In 1925, a revolutionary Art Deco style emerged at the Paris Industrial Exposition, making waves in cities from New York to Mumbai. This year marks its 100th anniversary. Architects regard the exhibition as a ‘pivotal moment in the history of design in the modern world.’
As the style spread across the globe, colonial Mumbai quickly embraced it. By the 1950s, the city boasted the second-highest number of Art Deco buildings globally, just behind Miami. From office buildings to apartments, cinema halls to petrol stations, Mumbai adopted the style in ways that still define its skyline.
To commemorate this milestone, Art Deco Mumbai Trust has launched a new logo inspired by the movement’s signature lines, waves, and circles – a tribute to the architectural revolution that shaped modern Bombay.
A Century of Design
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Oval Maidan and Marine Drive host Mumbai’s largest collection of Art Deco buildings.
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Other examples include Regal and Eros Cinemas, New India Assurance Building on Mahatma Gandhi Road, the Karfule Petrol Pump and Ballard Estate.
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Many of these Art Deco buildings are part of the UNESCO-listed ‘Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai’.
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Mumbai’s Art Deco style was uniquely adapted to its tropical climate, with buildings featuring balconies.
The focus is on vertical growth!
Art Deco Mumbai Trust chronicles and helps the conservation of Mumbai’s Art Deco architectural heritage. Over six years of field work, it has documented 1,392 buildings across the city, with many still standing. Yet, these buildings face a race against time. With rapid redevelopment, treasured Art Deco structures in areas like Matunga and Shivaji Park are being replaced by towering high-rises.
We hope that these masterpieces, archived by Art Deco Trust, aren’t lost in the rush of modernisation!
Pictures: Art Deco Mumbai Trust
