Pol Atelier

Nobody in India knows pol houses better. Pol Atelier has spent twelve years restoring Ahmedabad's old-city havelis — not converting them, restoring them. The distinction matters enormously, and it shows in the work. Their projects have been published in Domus, Architectural Record, and Vogue Living.

Principal architect Aarav Shah studied at CEPT, then apprenticed under a Japanese restoration firm in Kyoto for three years. He came back with a methodology that treats heritage buildings as living documents: nothing removed that can be repaired, nothing modern introduced that the original builder would find hostile.

Projects take 18 to 36 months. Fees are typically ₹400–800 per sq.ft for restoration work, which sounds expensive until you see what the alternative produces. There are currently three projects on the books. Enquiries welcome; new projects in 2027.

— Editorial team · Two site visits