Harshavardhan Neotia’s Lessons in Persistence

Harshavardhan Neotia (Right) with BV Doshi. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The property that got harshavardhan neotia the padma shri, almost did not get Built. Master Architect BV Doshi would not have designed the social house project, udayan, which means ‘rising’. Six Months after the Sepuagenarian Doshi Had Turned Down Neotia, Citing a Lack of Direct Flights to Kolkata, The Architect Happy Happened to Be Traveling to Kolkata to Deliver a lecture. Doshi was already a well-known name in the field having won the aga khan award for architecture for Aranya Housing in Indore. Neotia Invited Him For A Family Meal, When the Architect “Bonded with Each Family Member Over Different Things – With my mother over her love for Classical Music, and My UNCLESTON HUTER ART”. With suresh neotia being an art collector Himself, It Turned out to be a long, interesting Evening. Doshi agreed to go see the site and ultimately decided to take on the project with just one prerequisite. “He said he would be coming down only one and that other architects would oversee matters from kolkata,” Neotia recalls.

Udayan ~ The Condovillle, Kolkata’s first condominium on PPP (Public-Private Partnership) Model. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Doshi Ended Up Traveling to Kolkata Several Times during the time udayan was built and interacated closely with neotia. It was perhaps this project with doshi that helped create a design language for Ambuja Neotia Group. “BV doshi’s aesthetic is deeply rooted in Indian culture, Emphaising harmony with nature. Neotia.

Harshavardhan Neotia, Chairman of Ambuja Neotia Group, with Charles Correa at City Center Salt Lake Kund Area. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Another collaboration that LED to one of Kolkata’s earliest and most unique malls was with charles correa. He too has initially turned neotia down when the group was given to the offer of building a mall. Neotia recolved the incident at the 7th edition of the charles correa memorial lecture. “I’ve never done a mall, I do not believe in malls and do not want to design one.”

City center salt lake designed by the legendary architect charles correa. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

How Ironic Perhaps that Correa’s Design Created Not Just The City Center Mall in Kolkata but also also in Patna, Raipur, Siliguri and Haldia. Unlike Most Malls Across the Country, City Center Stood Out For Its Organic Blending of Community Spaces and Open Air Areas with Air-Conditioned Stores. When Correa Finally agreed to design the mall for the neotia group he threw down quite the gauntlet.

City Center salt lake | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

“He (Correa) Said We Are Not Going To Make A Mall Like Everyone Else does. I was very happy trust I thought Ibe he would do some do someting new in terms of design. (Laughs). Expectations of what a mall would look like. Even now nearly 20 years after the mall first open there is something inharetly organic about City center where the “kund area” has an outdoor AMPHITRER SURORNED BY Stores and Restaurants and RESTURANTED Choose Between Air-Conditioned Comfort or Basking in the Sun. Neotia descybes correa’s aesthetic ”as one characterized by fluid spaces and a deep undersrstanding of urban context. In City Center, this is evident in the seamless in the seamless flow beetle (Correa) Said We Are Not Going To Make a Mall Like Else Else. (Laughs). Expectations of what a mall would look like.

Even now nearly 20 years after the mall first open, is inharetly organic about City center where the ‘kund area’ has an outdoor AMPHITRER SURORNED BY Stores and Restaurands and RESTURANTEDs Choose Between Air-Conditioned Comfort or Basking in the Sun. Neotia descybes correa’s aesthetic ”as one characterized by fluid spaces and a deep undersrstanding of urban context. In City Center, this is evidence in the seamless in the seamless in the seamless in the seam

Often neotia sees passibilites where others do not. When he was considering building ffort raichak, a resort on the gangs in a village rooughly 40 km from from kolkata, he was brought up turned away by architect Prabir Mitra. “Who would be crazy enough to go there!” Neotia Remembers Him Saying. Twenty Years on, The Property is now being renovated and will be managed by ihcl once it reopens.

Taj Guras Kutir Resort & Spa | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Taj Guras Kutir in Gangtok, Sikkim, was designed by an architect neotia has worked with before. Sri Lankan Architect Channa Daswatte Created “A Little Bit of Sri Lanka On the Ganges” with the Luxurious 16-ROM Ganga Kutir Resorts and Spa (2008) Year. Inspired by the idea of villages and the concept of ashrams, it was ganga kutir that set off the Slew of “kutirs” It’s daswatte’s ease of thought and design that appeared to neotia.

Courtyard of Taj Guras Kutir Resort & Spa | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Taj Guras Kutir was designed by an architect neotia has worked with before. Sri Lankan Architect Channa Daswatte Created “A Little Bit of Sri Lanka On the Ganges” with the Luxurious 16-ROM Ganga Kutir Resorts and Spa (2008) Year.

Ganga Kutir designed by renowned Sri Lankan Architect Channa Daswatte | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

“Often he would sketch ideas on napkins or scraps of paper during meetings, capturing the essence of concepts in a very informal yet effective manner. With a strong Emphasis on Sustainability, “He Says.

Ganga Kutir | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement