Architectural Conservation & Adaptive Reuse
Available across India
I restore and repurpose old buildings for modern use, combining research and teamwork to keep their history alive while making them practical today.
Pricing Guide
Pre-Design Heritage Diagnostic
Engagement Scope
- Principal Site Visit: Personal reconnaissance by the Principal Architect to assess architectural merit and structural reality.
- Structural Auditing: Visual inspection and preliminary non-destructive testing of load-bearing walls, timber rafters, and foundations.
- Feasibility Analysis: Assessment of zoning laws and structural constraints to determine demolition vs. restoration scope.
Documentation & Analysis
- As-Is Documentation: Measured drawings of the existing structure capturing cornice patterns, window styles, and floor levels.
- Material Sampling: Identification of original materials (lime mortar composition, teak wood quality) for future matching.
- Risk Assessment: Checks for dampness, termite damage, or calcification in masonry.
Deliverables
- Comprehensive Report: Hard-copy and digital PDF including conceptual sketches, structural red-flags, and a rough block estimate for restoration costs.
Commercial Adaptive Reuse Design
Design & Structural Intervention
- Structural Re-engineering: Strategies to strengthen existing columns and slabs to handle modern commercial loads.
- Façade Redesign: Design of new external skins (mesh, louvers, or glass) to modernize the building while retaining the original core.
- Interior Architecture: Layout planning for open offices and lobbies, including material selection for flooring and fixed partitions.
Sustainability & Systems
- MEP Integration: Routing of HVAC ducts, fire safety, and electrical conduits within structures not originally designed for them.
- Green Certification: Design focused on passive cooling strategies, daylight analysis, and rainwater harvesting integration.
- Light Ventilation: Structural modifications to create courtyards, skylights, or light wells.
Execution Support
- Vendor Coordination: Selection assistance for specialized retrofitting contractors.
- Periodic Supervision: Weekly site visits to ensure proper joining of new and old structural elements.
- Bill Certification: Reviewing contractor bills to maintain budget control.
Boutique Heritage Restoration
Conservation & Craftsmanship
- Material Fidelity: Specification of traditional materials (Surkhi, Lime mortar, Oxide flooring) rejecting incompatible modern cements.
- Artisanal Management: Sourcing and managing traditional craftsmen for stone carving, wood joinery, and jali work repair.
- Roof Overhaul: Restoration of pitched roofs, including sourcing specific tiles and treating timber trusses.
Modern Integration
- Concealed Services: Discreet hiding of switchboards, AC units, and plumbing to maintain the heritage aesthetic.
- Light Choreography: Specialized lighting design to highlight old wall textures and architectural features.
- Landscape Merging: Designing verandahs and courtyards to integrate seamlessly with the interior space.
Quality Control
- High-Frequency Supervision: Regular site presence to monitor delicate restoration work.
- Sample Approvals: Strict quality control on lime mixes, wood polishes, and stone finishes.
About Architectural Conservation & Adaptive Reuse
Why I Do This
I believe the greenest building is the one that’s already standing. Saving and reimagining old spaces is much deeper than just fixing walls or restoring paint - it’s about letting the past breathe into the present. Every project is a chat between what was and what could be.
How I Work
I listen to buildings. Sometimes a place whispers its history - the materials, the scars, the small details. I try to keep that alive while making it fit modern needs. Whether it’s a commercial office, a public park, or something totally unexpected, like turning a bus (Wonder on Wheels) into a rolling classroom, I’m always searching for that sweet spot where heritage and fresh ideas meet.
- Workspaces: Stripped back, sunlit, flexible - old bones, new energy.
- Community projects: From jail to park, or temple to gathering spot, I like spaces that give back.
- Heritage building restoration: Retail and hospitality spots in old settings, where classic and contemporary mix.
Study and Respect
I spend a lot of time traveling and documenting. The crumbling laterite of a fort, the carved balconies of a Wada, the jali patterns, the shapes of vernacular architecture - these all feed into my work. I don't just design; I learn and respect what came before.
Always a Team Effort
Architectural conservation isn’t a solo gig. I work with artists, craftspeople, and other thinkers. Together, we try to make sure every space tells a new story while keeping its old soul.
Meet your Expert
Soumitro Ghosh
164 connects in last 3 months
My Story
We’re Mathew and Ghosh Architects, based out of Bengaluru. Started with a simple house for Amma back in '95, that place grew into a patchwork of memories. Sketchbook’s always with me, whether I’m doodling Le Corbusier details or dreaming up a Museum of Lament. For us, design isn’t just buildings—it’s conversations, unrealised ideas, and stories that shape spaces. We’re about drawing, talking, and keeping it real with the community.
My Work
What we do - Architecture for homes, parks, memorials, offices, schools, hotels, conservation, exhibitions, interiors, furniture, and collaborative art installations.
Collaborative design process - We team up with artists and thinkers, blurring lines between disciplines for fresh, narrative-driven architecture.
Design with a story - Our projects—be it a sustainable memorial park or a home—carry context, memory, and sometimes a bit of socio political comment.
Process and exploration - From first sketch to built space, we push adaptive reuse design, material play, and inclusive environments.