This has been a very charged project,” admits Diego Gronda of the Rockwell Group Europe, a New York-based architecture and design firm. This is about the re-designing of the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower’s Harbour Bar and Wasabi by Morimoto, two of Mumbai’s favourite watering holes, each one drawing loyalists from amongst the city’s elite. Charged because of the scars that they received during the carnage of 26/11, horror days that the Taj is looking to move quietly beyond. That would explain the low-key opening and the fact that there are but 20 of us traipsing behind Gronda for a first look at the spanking new interiors, a project that was consciously finished in exactly one year, a time frame that the hotel group had insisted upon. “This room has the strength to prove that scars are going to be removed and we are very proud to be a part of the healing process,” Gronda had stated earlier. Rockwell’s managing director, the attractive Eileen Keribar had put it thus: “The point was to set the pace and the tone to look forward.”

The original inconspicuous common entrance to the bar and restaurant – which follow the same footprints – now sports an enormous portal of stone, imparting a sense of arrival. The restaurant name announced outside in red lettering, leads perceptually to the red staircase that unfolds like a piece of lacquered origami to the Wasabi restaurant, a little bit like rising up into gastronomic heaven on a Japanese red carpet. Gone are the days when Morimoto’s guests replete with sushi and sake wobbled unsteadily down the wrought iron winding staircase, a feat that made city socialites visibly giggly. And yes, a brand new elevator may also transport you heavenwards but I would rather high-step on red.

Let the brilliance of the colour not distract you from the subtleties of the Harbour Bar, a historic watering hole, recipient of the first liquor licence in India. Its rich history, art deco legacy and charm, however heavy, of a bygone era, stand reflected in a modern new avatar. Boasting an art deco interior in 1933, this was transformed in the ’50s and it was in the ’80s that it took on its nautical appearance. “But, there was little relationship with the harbour or the heritage hotel,” maintains Gronda, who took up the challenge of dipping into all its numerous avatars. “I have tried to respect all three and created a fourth.” And he has drawn the harbour and the sea into this space by raising the platform nearest to the arched windows, changing dimensions and perceptions in one fell stroke. “This was the site of very glamorous performances in the ’30s and ’40s, there was actually a stage here,” he intones, revealing the inherent design inspiration.

Understated but deeply luxurious, the overall effect is one of an amazing lightness of being, as compared to the original décor. This is probably due to the discovery of windows that had been blocked and their subsequent opening up, showing a new respect for the historic building’s contours. Paintings from the hotel’s heritage collection, including an impressive Ram Kumar and an enormous Rajesh Pullarwar, add to this effect. The centre bar is carved out of solid pieces of marble, the chairs are a throwback to the original art deco chairs and a circular motif plucked out of the heritage hotel is reflected in the cut-glass door and the modern carpet. Coffee tables sport cut-glass bases that are inspired by glass lamps in the old hotel.

Yes, the charm of the new Harbour Bar is in the details, in the subtlety of fabrics, cushions, table cloths, napkins…all the nuances…being designed as a ‘whole experience’. “We are very careful about how people feel in this room. Everyone, even in the Tata Group, is very sensitive to this space, everyone has a piece of their heart here and they would not compromise on anything,” Gronda realised very early on. “People had their favourite seats, some had memories of bringing their girlfriends and wives here and there were passionate discussions on what this meant.” Gronda tapped into this positive energy and combined it with the Rockwell Group’s design philosophy – to offer a ‘storytelling experience, to create narratives’.

The difficulty of course came about when this age-old design tale had to move seamlessly into a modern space offering a contemporary dining experience. We are now moving up those smartly unfolding origami steps and into the Wasabi restaurant. Here, the design reveals more of a sense of drama and spectacle. A solid wooden wall is defined by traditional Japanese joinery techniques, resembling wooden butterflies. The sushi bar combines sleek surfaces with the deliberately rough. The wicker chairs impart a sense of lightness while being traditionally Japanese. The natural arches in the room have been re-instated and highlighted in a bronze finish. A teppanyaki station has been added, defined by an art piece by Sadanand Shirke which depicts the city in graphic terms. The lighting is sensual and the mastermind, Birgit Walter, is busy with camera and tripod, capturing the ambience she has subtly created.

Wasabi is all about seeing and being seen. And, the most coveted corner has been the private dining room. The dining table here has been styled like an enormous bronze pearl, split in half, with the seats dovetailing precisely into its silhouette. A personal and exclusive sushi chef will, on request, serve up to eight diners. And the curtains around may be drawn or not, depending on personal preferences. But then, as their architect states, “Everyone here is very important and wants to be seen, even if it is just a little bit.”

Subscribe to Verve Magazine or buy the Verve issue on stands now!