Context
The Petit Sanatorium was built in a colonial neoclassic style over a century ago. In a state of disrepair, and short of maintenance funds, the trustees sold part of the premises for the development of luxury condominiums. They set down a stringent set of design requirements, which included the refurbishment of the existing sanatorium.
Concept
Being attached to a heritage building in a prime locality of Mumbai, the plans for the new apartment building underwent scrutiny by a number of regulatory and historic preservation bodies, ensuring that each architectural gesture maintained the integrity of the sanatorium. In the first phase, the existing kitchen and toilet facilities, which were originally detached from the main residential wing of the sanatorium, were demolished. In lieu of this, each unit was provided with a kitchen and toilet facility. Such a provision created much needed floor space that was added to the new tower. As it stands, the twenty-six-story ‘T’ shaped tower consists of forty-eight luxury condominiums on the bottom twenty-four floors, planned symmetrically around a central stem of services. The top two levels house a state-of-the-art health club and a terrace pool. In terms of its facade, the building is founded and cantilevered on tall arches with deep brackets, created to harmonize with the existing ground floor facade of the sanatorium. Large fluted balconies on three sides help define deep shadows and channel wind flows through the units. To achieve a rusticated look like the existing façade, face-cut plaster and exposed brick are alternately used. An open penthouse, that attempts to refer to the scroll and panel motifs of the existing building, tops the entire structure.
Team
Daraius Batliwala – Principal Designer
Shobha Rajopadhye – Associate
Patell Batliwala & Associates (Merged with CSA Partners Ltd.)
Cyrus Subawalla Architect Intern
Project Data
Building type: Residential-Multi-family
Sustainability/LEED: Historic Preservation on exst building
Location: Mumbai, India
Site Area: N/A
Project Area: 100,000 sf
Client: Petit Trust
Completion Year: 2003
Construction Cost: Withheld at owner request