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<\/p>\nThe West Bengal Heritage Commission is placing a proposal before the Kolkata Municipal Corporation that can help save the city\u2019s distinguishing architectural character and not come in the way of modern development at the same time.<\/p>\n
Partha Ranjan Das, conservation architect and member of the state heritage commission spoke of the need to preserve the old buildings of Kolkata like precious memories of childhood. \u201cThe buildings can be changed inside, but their exterior helps retain the character of the city that is such a distinguishing feature in Kolkata,\u201d Das said. \u201cThese heritage buildings form the fabric of the city. Despite the need for new buildings in the city, the old, heritage structures should be conserved like fond memories. Otherwise, we\u2019ll be destroying the memories of the city.\u201d Das was speaking at the release of the coffee table book, \u201cKolkata Happening City\u201d, published by the Belani Group.<\/p>\n
The proposal before the Kolkata Municipal Corporation will be to ensure that the fa\u00e7ade of the old buildings are retained when it comes to development. There can be construction on the same plot behind the interesting buildings without reducing the floor area ratio. The new building act as a muted backdrop instead of drawing all the attention to itself.<\/p>\n
The development can be glass and steel buildings or any other kind of backdrop structure that does not clash with the architecture of the original structure. These glass and steel style structures can form contrast to the original building, preferably as a backdrop. Some buildings in Kolkata have already been developed along these lines. Examples of these are the Vintage Pretoria on Pretoria Street, Diamond Heritage, a glass and steel building behind Mackinnon Mackenzie Building fa\u00e7ade on Dalhousie.<\/p>\n
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Anuradha Lohia, Vice Chancellor of Presidency University, narrated how the University authorities and conservation architects had painstakingly restored the Presidency University rooms and halls, bringing back the original colour of the walls, demolishing illegal toilets inside and retaining the character of the building despite introducing modern facilities in laboratories and common rooms for the benefit of teachers and students.<\/p>\n
Developer Nandu Belani, chairman of the Bengal chapter of Real Estate Developers Association of India (Credai), said that it was a huge challenge to introduce new, modern living and working spaces in the city without destroying the old character of the city and without tampering with the city\u2019s green space and its breathing space. Belani said that government should offer incentives for retaining and developing old buildings which will help the city retain its character without loss to old structures that are part of our precious past.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The West Bengal Heritage Commission is placing a proposal before the Kolkata Municipal Corporation that can help save the city\u2019s distinguishing architectural character and not come in the way of modern development at the same time. Partha Ranjan Das, conservation architect and member of the state heritage commission spoke of the need to preserve the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":279,"featured_media":3129,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"adace-sponsor":[],"class_list":["post-3128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-bengal"],"yoast_head":"\n