hello! I am Ahsaas, an Architect and an aspiring student of Urban Planning and Policy Design at Politecnico di Milano, Italy. A Mumbai native, my professional experiences revolve around design, research, and academia with focus on participatory approaches. In retrospection, my attributes as a designer and researcher are informed by strategic understanding of the multi-scalar context of the object in study while solutions focus on the human sensory scale. This is a recurring theme for all the projects I have published in this portfolio. I also define myself as an Artist, a practice which instills me to develop an experimental attitude towards my work yet maintaining the methodological approach required by the assignments. At a broader level, my interests include sustainable accessibility, urban innovation, and co-creation processes.
address: tel: e-mail:
via Alberto Einstein 6, Milan, Italy 20137 +39 3200243820 ahsaas@tarwani.net https: //ww w .linke din.com/in/a hsaas-ta r w ani /
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contents selected /
projects
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Academics
Research
Planning & Urbanism
Urban Studies
Re Lambro: Laboratorio di Fiume, River, territory and its social capital. Milan Metropolitan Region
Better Your Neighbourhood Project, Stakeholder profiles
Rethinking Urban Identities in Peripheries. Rogoredo, Milan
Recity, Navi Mumbai Pilot Studies for project development
Navigating Circular Economy in production spaces. Vimodrone, Milan Metropolitan Region
State of Social Housing, Ethnographic Survey of Slums, Mumbai
Urban Conservation Strategies for Archeological Museum precinct. Tbilisi
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A Common ground for all, Addressing the conflict between the Bazaar and C.B.D Old City, Nagpur A Museum for the locals, Nagpur
Urban Development policies for Cultural Conservation of Juang tribes Phase 1 Report
Practice
Miscellaneous
Architecture
Freelance + Visual Arts
Alishan Eco Cottages, Amraoti
Urban Sketchers International Community
Bamboo Modular Classrooms, Navi Mumbai
Lawero. Brand Identity Design
Lime House, Ahmedabad
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Living and Learning Design Centre, Kutch MKM Primary School, Kutch Re-housing Tribes of Menda Lekha Villages (Co-creation with communities)
Webmonk. Brand Identity design
ReLambro: Laboratorio di Fiume River, territory & its social capital Milan Metropolitan Region | Urban Planning & Design Studio M.Sc in Urban Planing & Policy Design | 2018-19
#floodresilience #socialcapital #strategicmanagement #territorialscale The project is an attempt to bridge the gap between the two ends of management of cities’, namely, the top down and bottom up models and thus eventually, humanise the ecological conservation of Lambro river valley which otherwise is delegated to technocratic actions only. The big idea is to resolve the territorial issues with small, intrinsic yet effective interventions at a human scale, taking cues from ‘tactical urbanism’. "LAMBRO VALLEY AS LABORATORIO DI FIUME". The proposal builds on the strengths of community participation, multi disciplinary actions and multi-scalar approach to resolve not only the issue of Lambro valley ecologically but also assist the neighbourhoods to enhance the quality of spaces in the neighbourhoods.
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Concept
urban storm water drainage
strengthening the bank for resilience
water treatment
xs scale drain
m scale redirect
xl scale contain
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Habitat, where community life happens
The community spaces represent the people and shall be used as driving factors of the project. On field survey and meeting with various associations (the driving factor of the project), it was realised that these associations lack not only funding also but man power and common platform to interact with the target communities, and thus less effective.
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Territory, where planning happens
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Three scales: s, m, xl
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Revitalization of River banks
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Navigating Circular Economy production spaces
in
Vimodrone, Milan Metropolitan Region, Energy & Urban Planning Workshop | 2019-20
#urbanregeneration #climate #riskassessment #NDVI #UHI #urbanmetabolism #NBS #urbanfarming
Vimodrone's monofunctional industrial area is characterised by absense of natural elements in its urban fabric with an inclination towards urban decay as seen in dilapitated and abandoned buildings, car - oriented commute and also environmental hazards. The project proposal addresses these issues while capitalising on the oportunities like existing areas of cultural value, martesana canal proposal, etc. The dissemination of specific NBSs which, at regional scale can help re-establish the agrocorridor fragmented by the presense of industrial while at local level tackles the issues of low social cohesion and degenerating businesses are addressed by paving way for a new kind of economy to emerge using agricultural production as a starting point.
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circular urban metabolism
zero mile agro-produce building
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block
scale
Industrial park
Agro based economy
district scale
city scale
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Risk & Potentiality Assessment Vulnerable areas
Potential open spaces
night time temperature
level of privacy
Critical buildings
energy class defined by energy consumption
day time temperature
level of usage / maintenance
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categorization by CO2 emissions
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built & impermeable density
level of potentiality risk assessment
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critical assessment
Assessment for maximizing agro-production & reducing climate risks Typologies of farmable surfaces
1. frontyards area: 53,493
2. roof tops area: 27,900
3. facade area: 2,340
4. allotments area: 2,53,310
5.compound walls area: 7,353
6.leftover area: 7,353
7.farming tower area: 2,557
8.urban interstices area: 2,557
Proposed roof treatment for critical buildings (heat gain & loss)
substrate deeper than 150m
substrate deeper than 250m
substrate deeper than 500m
Proposed facade treatment as per accessibility
2.5m height access with temporary stairbox
full height access with installed catwalk
full height access with turntable ladder
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Strategy Map
Strategy 1
Strategy 2
Maximizing the agro-production
Activating the social capital
Strategy 3
Strengthening the urban resilience
STRENGTHENING STRENGTHENING URBAN S3 STRENGTHENING RESILIENCE THE URBAN THE URBAN RESILIENCE RESILIENCE S2 ACTIVATING THES2SOCIAL ACTIVATING S2 ACTIVATING CAPITAL THE SOCIAL THE S3 SOCIAL CAPITAL CAPITAL S3THE S1 MAXIMIZING THE S1AGRO-PRODUCTION MAXIMIZING S1 MAXIMIZING THE AGRO-PRODUCTION THE AGRO-PRODUCTION GreenGreen Walls Walls Porous PorousPorous Sidewalks Sidewalks UrbanFarming Farming Public Gardening Green Sidewalks Walls Agricultural Infrastructure Agricultural Agricultural Infrastructure Infrastructure Public Gardening Public Public Gardening Gardening Green Walls Urban Farming UrbanUrban Farming STRENGTHENING URBAN RESILIENCE S2 ACTIVATING THES2SOCIAL CAPITAL S1 MAXIMIZING THE STRENGTHENING THE URBAN RESILIENCE ACTIVATING THE SOCIAL CAPITAL S1AGRO-PRODUCTION MAXIMIZING THE AGRO-PRODUCTION S3 STRENGTHENING THE URBAN RESILIENCE S2 ACTIVATING THE S3 SOCIAL CAPITAL S3THE S1 MAXIMIZING THE AGRO-PRODUCTION
Greenhouse
Community Farming Farming Greenhouse Greenhouse Community FarmingCommunity
TreeStreet Lines Street ParkingPermeable Community Compost Community Hub Community Compost Compost Hub Tree HubLines Street Tree Lines Permeable SpacePermeable Parking Parking Space
Green Walls STRENGTHENING Porous Sidewalks GreenRESILIENCE WallsTHE PorousPorous Sidewalks Agricultural Infrastructure Green Walls Sidewalks Public Gardening Urban Farming Agricultural Infrastructure Gardening Farming Agricultural Infrastructure Public Gardening Urban Farming STRENGTHENING URBAN S2 ACTIVATING THES2SOCIAL CAPITAL S1 MAXIMIZING THE URBAN RESILIENCE ACTIVATING THE SOCIAL CAPITAL S1AGRO-PRODUCTION MAXIMIZING THE AGRO-PRODUCTION S3 STRENGTHENING THE URBAN RESILIENCE S2 Public ACTIVATING THE S3 SOCIAL CAPITAL S3THE S1Urban MAXIMIZING THE AGRO-PRODUCTION Water Collectors Water Water Collectors Collectors Raised Garden RaisedCommunity Raised Garden Garden VerticalFarming Farming Urban Vertical Vertical Farming Farming Urban Gardening Fruit Compost Trees compost Urban Urban Fruit Trees FruitS3 Trees Tree StreetURBAN Green Walls Porous Sidewalks Walls Porous Sidewalks Tree Lines Street Community Farming Tree Lines Street Greenhouse Community Hub Community Permeable Parking SpacePorous Agricultural Infrastructure Public Community Farming Agricultural Infrastructure Urban Gardening Community Compost Hub CAPITAL Permeable Parking Space Farming Farming Green Walls Greenhouse Compost HubLines Sidewalks Greenhouse Community hub Tree Lines Street Permeable Parking STRENGTHENING RESILIENCE S2 ACTIVATING THES2SOCIAL CAPITAL S1 MAXIMIZING THE Agricultural Infrastructure Public Gardening Urban Farming S3Green STRENGTHENING THE URBAN RESILIENCE S2 Public ACTIVATING THE SOCIAL S1Greenhouse MAXIMIZING THE AGRO-PRODUCTION S3THE STRENGTHENING THE URBAN RESILIENCE ACTIVATING THE SOCIAL CAPITAL S1AGRO-PRODUCTION MAXIMIZING THE AGRO-PRODUCTION
Biowales Biowales Biowales Behiive, Insects andBehiive, Gardens Behiive, Insects ofFarming Worms Insects andInfrastructure Gardens and Gardens of Worms of Eco Worms Urban Rooftop Urban Urban Rooftop Rooftop Farming Farming Urban Urban Eco Furniture Furniture Green Walls Porous Tree StreetS3Tree Water Collectors Lines Street Raised Garden Agricultural Infrastructure Water Collectors Public Gardening Community Farming Green Walls VerticalFarming FarmingFarming Urban FruitFurniture TreesS2Eco Urban Sidewalks Water Collectors Community Greenhouse Community Compost Hub Permeable Parking SpacePorous Raised Garden Green Walls Greenhouse Porous Sidewalks Community Compost Hub CAPITAL Permeable Parking Space Vertical Farming Urban FruitUrban Trees Raised Garden Tree Lines Street Agricultural Vertical Farming Urban Fruit Trees Public Gardening Urban Farming Agricultural Infrastructure Public Gardening Community Farming STRENGTHENING THESidewalks URBAN RESILIENCE Farming ACTIVATING THE SOCIAL Greenhouse Community Compost HubLines Permeable Parking S1Urban MAXIMIZING THE AGRO-PRODUCTION Green Bus Stops Green Green Bus Stops Bus Stops Parking SpacePorous Sidewalks Street Biowales Green Walls Water Collectors Community Farming Biowales Behiive, Insects andCommunity Gardens ofFarming Worms Water Collectors Greenhouse Compost Raised Garden Permeable Biowales Tree Lines Street Urban Rooftop Agricultural Infrastructure Public Gardening Raised Garden Vertical FarmingFarming Urban FruitFurniture Trees Eco Urban Behiive, Insects and Gardens of Worms Farming Tree Lines Street Vertical Farming Urban FruitUrban Trees UrbanUrban Rooftop Farming Behiive, Insects and Gardens of Community Worms Community Farming EcoHub Urban Furniture Rooftop Farming Greenhouse Community Compost HubLines Permeable Parking Water Collectors Eco Vertical Farming Urban fruit trees Greenhouse Community Compost Hub Tree Parking Space Raised Garden Vertical Farming Urban FruitFurniture Trees Water Collector Permeable Green Stops Water Collectors Tree Lines Street Biowales Biowales Raised Garden GreenWater Bus Stops Community Farming Vertical FarmingFarming FruitFurniture Trees Eco Behiive, Insects andBehiive, Gardens of Worms Green Bus Stops Greenhouse Community Compost Hub Bus Insects and Gardens of Worms Urban Rooftop Permeable Parking Collectors Eco Urban Urban Rooftop Farming Collectors Raised Garden Urban Furniture Biowales Vertical Farming Urban FruitFurniture Trees Water Raised Garden Vertical Farming Urban FruitUrban Trees Behiive, Insects and Gardens of Urban Worms Urban Rooftop Farming Eco Green Bus Stops Biowales Water Collectors GreenBiowales Bus Stops Behiive, Insects andBehiive, Gardens of Worms Raised Garden Urban Rooftop Farming Urban Farming Urban FruitFurniture Trees Biowales Behiive, Insects and Gardens of Eco Worms Green Bus Stops Urban Farming Insects and Gardens of Worms Eco Urban UrbanVertical Rooftop Farming Eco Urban Furniture Urban Rooftop Rooftop Farming Eco Furniture urban furniture Biowales Green Bus Stops GreenGreen Biowales Behiive, Insects and THE Gardens of CAPITAL Worms Bus Stops Urban Rooftop Farming Eco Urban Furniture Bus Stops S3 STRENGTHENING THE URBAN RESILIENCE S2 ACTIVATING SOCIAL G THE AGRO-PRODUCTION Green WallsTHE URBAN RESILIENCE Porous Sidewalks Agricultural Infrastructure Public Gardening Green Bus StopsBus Stops Agricultural Infrastructure Green S3 STRENGTHENING S2 ACTIVATING THE SOCIAL CAPITAL GFarming THE AGRO-PRODUCTION Tree Lines Street S3 STRENGTHENING THE URBAN THE RESILIENCE Green Walls S2 ACTIVATING THE SOCIAL CAPITAL Porous Sidewalks GMAXIMIZING THE AGRO-PRODUCTION Community Farming house Community CompostTHE Hub Permeable Parking Space Agricultural Infrastructure Public Gardening Farming S3 STRENGTHENING URBAN RESILIENCE S2 ACTIVATING SOCIAL CAPITAL THE AGRO-PRODUCTION S3 STRENGTHENING THE URBAN RESILIENCE Green Walls S2 ACTIVATING THE SOCIAL CAPITAL Porous Sidewalks GFarming AGRO-PRODUCTION Agricultural Infrastructure Public Gardening Water Collectors Tree Street Raised Community Garden Green WallsTHE URBAN Porous Sidewalks l THE Farming Urban Fruit Trees Community Farming house Community Compost Hub Permeable Parking Space Agricultural Infrastructure Farming Public Gardening Urban Farming S3Lines STRENGTHENING RESILIENCE S2 ACTIVATING THE SOCIAL CAPITAL MAXIMIZING THE AGRO-PRODUCTION Green Walls Porous Sidewalks Porous Sidewalks Agricultural Infrastructure Public Gardening Farming Tree Lines Street Community Farming house Community Compost Hub Permeable Parking Space Green Walls Biowales Porous Sidewalks Water Collectors Behiive, Insects and Gardens of Worms Agricultural Infrastructure Tree Lines Street Public Gardening Rooftop Farming Raised Garden Urban Farming Eco Urban Furniture l Farming Urban Fruit Trees Community Farming Greenhouse Community Compost Hub Permeable Parking Space Tree Lines Street Community Farming house Community Compost Hub Permeable Parking Space Water Collectors Raised Garden l Farming Urban FruitFurniture Trees Tree Lines Street Green Bus Stops Garden Permeable Parking Space Biowales Community Farming Greenhouse Community Hub Permeable Parking Space Behiive,Raised Insects and Garden Gardens of Worms Water Collectors Rooftop Farming Raised Eco Urban Vertical Farming Urban Fruit Compost Trees Water Collectors Raised Garden lRooftop FarmingFarming Urban Fruit Trees Biowales and Garden Gardens of Gardens Worms of Worms Eco Urban Furniture Water Collectors Green Bus Stops Raised Biowales Vertical FarmingFarming Behiive, Insects Urban FruitFurniture Trees Behiive, Insects and Urban Rooftop Eco Urban Biowales Behiive,Beehives, Insects and Gardens of Worms Rooftop Farming Insects & Garden of Worms Eco Urban Furniture Green Bus Stops Biowales Behiive, Insects and Gardens of Worms Green Bus Stops Urban Rooftop Farming Eco Urban Furniture Green Bus Stops Green Bus Stops
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Masterplan: Spatial distribution of NBS
1. The existing Martesana project to include pedestrian flyover bridge and community garden
2. Via Tobagi street trnaformed to pedestrain street with community farming and social spaces
3. Creating community gardens to connect via Luigi Cadorna & via 11 Febbraio
4. Green corridor with enhanced pedestrain safety and green facades at via Padana Superiore
5. Retrofitting Cascina as an Urban Living Lab for urban agriculture and community spaces
6. Retrofitting the abandoned industrial space at via Padana Superiore as Upcycle Entrepreneurial hub
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Journey of transformation:
Towards sustainable food production
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A Common ground for All Addressing the conflict between the Bazaar and C.B.D Old City, Nagpur | B.Arch thesis | 2014
#urbanrealization #realestatedevelopment #urbanformdeterminant #traditionalbazaarpatterns #walkablecities #urbanconflictmanagement #sharedspaces
The project is an attempt to demonstrate the utilization of left-over spaces in the city by inserting an architectural program, generated from the extrapolation of existing edge conditions. The premise is projected to the identified complex urban situation of Sitabuldi market at Nagpur city. The context presents itself with challenges of saturated infrastructural facilities viz. congestion, shortage of parking spaces, vehicle-pedestrian conflict, high visual pollution and at large, an architectural identity crisis in the backdrop of high real estate values of the land.
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history and the site
architectural character
city as a system
shopping patterns
conflict among hawkers, retail shops, cars and pedestrians
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Evolution of Design 1. Extension to high street shopping
2. Congregation of individual complexes
3. Increased porosity of the ensemble
4. Value additions
Spatial usage patterns at micro scale
territory & possession of spaces architecture dilutes thresholds
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visual
visual connections
personalization of spaces
maximising shop frontages
extended invigilation of shop area
place identity creation
increasing visibility in competitive market
Incremental features: Shop module to fit real estate demands
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zoning features for shared spaces
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public amenities
circulation & nodes
typology of shops
shopping patterns
shopping zones
open spaces
eateries
parking spaces
shopping zones
A new urban form determinant
Traditional continuity and new uses
Inclusive design to accommodate all actors of bazaar
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Mall typology for high income groups
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public plaza
shopping clusters
heritage gate
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Living and and Learning design center Kutch | Indigo Architects | 2019
#localecology #climateresponsivearchitecture #publicspace #participatorydesign
The living and learning design Center (LLDC) was conceived as a project post Earthquake 2001, to provide livelihood to locals. It was meant to be a place that would becomes a tactile and visual repository of the various crafts of Kutch. Its primary role as a resource center for artisans doubles up as a public museum and place for demonstrative, hands on learning. The overall master plan has three main components: the museum, the crafts school and the residential enclaves. Its strict guidelines for conservation and preservation of textiles meant that the building had to be inherently thermally stable to rely less on artificial means of conditioning. This concern was followed right through the design of the buildings and became the core of the building design strategy.
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plans
cross - section
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VMKM Chhapi School Kutch | Indigo Architects | 2019
#sustainabledesign #localmaterial #projectmanagement
The VMKM (Vadgam Mahila Kelavni Mandal) is a trust that runs the Shardashish school at Chhapi, in the Banaskantha dist. of Gujarat about 150 kms. North of Ahmedabad. The new campus for the school was on the site admeasuring 10 acres which is barren and contoured. The program for the school campus was to include, a pre-primary, primary, secondary and higher secondary school, administration, an assembly hall, playground, library, and congregational spaces. The broad design strategies address the Creation of a central institutional core to which individual buildings could relate, creating a cascading built form that scales and shades. Ecologically and technically appropriate strategies for achieving thermal comfort were applied, especially for judicious use of water and improving the bio diversity of the site and adjacent lands.
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typical wall section
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elevation
master plan
section
wall details
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Travel Sketches
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Art Exhibition
Mumbai, 2017
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Ahsaas Tarwani +393200243820 ahsaas@tarwani.net https: //ww w .linke din.com/in/a hsaas-ta r w ani /
https: //ww w. is suu.com/ah saastarwa n
https: //ww w. face book.com /a hsaas.ta r wa n