Architectural Portfolio by Akshita Shah

Architectural Portfolio Akshita Shah

Content

Re Defining Edge of Victoria Garden

Genetopia - Mixed Use Building

Bandhan Bank - Mixed Use High Rise

Professional Work

Miscellaneous Works

Re-Defining Edge Victoria Garden

Project Type : Redevelopment-Urban Design Site Location: Victoria Garden, Ahmedabad Site Area : 32000 Sqmts Instructor : Pankaj Vir Gupta, Claudia Sanchez This project is a outcome of final design research studio in which students were expected to developed their program and design on their own under the guidance of studio instructor. This intervention talks about redefining the edge of existing Victoria Garden. It is an urban design project which aims to improve the accessibility of the garden from neighborhood by redesigning the edges. This project challenges the concept of boundaries and permeability of the spaces. The intent is to provide spaces for individual as well as for community gathering. This project will serve as a Urban Recreational space for the city. This project is designed in a way it is subtle and blends with the context of old city. The material palette for this is stone, Concrete. The material are selected keeping the purpose of the project in mind. Materials which are natural and connects to earth are selected as main construction material. Materials of this project helps to create the serene atmosphere in the garden.

Site Analysis

Existing Site Condition

It is located near the banks of Sabarmati River and River front. This Garden was built by Mughal emperor Ahemd shah the founder of Ahmedabad City. It was reconstructed by British. It was then named as Victoria garden. The one edge of the garden is Heritage Fort Wall of old city of Ahmedabad.

Isuues/ Opportunity

SITE AREA :32000 SQ MT

TOPOGRAPHY

Site Diagrams

DEAD PART OF GARDEN MAINTAINED PART

EXISTING CONDITION OF GARDEN

MOBILITY NETWORK DIAGRAM

EXISTING FORT WALL

LANDUSE DIAGRAM

Side walks Secondary road

SIDE WALKS + ROAD NETWORK+TRAFFIC JUNCTION

OPEN SPACE DIAGRAM

FOOD HAWKER ON SITE

MASS/VOID DIAGRAM

PUBLIC OPEN SPACE OPEN GROUND PRIVATE OPEN SPACE RELIGIOUS OPEM SPACE PUBLIC PLAZA

NO OF USER ON SUNDAY

NO OF USER ON WEEKDAY

Design Process and Plan

Changing Rooms

Green Plaza / Outdoor Gym

Shopping Plaza

Main Entrance

The Garden was a dead and a place of antisocial activity. This design intervention bring life back to the Garden by introducing various function and redefining the boundaries of the garden. The main intention of design process was to keep a balance between outside city chaos and serenity of Green Plaza garden.The Built Form blur the boundary between inside and outside creating spaces individual and Rentals community.The Built form pays tribute to heritage Cycle Shops fort wall by aligning it with fort wall and by providing space for exhibit where Fort wall acts as backdrop.The shopping street designed help to Water Harvesting pool connect garden with the surrounding community.

Shopping Street

Shops

Secondary Entrance

Gallery

Fort Wall

Pathways

Performance Stage Amphitheater

Individual Spaces WaterPool

Site Model

Alignment with Fort Wall Axisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Creating plaza on both sides of Built form. Breaking the edge

he built form separates the city traffic chaos from garden.

Multiple entries from City People and Community People.

Plan

Adding Shopping street and pathway for Connectivity.

Design Strategies

Part Plan and Views

Section Through Shopping Plaza

The Built form plays hide and seek with the surrounding sometimes revealing the Garden to outside and sometimes hiding the garden from the city chaos.

Pathway with platform for Sunday Shopping Market

Shopping Plaza

Outdoor Space for community gathering and exercise.

View of shopping Plaza

Part Plan of shopping plaza and community gathering

View of Outdoor Community Space and Outdoor Gym

Site Sections

Main Street Walkway Indivdual Spaces

Outdoor Community gym

Garden

Section were crucial part of design. Sections were designed considering topography of the site. Height of the Build is decided keeping the surrounding context in mind. The boundary wall are porous with large opening to allow city people the view of the garden. Rubble Stone masonry is used to construct the walls and concrete for floor and slab. The walkways are designed in way that it accommodate the famous Sunday flea market. Outdoor Exhibition

Section BB

Gallery

Water Harvested Pool

Performance stage

Amphitheater

Section C

Ginitopia Gulbai Tekra

Project Type : Multi -Purpose Urban Building Site Location: Gulbai Tekra, Ahmedabad Site Area : 4560 Sqmts Instructor : Nitin Raje This Design intervention is outcome of Urban Design Studio where students have to deal with Urban situation and developed their individual program from given set of requirements. The idea that Ginitopia and the studio program can be seen as model for synergizing Smart Cities Program, Swatchh Bharat Abhiyan and startup program was discussed, but only as motivation. The studio program was derived from the conceptual program and site condition. It is intended to be specific but not rigid. It is described as framework in terms of proportionate distribution of various components of the spaces to the students. Students are required to detail the program based on their individual approach to the broader framework of the program, including specific dimension, Distribution of activities, architectural program and the building program individual. The main design intention was to create a urban collaborative space for different kinds of program. The main aspects of the design was to create a unique Shopping street experience and include lot of urban void in the projects.

Site Context The Site is located near Hollywood Basti, Gulbai Tekra. The site area is 7500 sq mts. This part of the city of Ahmedabad is prime location. It is one of the oldest slum of Ahmedabad city. Observing the blocks from distance presents contrast and contradiction everywhere. The site is prime location or building Ganesha idols for Hindu festive. Among this colorful idol one also finds midst of filth, flowing drains and disorderly traffic. Every task is accompanied under extremely duress. Work shift are extremely stressful, be it lack of space, lack of demarcation, burning sun, pouring rain, puddles, clever traps set by builders and trades.

Program

Open Space

The Site Program was divided into two major Component : Open space (75 %) Built Space ( 25%)

Land Use Diagram

Site Context

Built Space

Open Space had two components: Public plaza and productive Landscape. Public Plaza is a place for rational recreation for urban dwellers and a opportunity or temporary vendor to sell goods. Productive landscape is recapturing lost green space in the dense urban fabric and a opportunity to generate income for the people who work there in the workshop.

Built Space has four Components: Shared Spaces, Workshop, Shops, offices. Majority of built space is for the people of neighborhood to provide opportunities for betterment and growth. There are many shared spaces which are used various startups. This building is imagined as incubation center for startups and leanings. It is a place for people from various economical strata.

Shared Spaces Open Space Built Space

Public PLaza Productive Landscape

Workshops Shops Offices

Site Plan And Design Strategies

Collaborative Small workshops where Ganesha Idols are constructed.

Public Plaza Is oriented towards the main street So maximum no of City Dweller can visit.

Productive landscape is oriented towards the neighborhood to provide a buffer zone between dense slum fabric. Moreover most worker are from neighborhood hence it provides them with opportunity of alternative work. Built Form bridges the productive landscape and public plaza. And also divides the recreational zone from work zone.

Shopping Street which Connects plaza to the built form. One edge of the street is place for temporary vendor and other edge is for shops.

Entrance and Parking oriented towardsthe secondary roads to avoid conjestion of main street.

Productive Landscape

Built Form

Public Plaza

Site Section

Organizational Exploded Axo

Floor Plans

Fourth Floor Plan

Third Floor Plan

Second Floor Plan

First Floor Plan

Ground Floor Plan

Sectional Perspective

Shops

Shared Space Lecture Rooms

Startup offices

Shared Space Reading Lib

Workshops

Bandhan Bank Studio BKC, Mumbai

Project Type : Institution Site Location: BKC, Mumbai Site Area : 15000 sq. mt. Instructor : Vishwanath Kashikar, Ujjval Parekh Year : August to November 2014 The project was an outcome of Institutional Design Studio. Students were asked to design a high-rise building in the business hub of Mumbai. They were given a program and have to developed their own individual design from it. The project brief was to design a bank headquarter for Bandhan Bank, which is a micro finance bank for people of all classes. The high rise was multipurpose building with Rental floors, bank headquarters and Bank Branch office. It became necessary to break away from the surroundings glass building typology and yet to make its mark in Urban jungle. This Project is an attempt to explore vertical interactions in high rise through various architectural elements. Atriums in the center allow vertical interaction and daylight to come in. The Repetition in floor plan was challenged in this design intervention to provide more diversity keeping the structural and HVAC requirements in consideration.

Site Site is located in urban business area BKC in Mumbai. The main design intention was to built something which provides identity to Bandhan Bank. The site is surrounded by high rises of multinational companies. Hence whole struggle of design process lies in making building which is introvert. The main design intention was to built a building which is inward and which provides transparency and better communication within the people. The central atrium perform as space for vertical visual connections. The building has three parts rental spaces, bank headquarter and bank branch office. The other important part of the program was to develop a facade system for the high rise in accordance with climatic studies of Mumbai.

Lower Floor Plan

Core at Corner

Upper Floor Plan

Corridor At Edges

Street Like Corridor Typical Eedge Section

Design Strategies

North Elevation

Plans

Section

The peripheral circulation provides maximum efficiency in building. Workspaces are arranged along the peripheral circulation with central atrium. Larger offices have double volume spaces and balconies.

Central atrium between stacked floor allows natural light and ventilation. It also allows visual vertical connection The main design intention was to create street like feel in corridors and make corridor as main space for social interaction.

Lvl 7,10

Lvl 15

Rental Offices

Headquaters

Branch Office

Headquaters

Lvl 3

Central Atrium

Lvl 1 Corridor

Workspaces

Branch Office

Section

Elevation

Facade Detail

Parking

The inner skin of double skin consist of glass floor to floor and outer skin of the facade are wooden louvers .It act as shading Glass device. Wooden louver are automatically adjusted with reference to sun angle.Hence it form different patterns Thermal Sensored at different time of the Wooden adjustable louvers day on different floor. Hence the elevation of the building is dynamic.

Lvl 11

Rental Offices

Lvl 4,8

Professional Work Little River Architects (Architectural Intern) Project Name: Angamali House Project Type : Residential Project Area: 1748 sq mts This was a small residence house. My role as an Architectural intern was to make the initial working drawings for sanction and then Constructional working drawings and 3d for the building. I was actively involved in discussion with principal architect and structural engineer. 3-D Model

Sanction Drawing

Working Drawings

Plan

Details

Electrical Drawings

Sections

Professional Work Little River Architects ( Architectural Intern) Project Name: Bala Studio Project Type: Institutional My Role as Architectural intern was to develop design as per clients discussion. In this project i got an opportunity to deal with structural engineer. I was actively involved in clients and structural meetings. It was more of back and fro design process. I was also responsible to make 3D Model. Most of Design Development was done in 3d Model. This project gave me an opportunity to actually see the design process of real project.

Elevation

3-D Model

Layout Options

Tie Beam Options

Views

Professional Work

Little River Architect Architectural Intern

Freelance Designer ( 2018 ) Project Name: Fit’o’holic Project Type: Instalation My Role as Designer was to design a installation for Main wall of the Cafe which reflects Fitness theme. and which is sheek and eye catching.

Project Name: Rajini Studios Project Type: Institutional My Role as architectural intern was to make changes in woring drawings as per change in design. And to make final HVAC drawings.

Professional Work Little River Architects Architectural Intern Project Name: Joseph Michael ‘ s house Project Type: Furniture Design My Role as architectural intern was to design furniture pieces in coherance with theme of interior. I made various options for furntiure piece. I did it in 3-D. I was also responsible to make woring drawings of design and to deal with carpenters on site.

Miscellaneous Works

Miscellaneous works includes summer workshop, winter workshops and Works from student exchange.

Desalinating Beach House :

This project was done during the student Exchange at TU Delft Netherlands. It was a four week project where we have to write a research paper and then design a beach house.

Historical City Center, Jodhpur :

It was winter workshop undertaken in Second year (2013). In this worshop group of three student were asked to document a monument in old city of Jaipur, trace its evolution and proposed solution for it conservation.

Panchmarhi: Discovering a Colonial Habitat:

It was part of winter worshop undertaken in third year (2014). In this workshop student were ased to measure draw a colonial heritage in panchmarhi city and reimagine colonaial era through movies, posters.

Model Making - Exploring materials:

This shows model making skills with various material throughout the course of undergraduate studies.

Photography:

This shows my photography skills and travel photos.

De-Salinating Beach House This Project was designed as a part of Archineering course at Tu Delft, Netherlands. It was four week project where student were ask to incorporate new technology and design a off grid beach house .The house should incorporate elements found on the beach and contribute towards sustainability. The concept of this design is to build a structure which can desalinate sea water self sufficiently without any mechanical energy. This house is floating house in sea which collects sea water through process of capillary action and siphoning. This collected sea water is then allowed to pass through membrane which can separate salt ion and water molecules. The separated water can be used for daily chores.

Structural Members

Water Tubes

Enclosing Material

Conceptual Diagram

Details

Detail A

Bended Fibre Glass Tube Steel Hollow Section

Detail B Material: PVC And for transparency :PTFE and Aquaporins at base

Plan

View

Aquaporin membrane is a membrane which is developed out of living bacteria and this bacteria are able to separate salt ion n water molecule. As it is a living membrane it has tendency to regenerate itself and repair itself removing salt ion from it pores.

Details Section AA

Historic City Center, Jodhpur This course focused on how urban fabric affects the heritage of old city of Jodhpur, conservation and restoration of rich heritage of old city. We were asked to study a havelli in Navachowkiya, Fort Road. The focus was to compare the condition of havelli in present era with its past significance, understand material and construction method of havelli, lifestyle of people living in the havelli and measure drawing it.

Existing Section

Participation: In a Group of three people we measure drew the havelli and later on made drawings. I made the plans and detail drawings from the set of drawings and then render them in Photoshop of presentation sheet of exhibition. I was also involve in layout of the sheet for Exhibition. Proposed Section

Evolution of Havelli

Existing View

Proposed View

Existing havelli Plans

Panchmarhi: Discovering a Colonial Habitat Objective of this winter school was to explore various ways to interpret the past and the present of built habitat of colonial town: Panchmarhi. Its includes rigorous mapping and documentation of existing colonial heritage of Panchmarhi. It also focuses on visualizing life in colonial building of Panchmarhi by recreating fragments of built environment through different exercises. Drawings are hand-Drawn and edited in Photoshop. Participation: I was one of the four member who measured draw this church. Later is group of four we hand drew this drawings. I hand drew Site Plan and Sections from the set of Drawings.

Plan

Site Plan

Section AA

Section BB

Model Making -Exploring Materials

Basic Design- Fiber Cast

Pavillion - MDF wood

Fatehpur Sikhri Staircase- MDF wood, Metal

Studio Model - Paper Boards, MDF wood

Studio Model - Paper Boards

Basic Design Shelter- Metal, Fabric

Lighting Installation- Glass, Metal, Threads(Group work)

Studio Model - Paper Boards

Photography