Presi restoration exudes heritage feel: Experts

KOLKATA: Conservation architects and a heritage expert have given a thumbs up to the

Presidency University

renovation that was carried out in 2016-17 ahead of the bicentenary celebrations.

Speaking to TOI on the criticism by a section of the alumni who alleged the university’s heritage had been destroyed, Intach state convenor G M Kapur said it was unfounded as the renovated

Presidency

University was awe-inspiring.

“I visited the university on Tuesday to see what had been done. The moment the building came into view, I felt a sense of awe. Inside, the overall character of the buildings have been retained. The changes are subtle and have not altered the integral character of heritage structures. Given the enormous challenges of carrying out such a mammoth project on a campus that is functional, I think they have done a great job,” he said.

The conservation consultant who had participated in a panel discussion with Dutch heritage experts at Presidency University around six years ago said that while the buildings had appeared run-down and lacked the grandeur associated with a prestigious university of 200 years, the renovated campus exuded such a feeling.

“The changes are mostly owing to functional reasons. An additional mezzanine floor has been created to utilize unused space; the embellishments like the walls celebrating illustrious alumni have been aesthetically done and have an international look and feel. There’s been some talk about the old furniture being done away with for new ones, but I didn’t find anything odd about modern classrooms in a heritage institution,” Kapur added.

Conservation practitioner

Manish Chakraborti

hasn’t been inside the university since its renovation, but has seen it from College Street. “The colour scheme goes well with the building. I don’t know how the interiors have been done up, but if they have got modern furniture instead of faux ones that are clichéd copies of old furniture, it is the right move,” he said.

Architect

Partha Ranjan Das

, who was a consultant on the renovation project, said the hullabaloo over loss of heritage is misplaced. “A bigger gate was needed for fire tenders to have access. In public buildings, particularly those that house educational institutions, fire safety is very important. Heritage is not just about preserving a building as it is, but utilising the building and adapting it to modern times without causing any damage,” he added.

Presidency University vice-chancellor

Anuradha Lohia

, who has come in for a fair bit of criticism from a section of the alumni, was glad heritage experts thought otherwise. “As far as possible, we have tried to retain the look and feel of the buildings. The Intach team has appreciated the effort,” she said.


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