A british era post office was situated overlooking the beautiful Mukteshwar valley in a dilapidated condition. Along with the tourism department we identified this piece of heritage to be restored into a hospitality initiative which will be run by the local villagers to boost tourism in the area and support local economy.
The stone structure was repurposed into a handicraft center and a cafeteria. The building was meticulously restored by removing and redoing the wooden roof, adding a mezzanine with additional columns which also functioned as racks, natural stone flooring, bamboo railings, carved doors and windows. The outdoor landscaping was done with stone benches and concentric brick flooring. The outside, the verandah and the inside seamlessly transitioned with a beautiful view of the valley.
As the project was envisioned as an environmentally sensitive hospitality initiative to promote local crafts and artisans, we tried to use maximum local crafts and expertise in the design. The local crafts envisioned to be sold from here included likhai products, copper crafts and woolen products. The bases of the wooden columns were cladded with copper sheets with local motifs to prevent water from touching the column base. The door and windows were made from likhai crafts hence attempting to revive the long-lost craft of Uttarakhand. The project gives a very satisfying experience to the tourists prompting them to stop by to view the heritage as well as a beautiful himalayan view.
Photography credits : Nishant Singhani
