Last Updated on March 21, 2023 by Soumya
Hmmm, Art Deco in Mumbai! Does that even exist?
When you think Art Deco you probably think of Miami, Paris, or NYC! Nobody imagines finding art deco buildings in Mumbai.
I had no clue either about it either. Until Mumbai’s Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensemble got inscribed into the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in June 2018.
Yes, the list said Mumbai Art Deco buildings were being inscribed too. That sent me on a passion drive to learn more about these relatively unknown heritage buildings in India.
It was during this quest that I found about a non-profit trust dedicated to the preservation, chronicling, and showcasing of Mumbai’s Art Deco heritage by the same name. Art Deco Mumbai. I could not think of a better way to find out more about these iconic buildings than to collaborate with the team at Art Deco Mumbai. And so I did. Let’s see how my tour with them went and what I learned.
If you wish to catch up with the team of Art Deco Mumbai and find out more about their efforts (which are huge by the way), check out their website or follow them on Facebook.
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So, let’s get started with the Art Deco Tour in Mumbai.
Now, what exactly is Art Deco?
One of the prettiest Deco buildings in Mumbai – Rajjab Mahal near the Oval Maidan
Art Deco is a form of art that originated in Paris in the 1920s and reached its peak in the 1930s in Europe and the USA. By using a lot of symmetry, geometrical patterns, and stylized forms, Art Deco came to be known as the art style of the modern era. It represented glamour, luxury, sleekness, and speed.
You will not find a lot of detailing on art deco surfaces. They are usually simple and clean. The curves and boundaries are pretty well defined. And symmetry plays a vital role.
Like every other art form, Art Deco was influenced and inspired by preceding art forms like Cubism, Art Nouveau, and the Bauhaus School. (Only if you wish to dig deeper!) The result was a sleek, trendy art form. Think of the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building in New York City. Or the Palais de Chaillot in Paris. Or the more famous and colorful buildings in the Historic District of Miami Beach.
How did Mumbai get Art Deco?
Now, that’s an interesting story. One you would love to hear. In the 1930s, trade flourished in Bombay. Cotton and spice trade boomed. The city grew bigger and richer. Authorities planned to expand Mumbai by reclaiming land from the sea.
Mumbai was originally a conglomeration of 7 small islands. Thanks to all the reclamation, it is now a big island city.
Rich merchants and entrepreneurs patronized the effort by bringing in Art Deco from their travels in Europe and further west. While artists were getting trained in older styles in India and abroad, they brought back with them Art Deco ideas whenever they traveled to London or Paris.
Art Deco was stylish and non-conformist. It lacked the excessive detailing of Gothic architecture and the Asian exoticism of Indo-Saracenic style. Art Deco was the perfect futuristic expression for Bombay’s elite and the rising middle class. It was India’s first step into modern architecture. And that is how Art Deco became an integral part of Mumbai’s growth story in the 1930s.
Where can you see Art Deco buildings in Mumbai?
The corner Moonlight apartment in front of Oval – look at that symmetry
You can find most Art Deco buildings in South Mumbai, notably on Marine Drive and on the western flank of Oval Maidan. The Oval location is especially crucial. And that is because the Oval is flanked by Art Deco buildings on one side and by Victorian Gothic structures on the other. Remember we said that the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco ensemble was added to the UNESCO list? Well, this is where you will find it.
One of the most interesting bits about this UNESCO inscription was that it was entirely citizen-driven. And took 14 long years! As incredible as it may sound, it was made possible by some stalwart humans of Bombay. I have a video about these people right at the end of this article if you wish to scroll down.
So far the team has identified more than 600 art deco buildings in Mumbai. And they say this is just a fraction. Miami has 800. Who knows! We might just have the largest collection of art deco in the world. Let’s find out what should be some of the important stops on your Mumbai Art Deco Trail.
The Oval is such an important landmark for Mumbai Art Deco!
Just head over to the Oval Maidan in South Mumbai on a Sunday morning. There are scores of teams playing cricket matches here. While enjoying a game of cricket with your favorite cup of chai, make sure you look around to spot some of the iconic buildings around you.
You can see the Bombay High Court, the Rajabhai Clock Tower, and the University of Mumbai to the east of Oval. Glorious Victorian Gothic buildings from the 19th century.
On your west, you will see the less sassy Moonlight and Sunshine and the more conspicuous and colorful Shiv Shanti Bhuvan and Rajjab Mahal. These are part of a row of carefully-constructed, short (less than 5 floors), Art Deco residential buildings – now peeping from behind a row of tropical trees. At the end of the row, you can see the impressive silhouette of Eros Cinema, a premier movie theater from the 1930s.
So is Marine Drive!
Once done with the Oval, you can head to Marine Drive, Mumbai’s large, open promenade facing the Arabian Sea. Right along the Marine Drive is a stack of 35 Art Deco buildings of similar height but subtle differences. Soona Mahal, Seksaria Building, and the quirky Tapporevala Aquarium are some of the more notable ones.
Apparently, many famous Bollywood stars and movie moguls of yesteryears hosted lavish parties in these Art Deco buildings. And some of these functioned as war offices during World War II.
The Deco buildings of Marine Drive are filled with glamor, intrigue, and untold stories.
These buildings have an unhindered view of the Arabian Sea. This makes them some of the most expensive pieces of real estate in the world. But as you stroll down the neighborhood, you will notice that many of them have age-old lease notices stuck on them. Yeah, the 99-year lease agreements! Even today, old tenants pay a tiny sum to live in these buildings although the rents in surrounding areas have boomed.
Elsewhere in Mumbai.
Apart from the Oval and the Marine Drive, you can see Art Deco structures in some of the northern suburbs such as Dadar, Matunga, and Marine Lines. Noor Mahal in Matunga, Krisha Kunj in Dadar, and Liberty Cinema in Marine Lines are stunning examples. These buildings are in various states of repair – many crumbling down!
How do you identify Art Deco buildings?
If you decide to go check out the Art Deco scene in Mumbai and are doing a DIY tour (which you can certainly do – all the buildings are out there in the open!), then look out for these Deco characteristics. You will find the first three in almost ever Art Deco building that is there in Mumbai.
Geometric patterns
Geometrical patterns form an integral part of art deco facades. Single-color bands are pretty common. They line balconies, windows, doors, and literally every other contour in the building. Even staircases are graced by geometrical designs. Chevrons, squares, and zig-zag patterns are also popular. Look at the interesting patterns below.
Symmetry
Art Deco buildings are unflinchingly symmetrical. I believe symmetry is not just the essence of Art Deco but also the basic premise on which this style took form. Take a look at all the corner buildings and notice how the edges symmetrically flank the roads.
Stepped pyramids
Another very remarkable characteristic, though not very common among the deco buildings in Mumbai, is the stepped pyramid structure. Think of a typical wedding cake. Or remember the Ziggurat of Ur from Mesopotamia or the Pyramid of Chichen Itza from Mexico! Eros Cinema in front of Oval is a stark example of Ziggurat architecture.
Low compound walls
This is something my tour guide pointed out. All the art deco buildings either had low boundary walls or no boundary walls. This was done to allow enough sunlight and air into the ground floor houses which have always been lived in. There wasn’t the concept of having parking and mailboxes on the ground floor then. Parking was a couple of yards away, down the street.
Motion-inspired balconies
More often than not, the balconies of art deco buildings were inspired by the concepts of motion and speed. As a consequence, they were often designed like trains, ships, and airplanes. It gave them a sleek and futuristic look. And the feeling of being in motion. Some of these balconies that were designed like train engines are fondly referred to as the “locomotive balconies”.
Interesting motifs
Interesting motifs adorn the facades of many of these buildings. One of the most iconic ones is that of a Greek frozen fountain at the entrance of Court View. All with fascinating stories in the background.
What is unique about Art Deco in Mumbai?
However, all that said, the Art Deco buildings in Mumbai are certainly unique and different from what you would see elsewhere. And that is because the temperature and weather conditions in the tropics were very different from the ones in Western Europe or North America. Hence, they were designed differently.
Mumbai was hot and humid. Therefore, utmost care was given to ventilation. You will see large windows opening on to larger balconies. That allowed for an abundance of sunlight and cool breeze. Eyebrows or shelves above windows (called chajjas in Hindi) were pretty common too. They prevented direct sunlight from entering and kept the homes cool.
Near the Oval, you can spot Shiv Shanti Bhuvan with so many eyebrows that it is fondly referred to as the Eyebrow Queen!
Artists also used a lot of tropical imagery. Since Mumbai was a port, waves and sun rays were used abundantly. Tropical plants and animals were carved on building facades. If you look carefully, you can locate an exceptionally-carved panel of three tropical birds right above the entrance of Swastik Court – an Art Deco building right in front of the Oval.
Can you do a guided tour of these buildings in Mumbai?
Yes, you can. You can do a tour with the research team at Art Deco Mumbai Trust. As far as I am aware, this is the only group that provides dedicated, professional tours in this area. And they are really good at it. Atul Kumar, the Founder Trustee, is extremely passionate and vocal about protecting the Art Deco heritage of Mumbai. And that reflects in his team.
Here are some perceivable benefits of taking a tour.
- A researcher cum tour guide will show you around. Our group was led by Nityaa, Head of Documentation & Research at the trust. And she was super knowledgeable about all the buildings, their history, and future plans.
- You will able to enter some of the buildings and see what’s inside in the lobby and the stairwell area. We entered three buildings during our tour – two with dramatic stairwells (Court View and Soona Mahal) and one with an elegant lobby (Seksaria Building).
- You may have the opportunity to talk to some of the original residents of these buildings. Many are involved with the trust and are dedicated to the conservation of these buildings.
Do I recommend the tour by the team of Art Deco Mumbai?
Yes, absolutely. I have taken scores of guided trips but almost always they have been dispassionate rants by the tour guide. Instead of two-way engagements. I did a Deco Master Tour with the trust. Our group had one guide and 10 participants including me. On this tour, I was able to ask questions, discuss issues, and get deeper insights into the economics, emotions, and social fabric that held each building together. The tour lasted nearly 3 hours (you can get shorter ones too) but honestly, it flew by in a jiffy for me.
This is a tour for every art, architecture, history, and culture enthusiast. If you aren’t into these things, then you should not be doing this tour. But if you are, then this Art Deco Tour is the best thing to do in Mumbai.
You can book your guided tour by clicking here.
Art Deco buildings on Marine Drive
Can you do a DIY tour of the Art Deco buildings in Mumbai?
Yes, you can. All of these buildings are just out there in the open waiting to be adored. Take a walk down the western end of the Oval Maidan and along Marine Drive and you can easily view these buildings from a distance. You can even walk up to the gates of some and click some gorgeous pictures. However, on a DIY tour, you cannot enter any of the buildings and see them from inside. That means you will miss out on the gorgeous stairwells, chequered floors, and some interesting attachments such as the nameplates. That said, I would not discourage you to take a stroll down these neighborhoods whenever you are in this area. The buildings are gorgeous from the outside as well and totally deserve a DIY tour. If you wish to purchase a map, you can check out this link.
How about staying in an Art Deco hotel?
Apart from enjoying a hearty tour of Mumbai’s Art Deco scene, you can stay in some of the refurbished art deco buildings in Mumbai. A few have been converted into neat and comfortable hotels and you can book your stay by clicking on the links below.
Luxury options
- Hotel Marine Plaza: This is an attractive corner building on Marine Drive. It has been modernized on the outside but still retains its deco interior.
Click here to book your stay at Hotel Marine Plaza. - Intercontinental Marine Drive: The Intercontinental was originally the Natraj Hotel. It was home to the Bombay Club and offered entertainment to British visitors.
Click here to book your stay at Intercontinental Marine Drive.
Medium to Low Budget Options
These hotels may not provide you with the luxury and comfort of the other two but they will definitely take you on a nostalgic tour of a bygone era.
- Chateau Windsor Hotel – An iconic building from the art deco era, the Chateau Windsor Hotel sports some typical deco features such as sleek balconies, metal grills, and flutes.
Click here to book your stay at the Chateau Windsor Hotel. - Sea Green South Hotel: The Sea Green South Hotel is a remarkable example of art deco banding, eyebrow balconies, and attractive typography. This building has a fascinating history. It was commissioned by the army during World War II.
Click here to book your stay at the Sea Green South Hotel. - West End Hotel: Designed specifically as a hotel in 1948, the West End Hotel has spacious rooms with large windows allowing a lot of natural light. Don’t miss the Deco wall clock in the hotel lobby that still keeps time.
Click here to book your stay at the West End Hotel.
You can learn more about the riveting history of many of these buildings by clicking here. I find it fascinating how the Marine Drive came into being and how these otherwise inconspicuous buildings became so important after the Partition.
That brings me to the end of my amazing tour of India Deco or Art Deco in India’s financial capital. Have you checked out these buildings yet? Are you looking forward to doing so? Drop me a line here and let’s get the conversation going.
I love Mumbai and especially the location near Marine Drive. But I never knew that those buildings of 1930’s in Mumbai followed the Art Deco concept. Those pyramid-stepped structures, facades, symmetrical geometric patterns looks beautiful and sleek. Taking a guided tour sounds wise idea as on DIY tours we cannot enter the buildings.
That’s true, Yukti. Entering the Art Deco buildings is not possible since most of these are residential and still in use. A guided tour helps in that regard.
It surprised me to see Art Deco represented in Mumbai! I loved hearing how it made its way from Paris to these Art Deco buildings, too. I think the symmetrical geometrics in the interiors add so much to the architecture…I am a big fan of this style. Great idea to take a tour of this nature, guided or otherwise.
I agree, Jackie. The symmetry and interiors make these buildings so beautiful. I am hoping I can explore these buildings more closely once things get better.
I wish I knew about art deco when I lived there for a little more than a year. These look like somewhere in Europe. Your insta gallery looks great too.
Thanks Sinjana. No one would imagine Art Deco in Mumbai, right. Yet, it is there right here for us to appreciate and get fascinated.
I was just planning to visit Mumbai for exploring the Art Deco and a few other old buildings before the current situation. And now I am reading about them! Honestly, even I came to know about the Art Deco in Mumbai only after it was declared as UNESCO World Heritage Monuments. I do hope to visit Mumbai soon after all of us start travelling again. In the meantime, it was good to read about these buildings and knowing their history.
Glad to know you have plans of visiting Mumbai and that you have Art Deco in your itinerary. It is such a hidden gem otherwise.
So interesting. I’ve never really known what Art Deco is until now. I really like the building with the browns in the interior with the hallway lining up. It’s on your left pin picture. I will have to keep my eyes open for examples when I’m traveling around. What a unique tour you were able to take.
Thanks Kathleen. This was definitely a very unique tour. Am looking forward to seeing more hidden gems in Mumbai.
What a fresh perspective Soumya. I’ve read so many blog posts on Mumbai recently and none have specifically covered the Art Deco sights. I was reading up on Mumbai cos I was supposed to be there in 1 week. Unfortunately my trip has been postponed for now but I’ll bookmark this post for when it’s safe to travel again – thanks!
Thanks Freya. Art Deco buildings in Mumbai are hidden in plain sight. They are so beautiful yet so less known! I hope you can travel to mumbai soon and get to see these beautiful pieces of architecture.
Really these are to be seen through one’s eyes.We have never done any research on this .
The Art Deco scene in Mumbai is pretty virgin and unexplored. That’s why we need people like you to come, see, and talk about them to the world.