For some Kolkata is too slow, for some it is developing too quickly. Then there are the ones who are reimagining its crumbling heritage buildings as cafes, studios and Airbnbs to give the city-weary people a taste of history. The menus in these cafes draw diners for their fusion of Indian and Continental cuisine. The feel of sitting in a heritage property gives them a sense of being part of a history otherwise lost, or inaccessible to the common person. This manner of adaptive reuse through food is helping preserve the city’s architectural legacy.
What is Adaptive Reuse: When Old Buildings Get a Second Act
The University of the Built Environment defines adaptive reuse as the process where existing buildings are reused in a different capacity to their original purpose. This is primarily done to buildings that are at the end of their lifespan. This allows for the preservation of elements of their appearance, design, cultural heritage and historic significance, while also serving a new function. One of the key benefits of this process is the preservation of cultural heritage at the site of its origin.
India has various instances of this method, starting from the Haveli Dharampura in New Delhi to the Gohar Mahal in Bhopal, to the Cinnamon Boutique in Bangalore. In Kolkata, properties like the Calcutta Bungalow, the Red Bari, the Parcel Cafe, The Bhawanipur House, Bunaphile Cafe and so on, tell a similar story of transformation, primarily through food. These cafes ensure the portion of the building they are occupying is maintained, and the revenue generated by them makes up for the funds needed to continue restoration and upkeep.
Tathagata Neogi, co-founder and CEO of Immersive Trails, who has engaged with Kolkata’s heritage for over a decade, says, “I think repurposing and monetizing heritage buildings is the right way to go. They can be spaces which people can reimagine and reuse in the current context, rather than being frozen in the past. Freezing the past is what our heritage laws do. They are rooted in colonial epistemology and praxis. We need to shelve those archaic heritage laws and look to the future.”
Three Buildings, Three Ways of Holding On to the Past
Shiuli – The Parcel Cafe at the General Post Office (GPO)
This cafe within the precincts of the GPO has opened up the colonial building to the public. The colonial architecture was designed in 1864 by Walter B. Granville, and the high-domed Corinthian design sets up a completely different atmosphere while you sip your cup of coffee. The traditional post-office furniture, with benches and tables, is kept inside, and the decor hints at the postal history of India. There is also a gift shop and a curio shop within, with mugs, coasters, cushions and brass plates all bearing the prints of different stamps. The cafe offers pocket-friendly quick bites, like a warm chicken puff with a flaky crust, a mustard-and-cheese sandwich cut into neat triangles, and a coffee served strong enough to cut through the mid-noon slumber. While the primary goal was to boost parcel business, this cafe offers people a peek into a building which for the longest time they had looked at only from the outside.
The Red Bari
A stone’s throw away from the Kalighat temple is a ninety-year-old house. This building is now The Red Bari (literally, the red house) with the ground floor making for a cozy coffee shop, the two floors above transformed into co-working spaces, and the top floor making for a private residential place, rented out as an Airbnb. The red facade, with its pitcher-shaped semi-circular balconies and long verandahs, reminds one of an era which is now mostly lost in the increasingly modern city.
Economic viability and heritage conservation are intricately linked here as well. Some of the highlights of the coffee menu are the Cortado, Pour Over and Rose City Black, along with a selection of Assamese tea from Choto Tingrai Tea Estate.
Bunaphile Cafe and Roasters
Owner Sonika Dey’s vision behind Bunaphile Cafe was to create a cafe experience coupled with the history and heritage of Bengal. For her, “People aspire to recreate foreign destinations in the city. My question was why not revive the heritage of Kolkata? I wanted to give Kolkata back to Kolkata. The cafe menu is heightened by the experience of having it in a heritage property.” From Shakshouka, Turkish Eggs and a diverse breakfast menu, to pizzas, chicken steaks and pastas — there is something for everyone. The adaptive reuse of heritage buildings comes with its own set of challenges, like constructing drainage and water supply systems when there is only so much construction one can do in the property.
Still, having the cafe in a 250-year-old building, which is said to be connected to the family of Rani Rashmoni, is a rewarding experience. “I would not have it any other way. It is high time food becomes a means to a greater experience. It is on us to imagine a culture which helps people connect to their histories.” says Sonika.
Why Choose Nostalgia With Coffee
For most cafe goers, the ambience and vibe of the place are as important as the food, and it is not just about the instagrammability of the place. The rusticity and element of nostalgia are their way of connecting to an era and a culture which is becoming extinct otherwise. The cafes offer a time capsule of conversations, of a certain architecture, lighting, and a general sense of connection. “These places make me feel that someone and something was before. I prefer when places have photos and pictures of old times. The idea of feeling connected is very important for me and a whole generation of people otherwise losing touch with their culture,” says Hritika Singh, who loves exploring these heritage cafes in the city.
Whether it’s a converted post office or a ninety-year-old family home, these spaces are betting that people will pay for a feeling as much as a flat white.
Read More: All About the Old-School Cabin Eateries of Kolkata
Also Read: A Closer Look at Filter Coffee’s Metamorphosis in India
