This story is from November 24, 2017

Krumbiegel’s kin, architects slam demolition of Lalbagh hall

Krumbiegel’s kin, architects slam demolition of Lalbagh hall
BENGALURU: A day after the 157-year-old Krumbiegel Lecture Hall in the Lalbagh Botanical Garden was razed to the ground by the horticulture department which said it’s irreparable, architects and historians of the city came down heavily on the authorities.
Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel, a German botanist, is largely responsible for turning Lalbagh into the wonder it is today. His great granddaughter, Alyia Phelps-Gardiner Krumbiegel, expressed her sadness about it.
“All done so quickly so unexpected. Horticulture department officials are yet to get back to me on their plans on restoring the legacy we have lost,” she told TOI.
When Alyia was in Bengaluru last year, she had tried her best to restore the dilapidated hall. She and heritage experts had proposed restoration of the house in a traditional manner, with lathe and plaster.
Architect and writer Yashaswini Sharma said the demolition of Krumbiegel Hall is a monumental failure by the horticulture department and another case of neglect and lost opportunity to restore and reuse urban heritage.
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“As early as 2011, Intach - Bengaluru chapter had proposed the restoration of Krumbiegel Hall, amongst other heritage buildings in Lalbagh. The estimate then was it would cost around Rs 16 lakh. The horticulture department missed this opportunity due to its insistence on appointing its own contractor who had no experience in heritage conservation or lime mortar work. This was in violation of the MoU signed by the department with Intach for restoration of three heritage buildings, including the hall. This amount slowly escalated to Rs 22 lakh in 2016 as there was further deterioration of the structure and an increase in market rates,” she said.

Sources in the government said some city architects have also written to the horticulture department expressing their displeasure over Lalbagh losing its heritage structure.
Historian S Narayanswamy, an expert on Lalbagh, said the loss of Krumbiegel Hall is a result of failure in coordination between agencies such as the horticulture department, public works department, state archaeology department and other government agencies associated with heritage conservation.
The hall was built in 1860. The structure was special because it hosted lectures as part of the horticulture school in Lalbagh. Such a school was the first in India for those times. Though the department is mulling over rebuilding the structure, the challenge is to construct it without variation of the original plan, he said.
Yashaswini Sharma said, “Since what’s lost cannot be replaced and it is against conservation principles to replicate, the solution would be to have a memorial bust of Krumbiegel. Hopefully, this can be encased with pillars of the building which can be salvaged even now. If the department insists on a new building, this could be best done through a competition among Bengaluru architects to design a structure that responds to the environment, and heritage value of the place, keeping in mind this should not exceed the footprint of the hall.”
The architects also urged the department to take up immediate restoration of the old Aquarium building, another heritage building in Lalbagh.
Will rebuild hall: Horticulture department
Chandrashekar MR, deputy director (Lalbagh), horticulture department, said the department has decided to rebuild the Krumbiegel Hall as per its original plan. “We met with state archaeology department officials and they’ve been told to give an estimate and plan to rebuild the structure. It’s expected to come within a month. If the archaeology department gives up on the rebuilding plan, we’ll explore other alternatives to rebuild the structure. We have kept aside some funds for it. The outer portion of the hall will be as per the original structure and some inner portion will get a modern touch,” he added.
Asked about the allegation of negligence in protecting heritage structures, Chandrashekar said, “It’s not that the department has no interest in renovating the structure. But the building is 157 years old. In 2007, a technical team report by Civil Aid had recommended that the structure was not fit for renovation. Even this year, several rounds of inspection by a team of PWD and horticulture department revealed that renovation won’t be a good move. Hence, it was decided to raze the structure.”
Krumbiegel Hall architecture was a Mysurean interpretation of the Indo-Classical colonial style. From its pediment that housed a beautiful stucco image of the Wadiyar insignia, the Gandaberunda to its slightly short Ionic columns, it made for an interesting architectural example. The Ionic columns had a granite core, and lime mortar formwork to give it shape. The hall was renamed after celebrated botanist and garden designer Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel for his immense contribution to shaping the city’s landscape.
-Yashaswini Sharma | architect and writer
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