IN CONVERSATION WITH VIKAS DILAWARI

The charismatic Mumbai based conservationist sheds light on his less trodden path of architecture with a narrative that evokes admiration and aspiration

- SAKSHI RAI

In an era when cities are being torn apart and reimagined to pave the way for what’s new, we dig deep to find the very souls that relentlessly revive the city’s spirit and heritage through its defining architecture. Conservation architect Vikas Dilawari is one such individual, who we have the pleasure of meeting inside JN Petit, one of Mumbai’s oldest libraries. A structure restored by him, this capacious neo-Gothic facade, which won the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award of Distinction for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2015, lies unaffected by the many changes that surround it. We know we are in for a rare educational treat and rooftop view of the city as he unravels the many stories surrounding the construction of this gem—facts about the Petit family, a new level that was added much later to the original structure and the many ornamental styles leading up a spiralling flight of stairs—accompanied with insights into his illustrious career.