Heritage Art

Architect Rooshad Shroff’s contemporary gallery and office in Mumbai celebrates the distinct characters of the heritage building it finds home in.   

Curated by: Deepa Nair
Photographs: Pankaj Anand, courtesy RooshadSHROFF 

This large chamber with tall ceilings is the gallery space where RooshadSHROFF furniture and lighting products are showcased.

The site

The gallery and office of architect Rooshad Shroff is ensconced between the Hermès and Louboutin boutiques at Horniman Circle, in Mumbai’s heritage quarter. The new space offers picturesque views of the historic Asiatic Library, and has a layout which allows two distinct areas to be created for the gallery and the office.

Mirrors are lined on the inside of all the arched doorways connecting the gallery to the office to make the space look larger.

The design intent

The idea behind the space design was flexibility, allowing for exhibitions and events as required, particularly when collaborating with different designers and artists. The design team has tried to retain the architectural signature of the building and introduced the arched elements of the facade into the interior.

The artwork from Rooshad Shroff’s personal collection has been paired with the furniture to add a slightly residential touch, so clients can gauge the pieces within a similar environment.

The design and material details

As one enters this 880 sq ft space, it opens out into a large chamber with tall ceilings. This is where the RooshadSHROFF furniture and lighting products are showcased. Set perpendicular to this chamber is a linear gallery overlooking the garden and the Asiatic Library, with a conference room at one end, an open-design office area in the middle and a cabin at the rear end, which features a corner window. In addition to the heritage views it offers, the entirety of this area is flooded with an abundance of natural light.

The office is set in a linear space with a conference room at one end, an open-design office area in the middle and a cabin at the rear end, which features a corner window.

The material palette employed consists of marble and light wooden flooring, with pale grey walls that provide a suitable backdrop to showcase both the furniture and marble accents. The use of mirrors help open up the space considerably, and they line the inside of all the arched doorways connecting the gallery to the office. The artwork from the architect’s personal collection is paired with the furniture to add a slightly residential touch. Artist prototypes — marble inlay plates by Venkanna and Tanya Goel, featured in The Gyaan Project — also adorn the gallery and office areas respectively.

Fact File

Project: RooshadSHROFF Gallery + Office
Location: Mumbai
Area: 880 sq ft
Principal architect: Rooshad Shroff
Design team: Khushali Chawda, Aneri Mehta and Haroon Mohammed