Reviving Public and Institutional Spaces: Architectural Conservation
Architecture that serves the city by listening to its past. We restore historic institutions and public landmarks to ensure they remain vibrant, functional spaces for future generations.
A published photo showing us inside the restored RBANM's High School classroom wing. The article details our conservation approach, which involved repairing damaged stone, using original materials, and introducing energy-efficient lighting to create a functional and inspiring learning environment.
An exterior view of the restored 1873 school building, featured in a magazine. The text explains our process, which began with an archaeological-like study to understand the original structure and style, ensuring our conservation work was deeply informed by history.
A video tour of the completed RBANM's High School conservation project. It moves from the schoolyard, with its historic emblem, through the restored arched doorways and into the classrooms, where students now learn in a space filled with light and history.
This video captures the joy of children using the new classroom addition at the RBANM's primary school. Seeing the space come alive with activity is the true reward of our work, affirming that architecture is ultimately for people.
A magazine spread showing our diverse projects, including the arched walkway at Freedom Park, Bengaluru. We transformed the site of the former Central Jail into a public space, where historic elements like the barracks and watchtowers are preserved as reminders of the past.
A short video visit to Freedom Park. It shows the main watchtower, the long stone walls of the old jail, and the new public spaces that are now used for relaxation and community gathering, illustrating the site's successful transformation.
About Reviving Public and Institutional Spaces
When we approach public and institutional spaces, we focus on the silent dialogue between the original structure and its current purpose. For a project like the RBANM school, it was not just about fixing walls but ensuring that a 150-year-old classroom could hold the energy of modern learning. We balance historical integrity with contemporary utility, often using lightweight steel interventions that stand apart from the ancient masonry rather than hiding it.
Our work in adaptive reuse architecture and heritage building conservation is driven by the belief that the most sustainable building is the one that already exists. Public spaces, whether schools or parks, act as the city's collective memory. Our methodology starts with a rigorous assessment of the building's structural health, where we identify which elements must be preserved and where we can introduce modern necessities like MEP integration or steel staircases without damaging the historic fabric.
The Philosophy of Conservation
We treat every site, from the 1873 RBANM classrooms to the expansive grounds of Freedom Park, as a palimpsest. Our team approaches conservation by working with traditional materials like lime plaster and stone, while carefully introducing contemporary materials like glass or steel to create light-filled, functional volumes. We do not seek to erase the marks of time. Instead, we use our designs to frame them, creating spaces that feel relevant to the current user while honoring the original architect's intent.
Our Expertise
- Structural Retrofitting: Engineering transition grids to shift loads safely from historic walls to new superstructures.
- Civic Architecture: Master planning and restoration of public landmarks to ensure accessibility and community engagement.
- Material Restoration: Sourcing and specifying techniques for antique teak joinery, lime plastering, and stone masonry.
- Light and Ventilation: Integrating modern comfort systems, such as skylights and natural ventilation, into old envelopes to make them livable for today’s institutions.
We welcome conversations with institutional heads and public bodies looking to preserve their legacy while revitalizing their spaces for the future.
Mathew and Ghosh
We are Soumitro and Nisha, and for us, architecture is a conversation with the city. We spend our time in Bengaluru learning from its older structures, finding ways to make them work for today without erasing their memories.
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