The Art of Restoration: Abha Narain Lambha

Winner of seven UNESCO Asia Pacific Awards for conservation, architect Abha Narayan Lambha has helped restore monuments across the country, from the Indus Valley sites in Lothal and Rakhigarhi to the temples of Humpi.
An active force in the city, the architect has worked on structures like Municipal Head Office, Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Elphinstone College. Her firm has been instrumental in reviving some of the cities artistic, educational and cultural spaces.
Tell us a little bit about the ongoing works at Royal Opera House.
The Royal Opera House was closed up for nearly 2 decades and was in a structurally distressed condition but now the phase of structural and roof repairs is complete. The owner HH Maharaja of Gondal is committed to restore it back to its historic glory as a performance theatre and cultural venue. We have received heritage committee permissions and have applied for BP permissions after receiving which we will begin the interior restoration works to open this venue once again as a prime cultural venue in Bombay.

When do you expect the project will be complete?
Hopefully within one or two years. The most difficult challenge you've faced so far during this project. Delays in permissions and lack of funding available for privately owned heritage....There are no incentives or grants available for restoration of privately owned heritage buildings so it was an uphill struggle.

The impact you think it will have on the cities creative and cultural life.
Royal Bombay Opera House is the only surviving historic opera house in India, reviving it as a performance venue would not only restore a historic landmark in the city but also help revive the cultural landscape of the area.

The Prince of Wales Museum is another important cultural site you've helped revive, tell us a little bit about your experience.
I have been involved with the restoration of the POW museum since 2005 when we prepared the conservation report. Over the last decade we have worked phase by phase on the building, landscape and interiors, upgrading visitor facilities such as toilets and cafe, redesigning the key, sculpture, ceramic, arms and Assyrian galleries, created better administrative facilities and made the entire complex more people friendly. This is the most visited museum in all of Mumbai and has been restored phase wise to ensure that the Museum has not even been closed for renovations a single day.

Another one of your ongoing projects includes the comprehensive conservation and upgradation of Crawford Market. This seems like a monumental task, especially since unlike the Opera House the space is teeming with crowds and vendors.
Yes we have the challenging task of structurally and architecturally restoring Asia's oldest Victorian market built in 1869 with cast iron columns imported from England and sculptures done by Lockwood Kipling father of Rudyard Kipling. The vegetable and fruit market alone has 584 vendors and the restoration project has been designed to ensure that all the vendors are rehoused but with well designed and consistent kiosks and upgradation of electrical services.

One of your favourites buildings in the city?
Victoria Terminus for it represents the high point of Indo Gothic architecture in India and proves that a functional building like a railway station can be designed better than any palatial complex. The level of detailing from the star studded vaulted ceilings to stone gargoyles is spectacular!

A site you really enjoyed working on?
A 15th century Buddhist temple in Basgo, Ladakh. The king of Ladakh was my client and the local villagers were the users, contractors and labour all rolled into one. The remote village had no toilets running water or cell connectivity but this was truly a meditative experience!

A piece of architecture that has had a lasting impression on you?
Joseph Allen Stein's Ford Foundation building. It inspired me to become an architect and I finally managed to be the last architect to be hired to work under Stein.