Old villas, ice factory make space for art, architecture & community

In its past avatar, it was a century-old East Indian family home that stood in the meandering lanes of Pali Village concealed behind Bandra's highrises.

- Mohua.Das

The Crastos' ancestral bungalow has a similar vintage but is on the other side of town. Built-in the 1890s in Khotachiwadi, it housed a printing press and functioned partly as a gym with the family living on the floor above. The third such spot is a 10,000 sq ft space in the dockyards of Ballard Estate, which was Mumbai's oldest ice factory before it fell into disrepair.

Even as these unique markers of the city's history continue to endure, each has found a fresh lease of life as a creative hub that blends colonial vestiges with possibilities of fostering art, architecture, and community in a post-pandemic world.

The Bandra villa received a fresh coat of burnt brick red when it made a beginning as Art & Charlie, a "culture house" - split into two storeys for live performances, talks, film screenings and to showcase works of emerging artists. "We're striving to make it an interactive place where people can come and discover new artists, learn new art techniques, and comfortably spend time discussing art without worrying about prior knowledge in art history," says Ayesha Parikh, founder, and gallerist at Art and Charlie, a name that originates from the etymological battle between 'Charles' and 'Karl' where Charles defines the elitist side of art while Karl represents the common man. "When combined as 'Charlie' it opens up to a more approachable experience," says Parikh.