Kanika House, 1930s
Location : Tilak Marg
Patron : Maharaja of Kanika
People : B R Ambedkar
This house on Tilak Marg holds historical significance pertaining to Indian history. Insaaf ki kothi as it was known, when Dr. B. R. Ambedkar lived here, on his appointment as India’s first law minister, from 1947 to 1951. The name of the house comes from its original owners, as it belonged to Raja of Kanika (present day Odisha). In 1978, Poland acquired the house for diplomatic purposes. Currently, the Polish ambassador, His Excellency Adam Burakowski and his family reside at Kanika House.
The entrance of the house is through an ornamented metal gate, the wall of which further expands into a beautifully profiled boundary wall. After passing through which, one can observe a Streamline Moderne building with exquisite eyebrows. A profile with bulging curves, specially the balcony at the rear, along with eyebrows and horizontal banding running all throughout makes it a picture perfect streamline example. The house has a swanking stair with first few steps extending and turning to hold in position a concrete newel post, of the brick balustrade with wooden handrail. While the stairs wrap in a beautiful spiral profile.
_
Image Copyrights : Deco In Delhi
References : Sumanta Bhowmick, 'Princely Palaces in New Delhi'
Streamlined Profiles
Emphasis is laid on horizontal wings of the buildings through features like eyebrows, continuous overhang. Building edges often have mirrored curved circular towers, sometimes encompassing staircases in them
Eyebrows
Continuous overhangs as sunshades, curving as the profile of the building, specially continuing around corners
Speedlines
Bandings to accentuate the horizontality of surfaces. A distinct feature in buildings inspired from the Streamline Moderne version of Deco
Entrance Gate Grills
Often seen casted in metal are entrance gate grills with geometrical / tropical motifs and symbols or name initials of owners, adding to the ornamentation of the buildings