COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE MEANS
PROMINENT COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE STYLE OF DELHI
SIR EDWIN LUTYENS
SIR HERBERT BAKER
VARIOUS MASTER PIECES IN DELHI
DIFFERENT ARCHITECTURE STYLES
ARCHITECTURE IN BOMBAY
‘Colonial Architecture’ consists of two words – one being
“Colonial” which refers to “colonial India” and other
being “architecture” which means the way “something is
designed”
Firstly, It is important for us to understand the context or
meaning of colonial India. Colonial India is the part of the
Indian sub continent.
Which was under the control of European colonial powers,
through trade and conquest. The first European power to
arrive in India was the army of Alexander the great in
327- 326 BC.
Later, in the early 19th British Empire built many
masterpieces of architecture including the Viceroy lounge
in Delhi.
The architectural style of the British period is very Promient in
Delhi and is Reprecuted by the central secretariat. Parliament
house or the ‘SANSAD BHAWAN’ and the president house or
Rashtrapati Bhawan formerly the British viceroy house the
Sperdid Rajpath India gate and New Delhi combining the bet
features of the modern English school of architecture with
traditional Indian forms.
The British followed various architectural styles – Gothic
Imperial, Christian English renaissance and Victorian being the
Ereutials
In 1911 king George v passed an order declaring that the Capital
would be moved from Calcutta to Delhi. The city was planned
systematically combining 20th century architecture.
Sir Edwin Lutyens was responsible for the overall plan of Delhi.
Sir Edwin Landseer was a British architect who is known for
imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the
requirement of his era. Delhi which would later on serve as
the seat of the government of India. In recognition of his
contribution, New Delhi is also known as “Lutyens” Delhi . In
collaboration with Herbert Baker. He was also the main
architect of several monuments in New Delhi such as the
India gate he also designed the viceroy’s house.
Sir Herbert baker was a British architect baker was the
dominant force in South African Architecture for two
decades 1892 – 1912 among the many churches schools
and houses he designed in south Africa are the St John’s
College Johannesburg, Wynberg boys school. Cape town
In 1912 baker went to India to work with Lutyens and
went on to design the secretariat buildings New Delhi
and parliament house in new Delhi and the bungalows of
members of Parliament. Baker designed the two
secretariat building ranking the great axis
PARLIAMENT HOUSE
INDIA GATE
RASHTRAPATI BHAWAN
CENTRAL SECRETARIAT
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
The central hall of the parliament has been designed to be
circular in shaped the dome is 98 ft (29.87 Meters) in
diameter and is Believed that is one of the most Magnificent
domes in the world.
The central hall is a place of historical importance in India
for two reason. The transfer of colonial power to the
provisional government under Nehru in 1957 and the framing
of the constitution by the constituent assembly took place in
this very hall.
Originally , the central hall was used as the library of the
erstwhile central legislative assembly and the council of
states until 1946, when it was converted and refurnished
into the constituent assembly hall.
The gate is build as a special memorandum for all the soldiers who
belongs to Indian army and to all those who who have gives their
lives lighting for the protection of their country. It is considered
that approximately 90,000 and more soldiers names have been
Encrypted over the walls of India Gates which is a special thing in
itself.
The Explicit India Gate architecture explains you that there is a
huge Path which is also known by the name of Raj path at the end
of which is constructed a 42 meters high India gate that was
previously known by the name of all India was memorial. The
designing of India gate was done by famous architect sir Edwin
lutyen. Standing behind the gate is an empty canopy made out of
sandstone, also designed by lutyen and inspired by a sixth – century
pavilion from Mahabalipuram.
The Rashtrapati Bhawan is a large and vast
mansion with floors and have 340 rooms. It is
built on a floor area of 200,00 square feet
(19.000 m2). Vijay chowk in front of
Rashtrapati Bhawan and ends at India gates on
the western end of the road. The ancillary
dome – like structure on top of the building is
known as a chattri an Intergal part of Indian
architectural design.
The Secretariat building was designed by the prominent British
architect Herbert baker in Indo – Saraceuic revival architecture.
Both the identical building have four levels, each with about 1,000
rooms in the inner courtyards to make space for future expansions.
In continuation with the viceroy house, these building also used
cream and red Dholpur sandstone from Rajasthan with the red
Sanstone forming the base. To get heir the building the designed to
from two squares. They have broad corridors between different
wings and wide stairway to the four floors and each building is
topped by a giant dome, while each wings and with colonnaded
balcony.
Much of the building is in Colonical architectural style, yet it
incorporation from Mughal and Rajasthani architecture style.
Another feature of the building is a dome – like structure known as
the Chatri a design unique to India.
The main block of the supreme court building was
built on a square Piot of 22 acres and the building
was designed by chief of architect Ganesh Bhikaji
Deolalikar who was the first Indian to head CPWD
and designed the supreme court building in an Indo
– British architecture style. He was succeeded by
Shridher Krishna joglekar. The building is shaped
to project the image of scales of justice with the
central wing of the building correspond. The chief
justice’s court is the largest of the courtroom
located in the centre of the central wing. It has in
the centre of the central wing.
The city of Bombay originally consisted of seven island
namely Colaba, Mazagoan, old women island Wadala,
mahim, parel and matungasion. This group of island, which
have since been Joined togeather by a series of
reclamation. The company which was operating from Surat
was in search for another deeper water port so than larger
vessel could dock and found the island of Bombay suitable
for development. The British corrupted the Portuguese
name “Bom Baia” to “Bombay”. The kalis used to call the
island “Mumbai” after Mumbadevi, The Hindu deity.
Charles II of England received possession of the island in
1661 as a part of the dowry of Catherine of Brahanza,
daughter of King John IV of Portugal and leased them to
the English east India company in 1668.
Bombay architecture came to be present through the
British in the 18th and early 19th centuries. At first it
was the neo – classical style of Architecture but then a
new style came to exist one that reflect modern
European fashion. The classical has an orderly
monochromatic presence the gothic style is expressive,
disjointed with surface of live color.
Bombay city hall was built during period 1820 – 35 the
university Mumbai library, Rajabai tower, Xavier
college, Chhatrapati Shivaji terminus are fine example
of gothic architecture in the city.
The Indo – Saracenic style developed in the
second half of the 19th century combining
Islamic and Hindu architectural style with
its Characterized domes, arches, stained,
glasses, spires and minarets. The gateway
of India and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
Vastu Sangrahalaya are the fine example of
indo Saracenic architectural style in the
city.
Art deco is one of Mumbai least noticed
architectural style, through Mumbai and its Sabarbs
possibly have the largest number of art deco
building in the world. Art deco in India evolved into
a unique style that came to be called deco –
Saracenic. It was a combination of Islamic and
Hindu architectural.
The Mahalakshmi temple, the Tahangir art gallery,
the high court, the general post office, the flora
fountain, regal cinema and Eros cinema.
The gateway of India is a monument built
during the British raj in Mumbai. It is located
on the water front in the Apollo Bander area in
south Mumbai and overlook the Arabian sea.
The structure is a basalt arch, 26 meter (85
feet) high. It lies at the end of Chhatrapati
Shivaji Marg at the water edge in Mumbai
Harbour. The gate way of India also been
Reffered to as the Taj Mahal of Mumbai and is
the city top tourist attraction.
The gate way of India was built to
commemorate the visit of king George Vand
Dueen marry to Mumbai, prior the Delhi
Darbar, in December 1911. they only got to see
a cardboard model of the structure since the
construction did not began till 1915. the
foundation stone was laid on 31 march 1911 by
the Governer of Bombay sir George Sydenham
Clarre with the final design of George Wittet
sanctioned on 31 march 1913.
The Taj Mahal palace hotel is a five star hotel
located in the Colaba region of Mumbai
Maharashtra India next to the gate way of India
Parts of Taj Hotel, resort and palace this hotel is
considered the flag ship property of the group and
contain 560 rooms and 44 Saits there are some
1500 staff including 35 butlers. From a historical
and architectural point of view, the two building
that makes up the hotel the Taj Mahal palace and
tower are two distinct building.
It is a place where the viceroy and Governer uset to
land upon their arrival of India. Through built for
British India and the British empire today serve as a
“monumental memento” of Colonialisation and
subjugation by the British over the people of India.
Built right next to Taj Mahal palace & tower hotel. The
gate way of India is a symbol of “power and majesty”
of British empire
There are five jetties at the gate way the first jetty is
exclusive to the atomic research centre. The second
and third are used for commercial ferry fourth is
closed and fifth to the royal Bombay Yatch club.
The hotel originally Builded by commissioned of
Tata and first opened its door to guest on 16th
December 1903
It is widely believed that Tamsedji TATA decided to
build the hotel after he was refused entry to one
of the Citys’s grand hotel of the time, Watson
hotel, as it was restricted to “whites only. The
original Indian architect were Sitaram khanderao
vaidya and DN Mirza. Completed by an English
engineer W.A chamber. The builder was khan Saheb
Sorabji Rutton Ji.
The Muncipal corporation Building was located
in south Mumbai in Maharashtra, Mumbai, is a
grade a heritage building opposite to the
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus at the junction of
Padabhai Naoroji road and Mahapalika marg. It is
also known as the Bombay Muncipal corporation
building or BMC.
Mumbai corporation of greater Mumbai and which
has its own motto – Yato Dharmastato Jaya. It is
said to be the largest civic Organisation
The BMC was created in 1865 and Arthur
craw ford was it first Muncipal
commissioner. The Muncipality was Intially
housed in a modest building at the terminus
of Girgam road. In 1870 it was shifted to a
building on Esplande. Located between
Watson hotel and the Sasson mechanism
institute where the present army & navy
building is situated
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) formly
Victoria Terminus (VT) is a UNESCO World
Heritage Site and an historic railway
station in Mumbai, India which serves as the
headquarter of the central railways.
Designed by Fredericr William Stevens
with influence from Victorian Italianate
gothic revival. The station was built is 1887
in the Bori Bunder area of Bombay to
commemorate the golden Jubilee of
Queen Victoria.
Poem in Gujarati Language by Niranajan Bhagat
translated to English Extrol the beauty of flora
fountain.
“ A glass and concrete
Jungle
In its midst always
Quiet comely
With hope filled face
She stand Flora
A dream of spring in her
Matchless eyes
Holding in both hands
Stone flower
About her, in all corner
Iron butterflies fly round
And round
And lifeless insect play ”
Bori bunder was one of the areas along the
eastern shores lines of Mumbai , India which
was used as a storehouse for goods imported
and exported from Mumbai in areas name. Bori
means “sack” and Bandar means port or haven.
Bori bandar literally means a place where sack
are stored.
The station was eventually rebuilt as the
Victoria terminus named after the then
reigning queen.
Flora fountain at the Mahatma Chowk is an
ornamentally and exquisitely sculpted
architectural heritage monument located at
the southern end of the historic Dada Bhai
Naroji road called the mile long road at the
fort business district in the heart of south
Mumbai. Flora fountain built in 1864, is a
fusion of water, architecture and sculpture it
total cast of Rs 47,000 or 9000 pound sterling.