There have been recent discussions on conservation of ‘Modern Heritage’ and although the term sounds like an oxymoron, the modern architectural heritage around the globe is now approaching a century in age. The 20th century had extremely fast-paced social, artistic and technological development evident by the architecture left behind. This century was also the backdrop for the conservation movement and its growth into what it is today. After the destruction of built heritage as a result of wars, and some damage inflicted by insensitively executed ‘development for the sake of development’, conservation began to grow as a need to establish a sense of history and identity for many nations.

The modern, subtle, and expressive Art Deco style of architecture was developed in Paris in 1925 and quickly gained popularity all over the world. It was popular in interior design, furniture design, graphic design, automobile design, and fashion, and it was influenced by the Arts & Crafts movement. During the Industrial Revolution, the style was mass-produced and most prevalent in port cities.

The movement travelled far and fast into many of the prominent cities of our country and became one of the new stylistic identities of independent India. As a British colony, India explored global culture from a unique perspective after the first World War. Art Deco was the prevailing design movement in Europe during the 1930s. The people who moved abroad for education and work, brought back with them a love for contemporary living as they were mesmerized by the modern aesthetics that dominated world architecture. This was apparent in the different new typologies of buildings adopting this style to establish their brand value. Whether it was banks, insurance buildings, hotels & lodges, cinema theaters, luxury apartments or independent bungalows, the elite gravitated towards this dynamic, artistic style of building. Needless to say, the Maharajas and other wealthy socioeconomic groups, had a significant role in the style’s adoption in the Indian scene. These politically and economically significant groups of society were increasingly influenced by Western ideas and tastes due to their education and wealth.

In the 21st century, as the world started to discover its Art Deco legacy, Mumbai emerged as home to one of the largest collections of these flamboyant structures worldwide!  Miami and Mumbai are the two cities with the most buildings designed in the Art Deco style. We believed that Pune might not be far behind. As we continue to conduct this extensive field study, we seem to have only scratched the surface of Pune’s Art Deco legacy. Pune, being the next major city in Maharashtra, saw an expansion of the Art Deco architectural style, with most of the homes being owned by the affluent business class.

We, at Studio Gestalt, are deeply invested in these magnificent; sometimes revered and other times neglected; sculptures and are taking the time to document them for posterity. As a modern movement, the Art Deco style in India was our way of identifying with a global sense of self. We have an extensive list of buildings that we have identified and mapped as well as photographed to maintain a time capsule of these buildings. Based on the current pace of construction, we might just lose more than we should to redevelopment. Checkout our Instagram page through the link below to view the Art Deco in Pune and its blend with Indian culture. Every building has a story, they say. Art Deco in Pune has a handful of such awe-inspiring stories waiting to be read and heard!