Explore the 'Queen's Necklace' Route in Mumbai

The iconic Art Deco line up was built on land reclaimed under Backbay Reclamation Scheme along the city's western sea face. Indian architects designed 35 buildings that create a uniform massing along the promenade that is one of a kind.

The land along Marine Drive was ultimately structured into a grid and has one of the densest assemblages of Art Deco in the world.

Defined by streamlined forms, clean curves and a surface decoration of geometric shapes and motifs, Art Deco deliberately turned away from the ornate, over-the-top stone monumentality of the Gothic and Indo-Saracenic styles of the previous generation, the latter seen here in the headquarters of the Western Railway, completed in 1899.

Interestingly, as you move north along Marine Drive, Indianised building names such as Sonawala, Keval Mahal, Bharatiya Bhavan, Ganga Vihar and Meghdoot stand in sharp contrast to the aspirational, westernised names of buildings further south - such as Oceana, and St. James' Court.

Distinct tropical Deco features like the porthole window, and deep set, curvilinear balconies are also visible in the Sonawala building, situated on another prominent corner plot on Marine Drive.

Further down the road stand Kapur Mahal, Zaver Mahal and Keval Mahal, three identical buildings, in differing states of upkeep today, which were built by wealthy Gujarati businessmen and brothers Kapurchand, Zaverchand and Kevalchand Mehta.

Rooftops on these buildings were designed as social spaces with viewing galleries. Oceana's turret draws inspiration from the chhatri in traditional Indian architecture.

Similar split turrets also crown Marine Drive's Kapur Mahal, Zaver Mahal and Keval Mahal.

Another distinguishing feature at Oceana is the spectacle inspired portholes on the building's facade.

Govindram Seksaria, once the 'Cotton King of the World' spared no expense to build this magnificent street corner facing building for his family. A simple and humble man, is remembered today more for his philanthropy in education and healthcare than his business success.

The opulent lobby of the Seksaria building, clad from floor to ceiling in shades of Italian marble, is a visual reminder of the brilliant business success of its original owner.

Entrance gates often featured Deco inspired grill designs, which further emphasized this openness, and interplay of interior and exterior, even when closed. Also note the geometric, cement lamps on the gate of the Seksaria building.

With Marine Drive's proximity to the sea, metal grill work was largely replaced by cement grills. Low boundary walls defined by these grill designs allowed for ventilation, light and an uninterrupted sea view. Most significantly, they were a marker of public trust, offering a secure and people friendly alternative to walled, closed barriers between public and private spaces.

Today, whilst individual buildings along Marine Drive have been modified, the precinct's living nature, massed form and skyline remain authentic. Indeed, the World Heritage Site inscription is a recognition of the outstanding universal value of Mumbai's Art Deco in general, and Marine Drive's sea-facing development in particular.