Haveli Dharampura

THE PROJECT IN DHARAMPURA IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE WALLED CITY OF DELHI WHICH AIMS IN THE RESTORATION & REHABILITATION OF A 135-YEAR-OLD HAVELI (BUILT-IN 1880) INTO A HOSPITALITY PROJECT WITH 14 ROOMS, A SPA, A MUSEUM, 2 SHOPS & A RESTAURANT. WE STARTED THIS PROJECT LOOKING AT A BROKEN STRUCTURE THAT WAS DECLARED AN INHABITABLE SPACE FOR LIVING BY THE GOVERNMENT OF DELHI. WITHOUT ANY PLANS OR DRAWINGS, WE HAD TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM EVEN BEFORE STARTING THE DESIGN WHICH INVOLVED THE BUILDING SURVEY, TO PREPARE MEASURED DRAWINGS & STRUCTURAL REPAIR & STRENGTHENING OF THE BUILDING. THE DESIGNING PROCESS INVOLVED A VERY ELABORATE 2 YEARS OF RESEARCH ON THE WHOLE URBAN FABRIC OF CHANDNI CHOWK. THE RESULTING SPACE HAD ELEMENTS FROM HINDU, MUGHAL, JAIN & RAJASTHAN'S ARCHITECTURE. WE WERE BOUND TO AMALGAMATE TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE WITH CONTEMPORARY MODERN ARCHITECTURE TO CREATE AN INVITING SPACE FOR BOTH INDIANS & FOREIGNERS. WE VISITED ALMOST ALL THE OLD CITIES OF INDIA TO UNDERSTAND THE RELEVANCE OF SUCH A PROJECT & TO COLLECT A LARGE NUMBER OF SKILLED LABOR WHO UNDERSTAND TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS. WE REPLICATED ALMOST ALL THE ELEMENTS WHICH WERE USED EARLIER, SOME OF THEM IN A MODERN WAY. EVERY ROOM OR SPACE HAS ITS OWN THEME WHICH REFLECTS VARIOUS FLAVORS OF ARCHITECTURE & LIVELIHOOD IN CHANDNI CHOWK. ALL FURNITURE, LIGHTS & ARTIFACTS WERE DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR EACH AND EVERY SPACE ACCORDING TO ITS USE & THE THEME WAS TAKEN.