02
35 years
of creation
This is an exceptional project in all aspects. A
contemporary palace nestled in luxuriant nature, in
the government quarter of New Delhi, the Indian
capital marked by the British architectural heritage
of the early twentieth century as well as by two
centuries of the Mughal Empire.
This outstanding project reinvents the interior de-
sign of an Indian palace, between theatricality and
a respect for tradition, and between modernity and
a rootedness in India’s culture.
The imposing residence stands within a beautiful
garden. At the heart of the property, a swimming
pool is juxtaposed with a monumental staircase.
Outside, the buildings’ geometry dominates, sof-
tened by the plantings; inside, the glowing white of
the large Carrara marble floor slabs, columns car-
ved from the same material, and walls allows for a
choreography of contrasts chiefly achieved thanks
to natural light. Daylight either directly penetrates
the house or is softened by sunshades or elegant
mashrabiyas with geometrical motifs that allow air
to circulate and keep the rooms cool.
This play of light and shadow seems to be arranged
to echo the different remits and functions of the
spaces: intense lighting in the reception spaces
with their strong color contrasts (dark wood, black
lacquer, touches of gold and saffron tones in the
silk textiles, and a rather masculine atmosphere),
and filtered light in the more private spaces.
modernist
palace
NE W D E L HI
