Coming Home to Morena House

Nestled in Mumbai's leafy Malabar Hill, this residential tower by JSW Realty is mindful of both history and climate. Designed by AD100 Serie Architects, it juxtaposes classic Art Deco elements with quiet luxury and evokes the charm of old-school bungalows in contemporary apartment living

- NEERJA DEODHAR

Leafy, winding roads lined with tall trees; longstanding mansions and Art Deco structures whose gates have been embraced by creepers; sweeping views of the blue Arabian Sea-Malabar Hill's charm reigns on, over a century after the first homes were built in this coveted neighbourhood. Even as it remains connected to Mumbai's beating heart its financial and administrative districts-a stillness and serenity surrounds it. This is particularly true of ML Dahanukar Marg, the toast of the neighbourhood and a heritage precinct unto itself, more recognisable by its old name: Carmichael Road.

The road once served as the backdrop for Morena House, a colonial-era bungalow and the former headquarters of the Belgian Consulate. Now, a project by JSW Realty, with architecture by Serie Architects, breathes new life into Morena House: as a 11-apartment tower that blends into the architectural fabric of the neighbourhood, while maintaining a distinct identity of its own. Here, luxury is not contained in the ostentatious or obvious; it is a thing to be felt rather than observed.