The Maharani Bagh house in Delhi that still feels like it was built yesterday

Karl Malte von Heinz's architectural legacy in Delhi blends Bauhaus, Art Deco, and Baroque styles, influencing modernist homes across the city.

Back when Karl Malte von Heinz arrived in India, sometime between 1930-32, after escaping Nazi Austria, he made quite the impression as an architect in Hyderabad and Delhi. Today, the discussion on modernist houses in the Capital is incomplete without the mention of the houses he built across north, central and south Delhi. So great was his impact that, after his time, houses were built to emulate his style and Heinz-inspired houses in posh colonies like West End, Shanti Niketan, and across the Greater Kailash were listed on the market.

The Maharani Bagh house with a family crest

His style can be recognised as a mixture of Bauhaus, Art Deco, and Baroque, with a clear European sensibility established through the rich use of moulding — especially at the staircase, which most often located at the entrance offered a functional reason to foresee the future expansion of the house. The marble staircases also added a cooling tactile quality suited to the hot climate. Windows and grills were also marked with ornamentation, with moulding on the fireplace, a central feature of the living room and essential for Delhi winters. French windows, connecting to gardens and balconies, facilitated breeze circulation in Delhi’s subtropical climate. High, double-height ceilings in key areas promoted air movement and a sense of openness.

Built in 1968 and designed by Karl Malte von Heinz, it carries a strong European character, evident in its sloping roof and distinctive balconies inspired by Austrian architecture.

Yet, each house was distinct. It was built on a brief given to the architect by the family: while one house in Civil Lines was designed around the Bridge (a card game) room, another in Kautilya Marg had a wine cellar, well-suited to its location in the diplomatic enclave.

“Built in 1968 and designed by architect Karl von Heinz, the design carries a strong European character, evident in its sloping roof and distinctive balconies inspired by Austrian architecture. At the centre of the façade sits a striking emblem engraved with the initials ‘JCB,’ giving the house a personal identity. The structure is based on load-bearing walls, without the use of columns or beams, resulting in thick walls that naturally insulate the home against extreme weather. The drawing and dining room doors are crafted from high-quality teak wood, while the original spiral staircase made from rare light pink Makrana marble remains beautifully preserved…While we have made select internal renovations over time, the original structure has been carefully retained, preserving the home’s architectural character and legacy,” said Divya Bhalla, a member of the family who continues to live in the house. Five generations have lived here.

While its outside stands tall, it is the interiors of the house that bring a softness from the hybrid of Deco, Bauhaus, and Indian spatial design. Each floors have a drawing room with large windows overlooking the gardens, with a fabulously European fireplace. The circular dining room guides the walls in a graceful dance through the plan of the house, giving space and privacy to certain corners in whimsical ways.

Most master bedrooms overlook the terrazzo backyard, which has a Mango tree that was planted whilst the house was being built.

The origins of this house are rooted in Partition. The family had a very established CA firm in Lahore with the name JC Bhalla and Company — which eventually gave the house its family crest. After Partition, they shifted to a settlement colony in Kashmiri Gate. Maharani Bagh was establishing its cooperative society and slowly plots of lands began to be taken up by different families of various backgrounds. As they acquired the plot, the family remembered a client of theirs who was an architect in Delhi and made houses with a distinct style. The house was designed in the mid-60’s and expanded in the late 90’s.

The house became quite a centre for culture to the family. “During the 1970s and 1980s, the house was home to several respected leaders and legal luminaries. These include the famous Supreme Court lawyer JB Dadachanji and Niren De the 3rd Attorney General for India. The house was also home to the prominent Indian lawyer, civil rights activist, and former judge of the Bombay High Court, widely revered as the ‘Father of the Civil Liberties movement’ in India — VM Tarkunde (Padma Bhushan),” said Divya.

The house in Maharani Bagh still stands as if it was made today — amid the post contemporary development of houses. Its design in many ways represents the homogenisation of global design.