Akhil Joseph Alex - Architectural Portfolio

+971502883701

akhiljosephalex@gmail.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhil-alex-943a61231/

AKHIL JOSEPH ALEX

B.ARCH / LEED GREEN ASSOCIATE

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE PERSONAL WORK

Internship - CallisonRTKL - [2022 - 2023]

An internship period of 6 months where I was tasked with BIM modelling, research, generating design ideations, working on diagrams, render corrections and design presentations

Internship - Aedas - [2022]

An internship period of 4 months where I was tasked with generating design ideations, axonometric diagrams/renders, and schematic plans.

Internship - Ar. Pradeep P Veetil - [2020]

Completed a project study of Ayurvedic Healthcare Facilities. Involved data collection and analysis translated into a booklet of standards.

EDUCATION

Amity University Dubai [ 2018 - 2023 ]

Achieved my Bachelors of Architecture Degree with a CGPA of 9.54

The Emirates National School [ 2018 - 2018 ]

Completed all levels of primary and secondary education at this school.

CERTIFICATIONS

LEED GREEN ASSOCIATE CERTIFICATION

Certification achieved after passing the LEED Green Associate Exam with a score of 196/200

ACHIEVEMENTS

Winner - Architectural Visualization Challenge [2022]

Secured 1st place in a render challenge organized by Upstairs; an architectural visualization platform on instagram.

Al Qasimi Research Grant - Research Assistant [2023 - Ongoing]

Part of the research team for a paper on the urban rehabilitation of Ras Al Kaimah lead by Arch. Amna Chaudry which won the funding from the Qasimi Foundation. The solutions prescribed is intended to be applied to the RAK fabric

arch.genic - Content Creator [2021 - present]

Established a growing instagram page dedicated to showcasing my work to the general public and establishing a strong social network of architects.

ELHAM (2019 - 2020) - Editorial team-member [2021]

Part of the graphic design team for ELHAM 2019 - 2020; a curated book of selected architecture student projects at Amity University Dubai.

SOFTWARE SKILLS

PIONEER_

A Martian Vernacular Architecture!

Pioneer_1 is a Mars habitat simulation facility located in the desert, serving as a prototype for potential Martian architecture. Its purpose is to provide astronauts and space researchers in the U.A.E. with a venue for conducting simulation missions, studying materials and construction methods for Mars, and exploring the effects of long-term space travel on the human mind. Additionally, it acts as a hub for academics, professionals, and Mars enthusiasts. The innovative approaches employed in this design, particularly in terms of efficient construction and flexible interior layouts, can also be applied to terrestrial housing and low-energy development, creating a broader impact on design practices.

Project Type: Academic (2023)

Built up Area: 25,000 sqm

Location: Mleiha, Sharjah, UAE

PIONEER_1

A render showing the view of the Mars desert research facility from the fossil rock mountains of the Mleiha desert located in Sharjah U.A.E

ACCESS

Major motorways

Secondary roads

Access to the site is granted via a existing sand road

TERRAIN

The site has prominent terrain features with a contour interval of 50m close the Fossil Rock relief

LAND USE

Protected natural area

Military base

Residential zone

THE SITE

The site is relatively remote with settlements popping up only within a 3km radius of the proposed site boundary

The 3km radius area immediately surrounding the site has sparse density with low lying building masses

SOLAR

STUDY

The site is left bare and open to the harsh desert sun all throughout the year with minimal shading

VIEW ANALYSIS

The location of the fossil rock formations provides scenic Martian like views perfect for a simulation site

WIND ANALYSIS

The program composition of the proposed Mars Analogue Science Centre

The location where the prototype project can be executed as a Mars science centre

The location where elements of the prototype project could be deployed

Belva: The location of the Mars Habitat

Mleiha: The location of the prototype Mars Habitat

Location of the proposed Mars Science Centre

Potential location for a human habitat on Mars

70 mil. years ago volcanic activity created the mountains revealing fossil evidence of past sea submersion

3.9 Billion years ago this crater once held a lake fed by tributaries and featured two deltas

Sandy mineral soils with low organic matter & high salt

Regolith composed of sand, Fe/Mg clay, silts and carbonates

In this diagram, the solid lines indicate that the construction method in question addresses the constraint very well and a dashed line indicates that the issue is not addressed very well. The form is obtained by analysing the constraints posed

- II

The end of stage - 1 of the form exploration exercise was marked by the selection of the double shell and pod construction techniques. The idea was to combine the two to make the most of their benefits. Therefore, the Centre itself would be composed of a protective exterior shell with deployable pods located within the protected space.

Stage - II was focused on determining the ideal shape of the habitats and their construction methodology. This was done by filtering the most adopted building shapes with high priority constraints

DOUBLE SHELL PODS DOMED CITY SUBSURFACE

This diagram showcases the comparative analysis between the four construction methods; weighing up the benefits of each against the other. Ultimately the double shell and pods seemed to have the most benefits

With the data gathered from the previous two stages the form exploration began with various iterations exhausted unit the final forms were finalised with the area matrix

STAGE - I

STAGE

STAGE - III

The approach to the research facility

The exterior shell is 3D printed using regolith and bioplastics

STAGE - I : Autonomous robots will be deployed to print using regolith

STAGE - II : The interior and exterior shells would be printed simultaneously

STAGE - III : When the shell is complete then the pod units can be brought in.

The centre is divided into 3 zones as per the use case they are the Research zone, Education zone and the Administration zone. The research zone reserved for the scientists and astronauts. This area provides the facilities to perform tests, conduct studies and simulate Mars missions. It consists of the habitat pod, the farms, the research offices and labs. The education zone is reserved for the public; a place where the professionals can share and pass the knowledge down to the community through spaces such as the events pod, the exhibition pod and workshop pods.

The administration zone is reserved for private companies who have vested interest in space exploration and Mars colonization. This area consists of rentable office pods arranged around community gardens or bio pods. At the centre of these 3 zones sits the main bio pod which serves as the interconnection between the 3 zones. The bio domes allow for people to connect, gather and further bolster the trickle down effect of knowledge. These domes have hydroponic gardens scaling up their walls with spiral ramp providing access and views to each garden level.

Master Section

WATER FILLED SKYLIGHT

Essentially an ETFE panel that’s filled with running water to ensure light passage & radiation protection at the same time

THERMAL SYSTEM

Piping systems that run cold or hot water through the interior shell and floor thus ensuring temperature control within the Hab

VERTICAL CIRCULATION

Achieved through the integration of a winding 3D printed staircase that sits in between the inner and outer shell

ETFE MEMBRANE

This membrane helps maintain the pressure within the pod and is deployed on-site. Its folded and brought in one piece.

INTERIOR SHELL

Provides structural support for the inner floor plates and provides cavities for the piping. The shell is completely 3D printed

CLAMP FOUNDATION

A series of clamp foundation pierce into the ground. This foundation doesn’t require much digging to take place.

EXTERIOR SHELL

Holds the ETFE membrane in place. Basically serving as an exoskeleton. Its 3D printed but is flanked with openings for views.

FLEXIBLE CABINETS

Allows for multiple uses to take place within a single space. They have different uses on either side and can be moved around.

The Habitat Pod regulates interior temperatures via a network of pipes that pass through the internal shell and floors. These pipes run hot or cold water through the internal skin thus cooling the interior air via convection and thermal transfer. The are another set of pipes which also help transfer waste water to the recycling unit located in the ground floor.

The exterior shell tethers and holds the internal ETFE membrane in place via cables. This helps prevent energy wastage when it comes to pressurising the hab. The hab has cut outs on the floor to allow for light to reach all parts of the hab. The skylight at the top is made using a water filled ETFE panel and protective glass covering. The water helps filter out UV radiation whilst allowing light in

Entry/Storage Floor

HAB Section

THE POROUS EGG

The exterior and interior shell of the habitat pods are 3D printed with same material used for the exterior protective shell with the only difference being the thickness of the printed walls. Since the pods were situated in a "Cave" they couldn’t be so closed off and should allow maximum light to enter into the interior spaces. There was also the concern of material efficiency and structural support as well. Hence the shell adopts a distorted voronoi pattern to achieve a high level of porosity for light whilst being sturdy and using less material

The portable and movable bed/workstation allows for varied uses on the upper floor. Even the washroom is designed to be a transportable unit that can deployed easily. The station itself is not movable

Exploded HAB Axo

Sanitary Station

The Lab consists of a 3D printing station assembled using the movable workstation cabinets and a multi axial armature that prints parts, furniture, mock ups etc.

The Lab consists of a robot assembly or workshop station assembled using the movable storage cabinets which helps contain the necessary equipment and parts

The approach to the Admin Bio - dome

Farms are situated in between the research pods for close adjacency. They have line of crops that are taken care of by a robotic arm. Humidifier units are also provided

Smaller Pods such as the workshop and Research office Pods can be fabricated using an inflatable dome which can be folded, packaged, and brought on-site easily.

EVENTS POD

Consists of a central stage around which the stepped seating is arranged. The bottom portion of the seating units are used for support spaces such as green rooms, washrooms, storage, changing rooms etc in order to save space

A shot of the Events Pod

Exterior shot of the facility

EXHIBITION POD

The Exhibition, Lab and Events Pods share similar fabrication techniques and hence a similar architectural language. Given that these are large-span spaces the exoskeleton design had to be robust yet material efficient. Hence it takes the shape of a 3D printed cross lattice dome that holds the pressure-containing ETFE membranes in place. The layout of the exhibition pod is centered around a skylit exhibition space that’s exposed to the outdoor conditions which usually contains the big exhibit. The rest of the exhibits revolve around this

OFFICE POD

They have an architectural language similar to that of the Research Habitation Pods. The difference is that it’s a single-shell system with a membrane layer as opposed to a double-shell system. The exterior shell is designed in a manner to provides adequate structural support whilst maximizing views to the surrounding region. The interiors of the office follows an open plan layout when it comes to the work areas themselves. The only stationary units are the washrooms, storage, executive unit and a meeting room with a central meeting space

THE

THE MODULAR

Diversity through Modularity!

The brief stipulated the creation of a dense social housing complex within the periphery of the discovery gardens residential zone in Dubai. The main intent behind the design proposal was to create a social housing scheme that satisfied the client, the user, and the architect by creating modular and repetitive units that could be arranged in any fashion to create unique floor plates and ultimately diverse building blocks. The units, although repetitive, did allow for diversity through their nature of expandability as well as the provision of large free terraces or "backyards" that could set the stage for self-expression from each resident. The expandable nature of the unit ensured that the apartment grew with its residents hence cementing the idea of home.

Project Type: Academic (2021)

Built up Area: 112,000 sqm

Location: Discovery Gardens, Dubai, U.A.E

THE MODULES

There was a need to provide large free terraces to the users without the terrace eating up the rented out space

The module is stacked one upon each other to make building fabrication easier

The top modules are exchanged with each other to create a prominent area difference between top and bottom.

FREE TERRACES !

This allows for creation a large terraces due to the area difference which acts a backyard for each module

50 SQM STUDIO 100 SQM 1BHK

SQM 2BHK

150 SQM DUPLEX

STACKING

EXCHANGE

VARIATION AT APARTMENT FLOOR LEVELS.

The new modules are arranged at every floor to ensure that no two floors are alike. This ensures variation and uniqueness to a usually repetitive floor plan.

VARIATION AT BUILDING SCALE.

The stacking creates varied buildings using repetitive modules.

STACKING FOR VIEWS + LIGHT + VENTILATION.

These floor plates are then arranged to ensure the provision of free terraces thus allowing for good visibility,

THE CLIENT

Modular & Repetitive apartment?

Great! Cheaper to fabricate!

Large terraces and expandable apartments?

Love it !

THE USER ARCHITECT

Non monotonous buildings with a distinctive architectural identity !

The standard Terrace mode includes wide spaces and vegetation.

The terraces can be converted to introverted terraces for privacy.

Terraces can be converted into minature play spaces for the kids.

The terraces can be used up for expansion of the apartment itself.

The terraces can be converted into a makeshift urban garden space.

The large terraces can be further subdivided for privacy among users

BLOCK

PREFAB EXTERIOR WALLS

STRUCTURAL STEEL FRAMING

N/S

FACING PANELS

The void spaces become leisure at these smaller office

E/W

FACING PANELS

The void spaces become leisure at these smaller office

LOUVERED DOUBLE FACADE

AUTOMATED LOUVEREDWINDOW

N/S FACING WINDOWS

The void spaces become leisure at these smaller office

E/W FACING WINDOWS

The void spaces become leisure at these smaller office

PARTIAL SUN EXPOSURE MODE

MAXIMUM SUN EXPOSURE MODE

INDIRECT SUN EXPOSURE MODE

SCAN TO ANIMATE !

WINNERUPSTAIRS ARCH-VIZ CHALLENGE

COMMUNITY GARDENS FOR EVERY TWO FLOORS!

This depicts one of the four green voids situated on the building. Each void stimulates community engagement.

ABSENCE OF PREVAILING WINDS

The tops of wind towers heat up, causing a stack effect. Heat is able to rise to the top of the wind towers and expel naturally, which in turn pulls the surrounding air through the voids to cool the inner circulation spaces naturally.

PRESENCE OF PREVAILING WINDS

The building has voids cut through the facade and into the building interiors. Located on every elevation of the building, these voids double as communal terraces, allowing efficient capture of prevailing winds to ventilate and cool spaces naturally.

NATURAL DAYLIGHTING

These voids also serve as large light shelves bouncing the sunlight into the interior circulations spaces. Add to that the natural light obtained from the skylights on the roof ensures that the interior corridors are always day lit.

AUTOMATED PARKING BAYS

COMMUNITY PLAZA/ MARKET HALL

RUNNING TRACK + WALKWAY CHILDREN’S PLAY AREA

TENNIS + VOLLEYBALL COURT

BASKETBALL COURT

SITE ACCESS/ ENTRY

The central plaza of the housing complex marks the space for gatherings and is flanked by markets and stores.

The children’s play area of the residential complex follows a grid of playful and interactive landscapes

A post digital render of a pavilion inspired by the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.

INSTAGRAM

A post digital render of my early academic design work made as part of my instagram page called arch.genic.