Ministry of New, Kitab Mahal

Fort, Mumbai
2016
Natasha Chadha
9,050 sq ft

Location: Fort, Mumbai · Housed in Kitab Mahal (upper floors) · ~8,000 sq.ft (approx.)
Program: Private + team offices, shared desks, gallery / event rooms, café & community areas
Special Features: Curated art & design pieces, custom furniture, restored heritage structure

Heritage revived, creativity kindled — a sanctuary for collaboration, curation, and community in the heart of the city.

Ministry of New redefines coworking by weaving heritage, creativity, and curation into a single space. Housed in Kitab Mahal, once a hub of publishing, the coworking space preserves its architectural character—iron columns, teak beams, tall arched windows—while opening it up to light and collaborative energy.

The layout balances private and collective needs: enclosed offices for focus, team rooms for collaboration, long shared desks, and flexible gallery-like lounges that host events and exhibitions. A central café anchors the community, encouraging both casual encounters and programmed gatherings.

What distinguishes the project is its commitment to curation. Every room is punctuated with selected artworks, design objects, and handcrafted furniture, turning the workplace into a living gallery. Pieces are chosen not as decoration but as conversation: reminders of creativity, craft, and culture.

Materials are simple yet tactile—restored plaster, wood, soft textiles—contrasted with the robust steel-and-timber frame. Daylight fills the interiors, animated by greenery and human scale. Together, the heritage envelope and curated interiors create an atmosphere that is both grounded and inspiring.

Ministry of New proves that a coworking space can be more than desks and Wi-Fi: it can be a cultural institution in miniature. It restores a historic shell as a living community, where heritage and art kindle collaboration and new ideas.