THE JOURNAL
From the Studio — page 29
Local Guides
Salt Lake Sector II: A Quieter Alternative to the City's Busier Blocks
A grounded look at Salt Lake Sector II's quieter layout, older housing stock, and what renovating or building there actually takes, plus how to hire the right architect or interior designer for it.
Room Guides
Salt Lake Sector III Beyond the Low-Ceiling Flats: A Neighbourhood Overview for New Buyers
A grounded look at buying in Salt Lake Sector III: what the low-ceiling housing stock really means, how to read a flat or plot, and what fixes actually work.
Practical Guides & Ideas
Timing a New Town Build Around Ongoing Road and Utility Work: A Construction Scheduling Guide
A practical New Town construction scheduling guide: how to time your build around ongoing NKDA road and utility work, sequence deliveries, and avoid costly site-access delays.
Decision Guides
Architect vs NKDA-Empanelled Engineer: Who Should Sign Your Plan?
When clients come to us with a New Town plot, one of the first questions we hear is: "Do we really need an architect, or can we just get an empanelled engineer to sign the dra
Practical Guides & Ideas
The Best Time of Year to Start Construction in Kolkata
Kolkata's climate is not a backdrop to construction, it is an active participant in how a project unfolds, and ignoring that fact is one of the most reliable ways to end up wi
Decision Guides
Builder Floor vs Apartment in Kolkata: What Should You Buy?
Every week someone walks into our studio in New Town with the same question printed on their face: builder floor or apartment in a complex? Both options look similar on paper,
Decision Guides
Common Bathroom vs Master Bathroom: How the Design Should Differ
How a common bathroom and master bathroom should differ in layout, materials, fixtures, Vastu and cost, with real guidance from Studio Contour, Kolkata.
Building Guidelines
5 Building Violations to Avoid in New Town
Every week someone calls us after their building is nearly done, asking why their bank has stalled the loan or why the completion certificate is not coming through. In almost
Practical Guides & Ideas
Corner Plot Design: Turning Two Roads Into an Advantage
A corner plot in New Town is one of those sites that excites every architect the moment it shows up on a brief. Two open sides, two roads, two facades to play with, and a leve
Practical Guides & Ideas
Earthquake-Safe Home Design in Kolkata
Kolkata sits in a moderate seismic zone, which means the ground here can and does move, and how your home is built determines what happens when it does. We say this not to ala
Practical Guides & Ideas
FAR and FSI Explained for the Kolkata Homeowner
If you have ever sat across a table with an architect and heard the phrase "your FAR allows this much built-up area," you probably nodded along and quietly hoped it would make
Design Inspiration
Interior Design Trends for Kolkata Homes in 2026
Kolkata homes in 2026 look noticeably different from what we were designing even three years ago, and the shift is not about chasing global trends but about something more hon
Building Guidelines
When Does Your New Town Building Need a Lift?
When a client brings us a plot in New Town and says they want to build four or five floors, one of the first questions we ask is whether they have thought about a lift. It is
Seasonal & Trending
Monsoon-Ready Construction for New Town Homes
Every year around late May, the sky over New Town shifts, the air turns heavy with moisture, and the first clouds roll in from the Bay of Bengal. By June the rain is serious,
Decision Guides
New Town Plot Buying Checklist Before You Build
Buying a plot in New Town feels like stepping onto solid ground, and in many ways it is, but the paperwork underneath that ground matters just as much as the soil test. We hav
Local Guides
New Town vs Rajarhat: Where Should You Build?
Choosing between New Town and the broader Rajarhat belt is one of the most common conversations we have with clients who own a plot in this part of Kolkata. Both areas have gr
Local Guides
New Town vs Salt Lake: Which Suits Your Home?
Choosing between New Town and Salt Lake is one of the most common questions we hear from Kolkata families who are ready to build or buy their first real home. Both neighbourho
Building Guidelines
What Extra Documents Does NKDA Ask for a Corner Plot With Two Road Frontages?
Corner plots with two road frontages need a noticeably thicker sanction file than a standard single-frontage plot, and we break down exactly what NKDA adds to the list.
Building Guidelines
How Long Does NKDA Building Sanction Take in New Town?
When clients come to us excited about building in New Town, the first question after budget is almost always the same: how long will the NKDA sanction actually take? The hones
Hiring Guides
Hiring an Architect and Interior Firm for a Restaurant in Salt Lake
Hiring a restaurant architect and interior firm in Salt Lake means kitchen MEP, Bidhannagar sanctions, and timeline discipline. Here's how Studio Contour handles it.
Building Guidelines
Rooftop and Terrace Rules for New Town Homes
A rooftop in New Town can be a garden, a lounge, a utility hub, or a mix of all three, and homeowners ask us about this more than almost any other topic. The rules around what
Practical Guides & Ideas
Designing a Home on a Small Plot in New Town
A small plot in New Town is not a constraint, it is an invitation to think more carefully. We have designed homes on plots as compact as 3 cottah and watched them become airy,
Practical Guides & Ideas
Layout Ideas for a 900 Sq Ft 2BHK Flat Near Dum Dum Lake Town
Our approach to a 900 sq ft 2BHK near Dum Dum Lake Town, where shallow balconies and single-side-open plans change nearly every layout decision.
Hiring Guides
Hiring an Interior Designer for a New Town Highrise: The NKDA and Society Rules Nobody Warns You About
Hiring an interior designer for a New Town highrise means navigating NKDA sanction rules and RWA society bylaws most decorators never learn. Here's what actually matters.