The Canvas

Location Marine Drive, Mumbai, Maharashtra

Completion 2021

Gross Built Area 2,500 Sq. Ft.

The apartment sits on the 3rd floor of an Art Deco building with sweeping views of
the sea.

The Canvas – a confluence of art and architecture – gives rise to a symbiotic relationship which focuses on the creation of an experience through the masterpieces that adorn the walls, which in turn are brought to the fore by the materials themselves.

The family sought a home that could respond to its context and cater to their needs with regard to the functionality of space.

The Canvas, as the apartment is coined, faces the Queen’s Necklace and frames the world outside – with the changing hues of the sky and sea – and acts as backdrop for the client’s ever-growing art collection.

As one enters the apartment, the passage, labelled ‘The – L’, not only acts as a transition and connects the day and night areas but also provides refuge to the collection.

The dining and living constitute the day areas which spill into each other – forming a cohesive whole yet standing out as individual entities by way of their distinctive style. Large fenestrations connect the living area with the world outside while the dining area spills out onto a deck – where one could sit and enjoy a cup of tea on a winter morning or reminisce about the past, while the sun sets over the horizon.

Sliding partitions provide the possibility of zonal separation, all the while maintaining a visual connect with the day areas, the passage & kitchen.

Complete with a small study, a marble clad bath that transitions from the floor and envelopes the room, and an enclosed balcony that becomes part of the space – the Master Bedroom exudes a sense of luxury and boasts of stunning views of the sea face. The remaining bedrooms branch out from passage along with a Puja Area and a Powder Room for guests, when the family entertains.

The Canvas is as much about art as it is about its inhabitants. Rather than stand out as individual works, the art is allowed to become one with the structure – through the art installation at the far end of the passage. An instance where art and the architecture have come together – a melding of two crafts. Exposed brick niches break forth as part of ‘The – L’ which along with the white plastered walls provide neutral backdrops to the art.

The white marble, exposed brickwork, cement mosaic coupled with the wood and metal frames are a study in contrast – exuding warmth and evoking a sense of brutality and tactility.

In essence, this duality lends credence to its name – ‘The Canvas’ as a work of art in itself as well as its ability to frame the world outside.