Mumbai - Collection of finest Art Deco Buildings

Not many people know that Mumbai possesses one of the largest collections of Art Deco architecture in the world, second only to Miami. In 2018, UNESCO placed the “Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai” on the World Heritage List. The protected area includes the famous Art Deco buildings around the park Oval Maidan and on Marine Drive in South Mumbai.  The ensemble contains 94 important buildings, of which 76 are Art Deco houses, apartment blocks and cinemas. Beyond the UNESCO zone, researchers have documented more than 200 Art Deco buildings in Mumbai, and newer surveys speak of more than 1000 buildings, mostly residential, across the entire city.  Art Deco came to Mumbai in the 1930s, when the city was still called Bombay and was one of the most important port cities of the British Empire. At that time, Bombay was growing rapidly. New land was created through the landreclamation, especially along the coast near Marine Drive. This new land gave wealthy families, builders and developers the opportunity to construct modern apartment houses in the latest international style. The majority of the Art Deco buildings were built between the early 1930s and the early 1950s.  The history of these houses is closely connected with the desire of Bombay’s middle and upper classes to appear modern, international and independent. The new buildings were very different from the imposing older colonial Gothic architecture nearby. They represented a new lifestyle: apartments with elevators, garages, modern bathrooms and balconies facing the sea. Many residents saw them as symbols of progress and of a future independent India.  The architects who designed the houses were mainly Indian architects trained in Bombay, London or Paris. Among the most important were G. B. Mhatre, Sohrabji Bhedwar, Master, Sathe and Bhuta, Gregson, Batley and King and Shorabji Bhedwar. Art Deco in India developed differently from Art Deco in Europe. The architects adapted the European Art Deco style to the climate and culture of India. Instead of only copying Paris or Miami, they created a local form known as “Indo-Deco", a unique Indian version of the international style. They even combined the geometric forms of Art Deco with Indian motifs and local materials, decoration with forms and patterns symbolising the sea, waves, sky, clouds, the sun. On many houses one can also see lotus flowers, peacocks, Hindu symbols, ziggurat forms, tropical plants and decorative patterns inspired by Indian art. The buildings often also have balconies, verandas and long windows to allow more air and light in the hot climate. Typical Art Deco elements include curved corners, horizontal lines, rounded balconies, round windows like those on ships, decorative lettering, marble floors and spiral staircases. Many of the houses along Marine Drive resemble the shape of ocean liners, because architects wanted the buildings to reflect the nearby sea. The pastel colours and smooth façades also give the houses a light and elegant appearance. The Art Deco houses around the Oval Maidan have a special urban significance because they stand directly opposite the Victorian Gothic public buildings on the other side of the park. Together they create an extraordinary contrast between two architectural periods: the nineteenth century Gothic style and the twentieth century modern style. UNESCO considers this relationship one of the reasons why the site is of universal importance.  Today, these houses are still inhabited and remain an important part of everyday life in Mumbai. However, many buildings are threatened by neglect, pollution and pressure from real-estate development. In recent years, local organisations such as Art Deco Mumbai Trust have worked to document and protect them. Their efforts played an important role in achieving UNESCO World Heritage status in 2018.