abhinav
selected works
ramesan
2018-2021
Skills Industry Knowledge Architectural Design Architectural Visualisation Graphic Design Drafting Architectural Writing Interpersonal Skills Team Leadership Event Management Elocution
Abhinav Ramesan B. Arch Undergraduate ( 4th Year ) School of Planning and Architecture Bhopal he/him 7.10.1999
Bhopal India
Languages English Hindi Malayalam German
High Proficiency Working Proficiency Limited Proficiency Beginner
Hobbies and Interests
Reading | Writing | Urban Sketching | Digital Illustrations | General Trivia
I am a student currently pursuing Bachelor of Architecture from School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal. I am currently based here and originally from Kerala, but I have spent my childhood living in several different parts of India. In the few years I have spent in architecture school, I have broadened and reoriented my mindset towards architecture. One insight I hold very valuable is that the site is not a blank canvas. I like to play with the sun, and design my forms to take advantage of its position and orientation. Apart from that, I like spending my time making illustrations, playing with my pet cat, and collecting fun facts and trivia.
Software Drafting AutoCAD 3D Modelling Sketchup Rhino Blender
Intermediate Intermediate Basic
BIM Revit
Intermediate
Visualisation Lumion Blender (cycles)
Basic Intermediate
GIS QGIS Presentation Photoshop Illustrator InDesign
2
Advanced
Basic Intermediate Intermediate Basic
Features
Academic Work Picky Eaters - NASA GSEN Trophy 2020 Productive Urbanism Report - Team Scribble Solar Decathlon India 2020 Gone with the Wind - CLT Induction 2021 Aakar Design
2019 ▪ Weekend Cottages ▪ Daily-Needs-Shops and Plaza at SPA Bhopal ▪ Vernacular Documentation of the Juang Tribe ▪ Design Intervention of the Juang Dormitory ▪ Artist-Couple’s Home and Workspace 2020 ▪ Highway Wayside Amenities ▪ Premium Car Showroom ▪ Working Drawing of a two-storey Residence ▪ 100-Day COVID Hospital 2021 ▪ Middle-Income Multi-Storey Housing ▪ Five-Star Hotel
Experience
Workshops
Coordinator Litsock; Literary Society, SPA Bhopal July 2019 - October 2020
Earth and Bamboo Workshop by Auroville Green Practices - Auroville, TN. June 2019
Mapper Internship at India; Lost and Found August 2020 - March 2021
Z-Axis: You and Your Neighbourhood. Workshop by Charles Correa Foundation. Online. Sept 2020 CLT Induction Workshop by Mitsubishi and Aakar Design Studio. Online. March 2021
Achievements Top 30 NASA Writing Architecture 2018 Jan 2019 Winner NASA DesTech Challenge 2020 April 2021 Special Mention (Student Category) CLT Induction Competition 2021 May 2021 Finalist - Top 6 (Office Building Category) Solar Decathlon India 2020 May 2021 Top 39 NASA Writing Architecture 2020 June 2021 Special Mention NASA GSEN Trophy 2020 June 2021
Competitions 2018 ▪ NASA Writing Architecture Trophy 2018 ▪ NASA Landscape Architecture Trophy 2018 2019 ▪ NASA ANDC 2019 ▪ NASA Writing Architecture Trophy 2019-20 2020 ▪ mooArch IsoNation ▪ COA International Essay Competition 2020 ▪ 120 Hours 2020 ▪ NASA ANDC 2020-21 ▪ ArchDais Sacred Architecture ▪ IDHA Essay Writing Competition ▪ NASA DesTech Challenge 2020 ▪ Solar Decathlon India 2020-21 ▪ NASA Writing Architecture Trophy 2020-21 ▪ NASA GSEN Trophy 2020 2021 ▪ CLT Induction Competition 2021 ▪ Arkitekturo Bauhaus Campus 2021
3
1
Am
0
Ab
1
Be
2
Un
3 4
2
midst the Healing
08
Working Drawings and Renders
44
bove the Noise
18
Architectural Essays
48
eyond Net-Zero
28
Hands-on Workshop
52
nder the Roof
36
Digital Illustrations
54
5
1
Academic and Competition Proje
ects
Amidst the Healing Community Centre Muzaffarnagar, India ARCHDAIS SACRED ARCHITECTURE 2020 | GROUP OF 3 August-October 2020
SOFTWARE USED -
8
Rhino (Model) Photoshop (post-production)
9
The site lies in a torn and battered land; once a home for all, now a reminder of the deep wound inflicted upon the people that left them disintegrated and scattered. The city and surrounding farmlands of Muzaffarnagar are a land scarred by the horrors of communal strife. A community, which once was united across religious lines since independence, was shattered and hasn’t recovered since. Famously known for its sugarcane cultivation where the two communities worked together, the farmers are now struggling to even harvest their produce. A sense of betrayal and distrust persists to this day, especially among the thousands forced to flee their homes. Our proposal aims to be a catalyst to the healing of the broken community. It is a space that considers the healing to be sacred, with all its spaces dedicated to bringing that to actualisation with the help of Introspection, Congregation, and Reconciliation. 10
Karnal
Muzaffarnagar
Meerut Delhi
North-central India
Site
Muzaffarnagar, UP, India
Conceptualisation
Well-defined multiple pathways, making the user choose where to go
Series of open and closed places, heightens the users’ sense of space
The semicircular shape of the site allows for a point of convergence at the center
11
Form Development
Formation of concentric semicircular walls
Divergence of paths at the entrance
Subtractions for paths and nodes
Convergence of paths at the centre 12
Site Plan
11.
1. 10. 9.
2.
3. 4.
8.
5. 7.
6.
12. Ka li
Riv er
uz
M
1. Community Space 2. Transitional Vault 3. Community Dining 4. Kitchen 5. Staff Area 6. Courtyard 7. Visitor’s Centre 8. Entrance Courtyard 9. Niches 10. The Maze 11. Contemplation Pods 12. Access Bridge
T ar ag
rn
fa af an
w ha
b na ha Rd
10
0
10
20
30
40 m
13
On one side, the maze runs along contemplation pods and meeting spaces
On the other side, beyond the visitors centre, is the community eating space.
14
Contemplation amidst the trees
Traversing through the maze
Remembering the tragedy
Coming together to eat
15
Brick Vault shelters some parts of the maze Exposed Concrete Gutter Brick Jali
Brick walls 3.5 m high Wall arches spanning 2 m
Here’s a semi-circle amidst a farmland Of a fractured people An entrance with a multitude of paths that go different places. Some lead to fulfillment a few to togetherness, and the rest to contemplation. But all these paths terminate at one place; a place where people pray, sit, look at the water play, dance, sing some music, a place where the community heals, a place where humanity is sacred. 16
Community space at the center, where all the paths converge
17
Above the Noise Multi-storey Housing Bhopal, India ACADEMIC PROJECT | INDIVIDUAL January - May 2021
SOFTWARE USED -
18
Rhino (Block models and ideation) Revit (full model) Photoshop and Illustrator (post-production)
19
Located in the south-eastern part of the city of Bhopal, Hoshangabad Road is seeing rapid development along its entire stretch, including several apartment buildings for the expanding middle-class of the city. Situated between a railway line and a busy arterial road, the project offers to be a refuge from the noise, and stand apart from the crowd of generic unthoughtful apartment buildings that dominate the area.
Bhopal, MP, India 20
Hoshangabad Road and locale
The Site
Conceptualisation
Form Development 7.5 m
Lobby
The lobby acts as a common space between the four units, encouraging interaction between occupants. 7.5 m
Cross-Ventilation
The orientation of the units have been made to allow winds to flow through the building.
12 m
37.5° 7.5 m
Orienting three blocks
Nodes
All the units have thin plans, necessitating a central long corridor connecting two nodes at the entrance and interior
Projections
Parts of balconies and terraces are staggered on alternate floors, allowing more daylight into the open spaces .
Scattering and staggering
Fenestrations
Minimisation of southwestern openings. Use of right-sized shades based on the geolocation and climate of the site.
Forming vertical cores
Detailing and polishing
21
Site Plan
1.
3. 1.
5.
X’
4. 1. X
2.
1. Apartment Block 2. Amenities Block 3. Play Park 4. Main Plaza 5. Park m 10 8 6 4 2 0
22
ngaba
Hosha
3
Blocks
4
d Rd
Units per floor
12
Floors
2nd - 12th Floors
Residences
1st Floor
Service Road
Upper Ground Floor
Parking
Ground Floor
UG 145
G 110
Parking Parking Spaces Spaces
Circulation
10
20
30
40
50 m
23
Type C 3.5BHK
10.
Type D 2BHK
7.
9.
6.
4.
8.
6.
5.
13. 8.
3.
10.
10.
9.
10.
5.
10. 13.
11.
3.
4.
ENTRY
9.
ENTRY
1.
Type B 3BHK 8.
ENTRY
10. 10.
7.
6.
13. Block B 3rd Floor
9. 9.
Plan of Floor Plate
24
4.
Type A
4 BHK
199 sqm 36 units
Type B
3 BHK
142 sqm 36 units
Type C Type D
3.5 BHK 159 sqm 36 units 2 BHK
93 sqm
Dwelling Units
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.
Amenities
Areas
1890 sqm
Site Area
11800 sqm
FAR
2
Ground Cov.
8.8% (excl. podium)
Built-up Area
22959 sqm
Open Spaces and Circulation
10761 sqm
Type A 4BHK
ENTRY
12.
7.
9.
5.
4.
141 units
21069 sqm
LEGEND Lobby Maintenance Drawing Living Dining Kitchen Utility Master Bedroom Bedroom Toilet Study Powder Room Corridor Node
2.
3.
33 units
10.
8.
13. 6.
9. 10. 10.
9.
25
6500
+43900
2400
Rooftop
+41200
Roof LVL
+38200
12th Floor
+35200
11th Floor
+32200
10th Floor
+29200
9th Floor 8th Floor
36000
44000
+26200 +23200
7th Floor
+20200
6th Floor
+17200
5th Floor
+14200
4th Floor
+11200
3rd Floor
+8200
2nd Floor
+5200
1st Floor
+2600
2400
Upper Ground
All measurements unless specified are in mm m
Site Section XX’
5
m 0
5
Energy Performance Apart from Design features, other measures have been taken to reduce energy consumption.
55.4%
of base case
Solar Energy Rooftop PV panels generate 16% of the total energy demand. Cool Roof Tiles With an SRI of 104, helps reduce heat gain through the roof. Walling Materials Locally sourced fly-ash bricks and AAC blocks help in reducing the embodied energy of the project. 26
Energy Consumption
69.6%
of base case Embodied Energy Energy performance estimates from app.edgebuildings.com
10
15
20
27
Beyond Net-Zero Office Building Bhopal, India SOLAR DECATHLON INDIA 2020 | GROUP OF 10 September 2020 - May 2021
Finalist - Top 6
SOFTWARE USED -
28
Rhino (Block and component models) Various simulation software Revit (Full model) Lumion (Rendering) Photoshop and Illustrator (Post-production)
29
Engineering
Innovation
abil
ity
Wa ter
Affo rd Su sta
ina
bi lity
Design
gy
er
En
Presentation
bility
Scala
nt me n o lity vir En Qua
Team Scribble and the Ten Contests
The site for the headquarters of the National Health Mission for the state of Madhya Pradesh is in Patrakar Colony, Bhopal. The headquarters will be used as the main office building to oversee various health policies and family planning initiatives undertaken by the Government of India. Our objective was to design a Net-Zero-EnergyWater-Building on this site, while fulfilling the goals that we set according to ten contests. We also seeked to create a building that reinforces Bhopal’s image as a green, beautiful city. After extensive research and using several passive and active design strategies, we were able to reach an optimised design. Apart from achieving net positive electricity and net zero water usage, we were able to obtain an EPI of 32.25, reduce HVAC load by about 50%, achieve 70% comfortable hours, improve indoor comfort, and withstand climate scenarios till 2050.
Bhopal
30
Patrakar Colony
Design Development Design Strategy Bundles
Form Optimisation OPTION A Centralised Configuration EUI
-
91KWh/m²a
Daylight (sDA 300/50%): 55% Glare (ASE 1000.250): 26.4%
OPTION B Staggered Configuration EUI
-
101KWh/m²a
Daylight (sDA 300/50%): 57% Glare (ASE 1000.250): 18.8%
Optimisation EUI
-
80KWh/m²a
Daylight (sDA 300/50%): 65% Glare (ASE 1000.250): 12%
31
The Design
Y
Y’
Site Plan 32
Cool courtyard
Warm courtyard
+14450 +10950 +7450 +3950 +450
Section YY’
The two courtyards are central to the building’s functioning and identity. All spaces and vertical cores are directed towards the courtyards, with a singly-loaded corridor separating them. They also stimulate natural ventilation passively as explained in the illustration above.
Third Floor
Library, Administration
Second Floor Departments, HR
First Floor
Cafeteria, Departments, Training
Ground Floor Conference, Administration, Legal, Finance
33
Specialisations Perforated wall systems Perforated walls, or ‘jalis’ as known colloquially, help in increasing ventilation through the venturi affect, while also providing a screen between the interior and exterior. Two different types of jaalis have been used.
An arrangement of a bamboo mesh with a sprinkler system in front of the hollow blocks, inspired by the local Rathwa tribe
AAC Hollow blocks, tapered towards the inside, increase air flow even more, used mostly along corridors. 70% perf.
Sandstone jali perforations, used in mostly in the frontage. Largely ornamentally used, Around 60% perf.
HVAC PCM
Taking advantage of the high diurnal temperature difference, Phase Change materials use Latent Thermal Energy storage to “recharge” at night and support the primary Chiller system.
Heat Recovery System
The Heat Recovery system preconditions the ventilated air to reduce space conditioning demands.
Radiant Cooling
34
Radiant panels and chilled beams using cold or warm water to provide thermal comfort.
The Outcome EPI reduced to 24.6 kWh/sqm, enabling energy net-positivity through Solar energy
101.2 89.5
57.0 43.0
Optimum HVAC
Efficient Lighting
Glazing Material
Building Material
Window Design
Equipment
27.0
24.6
Shading Design
45.0
0 Efficiency Add-ons
Electrical work
Plumbing Work
Miscellaneous
Fenestration
EPI (kWh/m2)
100
Finishes
RCC
0
Substructure
Cost of Construction per sq. m 2.0K 1.9K 1.8K 1.6K 1.4K 1.2K 1.0K 0.8K 0.6K 0.4K 0.2K
Efficient
Construction cost reduced significantly due to use of local materials
Solar Power Generation 139250 kWh Optimised Annual Consumption 110700 kWh Net Positive Energy 28550 kWh annually
Reduction of proposed costs 27.4%
Link and QR Code for the Full 47-page-report https://solardecathlonindia.in/ wp-content/uploads/2021/05/1_ D4_OFF_SCRIBBLE.pdf
35
Under the Roof Resilient Community Shelter Dhanushkodi, India CLT INDUCTION 2021 | GROUP OF 6 February - March 2021
Special Mention
SOFTWARE USED -
36
Rhino (Base model) Blender (Rendering) Photoshop (Post-production)
37
Dhanushkodi is located at the southeastern tip of Pamban Island, the start of the submerged land bridge between Sri Lanka and India. Unoccupied since 1964 following a cyclone, it is now a famed tourist destination, with its many abandoned buildings, out of which the hospital building forms the largest of the ruins. Placed between two seas, Dhanushkodi is a major fishing hub, with some members of this fishing community still selling fried fish to tourists, living in temporary shacks along the shoreline. Harsh weather, however, has prevented permanent settlements from coming up again in Dhanushkodi. Our proposal seeks to transform the abandoned hospital building into a much-needed community shelter for the fishing community and construct it with Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), an upcoming new material. With the eventual increase in production of CLT and optimisation towards Indian conditions, this proposal will become an easy, low-cost and highly durable option. This project can also be expanded to the other ruins of the ghost-town, and eventually help in the revival of Dhanushkodi into a thriving community. 38
Major ruins2.
Pamban Island
1. Hospital 2. Railway Station 3. Church
Dhanushkodi Sri Lanka
Palk Strait
3.
Palk Strait
N
Sri Lanka
1.
Dhanushkodi
Southern India
Dh
an
The CLT walls give support to the old masonry walls and help preserve it, while the old walls shield the lower levels of CLT from wear-and-tear.
ush
kod
i Be
ac
hR
oa
d
Main Courtyard Cluster Courtyard Private Unit
N The Site - Hospital Ruins
Total 55 Units over 3 Floors, all looking inward Typical size - 5.5x5.5 sqm
39
Ventilation Passages allow flow of air through the structure preventing the roof from collapsing in cyclones.
Cross-Bracing ensures resistance to transverse loads and keeps the walls in place
Construction
40
Hospital Walls
CLT Core Frame
CLT Edge Walls
CLT Floors and Walls
Roof Frame
Wall and Roof Boards
Ventilators open into the courtyards allowing stack ventilation and help the release of air pressure.
Connection between Masonry Wall and CLT Frame
Beam to Column connections
Wall-to-Wall and Floor-toWall Connections
41
2
Working Drawing Architectural Essays Hands-on Workshop Digital Illustrations
Working Drawings and a Render
This was an academic project which had the objective of designing a residence for a family of 6 along with an attached workspace. A set of working drawings had been created along with relevant details for the services, spaces and materials. 44
Rendered in Blender (cycles)
45
E
C
D
A
B 20000
13700 6000
4500
3000
3000
3000
BACKYARD 13000 X 5000
6200
Y
2650 2640 2300
+600 PLINTH LVL
856
5000 5000 19200 26260
5000
1800
700 1100
OFFICE ENTRY
+600 PLINTH LVL
5 1500
UP
1200
1000
3
5 4
1
2
0
1598
+1600 LANDING
1698
1190
D2
1141
690
1788
4
6
600
4000
600
12
600
W8
9 10 11
600
W8
8
600
W8
7
W8
15 16
W8
D1
+2740 LANDING
800
600
W7
200 W8
13
600
W7
+650 ENTRANCE LOBBY GROUND 3000 X 4500 FLOOR LVL
DRAWING ROOM 3800 X 5800
14
600
W7
1300
W4
W4
W6
6
W4
3000
ENTRY
FRONT PORCH 3000 X 5000 CAR PORCH 9600 X 2900 600
600
600
4900
+600 PLINTH LVL
7 8
Y'
FRONT LAWN 10700 X 10300
m4
3
2
1
0
100 cm
N
46
ENTRY
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
2487
W3
600
1476
RECEPTION 4800 X 2800
600
D4 967
600
664
2930
6200
3800
1800
40000
5800
600 W7
1798
2070
1010
2988 KITCHEN 3800 X 5800
600 W7
1634
3
1396
W7
588 474
1100
3000
UTILITY 2800 X 2800
W9
OFFICE 4800 X 5800
224
D4
600 838 600
W7 2900
2255
900
600
W5
W7
5000
DINING 4800 x 4300
W5
528
3100
600
W5
1951
2354
D6
BATHROOM 2800 X 2800
D6
4290 3000
2
900
D4
W5
TOILET 1800 X 2200
1800
900
600
2000
D6
300
LOUNGE 4000 x 2800
800
970
BEDROOM 4800 X 4200
1500
W5
W5 TOILET 2800 X 2800
820
2740
3739
1950
3870
+650 GROUND FLR LVL
W3
3655
1800
3800
SERVANT'S QUARTERS 3800 x 2800
1
757
D3
2800 D5
+600 PLINTH LVL
W2
1888
1200
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
600 520
1080
2120
950
1050
16
270
15
190
14 13 PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
12 11
280
10
5
235
4
495
2
PLASTER 12 THICK
305
150 THICK WAIST SLAB
305
235
1
ANTI-SKID VITRIFIED STAIR TILES 12 THICK
745
3
745
6
2120
SS RAILING, 50 DIA SS NEWEL POST, 50 DIA 5 THICK GLAZED PANEL
5790
8 7
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
3040
9
SECTION ZZ' SCALE - 1:10
1270
Above - Section of the staircase Left - Plan of Ground Floor Right - Elevation and Cross-Section detail of a Window at the Drawing Room Below - (right) Plan of a Toilet showing fixture and utility details, and (left) Elevation of the wall with window All measurements are in mm
200
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
30 MM CWSP 25 L GEYSER 305X625
SHOWER FAUCET
VITRIFIED FLOOR TILE 600 X 300
25 MM HWSP
380
VITRIFIED FLOOR TILES 12 MM THICK CONCRETE SCREED
930
220
1420
CERAMIC DADO TILE 300 X 300
NAHANI TRAP 110 X 110
20 MM HWSP 20 MM CWSP
MIRROR 960 X 900 X 20
CERAMIC W/C SS TOWEL HANGER WASH BASIN
1000
740
1110
2110
80
80
510
1200
ALUMINIUM VERTICAL SLIDING WINDOW
670
25 MM CWSP
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
CERAMIC DADO TILE 300 X 300
110 MM SWP
860
ALIGN WITH WINDOW LINTEL LEVEL
START
110 MM WWP
110
1130
NAHANI TRAP 110 X 110
110
500
ACRYLIC EMULSION PAINT ( WARM WHITE OR EQUIVALENT)
220
TILE DROP
BRICK BAT COBA
RCC FILLER SLAB
47
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
Architectural Essays
Spaces That Nurture Designing for an Equitable Upbringing
-co-authored with Saavi Natekar and Adya Jha NASA WRITING ARCHITECTURE TROPHY 2020
Shortlisted (Top 39)
48
“It takes a village to raise a child.” -old African proverb
T
he future of a society is defined by how its children are brought up. However, it often fails to provide all its children with adequate opportunities for securing a better future. In India, there are countless children who don’t get access to proper infrastructure for a decent quality of life. Consequently, this gap, that arose simply from an accident of birth, gets widened further. This inequity is visible in the absence of adequate public spaces for the underprivileged. For the poor, this disparity crops up as different challenges; subpar health facilities in their infancy, the dearth of mental and physical fitness, and the diminished opportunities for proper learning. These add up and limit the potential of the child, thus perpetuating the vicious cycle of inequity. Architecture reflects the existing power structures in society and reinforces this discrepancy. Hence, it is unavoidable that the built and unbuilt environment will reflect inequity if the community is plagued with discrimination. The need for equitable spaces originates from this imbalance in the distribution of infrastructure. Thus, the question arises. How can architects make sure that every child gets an equitable upbringing?
Scan the QR code for the full essay
The First Challenge; Ensuring Basic Services The divide between the rich and poor children starts from the very beginning. Children born into lower-income families have to face inadequate food security and public health infrastructure. As per the World Bank Report 2009, half of children in India under the age of three are underweight. In 2019 itself, the infant mortality rate was 28.3 out of 1000 live births in India. In order to combat this, the government set up policies to provide equity in basic health and food services. One of the ways to achieve this was Anganwadis; local units which provide social support to children and their mothers. Anganwadis act as child learning and healthcare centres which also provide contraceptives, sanitary products, midday meals etc. One such Anganwadi exists in the slums of Tahakar, a dense community of migrants seeking job opportunities in Ahmedabad. With a meagre earning and many stomachs to feed, poor health is predestined. The community is served by an Anganwadi of a mere 3m x 3m room, which serves as a classroom for more than 30 children.... 49
Two Sides of a Lake Bhopal and its Diverging Identities -co-authored with Saavi Natekar
IDHA LABS ESSAY WRITING COMPETITION 2020
50
I
t’s early in the morning. Seedhi Ghat by the Upper Lake is dotted with commuters drinking their cup of tea and taking in the views of the city of Bhopal. The Upper Lake is intrinsically connected to Bhopal, since its creation by a Paramara king in the 11th century, and the addition of several more lakes and the growth of the city along their shores. Resultantly called the City of Lakes, the urban landscape of Bhopal has centered itself along these water bodies throughout its history. In modern times, while the identity of the city has evolved away from its water bodies, the lakes continue to be important to its functioning and image. This essay will explore the traditional and modern spaces on either side of the Upper Lake, analyse their influence on the identity of the city, and understand how they affect each other. The City of Begums For hundreds of years, the city existed on the northern shore of the Upper Lake. The golden age of the city was started by Qudsia Begum in the 19th century. She was succeeded by three generations of regnant Begums who went on to develop and modernise Bhopal and turn it into a center of arts and culture. They also built three prominent mosques, the largest of which, Taj-ul Masajid, became a center of Islamic learning in South Asia. Gauhar Mahal, the oldest surviving royal residence, is perched on the north-eastern edge of the Upper Lake. The grounds outside of the palace were set up by the Begums to function as a cultural arts and crafts bazaar. After independence and the abolition of the monarchy, the crafts bazaar slowly extended to cover the interior premises of the now disused palace. Today, following its restoration, the two courtyards of the Mahal serve as exhibition grounds for local art, textiles and handlooms.
Scan the QR code for the full essay
Every morning, hawkers in Shahjahanabad, the city founded by Begum Shahjahan, clean up their tiny stalls selling food, clothes, and hardware for yet another busy day. These bazaars form a network of streets around the landmarks of Iqbal Maidan, and the three main mosques (Jama Masjid, Moti Masjid and Taj-ul Masajid). Once a courtyard of Gauhar Mahal, Iqbal Maidan today acts as a vibrant public space hosting various public events, and is also used by the children of the neighbourhood. By 7 p.m., as a busy day comes to an end, things slow down. Hawkers shut shops, get their stools out and balance a plank or patta between them. This is the time when the street becomes a platform for debates, card games and endless discussions among hawkers, their neighbours and their customers over multiple cups of tea. Famously known as Pattabaazi, this session continues till way past midnight. This practice is said to have evolved from scholarly discussions that took place in Iqbal Maidan. The streets thus become a public space for the close-knit neighbourhoods and commercial centres in Shahjahanabad, developing a strong sense of identity.... 51
Hands-on Workshop Earth and Bamboo Workshop Auroville Green Practices
May 2019 | Auroville, TN, India In the hot summer months of 2019, I travelled to Auroville, a township in south India famous for its innovative culture for a five-day workshop. This workshop was first held in Auroville Earth Institute and then Auroville Bamboo Centre, where we learnt and experimented on several different ways of using earth and bamboo for building construction. At the Earth Institute, we did hands-on construction of stabilised mud bricks, and consequently the construction of rammed earth, cob, and mud brick walls. At the bamboo institute on the last day, we were tasked to design a wall using bamboo. My team made a frame with several potential planters and the provision of bowls which could be used as bird feeders, adorned by an array of bamboo rings on both sides. The workshop ended with an architectural tour around Auroville and some of its latest construction projects.
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53
Digital Illustrations
During the early months of the pandemic in 2020, I decided to elevate my doodling skills on to a digital platform. I started experimenting on Adobe Illustrator, and soon enough it became a new hobby. Here are some of my works that I made in the past one year.
Blobcat; a series of digital illustration featuring a blue-coloured cat doing mundane stuff
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abhinav ramesan
School of Planning and Architecture Bhopal +91 9940390235 abhinavramesan@gmail.com
