PORTFOLIO SELECTED WORKS IN SPATIAL DESIGN
AKSHAYA NARAYANAN
CONTENTS
INTERIORS MADE EASY Re-conceptualising a brand identity through spatial design
02 2 INDEPENDENCE BREW. CO. Adaptation of a concept to a new site
03 3 RAISON’S OFFICE Rethinking the notion of workspaces through planning and storytelling
ARIYAKUDI Musings of a contextual design for the built environment
COUSU D’OR Collaboration for a surrealist exhibition design
06 6 NANAWADA Restoring the past for needs of the present
ACADEMIC WORK
05 5
04 4
PROFESSIONAL WORK
01 1
INTERIORS MADE EASY
01
This project was about reconceptualising Experiences Centres (XPs) for ‘HomeLane’ - an organisation offering quick/ modular interior solutions for homes. This had to be done at a time while the organisation was redesigning its brand thereby repositioning themselves in the commercial market. It involved redefining the entire retail experience that was facilitated through these XPs. The exercise involved extensive and immersive workshops with the organisation to understand their needs which in turn helped to conceptualise these XPs which were the face of the brand and also a manifestation of its beliefs.
Team Project Project Lead Role | concept and design development; construction drawings; project management; profitability tracking; construction administration / coordination
IDEATION
age : 35 - 45 years, ‘RATIONALE’ buyer- not investing much time during the design stage
the aim was to reiterate the brand values so that it could be perceived as an approachable, inspirational and trustworthy companion for people designing their new homes
‘Millennial’ + First time home owners or the ‘DREAMERS’ in addition to existing clientele
THE CONCEPT HOUSE ---------> HOME
Courtyard houses exist in different parts of the country. Irrespective of their location, spatially they are similar. The central courtyard, open to sky and the most brightly lit was a public space for social gatherings, the transitional spaces - corridors were the nodes that connected the most private chambers(rooms) to the central space. The spatial concept design for the Experience centre has been inspired from this.
COURTYARD HOME
This was amalgamated with the mood of a collaborative workplace to encourage a sense of shared belonging.
mood images
reference image courtesy: www.pinterest.in
SCHEMATIC PLAN
schematic section to study the ambient lighting in the store
rooms
verandah
courtyard
verandah
rooms
public -----------> private
(dense)
(sparse)
APPROACHABLE ENTRY PORTAL
HOMELANE HOSPITALITY
The thought was to make the brand more friendly, and the space more ‘home-like’. In order to achieve this, ‘HomeLane Hospitality’ was conceptualised. Spatially it involved touch points like an ‘ENTRY PORTAL’ that familiarised the customer with the brand using journey maps; an ‘ARRIVAL COURT’ that involved comfortable seating pods where the customers could help themselves to design magazines,co?eeandcookiesfromthehospitality unit or browse information tablets at the reception desk.
taking inspiration from the brand ‘yellow’ to create an eye grabbing entrance suitable to any kind of site
ARRIVAL COURT
seating pods
customer journey map
add-ons like power-banks and stationery were proposed for a convenient shopping experience.
mood boards
seating pods
hospitality unit
reception desk
INSPIRATIONAL ‘ROOMS’ - HOMELANE SPACES
KNOWLEDGE NODES One of the ways of making the brand educative and emotive in equal measures was through the introduction of ‘Knowledge Nodes’. These were spread across the ‘CORRIDORS’ and ‘ROOMS’ as digital and graphic content respectively. While interactive digital portals such as touch screens let customers try different combination of finishes and furniture for a space, the graphical content such as anthropometric sketches helped break down the science of scale for the customers designing their homes for the first time.
anthropometric data as vinyl pasted on the furniture to educate customers on scale of furniture
rooms - set-ups include the bedroom, kitchen and living spaces that are meant to be colour pops seen through the neutral shell of the corridor
CORRIDORS
TRUSTWORTHY EXTENSIONS
STUDIO SPACES
unfolded elevation
In order to make the customer feel assured about the brand, ‘STUDIO SPACES’ were designed. These encouraged comfortable discussions with the design team from HomeLane. Some of the features included sketch boards, material display nooks and hospitality gestures as well. In addition to this, the MatLab was proposed in the central courtyard, which comprised of all the material and finishes offered by HomeLane. These were categorised into shelves spread across, enabling the customer to feel more involved and comfortable in the process of designing their homes
hospitality console
sketching boards
discussion table
material nook
THE MAT-LAB Mat-Lab side elevation
Eye grabbing ways to display door and wardrobe handles - which are also HomeLane’s offerings. Mat-Lab elevation
INDEPENDENCE BREWING CO.
02
This project was about adapting an established brand concept and identity of a 9500 sq. ft microbrewery for a new site, 3500 sq. feet in area. The challenge was to maintain the existing design language but without making a copy. Implementing the various elements with new site specific details and value engineering them within the allotted project costs made this project exciting. The following slides showcase some of the key elements that were designed specifically for the new site of this taproom located in Pune’s popular high street area.
Team Project Project Lead Role | concept and design development; construction drawings; project management; profitability tracking; construction administration / coordination
OUT DOORS Located in a commercial high street, the façade had been developed earlier with no scope for alterations. Key elements designed to enhance the façade were – 10 ft tall sliding glass doors that opened up completely to give visual access to the hand-crafted, energetic interior while merging the indoor and outdoor; timber planters and pergola to provide shade and an ambience for people to enjoy their food and drink through the day.
timber pergola detail
planter- fence designed to be self supported its weight and easily dismantled if required
THE BAR Being the highest energy zone and the primary element in the space, the timber fan folded bar was detailed to be most eye grabbing feature. Using the double height volume to establish its prominence further, the wall behind was used as a canvas for an artwork of beer hop and the brand logo. Every element including the counter and the gantry were softly in-lit to further exaggerate it as a powerful insert in the space.
THE STAIRS
The mild steel, folded plate, helical structure was designed and crafted aligning to the minimalist design language of the brand. It is supported off the central column, floating away from the walls with a handrail carved in mango wood that further accentuates its geometry. The tensile rods that span the double height, act as a translucent veil that mask the cashier desk behind. Apart from this they it also serves as a backdrop for the live performances hosted at the restaurant.
THE SCREEN
Apart from being a space divider between the high energy and the quieter pockets, the screen is also a subtle element of intrigue. Made of half and half reflective and tinted bronze mirrors, it is meant to reflect partly the greens outside into the interior. Its located right beneath a mezzanine (refer cover spread), in a small scale space and its reflectivity also, makes the space appear larger.
junction details showing fixing of mirror to the metal sections
RAISON’S OFFICE
03
Designing an office space for a textile brand in Delhi, the brief of the project required us to study the day to day functioning of its different units. These included diverse teams from marketing, merchandising, accounting, designing and executives to be accommodated in a 2200 sq. ft space. The site also presented its own set of challenges such as lack of fenestrations, resulting in minimal daylight inside; shafts along the periphery that were dingy and inaccessible, etc. While the current office was chaotic in terms of its organisation, this project re-conceptualised it , with an additional narrative layer inspired from the brand values in order to create an inspiring workspace.
Team Project Junior Designer Role | concept and design development; construction drawings; construction administration / coordination
THE BEGINNING The process began by extensively studying the brand, its values and aesthetics. This was followed by analytical diagrams to map out the various functions that existed within the current office space and how to adapt these into the new site. Site analysis aided in zoning out these multifarious functions based on hierarchy, accessibility and utility. Seen below from top to bottom are images of the store, and the chaotic conditions of the old office. A
B
• • • •
SITE SURVEY
demolish and reuse existing glass partitions fixed exterior glazing entry from first floor access-stair and lift three shafts
1
2
3
4 5 6
7
8
9
10
11
private <--------------------------------------------------------public 12
13
14
15
16
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ZONING
18
ancillary functions
LAYOUT
1. accountants 2. ceo + founder 3. designer team 4. retail team 5. hr 6.merchandising team 7. segregation 8. verification 9. packaging 10. storage 11. conferencing 12. tech room 13. meeting spaces 14. library 15. wash rooms 16. pantry 17. reception 18. waiting area
SPACE-MAKING ceo + founder
Using the existing geometry of the site, a strong linear axis was conceived in terms of the spatial planning. THE SPINE established a powerful sense of direction, with the office functions on one side and the ancillary functions such as the wash room and pantry on the other. This was executed strategically to ensure the proximity of the latter to the existing shafts at site. This axis also helped categorize the users varying from the local craftsmen, and business clients who visited the office occasionally to the staff that needed their private spaces to work.
accountants
merchandising
warehouse
packaging+ storing units
reception
THE SPINE
CONCEPTUAL VIEWS
SITE IMAGE
ISOMETRIC VIEW
SPATIAL NARRATIVE brainstorm map
material palette
The next step in the process was to derive a character / narrative for the space after zoning. The exercise involved brainstorming sessions to understand the qualities of the brand, their love all things ‘handcrafted’ and ‘timeless’. These were cues to form the story of Taana-Baana (weft and warp) due to their strong association with Indian textile and sarees and hence weaving. This was reinterpreted in the space from flooring patterns to the furniture language. Legacy motifs characteristic of the brand were reinterpreted as articulations on the wall surfaces along the Spine. This was achieved using only natural materials such as timber, jutes, and cane resonating with the brand value. spatial mood board
longitudinal section along the spine
flooring pattern showing the translation of weft and warp using pre-cast terrazzo tiles
extreme left : conceptual view depicting the translation of the weft and warp story and porosity in furniture to allow for interaction between the various teams
PROTOTYPING After resolving the design of various elements of the space on paper, the next stage was to make 1:1 prototypes of these in the space. This involved working with artists, metal smiths, carpenters and various other craftsmen to check the workability and aesthetics. Following are some of examples of the prototypes developed.
A
B
C
D
E
F
A. integrating the weave in the storage elements (refer conceptual view in the previous spread). After multiple attempts to avoid the sagging of the jute cotton threads, we developed metal sections over which the threads could simply be wound and held taut from the top an bottom. B. the same principle was taken forth to develop the space -dividers / screens through the office. C. the pre-cast terrazzo tiles were laid in the weft and warp pattern in two tones of grey and white; this was executed in a portion of the space to understand the scale and impact of the flooring pattern. D. taking inspiration from some of the motifs that were used in their product, wall surfaces were created using router cut panels of stained e-board. E. chairs were made for the public conference spaces from cane and wood, with upholstery patterns inspired from some of the motifs used in their textiles. F. sample of a storage shutter, with veneer laid in a weft and weave pattern; this was achieved by alternating the grains in horizontal and vertical directions.
BUILT
Some images from the project nearing completion have been added to show the two ends of the spine and the conference room
COUSU D’ OR
04
A contemporary, surrealist exhibition, Cousu d’or was a collaboration between handwoven frame Indian textile with French bridal couture. The project was designed and executed in a span of a month at the historic Bikaner House, Delhi. Collaborating with origamists, vendors and local carpenters it featured podiums in mirror acrylic, banana rice paper chandeliers, to celebrate a narrative of ‘ an oasis of Victorian water lillies’. It won the blue elephant at the Kyoorius Design Award 2018
Team Project - https://studiolotus.in/showcase/cousu-d%E2%80%99or/130 Junior Designer Role | concept and design development; project management; construction administration / coordination
ARIYAKUDI
05
In the fourth semester of College, we documented Ariyakudi, a village in South India. This region was predominantly occupied by ‘Chettiars’ a community of merchants involved in trade of agriculture, clothing, money lending and commerce. Studying the planning and mapping various architectural features of this settlement gave deep insights into the interdependency between architecture and lifestyle at various scales. Following is a culmination of a part of the study.
LINEARITY The study started around the oldest and most significant landmark in the village - The temple and the developments around it. The street shown in the drawings below developed along with the temple some 500 years ago. It showed sophisticated planning from the basic module of a humble household to the enormous temple. Throughout a ‘linearity’ was observed.
Temple
Linear organizations express a direction and signify movement, extension, and growth. They could be terminated by symbolically important spaces. In this case , the street was terminated by the towering place of worship - The Thiruvenkadamudiyan Temple. temple N
Village map showing the temple and the street documented
sketches capturing some scenes from the street
temple
The temple was oriented in the E-W axis while the houses along the E-W. All openings, as seen in the elevation below were in the N-S direction to ensure cutting off the harsh sunlight, another aspect of thoughtful planning Typical plan of a house-hold showing the linear organisation of the spaces.
street elevation of a housing cluster
entry
courtyard
backyard
THE SYMBOLIC This 500 year old temple , was noted for its most remarkable planning and sequencing of spaces. A sharp linear axis exists from the entry (gopuram) to the main sanctum (garbhagriha)- the place of worship. A shaded pathway exists along the periphery while a pillared hall lies in between. Earlier this functioned as a space for social gatherings and celebrations - there by making it the most significant landmark in the village.
covered walkway
sanctum entry gate
covered walkway temple plan
entry gate
sanctum
longitudnal section
sketch of the entry gate - The Gopuram
elevation- entrance from the street
A PROPOSAL 5 4
6
key plan 1. ADMIN WING 2. MAIN COURTYARD 3. KINDERGARTEN 4. RESTROOMS 5. KITCHEN +NOON MEAL CENTRE 6. CLASSROOM COURTYARD CLUSTER
2 3
1 plan
section
elevation
In a village having a population of 582 children (aged 5-12), only 189 had access to education. This was mainly because they had to travel a distance of about 4 miles to the nearest public transport hub and another 12 miles to the school itself. Hence a proposal to design a Primary School with a Noon Meal Scheme was conceived. Taking inspiration from the vernacular architectural language, the concept revolved around creating a staggering classroom + courtyard module. The scale of the structure, was drawn from the existing households, to create a comfortable and ambient atmosphere to learn and play.
THE NARRATIVE While planning of the complex was inspired from the vernacular style existent in parts of the village so were some elements such as opening, archways, pitched roofs and column forms. These were reinterpreted using locally available materials - brick, wood and stone. The idea was to was to make the space familiar and ‘home-like’ so the children were more at ease in this new environment.
view-class-room + courtyard cluster
sketches showing some of the building elements
kitchen+noon meal centre
view-school complex- combinations of open courtyards; semi open,shaded passages and covered classrooms
main courtyard
kindergarden
NANAWADA
06
The architecture of a period is a powerful storytelling tool narrating the culture, lifestyle and beliefs of the people. One such expression, standing tall in the bustling old city of Pune is the Nana Wada. However, years of neglect and ignorance towards this structure had left it in a dilapidated state. Built in the 1780’s it was the mansion (wada in Marathi translates to a house) of a Peshwa prime minister – Nana Phadnavis. This undergraduate thesis project - ‘Restoration and Adaptive Re-use of Nana Wada’ aimed to refurbish a culturally rich piece of heritage, while reimagining its function as a safe workspace for the underprivileged, shelter-less craftsmen in the vicinity.
THE SETTING The old city grew as a conglomeration of ‘PETHS’ or wards. One such ward was Budhwar Peth, a commercial zone, established in1703 and redeveloped by the Peshwa regime in 1780’s. During this period, several artisans such as potters, coppersmiths were displaced during the construction. The building language has evolved over the years, from mansions having a timber framework with brick infill to overpowering Neo Gothic structures during the British regime. Apart from the Nana Wada, one of the most important landmark of this area is the Shaniwar Wada, an iconic destination for tourists today.
early map showing the development of peths along the river reference image courtesy: Pune: Queen of the Deccan
BUDHWAR PETH
images showing the building styles that develeoped over the years in these areas
BUILDING HISTORY
Built in 1780 as the Prime minister’s residence and office, the building comprised of features such as timber frames, brick infills, verandas decorated with paintings, wooden ceiling and carved cypress columns. However a large fire destroyed majority of the building while a small portion survived in shambles. In 1906, the British constructed in its place, a Neo Gothic structure in stone for housing a school. In 2009, the municipality began work towards restoring this neglected building. The challenge was to preserve the fabric of the two distinct styles while suggesting an extension that would be relevant and rooted in context.
NEO-GOTHIC
images showing important building elements before and after the fire
PESHWA
Map showing the site located adjacent to the ShaniwarWada grounds on the right
ARCHITECTURAL STYLES reference image courtesy: Pune: Queen of the Deccan
A PROPOSAL An art gallery(red mass) was proposed as an extension to the structure. Encompassing the area in ruins, it was an activator between the bustling street and the existing building. The front façade(next slide) was kept transparent giving glimpses into the internal courtyard. The scale was drawn from the proportions of Wada architecture while its structure was a modern assembly of MS sections, glass and stone. Overall the ground floor allowed for public access with facilities like a cafeteria, souvenir shop, resource centre and performance areas. The second floor comprised of skill development classrooms for bamboo weavers, Warli artists local craftsmen with dedicated workspaces in the upper floor.
typical plan - 2 & 3 floor
ground floor
N gallery
str ee
t
massing model showing the extension and circulation
longitudnal section through the courtyard
institute
THE GALLERY The interiors of the gallery were minimalist with contemporary influences drawn from the Wada architecture. The double height space, comprised of a wooden ceiling, a staircase clad in marble and stained glass fenestrations. The older structure was preserved with the plaster peeled off to expose the interesting exposed brickwork of the Peshwa period. Display units were designed using stone and glass as subtle elements in the space that drew the visitor’s attention to the artefact.
renders showing the gallery interiors and exterior as contemporary expressions of the Wada architecture
sections showing the volume and elements in the gallery
RESTORED SPACES In addition, the building was reactivated with spaces like a cafeteria and a souvenir shop where local handicrafts made an produced by the craftsmen of the institute were sold. All elements from furniture to retail display was designed as contemporary inserts taking inspiration from elements and motifs of the Peshwa period. The vaulted roofs of the gothic buidling were refurbished, walls were articulated with handcrafted elements and the arches were left exposed. Workshops for craftsmen were also designed taking inspiration from their respective crafts.
sections showing the various elements in the bamboo workshop, stovenir store and the cafe
renders showing the corridor, cafeteria, souvenir store and the ceramic workshop and (in clockwise order)
akshaya.narayanan42@gmail.com