The Imperial, Twin towers in Tardeo, Mumbai, India
The Imperial is a pair of 240-metre residential towers in Tardeo, South Mumbai, designed by Hafeez Contractor. The towers are clad in white and glass with blue bands near the top, and each is crowned by a ribbed conical roof with a central spire. They contain 200 apartments ranging from 250 to 1,000 square metres, some with private pools.
Construction of The Imperial began in 2005 and was completed in 2009, with the twin towers reaching 240 metres. From 2010 to 2019 it stood as the tallest skyscraper in India, until Lodha Park surpassed it, followed later by Palais Royale. The project was the first large-scale use of a redevelopment model in which the developer gave free land and rehabilitation to slum dwellers in exchange for development rights.
The skyscraper carries an English name recalling colonial times, while its residents today belong to the growing class of well-paid professionals. The two towers stand as a symbol of a city moving between its historical roots and a modern lifestyle.
The towers stand in Tardeo, well connected by public transport and within easy reach of different parts of the city. Visitors can view the exterior from street level, as access to residential areas is restricted to residents.
The project arose under a scheme allowing the developer to build luxury apartments in exchange for providing free housing to former slum dwellers. This swap of land for resettlement shows a method of urban renewal repeated several times in Mumbai's building history.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,664 contributors worldwide.
