This story is from July 5, 2020

West Bengal: Man behind iconic Darjeeling cottages, bungalows passes away

Austen Plant, a British architect who had lived all his life in Darjeeling and added iconic bungalows, cottages and trekker’s tent in the hill town, passed away in a private hospital after a brief illness on Thursday. He was 82 and is survived by wife Shalla, daughter Sharon, son Sean and grandchildren.
West Bengal: Man behind iconic Darjeeling cottages, bungalows passes away
KOLKATA/DARJEELING: Austen Plant, a British architect who had lived all his life in Darjeeling and added iconic bungalows, cottages and trekker’s tent in the hill town, passed away in a private hospital after a brief illness on Thursday. He was 82 and is survived by wife Shalla, daughter Sharon, son Sean and grandchildren.
Austen, who designed The English Cottage — the four bedroom family home in Darjeeling with sloping roof and wide windows typical of English cottages — made cottages his speciality, constructing Swiss cottages in Mirik and trekkers’ huts in Srikhola, Gorkhey and Sandakphu.
“He was very particular that his designs would blend with the environment. The homes he built were always well lit as he designed large windows. He primarily used local sustainable materials, mostly wood and stone, for his buildings,” recounted his daughter Sharon Agarwal, who is now settled in Kolkata.
Austen’s inspiration was his father Charles William Plant, a civil engineer and major in the British Army. Charles and Austen designed St Alphonsis School in Kurseong, The Chapel at Bethany School, an extension of one of the buildings at Mt Hermon School, Bensons at St Pauls School.
Charles and his family were separated when he was serving for Britain in Myanmar during World War I. Charles’s wife and 12 children were transported to Darjeeling while he was on the war front. Years later, when Charles came to Darjeeling to recuperate and met a Jesuit priest, he learnt there was a Plant family living in the town. “When my father left Myanmar, he was a toddler and had no recollection of my grandfather. Years later one day on his return from school, he saw a handsome man seated in the drawing room, smoking a pipe and was introduced to his father,” said Sharon.
While his siblings migrated to England and elsewhere, Austen never left Darjeeling. He and Shalla though travelled extensively through England, Europe, South America and South-East Asia. His love for architecture led him to leave his imprint of the numerous homes, tourist lodges and trekker’s huts, he designed and built in and around Darjeeling town. Austen was also the British Deputy High Commission in Kolkata’s consular warden for Darjeeling.

“Our deepest sympathy and condolences are with Austen family and loved ones in this very difficult time,” UK deputy high commissioner Nick Low tweeted.
A gregarious person, Austen loved kids and always carried toffees that he would distribute to them. Forever ready to help anyone in need, he was one of the founder members of Kripa Foundation Darjeeling that helped youngsters overcome addictions. “He always had time to listen to the young and in his jovial non judgemental way, would counsel them well,” said Noreen Dunne, founder member of Hayden Hall, who grew up with the Plants around.
His life was incomplete without music. A jazz enthusiast, he played the drums, saxophone and guitar with aplomb.
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