Champak, Shivaji Park, Dadar - built in 1937 Champak is resplendent with Art Deco features overlooking Mumbai’s friendliest public ground, Shivaji Park. Right from balconies ornamented with speedlines and geometric patterns, to continuous eyebrows (chajja), highlighted in dark blue. Deco grillwork with simple geometric shapes is seen on the windows, balcony railings and compound wall. This charming 2-storeyed building is one of few in this Deco neighbourhood with its original character preserved. Residents of buildings around Shivaji Park hold fond memories of their time in the area. Anecdotes from the residents of this building reveal that they did not ‘’move from congested places of South Bombay’’ like most of the other original residents did - such as Kashinath Ravat who built Dadaji Nishant, located across Champak - which sets it apart from them; instead, they arrived from outside the city. From Shivaji Park: Dadar 28: History, Places, People by Shanta Gokhale Image 1- Hand rendered illustration of Champak for Art Deco Mumbai Trust’s Jan 2021 launch - more soon!

Champak, Shivaji Park, Dadar - built in 1937 Champak is resplendent with Art Deco features overlooking Mumbai’s friendliest public ground, Shivaji Park. Right from balconies ornamented with speedlines and geometric patterns, to continuous eyebrows (chajja), highlighted in dark blue. Deco grillwork with simple geometric shapes is seen on the windows, balcony railings and compound wall. This charming 2-storeyed building is one of few in this Deco neighbourhood with its original character preserved. Residents of buildings around Shivaji Park hold fond memories of their time in the area. Anecdotes from the residents of this building reveal that they did not ‘’move from congested places of South Bombay’’ like most of the other original residents did - such as Kashinath Ravat who built Dadaji Nishant, located across Champak - which sets it apart from them; instead, they arrived from outside the city. From Shivaji Park: Dadar 28: History, Places, People by Shanta Gokhale Image 1- Hand rendered illustration of Champak for Art Deco Mumbai Trust’s Jan 2021 launch - more soon!

Champak, Shivaji Park, Dadar - built in 1937 Champak is resplendent with Art Deco features overlooking Mumbai’s friendliest public ground, Shivaji Park. Right from balconies ornamented with speedlines and geometric patterns, to continuous eyebrows (chajja), highlighted in dark blue. Deco grillwork with simple geometric shapes is seen on the windows, balcony railings and compound wall. This charming 2-storeyed building is one of few in this Deco neighbourhood with its original character preserved. Residents of buildings around Shivaji Park hold fond memories of their time in the area. Anecdotes from the residents of this building reveal that they did not ‘’move from congested places of South Bombay’’ like most of the other original residents did - such as Kashinath Ravat who built Dadaji Nishant, located across Champak - which sets it apart from them; instead, they arrived from outside the city. From Shivaji Park: Dadar 28: History, Places, People by Shanta Gokhale Image 1- Hand rendered illustration of Champak for Art Deco Mumbai Trust’s Jan 2021 launch - more soon!

Champak, Shivaji Park, Dadar - built in 1937 Champak is resplendent with Art Deco features overlooking Mumbai’s friendliest public ground, Shivaji Park. Right from balconies ornamented with speedlines and geometric patterns, to continuous eyebrows (chajja), highlighted in dark blue. Deco grillwork with simple geometric shapes is seen on the windows, balcony railings and compound wall. This charming 2-storeyed building is one of few in this Deco neighbourhood with its original character preserved. Residents of buildings around Shivaji Park hold fond memories of their time in the area. Anecdotes from the residents of this building reveal that they did not ‘’move from congested places of South Bombay’’ like most of the other original residents did - such as Kashinath Ravat who built Dadaji Nishant, located across Champak - which sets it apart from them; instead, they arrived from outside the city. From Shivaji Park: Dadar 28: History, Places, People by Shanta Gokhale Image 1- Hand rendered illustration of Champak for Art Deco Mumbai Trust’s Jan 2021 launch - more soon!

Champak, Shivaji Park, Dadar - built in 1937 Champak is resplendent with Art Deco features overlooking Mumbai’s friendliest public ground, Shivaji Park. Right from balconies ornamented with speedlines and geometric patterns, to continuous eyebrows (chajja), highlighted in dark blue. Deco grillwork with simple geometric shapes is seen on the windows, balcony railings and compound wall. This charming 2-storeyed building is one of few in this Deco neighbourhood with its original character preserved. Residents of buildings around Shivaji Park hold fond memories of their time in the area. Anecdotes from the residents of this building reveal that they did not ‘’move from congested places of South Bombay’’ like most of the other original residents did - such as Kashinath Ravat who built Dadaji Nishant, located across Champak - which sets it apart from them; instead, they arrived from outside the city. From Shivaji Park: Dadar 28: History, Places, People by Shanta Gokhale Image 1- Hand rendered illustration of Champak for Art Deco Mumbai Trust’s Jan 2021 launch - more soon!

Art Deco buildings abound with thoughtful features that are especially relevant in today’s time where prevention of the spread of disease is of primary importance. Bombay Deco is associated with a new and fresh period in the city’s history – the departure of the British Empire. However, it also reflects a darker period - the ravages of the Bombay Plague of 1896, which halved the local population. One reason why the Plague had such a devastating effect on the city was because earlier residential structures were cramped and not well-ventilated, allowing for rapid spread of the disease. Art Deco buildings, on the other hand, were deliberately built to allow plenty of ventilation with high ceilings, indoor toilets, open courtyards and green spaces. These adaptations better protected individuals against infectious disease. Mustansir Dalvi, Professor at the Sir J.J. College of Architecture in Mumbai, says, “The city’s newer buildings lack the disease resilience of the Art Deco ones, which were built when the ravages of the plague and the Spanish Flu of 1918 were fresh in the memory. These buildings were open, with adequate space between them, sometimes with gardens and shared trees,” he says. “Now, because of the pressures of real estate, we have buildings that are very tall with few open spaces between them that are leading to problems of hygiene and disease.” The Inheritage Project’s Alisha Sadikot agrees. “The city forgot the lessons of the plague,” she says. “It’s only with the outbreak of the coronavirus that we have so much more interest in the plague and what happened after. I hope we will see some official interest in those conversations.” Image 1 - Archival image of a building at Dadar-Matunga estate, from Journal of IIA (1938) Image 2 - New buildings at Oval Maidan, from the Modern House in India by ACC Image 3 - Marine Drive Image 4 - Aerial View of Marine Drive by Dr. Jehangir Sorabjee