Hawa Mahal
Lal Chand Ustad · Jaipur, India · 1799
Hawa Mahal gives Jaipur's street edge a remarkable screen of small windows, projecting bays and patterned stonework. Lal Chand Ustad's design allowed the royal household to observe activity outside while remaining screened from view. The thin, layered façade turns ventilation, privacy and urban spectacle into a single architectural composition. Visiting: Entry to the interior is ticketed; the famous honeycomb facade is seen freely from Siredeori Bazaar, and the cafés opposite give the best view.