COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE

Colonial architecture is an hybrid architectural style that

arose as colonists combined architectural styles from their
country of origin with design characteristics of the invaded
country. Colonists frequently built houses and buildings in a
style that was familiar to them but with local
characteristics more suited to their new climate.

Victoria Memorial

Colonial architecture plays an important role in making of

Indian history. In the beginning of the colonial rule there
were attempts at creating authority through classical
prototypes. In its later phase the colonial architecture
culminated into what is called the Indo-Saracenic
architecture.
Eustachius De
Lannoy of
the Dutch East
India It is believed that the colonial era in The East India Company started to
Company surrender India started with the establishment transform from a trading company to a
toMaharaja Martha
nda Varma of
of this Portuguese trading centre at ruling one. The powers of the East India
the Kingdom of Quilon. In 1505, King Manuel I of Company kept growing till 1858 when it
Travancore after Portugal appointed Dom Francisco de was dissolved after the Revolt of 1857
the Battle of Almeida as the first Portuguese and the British Crown took direct control
Colachel . viceroy in India. of India to begin the British rule.

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COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE
Colonial India was the
part of the Indian
subcontinent that was
occupied by European
colonial powers during
the Age of Discovery
European power was
exerted both by
conquest and trade,
especially in spices
Danish Architecture in India
Lord Clive meeting with Mir Jafar after the Battle of
Plassey by Francis Hayman, depicting Robert
Clive meeting with Mir Jafar after the battle of
Plassey. The victory at Plassey marked the start of a
period of Company expansion which saw them
seizing control over the Indian
subcontinent and Burma over the next century. French Architecture in India
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Near the end of the 15th
century, Portuguese sailo
r Vasco da Gama became
the first European to re-
establish direct trade
links with India since
Roman times by being the
first to arrive by
circumnavigating Africa
(c. 1497–1499). Portuguese Architecture in India
British Architecture in India
Dutch Architecture in India
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COLONIAL HOUSE(CINNAMON)
CINNAMON – HOUSE OF RAI BAHADUR ARCOT
NARRAINSAWMY MUDALIAR THE 19TH CENTURY

The foundation stone laid down for the

building in November 1892 by His
Excellency the Marquess of Lansdowne,
Sector 4, HSR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560102 the Viceroy and Governor General of
India, can still be spotted in a corner of
•Rai Bahadur Arcot Narrainsawmy Mudaliar the restored house with its
was a philanthropist with a strong affinity for accompanying sign; a fragment of
social reform. He belonged to an ancient and regional history.
historic family, and founded the R.B.A.N.M.'s
Educational Charities and R.B.A.N.M.'s
Chattram and other Charities.
•During the Great Famine 1876-78, the
miserable condition of the orphans prompted
Narrainswamy Mudaliar to setup an
orphanage.The foundation stone for the
orphanage was laid by His Excellency the
Marquess of Lansdowne, the Viceroy and
Governor General of India on 23rd Novrmber
1892. Front elevation

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COLONIAL HOUSE(CINNAMON)
The building sits in a place on Gangadhar Chetty
Road, although surrounded by Commercial Street and
Ulsoor. This Colonial building built in 1892 is right by
the RBANMS Charity Trust. In 1876, the Great Famine
began, afflicting South India for almost two years.
Many children were orphaned, and stirred by their
miserable condition, Mudaliar set up an orphanage at
a cost of 20,000 Indian Rupees.
Front facade The east facade looking North The North East corner
The restoration therefore has Located in the wetlands of the The pebbled yard, the
brought the building to an Halasuru lake (the site being building on an elevated
extended life: visibly in the extended flood platform, the imposing
•By dealing with the plain of the lake in the columns that form the
foundation structural elements 18th century city maps) the soil entrance to the building
•By dealing with the connected condition had repercussions
shell elements of the walls over the 120 years of age that
•By dealing with the roof it has now been for the
structural elements. structure.

Front facade
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COLONIAL HOUSE CINNAMON)
The original structure
has been largely
preserved, including the
old flooring, pillars, and
wooden rafter ceiling
beams. . All ornamental
features in the limestone
plaster have been
maintained

The foundation was fractured and the
corners of the building (the four corners of
the structure extremities) began separating
from the main body elevations of the
building.
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A further cause of the subsoil condition deterioration has
been the wearing off of layers of soil blow the foundation
due to the open rain water drainage runoff that was
flowing on the East and South of the immediate edges of
the sides of the building.
Ample natural light, window arches, and
stained glass displays along with an interior
design that uses historic wooden latticework,
canopies, rustic mirrors, and antique frame
props build an atmosphere of old-world charm
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COLONIAL HOUSE CINNAMON)

Old The courtyard & verandah

slab edge

The adjoining verandah view to the courtyard Courtyard- with gravel

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COLONIAL HOUSE CINNAMON)
Bulging and crumbling lime plaster The east facade looking South
and mud mortar masonry
• Wear and tear of top surface of the
waterproofing and some minor cracks
formation
•Lack of maintenance and accumulation of
dry leaves and seeds from the surrounding
trees etc along with rain water getting
blocked due to choking o the rain water
spouts to take the terrace water away from
the terrace.
•Growth of moss & seeds & dust / soil
particles / lime particles from the
waterproof top layers etc lead to
germination of Ficus religiosa Linn
(commonly known as the peepal tree) near
the rain water spots.
•Due to their non removal the medium for
growth these continued to gain root and
creeped within the cracks atop the walls
where the madras terrace started splitting.
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The courtyard corner column Bulging and crumbling lime plaster
and mud mortar masonry
As the roots entered the madras terrace the
gaps gradually got larger with the continued
growth of the roots and the cyclic effect of
further deterioration started and the roots
even started moving between the walls (mud
mortar – thereby causing hidden structurally
weakening vertical cracks) and between the
walls and the lime plaster layer etc.
Ingress of water & moisture into the walls
softened the mud mortar and the walls
(there was no wall plate below the beams!)
bulged and cracked and lost their verticality
too
The wooden beams and rafters in touch with
the moisture started rotting
The beams and rafters were deeply rotted at The 8,000 square foot space has maintained the
their points of contact along the length as original Kadapa stone flooring, and opens to a
well as their points / extent of insertion traditional courtyard. This light-dappled central
within the walls. courtyard surrounded by huge column.
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COLONIAL HOUSE CINNAMON)

The typical window module -

sealed & over protective

The roof composed of the Madras terrace slab

and subsequent layers of waterproofing etc have
had a rough time over these 120 odd years as
A view of the courtyard through one of the room well.

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COLONIAL HOUSE CINNAMON)

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COLONIAL HOUSE CINNAMON)

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COLONIAL HOUSE (CINNAMON)

Wooden ceiling with supporting beam

Kadapa Stone.
Is use in flooring.
Large and simple, symmetricall,rectangular scale and proportion It is one of the
The British colonial styles tended to be very formal, based on most popular
symmetrical designs that featured occasional column limestone and
available in
black colour

Round smooth column with simple square capital Arch door Arch window Courtyard

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