Art deco in Chennai: A guide to heritage structures Kasturi Buildings
The Kasturi Buildings in Chennai, which have housed The Hindu newspaper since 1939, are highlighted as a rare example of Art Deco architecture in active commercial use. The building is noted for its symmetry, geometric patterns, and historical significance to the city.
Why it matters
Preserving heritage architecture in rapidly modernizing urban centers like Chennai is a significant cultural concern.
Sweeping cantilever canopies, ornate grilles catching the light, and fluted columns.
Did you know that one of Chennai’s finest examples of Art Deco heritage lies not in a theatre or an apartment block? It takes the shape of a newspaper office.
K Purnachandran, one of The Hindu ’s most familiar faces in the security department, says that he distinctly remembers the emotion that swept over him on his first day at work 20 years ago. “When I walked into this cream-white office after spending 17 years in the Army, I thought that it looked stately. Like a colonial-era administrative building.”
KG Gurumurthy, who heads the pre-press department, says when he was a junior employee, the premises looked like a venerated institution — one that demanded reverence. “I still feel that way when I enter the space,” he says.
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