Colour plays an important role in determining the character and personality of any building. Compound walls of Art Deco buildings, reflect the buildings they encompass, in more ways than one. Special attention is paid to the colour of compound walls, as it is an extension of the building itself. Frequently, these walls are painted in the same vibrant duo-tone colour palette corresponding to the buildings, highlighting bands, motifs, grilles and piers. Image 01: Lamba Building, Matunga - The building seamlessly blends with its compound wall, painted in beige and maroon, while the metal work on the building and compound wall is painted in black.

Image 02: Rakhi Mahal, Churchgate - The compound wall of Rakhi Mahal reflects a clean blue and white finish. Colour is used to highlight the bands and the stepped profile of the piers.

Image 03: Vijaya Bhavan, Matunga - In contrast to the examples of treating compound walls as an integral part of the building with as much care, Vijaya Bhavan is a classic example of how a wall is disconnected from a building. Instead of being an enhancer, the wall has been treated as a separate entity that is neglected. Due to the state of disrepair, beautiful stepped profiles on the piers of the compound wall are lost.

We have come to recognise certain characteristics as typically Art Deco over time. These Deco motifs in the compound walls of the building elevate the combined aesthetic of the compound wall and the building to a whole new level. Image 01: Seksaria building, Marine Drive - The wall represents the iconic turrets of the buildings along Marine Drive. Its monolithic light post adds to the customisation of the wall and is integrated seamlessly in the design of the compound wall. This light post was recreated by owners to scale as recently as 2021.

We have come to recognise certain characteristics as typically Art Deco over time. These Deco motifs in the compound walls of the building elevate the combined aesthetic of the compound wall and the building to a whole new level. Image 02: Fairlawn, Oval Maidan - A highly geometric shell-shape along this compound wall is an exemplary instance of abstraction of tropical motifs in Art Deco.

We have come to recognise certain characteristics as typically Art Deco over time. These Deco motifs in the compound walls of the building elevate the combined aesthetic of the compound wall and the building to a whole new level. Image 03: Boscoville, Bandra - The stepped compound wall of the stand-alone bungalow on the contoured terrain of Bandra is another example incorporating geometric shapes in its concrete grille.