Hiranandani Gardens, Mumbai

Architect Hafeez Contractor

The visual imagery of the Hiranandani Gardens is known to have instantly captivated the Indian masses. Its blatant show of fantasy with stylised historical elements created a setting that people in the city had never experienced before. The complex nestled in the lush green surrounds of Powai is just a few miles away from the Island city of Mumbai. The consistent use of the neoclassical style along with the creation of numerous nodes of gardens bestowed a certain character to the development.

Lake Castle

Lake Castle is one of the early developments by the Hiranandani Group in Powai. The dominant feature of Lake Castle is its massive scale. Its 183 m linear length, strikes you as an ocean-going liner of a building with multiple decks anchored on the banks of Powai Lake.

Initial planning envisaged 4 individual high-rise building blocks. However, as an alternative to a uniform 18-storey monolith, which the FSI would have allowed, the final design effectively integrated all 4 blocks into one long building. This massive block had floor decks across the intervening space. The design elevated the central blocks and kept the end blocks low, creating a stepped mass profile, which complements the hills in the backdrop. The tower block is surrounded by large gardens and an 8-acre Forest Park.