Mangaldas Haveli II

Project- Mangaldas ni Haveli – 2

Location- Nr. Manek Chowk, Khadia, Ahmedabad
Client: Abhay Mangaldas,
Founder Director – House ofMangaldas, Ahmedabad
Architect: Sanal Thathapuzha
City Heritage Centre: Rajiv Patel and his team
Structural Design Consultants: Mehul Shah
Construction & Project Manager: Nikhil Vyas
HVAC Consultant: Mihir N Patel
Lighting Consultants: Antech Consultants
Plumbing Consultants: Ravi Engineering
Master Craftsmen: Jethabhai Solanki and Team
Chief Mason: Jeevanbhai
Sumesara and team
Plumbers: Hiteshbhai & Vijaybhai
Electrical Team: Idrishbhai and Team

The idea of creating a contemporary space in a heritage building has always appealed to me. I saw an
opportunity for doing this in a unique fashion in the centre of Khadia through this project.

They designed one contemporary glass and steel structure to contrast with the heritage structure in the
front and separated by a small Courtyard in the middle. As work on the heritage structure progressed and
my visit to the site increased, I felt that having an open space where the new structure was to be built,
replacing the two dilapidated buildings that existed would be a much better alternative. (The two buildings
had no heritage significance in any case). Hence, in conjunction with Sanal, I decided to put in a small
garden and a small cafe in its place. The fourth was utilised for staff accommodation.

The addition of a new staircase and a lift shaft had already been taken and we decided to go with it despite
having removed one building completely even though this structure was perhaps much bigger in scale for
just one building.

For the interior and colour scheme, I wanted to use local materials only but a very contemporary design.
Hence, we stuck to in-situ terrazzo, mosaic and lime plaster, recycled waste granite, metal and wood in
straight lines and without ornamentation. Some furniture was sourced from neighbouring Rajasthan and
textiles have been chosen and sourced from the local shops. All the collateral that is required in the rooms,
as well as fixtures, is all locally sourced or commissioned. There is great emphasis on greening and over
50 plant saplings, and the lawn, have been planted in the premises.

The restaurant will serve popular dishes from the old city as well as some contemporary continental dishes
to suit modern tastes. In addition, the terrace, of course, has lovely views of the old city as well as serving
as an attraction for kite flying and other events.

We are hoping to repair the entire public area with the help of MLA funds and make a proper entrance to
the Pol. Just 200m street outside, namely Sankdi Sheri has been designated to become a Model Street in
collaboration between INTACH and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. Across from us is the
Ahmedabad Heritage Centre, a revived and restored old property and in the neighbourhood is our own
250-year-old Haveli that is being converted into a house for rent.
The design journey towards realisation
The project journey went through eight rigorous process based stages, over a period of 7 years:

Stage 01: Documentation & Damage Assessment

It all began with a comprehensive documentation followed up by damage assessment of the houses Abhay
had purchased in Gangadhiya Ni Pol, which we first visited in October 2007. We took up the task of
measuring up the houses at the properties bearing the survey numbers 887 and 885.

While measuring the property, we realised the extent of structural damage due to the earthquake and wear
and tear caused due to the deterioration of timber structural members due to age and termite infestation.
Followed by photographic documentation and visual survey of damages the report culminated to form an
extensive damage assessment and documentation report in March 2008. This report was essential in setting
our priorities before embarking on this project, which we all realised, was a daunting task. A largescale
renovation was the first thing to be planned along with working out a program for adaptive re-use.

Stage 02: Conservation & Adaptive

Re-use
Beginning March 2008, guided by
Abhay’s vision for a residency
intended for researchers and travellers
for experiencing the living heritage of
the Pols of Ahmedabad, we started
working on the program formulation
for the project. A proposal for the
conservation and adaptive re-use of
the houses started emerging. The
challenge was to integrate and
configure the crafts studio, for
neighbourhood artisans, the rooms for
the home stay, services such as toilets,
within the residential scale of the
spaces, while retaining its character.
We thought that we had more or less
resolved layout and then we realised
that two adjoining houses were to be
incorporated as a part of the project.
Stage 03: Documentation Part II
By December 2010 the drawings were re-worked after incorporating the newly measured properties,
survey number 884 (which currently houses the inner courtyard and the breakfast area) and 882 (currently
is planned to house the staff quarters for the residency) to the existing set.

Stage 04: Conservation& Adaptive Reuse – Part02

We continued working on the adaptive re-use proposal all through January and February 2011, which now
comprised of nine rooms, which would house a pantry supplemented by the kitchen at the Mangaldas
Haveli at Lakha Patel Ni Pol, one of the first of the adaptive reuse projects also owned by the House of
MG near Sankdi Sheri. It was proposed that there will be four suites in the old building (one per floor) and
the new building will be in the adjoining rear plot separated from the old building with a courtyard
groundplus three floors with just one studio per floor, and a reception at the ground floor.

Stage 05: Architectural Detailing

By March 2011 details and conservation proposals for the west
facade which was in a dilapidated state were being worked
out. The proposal was conjectured after a series of studies conducted
on similar facades in the immediate context and slowly the
architectural and construction details started evolving.

Stage 06: Change in the Re-use Proposal – Part03

During the Monsoons of 2012 the two crumbling houses in the main
building on the northern side collapsed on account of hollowed out
timber structure due to infestation by termites and heavy structural
steel retrofitting which wasdone as a remedy for settlement by the
earlier occupants. A new building was proposed in place of the
collapsed part with a court, which would separate the heritage and
new insert. This challenging situation was an opportunity for an
architectural expression that would clarify our approach to
conservation and adaptive re-use.

Stage 07: 2014 Change in the Re-use Proposal – Part04

As the design and detailing new building started taking up a lot of our time and effort we tried to
extrapolate as to how long would it eventually take us to build it up after going through approvals. In our
case the municipal authorities themselves were unsure of what kind of by-laws applied to such a new
intervention, thus this we decided against this after much deliberation. Instead, an open to sky court along
the two-storeyed exterior walls of the new building and a single height covered pantry area was proposed
next to the staircase and lift shaft to be constructed in steel along with that of the lift and stairwell.
Stage 08: 2014 Execution
The design and planning of this project has been a very democratic and collaborative effort with all the
stakeholders playing their part on an equal footing. An array of very talented, skilled and able consultants,
organisations, craftsmen were engaged and involved in achieving this shared vision.