Heritage site transform into Men's Footwear Showroom

Vadodara based footware showroom approached our firm and asked to design the showroom by third generation of enthusiatic entrepreneur with his existing century old building where his grand father started the business in 1960.

1.     Architects Inheritance : 

On visiting site for the first time, it was shocking to observe century old building, reflecting the construction techniques and design influence of the era with brick jack arches and ornamented fanistrations, plastered with lime plaster in a dilapdated condition, but with a glorious history. Right from the establishment of the showroom, building was abused by thoughtless renovations , before it ended upon our design tables.

1.     Response to the existing building : Against the client wish to demolish the heritage structure which was from the Gayakwadi era of Baroda. We chose to retain and reflect the inheritance and anspiration of their first generation of the business.

 2.     Design Intervantion :

•       FACADE : After evaluating the facede elements, thoughtless extensions were removed and replacing them by the original design elements (like arches, columns etc.), materials, construction processes, we restored the originality the building.

•       SLABS :Floor slabs were supported over brick jack arches which were lime plastered and the neglected by providing an intermediate slab by the owner. By removing the unwanted intermediate slab, we highlighted original unique construction method of that era, further removing the detoriating lime plaster from the jack arch and hence exposing the Gayakwadi era bricks, making it dominant and unique interior ceiling element.

•       INTERIORS : Contemporary concept of the furniture installation were abstarct form heritage reference of the building thus complementing first generation's building structure and third generation's aspirations.

•       MATERIAL PALETTE AND FINISHES: >As far as building structure is concerned the original materials were reinstalled with same techniques, like instead of plastering facade with concrete original lime plaster was retained and restrengthened. 

      > Interior finishes were complemented with Gayakwad era motifs and stuco finishes.   > Warm light was planed in a way to emphasis the product yet highlighting the preserved structure like exposed brick jack arches and facade elements.

Project by 

Rachit R Srivastava

(Associate Design Architect,

Modi Srivastava & Associates)