DR.

BALIRAM HIRAY COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN LIVE CASE STUDY

DR. BHAU DAJI LAD MUSEUM

91 A, Rani Baug, Veer Mata Jijbai Bhonsle Udyan, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Marg,
Byculla East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400027

5 TH YEAR B ARCH
BHAU DAJI LAD MUSEUM
The Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum is an institution of the Municipal Corporation of
Greater Mumbai. For the first time in India, a public-private partnership has been established
for the management of a cultural institution. In February 2003, an agreement was signed
between the Municipal Corporation Greater Mumbai (MCGM), the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation
and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).

The Museum was established in 1872 as the erstwhile Victoria and Albert Museum, Bombay.
As Mumbais first Museum, it showcases the citys cultural heritage and history through a
rare collection of Fine and Decorative Arts that highlight Early Modern Art practices as well as
the craftsmanship of various communities of the Bombay Presidency. The permanent
collection includes miniature clay models, dioramas, maps, lithographs, photographs, and
rare books that document the life of the people of Mumbai and the history of the city from External view
the late eighteenth to early-twentieth centuries.

Site location

Site surroundings
Internal view
This gallery tells the story of
Mumbais origins and development
in the 18th, 19th and early 20th
century through dioramas and
models. Pride of place has been
given to Mumbais many
communities who migrated to the
city during this period. The lifestyle
of the people, their occupations,
their games they played, their
leisure activities such as music,
dance and their religious traditions
are documented alongside dioramas
that showcase 19th century town
planning, agricultural practices and
village life. The many Indian
regiments of the period are also
beautifully displayed.
This gallery showcases the
evolution of Mumbai from a
swampy group of islands, known
as Heptanesia during Roman
times, into a gracious and elegant
19th century city. Maps,
lithographs, water colours and
photographs from the Museums
rare glass negative collection take
you on a journey of discovery
back to the 19th century when
the city was built to demonstrate
Mumbais importance as Ubrs
Prima in Indis. Beautiful old
bungalows, unobstructed views
of the sea, wide tree lined roads
and grand institutional buildings
highlight the importance of
Mumbais urban architecture.
INTERIOR VIEWS
In 1999 INTACH approached the
Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation generously
agreed to financially support the
Museum restoration and revitalisation
project. A tripartite agreement was
signed between the MCGM, the
Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation and INTACH in
February 2003 and the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad
Museum Trust was established for the
revitalisation and management of the
Museum.

INTACHs approach to the restoration of

the building was careful and considered.
Intensive research and preparatory work
went into putting the project concept
together before drawing up the
restoration and revitalisation plan. INTACT OFFICE AUDIO VISUAL ROOM
Walls are used to display the Coolers are placed at equal Beside each artifact its informative
information intervals books are placed
PROS CONS

Location of the museum is appropriate from

The internal environment is not well controlled
visitors point of view as it is in the premises
it feels hot inside the museum though they
of byculla zoo . Museum is largely visited by
have coolers at equal intervals .
the mumbaikars and international tourist as
Museum lacks a proper appreciation space
well
within it so that visitors could rest and think on
Circulation in the museum is effectively
the art work
planned in loop so that visitors move in a
disciplined manner in the museum .
Natural light is extensively used which lite
the museum through out the day .
Restoration was done keeping its original
essence intact .
Economically also the museum fares are
low which encourages more visitors .
PRINCE OF WALES MUSEUM
 LOCATION: Mumbai, Maharashtra

NAMED AFTER: Prince George

ARCHITECT: George Wittet

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Indo(Saracenic style).

Founded in the early 1900s

 HISTORY
Founded in the early 1900s, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya is one
of the premier cultural institutions in the country.
The building was completed in 1914 but it opened to the public much later on 10th
January, 1922
Until then it was used by the military as a hospital and for Childrens Welfare
Exhibitions.
It is a Grade I Heritage Building of the city and is set in a well laid out garden which
retains its original plan.
Prince of Wales Museum of Western India is changed to the Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya.
 Museum Building
The architect of the building, George Wittet, was selected after an open competition
in 1909. Wittet is known for the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture of which this
museum is one of the best examples.
The Indo-Saracenic style combines Hindu and Saracenic architectural forms, at times
incorporating some elements of Western architecture.
The Indian pillared hall, the arched pavilion, the dome rising above the huge
intersecting arches forming a beautiful geometrical pattern-all these together make
the Museum building a typical example of the Indo-Saracenic style
Small jalis for light and wind add to the grandeur of the building.
 STYLE AND CONCEPTS
The original wooden arched pavilion
purchased from a royal house (wada)
at Nasik in Maharashtra, as a circular
railing on the first floor of the building
The dome of this building is designed
after the Gol Gumbaz of Bijapur and
the finial is copied from the Taj at Agra.
Other Architectural
Features
It incorporates a variety of
details from different Indian
styles.
Small bulbous cupolas on
towers.
Saracenic arches with
Muslim jalis4 as fillers.
Semi open verandahs
Rajput Jharokas
 The structure forms a long rectangle of three storeys, raised in the centre to
accommodate the entrance porch
Above the central arched entrance rises a huge dome, tiled in white and blue flecks,
supported on a lotus-petal base
Around the dome is an array of pinnacles, each topped by a miniature dome
Thank you !