Page 58 - HUDCO DESIGN AWARDS

CONSERVATION OF KENESETH ELIYAHOO SYNAGOGUE, MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA

During the restoration, keeping with the need to maintain material authenticity, the structural repairs employed
authentic materials used in the original construction - from like repair of wood in matching sections of Burma teak,
repair of lime stucco using lime mortars slaked on site and restoration of damaged lime stone elements in the facade
with Dutchman repair of matching limestone sourced from the same quarries. Minton tile floors in the prayer hall were
restored in situ and the wooden flooring of the Ladies’ balcony too was carefully polished and restored.

The authenticity of colour and architectural style was maintained by restoring the original Victorian colour palette of
sage green gold and white colour palette and peeling off the later multiple layers of paint. The Stained glass which
was the highlight of the main hall was restored by a team of Stain glass conservators by dismantling it and conducting
an efficient bench repair for the same. The historic chandeliers in the building were restored and the furniture also
carefully polished and repaired in case of damage. Even the exterior colour palette respected the oral history of
generations that knew and identified the building as the 'blue synagogue' adopting a rich indigo shade of breathable
blue paint for the exterior that had been painted in sky blue oil paints.