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A 250-year-old historic building in Istanbul to get a facelift

The historic building originally housed French interests in Constantinople including the French National Bank…reports Asian Lite News

A 250-year-old historic building in Istanbul will get an architectural facelift to turn it into a cultural centre, the Turkish city’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu announced at the restoration ceremony.

The construction, named Saint Pierre Han, was built in 1771 by French architects, reports Xinhua news agency.

A 250-year-old historic building in Istanbul to get a facelift

It is located in the Banks Street, one historic spot that used to be renowned as the financial hub of the late Ottoman Empire.

Speaking at the ceremony on Monday, Imamoglu said the building will be used as a cultural centre to host temporary and permanent exhibitions after restoration.

“We have a responsibility to protect our heritage, bring it back to life, and transfer it to future generations,” Imamoglu added.

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The historic building originally housed French interests in Constantinople including the French National Bank.

From 1856 to 1893, it was the home of the Ottoman Bank.

The building also hosted the Constantinople Bar Association, the Italian Chamber of Commerce, several architects, and a mustard factory.

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Bollywood Lifestyle Lite Blogs

Architectural Digest features Sonam’s dream castle

When Sonam Kapoor Ahuja first started dating Anand Ahuja, she also fell in love with the setting of his London perch. Notting Hill is one of the last truly bohemian ‘villages’ left in the city and the couple set their hearts on a home among one of its leafy stucco squares…reports Asian Lite News.

Home is truly something that stands close to our heart. Intensely intimate. Filled with art. A little bit of London. Plenty of India. Magic finds from Paul Bert Serpette and solid-wood floors. Love, laughter, and life. Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, under the expert eye of Rooshad Shroff has imagined, curated, and choreographed her London home and studio herself. And for the very first time, the Bollywood actor has opened the doors to Architectural Digest for an exclusive peek into her home.

The magazine’s September-October Style features Sonam and Anand Ahuja’s home, which is replete with distinct Indian touches. The hand-carved wardrobe doors fashioned by artisans in Mumbai, canework from Arunachal Pradesh, curtains adorned with embroidery by the Lucknow studio of Maximiliano Modesti and the dining room walls covered in de Gournay’s ‘Early Views of India’ — all sing a romantic song of Sonam’s love for India. IANSlife reproduces an excerpt from AD India’s latest featuring the actress:

When Sonam Kapoor Ahuja first started dating Anand Ahuja, she also fell in love with the setting of his London perch. Notting Hill is one of the last truly bohemian ‘villages’ left in the city and the couple set their hearts on a home among one of its leafy stucco squares. The Lockdown offered the actor an unexpected opportunity to roost. “Suddenly I was living a very local life with no planes or premieres,” she recalls, “running in Hyde Park, foraging for olive oils in Portobello market, and bonding with neighbours at this surreal time”.

Sonam’s vision for this atmospheric pied-a-terre has been brought to life with Mumbai-based architect Rooshad Shroff. “He is a maestro at curating a space towards an individual’s tastes,” muses Sonam of her collaborative choice, “We began with laying a foundation of rich textures and jewel tones together.”

This luscious palette was taken even further into transporting realms with walls covered in de Gournay’s ‘Early Views of India’. “The Indian touches include a number of personal pieces gifted to us by our mothers,” reflects Sonam, “bringing memories of Mumbai and Delhi to London. There’s a lasting beauty in these heirlooms, however humble, that have seen so many lives and brought joy across the generations.”

Sonam’s interior style is refreshingly unstarry. She has a gift, perhaps a legacy from acting, for creating a frisson of intimacy. She agrees, replying, “This is a sanctuary for us, and for those we love, rather than a showcase home. It is not large but it makes an impact.”

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