books on Kath-Khuni architecture, echoes her sentiment, though with a degree of caution, particularly regarding the growing preference for RCC construction in the hills. 'There seems to be a gentle shift happening, more of a slow reawakening than a complete revival. People are starting to notice and reflect on things more, asking questions, but it's really uneven,' he says. 'In some villages, traditional methods still guide temple restorations, led by rituals and master builders. These community-led projects are the truest forms of revival—not a fleeting trend but part of an ongoing continuity. It might be gradual, but it feels deeply significant.'—Kushagra Sharma is an architect and Associate Editorial Director at Epistle, a communications consultancy headquartered in Delhi. to India Today Magazine
The Hindu
29-04-2025
- The Hindu
Renewed call to nominate Hyderabad heritage sites for UNESCO status
Conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah has urged the Telangana government to revive the proposal for nominating Hyderabad's iconic heritage sites, Qutb Shahi Tombs, Golconda Fort, and Charminar, for UNESCO World Heritage status. Speaking at the centenary celebration of Art Deco architecture held at Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad on Tuesday, Ms. Lambah recalled that a nomination had been submitted in 2010 but did not progress. 'This is the right time to take the proposal forward again,' she said from her own experience with the successful UNESCO inscription of Mumbai's Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles in 2018. That nomination, which took 14 years to come to fruition, included 94 buildings around Mumbai's Oval Maidan, showcasing the city's evolution through Victorian and Art Deco architectural styles. 'Mumbai became a global trading centre and undertook an ambitious urban planning effort that led to these architectural ensembles. The Art Deco buildings, blending Indian aesthetics with international influences, are a unique cultural expression that came to be known as Indo-Deco,' she explained. The event also spotlighted the city's own Art Deco legacy. Srinivas Murthy, curator of the event, revealed that out of the many Art Deco structures in the city, 148 prominent buildings have been identified, with documentation completed for 52 of them. 'We plan to finish documenting the rest soon and will release a book on Hyderabad's Art Deco architecture in September,' he said. He also noted that the main house of Raj Bhavan itself is an example of Art Deco design. Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, who was present at the event, highlighted the importance of preserving architectural heritage. 'Art Deco embodies the emotional language of architecture. As the nation moves forward, conservation must become a collective effort, a people's movement.' He also called for more events to raise public awareness about the region's rich architectural history.
