New India Assurance Building, Art Deco office building in Fort district, Mumbai, India.
The New India Assurance Building is a six-story office structure in the Art Deco style located in Mumbai's Fort district. Its facade features pronounced vertical ribs and detailed bas-relief carvings depicting scenes of everyday Indian life.
The building was designed in 1937 by architects Master, Sathe and Bhuta for New India Assurance Company, then India's first fully Indian-owned insurance corporation. Its construction marked an important milestone for independent Indian business enterprise during that period.
The building displays Indian imagery through detailed reliefs showing people in traditional dress engaged in farming and crafts. These sculptures connect the modern architectural style with local traditions and tell stories of everyday life during that era.
The building is accessed directly from the street with clearly marked entrances on its main facade. Since it remains an active office building, visitors can appreciate the external architecture and entrance areas where the design details are most visible.
The eastern and western sides of the building feature protective projections that shield windows from direct sunlight, showing early awareness of climate-responsive design. This thoughtful detail was uncommon in the 1930s and demonstrates design thinking beyond mere aesthetics.
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