India has a wealth of underutilised heritage buildings that provide unique and exciting opportunities to develop and revitalise. In the ensemble, industry virtuosos champion their vision of transforming and celebrating this restoration, conservation and adaptive re-use of historic forts to dilapidated structures.
The history of buildings that the human race has created over the years is one of constant change, structures have been built, used, added on to, preserved, left to ruin, willfully torn down with a vengeance or to rebuild.
‘Neemranification’, as we call the restoration and revitalisation of historic sites done our way, is only about the challenges. The last of our projects – the 19th century Tijara Fort-Palace complex is an unfinished marvel of three structures, built in the Rajput-Afghan style with early colonial influences. At Tijara there existed – a Mardana Mahal for the Maharaja and his entourage, a Rani Mahal for the Maharani and her ladies of the Durbar, and a leisure palace on the edge of a plateau, overlooking a water body called the Hawa Mahal, Palace of winds, perched at the brink of a cliff.
The unintentional convertibility and fascinating progression of Tijara shows an interesting evolution over time. Set in the epoch of historic India, in 1835 CE Balwant Singh, born from a ‘common’ mistress, became through his mother’s sati’, from an illegitimate to a flamboyant and charismatic prince. He started the construction of a Fort-Palace after the name of his mother Moosi Maharani, as well as a grand Hawa Mahal. He was a lover of elephants and horses, it is believed, that in the absence of a road, the large double pillars of the Rani Mahal and the Mardana Mahal could only have been carried uphill by elephants. Famous architects and masons from Kabul and Delhi were engaged in its construction. Because of his premature death in 1845 CE – probably from murder, the construction remained incomplete and the complex was abandoned until now, when it was leased to Neemrana Hotels to restore, complete and run it as a heritage hotel.
Esta historia es de la edición November 2016 de Insite.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición November 2016 de Insite.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Luxury Penthouse: Nesting Nature
Penthouse Pfekuto is a pied-à-terre for a family to facilitate their frequent visits to the city. Designed by Conarch Architects, New Delhi, this is a lively and a dynamic project - a multi-level penthouse with 8000 sq ft of indoor area and 6000 sq ft of outdoor space spreading across three levels. The design vision is centred on transforming generic apartment units into a functional, versatile and inspiring living space that honours the clients’ needs and reflects their lifestyle.
Pot Pourri Event
The evening hosted two very successful Architects – Shivani Gaur, Studio Director, Gensler, and Sabina Reddy, Director, M Moser Associates.
Achyut Palav On His Calligraphy Calling
Expressively using the Devanagari and English scripts in his works, which span across a spectrum of canvases, ace calligrapher Achyut Palav has carved a niche for himself in the realm of calligraphy. Here is a narrative of his journey while passionately striving to engage himself with calligraphy not just as an art or skill but most importantly, as a culture.
Context-Rich Weekend Homes
Sidharth Khatri Mitali Kedia Delhi Collective, a young multi-disciplinary firm designs two weekend homes in North India, which strongly respond to the climatic conditions and the context.
A Tale Of Two Houses
Scatter Box and The Veranda House, two uniquely designed apartments in suburban Mumbai by S+PS Architects showcase the robustness of attention to comprehensive design while avoiding a signature style or anything irrelevant or provocative focusing instead to create diverse, innovative, and exciting environments.
A Richly Fabricated Residence
Designed in collaboration by Rust and Even, this apartment for a couturier of bridal attire, reflects the owner’s personality, through the use of various kinds of fabrics and prints.
Architecture That Breathes
Urban Alchemy 9, set amidst the verdant scenery of south Goa blends, the traditions of tropical architecture and local culture with contemporary design aesthetics to create a sense of living in a tropical paradise.
A Contemporary Take On The Traditional Idea Of Multigenerational Household
A contemporary take on the traditional idea of multigenerational household, Villa 430, designed by Hyderabad based Moriq Interiors & Design Consultants, balances the rustic with luxury, built with unbuilt, and the old with the new.
Smart Urban Design Statement
Imagine an abode premeditated for a family of three generations (and a probable fourth in the near future). ‘Never-Apart-ment’ is located in a dense layout of the new development engulfing the city of Hyderabad. The architects of this project Baba Sashank and Vindhya Guduru, the founders of Spaceficition Studio, masterminded the primary outcome of the concept that will be overcoming the drawbacks of a vertical settlement. The sole aim behind this ‘home-sweet-home’ was to keep the social interaction between the family members alive. The form generated is a direct consequence of this, the context and the brief.
A Blend Of Nature And Luxury
Designed by Shroffleon, Apartment 701 in Mumbai, challenges the conventional apartment by having a balcony which extends to the terrace, and myriad custom-designed bespoke elements.
