Abhishek Semwal Folio of works

PORTFOLIO

Professional| Competition| Undergraduate

|ABHISHEK SEMWAL

VOLUME OF WORKS 2010-2017|

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|CURRICULUM VITAE

ABHISHEK SEMWAL 01 July 1992 3/62, Jalvihar Colony, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi 110024, INDIA Nationality: Indian

SKILLS

ACHIEVEMENTS

Drafting Autocad 2015, Revit 2015

|Rifat Chaderiji Prize, 2017 The proposal was selected among the top 20 ideas for the award.

(Team: Abhishek, Natasha)

Languages: Hindi (native), English

3d Modelling Sketchup 2016, Revit 2015, 3dsmax 2014, Rhino 5

abhisheksemwal@ymail.com abhisheksemwal@live.co.uk +91-9691741428

Digital image and rendering Lumion 6.0, Mental Ray (3dsmax), Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

EXHIBITS AND PUBLICATIONS

B.Arch School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal, India (Graduated 2015)

|Cognizance, IIT Roorkee Product Design competition , work published in international newsletter “Design for all” in 2013 edition.

Trainee Architect Sensen Designs, New Delhi 6 months (January - July 2014) Junior Architect Mancini Enterprises, Chennai 8 months (September 2015 - April 2016) Architect Designcollab, New Delhi 12 months (June 2016 - June 2017)

|University of Westminster Student work titled “Sustainability of Neighbourhoods” displayed during varsity’s summer exhibition, 2014. |University of Westminster Student work titled “Redefining travel” displayed during varsity’s summer exhibition, 2015.

STUDENT FELLOWSHIPS |Awarded 361° students fellowship for attending 361° conference 2014, Mumbai. |Awarded Z-Axis student fellowship 2015, for attending the 2015 conference, Goa.

|World Build India, Breathing Cities 2017 Entry shortlisted among top 50 solutions.

(Team: Abhishek, Aryan, Manas, Charu) |University of Westminster International Design Trophy 2014 Entry selected among top 10 works.

(Team: Abhishek, Hussam, Tarun, Manu) |Annual National Design Competition 2014 Entry secured place in top 21.

(Team: Abhishek, Hussam, Abhin, Prateek) |University of Westminster International Design Trophy 2013 Entry selected among top 10 works.

(Team: Abhishek, Vineetha, Kapil, Kartikeya) |Building Trust International, Cambodia sustainable housing 2012 Entry adjudged among top 75 student submissions out of 650 received entries and displayed on their social media portal. |IGBC 2012 Entry adjudged for jury commendation.

(Team: Abhishek, Devvrat)

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|CONTENTS 1. HOUSE IN THE HILLS, Uttarakhand A holiday cottage in Lansdowne, Uttarakhand.

Primary role involved design the unit, preparing drawing docket, 3D models, renders, finishing bill of quantities and overseeing the work on site.

2. WAR MEMORIAL, New Delhi Remembering Conflict. An open design competition attempted as part of Designcollab. Worked on the design intent with Arnab banerji, produced 3D models, renders, conceptual notes.

3. REBUILDING MOSUL, Iraq The competition opened a dialogue between the needs and aspirations of the people displaced in the terror torn region of Mosul, Iraq. The aim was to design an affordable housing that could be scaled for mass rehabilitation in the region.

4. BREATHING CITIES, Lucknow Urban micro-intervention. The competition invited ideas for rejuvenating public spaces through built interventions.

Worked closely in a team of 4 individuals from various background to come up with a multidimensional solution. The submitted proposal was selected among top 50 ideas.

5 JANG-E-AZADI, War Memorial Museum Jalandhar, Punjab Curating memories, a critic on India’s independence struggle.

Attempted as part of undergraduate thesis.

6. TRANSFIGURATIVE URBAN HAAT, Bhopal The design tries to understand the evolution of public spaces and intends to create a multi- use market that can account for changing contexts. The competition entry was attempted as part of a 4 member student team. Selected among top 21 solutions.

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“In my brief association with architecture, I have tried to answer my dilemmas towards space through experiments at different scales, levels of intimacy and detail.

Constantly trying to learn and adapt as a response to the brief, but staying true to the will. Will to craft rich multilayered experiences that delve into the notions of identity, context, practicality and relevance.”

This assemblage of my work as a learning architect showcase’s my experiments with identity at different scales, addressing different questions, voicing different demands and in doing so, helping me understand the varying contexts and the required response.”

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House in the hills|Lansdowne, Uttarakhand

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Top View.

The project involved execution of a modestly sized unit in the foothills of the Himalayas. The designed unit was to be used as a holiday refuge by a retired naval officer looking for break from the city at his behest.

The three room unit sits facing a valley in the Lansdowne area of Uttarakhand. The overall site would eventually house eleven such units, creating a small neighbourhood of similarly fashioned dwellings.

The unit setup comprises of two rooms at the lower level which share a single washroom area and another room on the upper level accessed by an external staircase. Each room has been provided with a balcony to soak in the spectacular vistas that the site offers.

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External staircase Assembly detail.

Part Section.

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Simple materials are paired together in assemblies to form a unified architectural interface. Climate and ageing were major factors that influenced the choice of material for the project. Ease of repairablity in the site’s remotness and availablity of local materials that are replaceable were also kept in mind before finalising the material pallete. The approach was to use the materials in their true forms with less dependence of specialist or processed materials for the construction of the units.

The achitecture of the dwelling uses brick as the core unit, employing it’s grounded aesthetics to create a humble expression that doesn’t interfere with the site’s image.

Building systems like cavity wall and pitched roof work in tandem with brick screens to create a humane interface, breaking scale and affording the design a certain approachablity.

Assembly Diagram.

“Brick as a material ages gracefully with time, rooting the built with the context.”

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View 02.

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Remembering conflict|National War Memorial, New Delhi The proposal for national war memorial dwells on the issue of conflict. The ideas of sovereignty and freedom that are taken for granted by the citizens have serious costs attached to them.

What we choose to ignore are the sacrifices that the armed forces continually make to maintain a liberal environment within the safer confines of the country. The memorial by it’s realisation tries to understand the numerous conflicts our defence forces face, on the borders and within the country.

The memorial is not meant to be a reminder of our fallen kin, but as a beacon that encompasses

their values, that they chose the country over every other option. Religion, community, region, self preservation and politics were all jargons.

They could see through all the internal divides and dedicate themselves to the cause of national interest.

The memorial is an introspective realisation for the civilians to come face the conflicts that plague this nation and the cost that is paid every passing moment to maintain the freedom that they overlook so easily.

Pool of reflection.

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Our proposal endeavours to represent a soldier’s experience of conflict and chaos with the expression of these long and undulating surfaces. The changing surfaces and fragmented landscapes directs and guides the visitor within the memorial. The same surfaces also act as a security barrier preventing possibilities of people storming in the memorial.

When confronted by the sheer scale of these walls along with the thousands of names of all the soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for our country, the visitor is bound to introspect on the cost of wars measured by human lives. We want the visitors to feel that the peace we take for granted has a cost to it and one should not be frivolous about it.

Schematic diagram.

Indian soldiers, WWI. 13 |40

Site Layout.

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Wall of remembrance.

The memorial starts as a wall, separating the landscape from the intervention proposed.

This wall along with the perimeter water body creates a sense of it being impregnable, acting as a shield protecting the experience within. It represents our borders controlling and checking the forces antagonistic to our nations sovereignty. As one steps inside, it becomes obvious that within the rigidness of this border, lies a journey where one explores the cost of freedom expressed in the currency of sacrifice, loss and human achievement.

These repose of these monolithic walls convey the ephemerality of life, the fading of memory and impermanence of recollection.

The scheme is so designed that the visitor can enter the site from all 4 sides but the final circulation culminates in the open air theatre where all the memorial services will be held. The OAT is flanked by the ‘Pool of Reflection’ which is the permanent installation of the names of the soldiers. After going through the experience of conflict and loss, this is a neutral area where one as an individual or as a collective, whether one has lost a loved one or as a civilian who now understands the responsibility that the armed forces of our nation shoulder, pays their tribute to not only the people who defend this country but also to one’s own notion of what it means to be an Indian.

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Visual 02.

Lest we forget.

Passing through the recessed scape, guided by the sandstone monoliths, one feels compelled to draw closer to their surface. A sense of calm that one feels after enduring through numerous battles fought to protect this homeland is reflected through these sandstone walls. The fallen kins who will be remembered only when the populace deem them worthy. Their tales of valour and strength, told only when the media runs out of topics to play on prime time.

These walls carry names of all the warriors that laid down their lives for the sake of this country.

The names reveal themselves when the dust is washed off from the surface. When the rain washes all the filth and corruption collecting over the sovereignty of this nation. The names reveal themselves, only to fade once again when the clouds disperse.

The names are engraved on to the surface of walls through the process of sandblasting, leaving a slightly rough surface that absorbs greater moisture than neighbouring smooth facade. The moisture over the names evaporates at a different rate than the rest of the surface, revealing the names as a subtle and impermanent gesture.

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Negotiating Identity, Hybrid Housing|Mosul Iraq

Typical neighborhood layout.

Negotiating identity and embracing change.

When the dust settles and people again embrace their roots, would they be able to come to terms with the huge losses that they have suffered in the years gone by? Wars have a tendency to mold the ground realities, what was once common becomes nostalgia, memories remaining locked in a state of flux and “identities” being eroded. Rebuilding a neighbourhood would involve more than just the provision of a roof over one’s head.

Reintroducing communal harmony and reinstating the pride of users are aspects that cannot be over looked.

The designed prototype is an attempt to cluster major functions of a neighbourhood into one single unit. Residential units are arranged to accommodate familiar functions of community along with the inclusion of congregation/ community areas.

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Aspired neighborhood layout.

The consolidation of functions into a single unit has been done to invoke a sense of security and ownership among the users. The whole unit is treated on all four sides with a consistent skin, creating a defensive outer shell that serves the purpose of battling the harsh climatic conditions as well as building an image of resilience. The aesthetics aim to create a consistency in form, which lends certain stoicity to the whole unit.

The functional requirements of a neighbourhood are compounded in a multilevel layout.

Living units are arranged together in clusters of varying densities and alternating green spaces. The design intends to weave the living and community spaces in a single coherent interface, giving the users maximum control of their immediate environment.

The changing character of space inside the unit contrasts the consistent exterior façade.

Assembly Diagram.

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View of the North Facade.

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Cluster A (110m X 55m), Ground and

Cluster B (110m X 55m), First and Fifth

Cluster C (110m X 55m), Third and Sixth

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Internal Visualisations.

Typical Unit A, 4-5 Pax

Unit B, 6-8 pax

The two typical layouts are developed keeping in mind the structure of a modern Iraqi family.

The primary space of the house is living room that functions along multiple requirements through the day. Scope of expansion is also one of the features that provide some degree of future proofing for the inhabitants. Each unit is serviced by a cooling duct to provide continuous airflow that is at a lower temperature than outside daytime temperatures.

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Typical unit partition assembly: 1. Gabion cage filled with reclaimed rubble brick.

2. Recycled wooden panelling.

3. Lime plaster finish.

4. MS C-section.

Borrowing from the vernacular traditions of the region. The design utilizes wind catchers to passively cool the residential units. Ducts allow in surrounding air, which is then allowed to cool over the underground water reservoir. The cool air is then passed on to supply shaft from where it reaches the living area of the residential units through the medium of pressure difference.

The unit is covered in terracotta louver lattice of varying density on all 4 sides. The lattice acts as a protective element against the glare of the harsh outside Sun as well as checking the amount of warm air that gets admitted inside the building.

Residential units are nestled within comfortable overhangs, inclusion of desert flora adds in creating a pleasant micro-climate inside the designed unit.

External Perspective.

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Urban micro intervention|Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh The site is a British era marketplace with colonial architectural aesthetics. The design now attempts to resolve utilitarian problems while at the same time, tries to keep its characteristics intact.

The public place, struggles to have any impact on the user and the object here is supplanted in this context as to be a visual catalyst – a focal point that pushes the boundaries of set paradigm and inviting interest, helps in reshaping its surroundings.

The design intent was to create an engaging public utilitarian product that acts as subtle iconic place marker which contrasts the existing character of Hazratganj market.

Street Side Elevation.

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Public Interface.

The triangulated surfaces of the product, designed to invoke nostalgia among it’s users by mimicking a kaleidoscope. The organic folds also helps in adding a layer of visual complexity, that not only contrasts it’s base, but also the surrounding environment. Attracting interest, by being a visual icon at it’s niche.

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The fabrication process includes 3mm MS plate, bent and welded to shape, grounded and buffed. Covered with a base primer layer, the unit is passed through 3 layers of powder coating in white. Whereupon, matte enamel paint finish is applied in a kaleidoscopic fashion on the resulting faces of the form. Finally the unit is installed on a level surface on site.

Product Diagram.

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View 02.

The design tries to provide for the basic requirements of a person. To sit or to stand.

One might want to use the more organic cover of the form to take shade from the mid day sun and map their route to the destination.

A simple utility at it’s core, the design adapts to the local context, engaging the general masses, attracting interest.

The same interest then radiates to the surrounding market, bringing in focus the stark contrast of colonial architecture and it’s own dynamic form. Not becoming a mute spectator but an orator that allows people to acknowledge their immediate context.

Visual 01.

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Curating Memories|JANG-E-AZADI War Memorial Museum, Jalandhar The intent of this thesis was to present an unadulterated version of India’s Independence, which curates the timeline of ninety years into a seamless narrative. The narrative presents itself to the visitor on different scales, invoking a sense of intimacy and intrigue with the subject. Each era and its happenings are documented and presented through galleries by means of abstraction.

Memories are choreographed and interpretations are facilitated by employing phenomenological principles. Each gallery encompasses within its realm, certain phenomena’s or emotional impulses, that reflect that periods emotions.

As one progresses through the chronology, guided by impulse, galleries and relief spaces unfold the dynamic character of time period. Each space/ environment that is created holds within itself an abstraction. This reflective piece is designed to invoke deep thought, sometimes a sculpture, while other time a setting, this abstraction of memory is used as a tool to channelise emotional response.

When one passes through the museum, finally the journey culminates into independence.

Upon exit, the visitor enters the memorial portion of design, here artifacts are used to invoke emotional response. A central recessed space is envisioned, where visitors can engage in insightful afterthoughts, trying to find meaning in the hard-earned notion of independence. Completing the memorial, and keeping a part of it within their memories.

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Timeline of curated events.

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Site.

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Gallery 02.

Relief space 02.

[NARRATIVES] Not reducing to mere retelling of events, each exhibit area is designed as a scape that ponders over the issues and dilemmas that characterised different chapters of our independence struggle. Not relying on relics and embellishments to address these persistent themes, the user is led through a cohesively narrated account of history, traversing through a series of memory scapes that change in materiality, texture, proportions. Each designed space holds a distinct character, that associates with the addressed era and its events.

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Spatial layout diagram.

Perforated Skin.

Arrangement of Galleries A rigidness of form was conceptualized, so as to contain the tensions, turmoils and dilemmas associated with the era of our independence struggle.

The Events are clustered according to character and Impact. Cause and effect comes into play, each gallery is a system, carrying within itself emotions, memories and Phenomenons. Each system distorts the other and causes some variation as well as likeness. The character and content of the gallery defines what a visitor will Feel inside that gallery. Providing a setting to host artefacts and conveying the overall mood of the exhibition Space.

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Gallery 05.

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The Memorial part of the design scheme has been envisioned as an engagement zone where visitor’s can interact with each other and reflect upon the experiences gathered inside the museum.

A depression is introduced on the site, a contoured space with sculptures and other objects that invoke nostalgia for the unsung heroes of our freedom struggle.

Visitors can sit on the contours provided, while they draw out inferences of their visit.

Monumentality: not meaning anything grand or pompous, but rather memory and symbols that serve to bind humanity

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Transfigurative urban haat|Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

The underlying objective of the entire project was to develop the overlooked lake front visible from the Taj-ul Masjid. Integrating the historical fragments that populate the region into one cohesive scheme and realising their significance in the urban fabric of precinct is intended.

The proposed site lies in the vicinity of the under used Babe Ali cricket ground. Squeezed between the stadium boundary and motia talab (a minor lake), the site tries to be a catalyst in bringing cultural significance back to this overlooked precinct.

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Site transformation.

Site plan.

Site zoning.

Circulation area.

Green synapse.

OAT and exhibition space.

View 01.

The defining factor for the spatial configuration of the site was the existing imagery of the precinct, that binds the site components with the existing context. Minimal obstruction of the lake was aimed with the main focus on providing spaces that resonated with the Diaspora of the user group. The site planning has been done along the subtle variation of the of the green channel, that acts as a synapse to connect different site components.

The designed space is intended as a flexible public space which can host varying activities and act as a binding element connecting the lake, the masjid and the precinct both physically and visually.

The core idea behind the form of the design is to contrast all the changes that have occurred on the site over the years, with one thing remaining unchanged, the underlying topography.

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View 02.

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View 03.

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ABHISHEK SEMWAL abhisheksemwal@ymail.com abhisheksemwal@live.co.uk +91-9691741428