Amey Kandalgaonkar
MArch Architectural Design (merit), UCL
Architectural Design Diaries
ameykahn@gmail.com
architecture ecology photography sculpture
PORTFOLIO CONTENTS
PostGraduation:
Anomalous Islands
investigating anarchic landscapes in an ecological context MArch Architectural Design (merit) 2010-11, equivalent RIBA part II The Bartlett Faculty of Built Environment
The Bartlett UCL Graduation:
Mumbai City Museum
BArch Architectural Design Dissertation
Fisherman’s village, Kerala
Third year architectural design project-2006
community center, Goa
Secind year architectural design project-2005
(highest sessional grades) 2008
Sir J. J. College of Architecture
professional works December 2008- September- 2010 1 2
Vidyalankar Institute of Technology - X Block,Mumbai 2008-2009 Project Architect- detailed architectural and working drawing, site execution
4
Karnala club, Mumbai Concept development
Vidyalankar School of Business, Mumbai 2009-ongoing Project Architect- concept development, detailed architectural drawing, working drawings
5
Tourist Reception Center, Kashmir Concept development
3
Karnala Resort, Mumbai 2009-ongoing Project Architect- concept development, detailed architectural drawing ,working drawings
6
Barbeque Nation restaurant 2010-planning Concept development
7
eVOLO skyscraper competition 2009
2010-planning 2010-planning
Planet 3 Studios Architecture NEW YORK
2010-11 UCL LISBON
POOLE
The anarchic landscapes of Brownsea Island in Poole harbour
Anomalous Islands -
Investigating anarchic landscapes in an ecological context
tutor- Dr. Shaun Murray
MArch Architectural Design dissertation with merit, 2010-2011 The Bartlett Faculty of Built Environment, University College London This project is aimed towards criticizing the mundane nature of contemporary urban landscape. Every urban space is attributed with a specific behaviour and these spaces are constantly monitored by capitalist forces(e.g. CCTV cameras) in order to maintain the law and order. Everyday objects (i.e. commodities) play an important role in commodifying urban spaces by regulating the movement of the user around them and thus creating a mundane routine. Thus this project reconsiders the way of looking objects. To achieve this, an experiment
is choreographed in which the objects are collected on a journey and relationships are explored amongst them.
most expensive real estate in UK and is placed on richest coastal oil farm in Europe.
The site of this experiment is chosen as the island of Brownsea in Poole Harbour, located along the south coast of England. This island is a nature reserve and represents a strong ecosystem with minimum human intervention - thanks to its last owner Mrs. Mary Christie. In an extreme contrast, the island is placed against sandbanks which boasts
Due to ecological nature of the site, the findigs of the journey on Brownsea island are judged on three ecological levels- environmental ecology, social ecology and mental ecology. endangered red squirrels and migrating sea birds, sika deer, variety of spiders, diminishing heathlands, shells beach, ruins of a village and pottery factory, WW
A network of environmental, soical and mental ecological elements on Brownsea Island
II bomb craters, pottery pieces, flotsam jetsam etc. cover the objects, events and transformations experienced on the island. The project progresses by constructing a narrative around the character of Mrs. Christie. It takes advantage of time-killing as a creative excercise that provides personal satisfaction for the character, constructing her identity and expands her awareness of the rules of nature that govern the ecosysytem. She was reclusive in nature and gave preference to growth of nature, thus safe guarding the island against human intervention from 1927 to 1960. The island was set on fire in 1934 by capitalist developers in an attempt to get hold of it from Mrs. Christie. But this event onlys strengthened Mrs. Christie’s passion for the island. The NarrativeMrs. Christie spent her initial years on island researching on animals, birds and insect species and establishing their ecological relations. After the fire of 1934, she took up the massive task of rebuilding the island. The lady aimed towards building her anarchic ideal world by giving preference to the nature. She hired the ship builders, potters and mechanical engineers from Poole. The architectural interventions were made towards restoring the damaged ecosystems on site. By the end of her life, she had nurtured the growth of acoustic follies, enchanted forests, floating archipelagos and refutting fortresses. The world where there is no human intervention. Nature was allowed to take over the architecture and both are allowed to grow in abundance. After her death the island is taken over by The Natural Trust. A team of researchers visits the island anually to make the count of animals and birds. The simultaneous growth of the architecture and nature is monitored by placing the remote cameras in various parts of the island. Thus these anarchic spaces can be viewed live by anyone around the world over the internet, but still untouched by humans.
softwares: Rhinoceros, vray, Adobe Photoshop Wetlands - A seabird tower
drawing dimensions: A1
An earlier derivative of seed burial grounds for Red Squirrels drawing dimensions: A1 hand drawn, rendered on Adobe Photoshop
Wetlands seabird towers A habitat for migrating seabirds near the Sandbanks pier, a view from a yacht
softwares: Rhinoceros, vray, Adobe Photoshop drawing dimensions: 170 cm x 60 cm
Woodlands Seed burial grounds for endangered Red Squirrels A view through a remote camera
softwares: Rhinoceros, vray, Adobe Photoshop drawing dimensions: 170 cm x 60 cm
Heathlands Migration high lines for millions of Heathland spiders view of communal spider webs through remote camera
softwares: Rhinoceros, vray, Adobe Photoshop drawing dimensions: 170 cm x 60 cm
Coastlands water breaker and reconstructed cliffs for Burrowing birds a view through a remote camera placed on top of a cliff tower
softwares: Rhinoceros, vray, Adobe Photoshop drawing dimensions: 170 cm x 60 cm
Mumbai City Museum Mumbai, India Final year design dissertation, Sir J. J. College of Architecture,
2008
Purpose of City Museum: Museums are an ongoing process of growth and experimentation. The setting up of a city museum is merely a beginning - a small step towards the documentation and display of Mumbai’s multifaceted cultural heritage. It will continue to grow and improve in the future.
Why an extension? -In spite the existing museum displays impressive past of Mumbai city, the 20th century documentation of the city is not as exhaustive as it should have been. -It is important that people of Mumbai get to play a part in the devel-
opment of the city. The museum acts as a platform for expression of the future projects planned in the city. -To update the gap of past 150 years and provide a flexibility for future expansion.
Design considerations: 1.Sustainability A. Climate responsive- Mumbai has a very unique weather culture with heavy rainfall four months a year. Due to close proximity with the sea, climate is humid throughout the year. also with high corrosion rate due to salty air. considering these aspects, Mumbai requires a climate responsive architectural solution. Vernacular architecture of western ghats of India help provide inspiration for climate responsive design. B. building materials- In order to impart iconic and symbolic feel to the structure along with the consideration towards vernacular architecture, it becomes important to propose accurate building materials. C. energy conscience design- Maximum usage of natural resources and harvesting renewable and non-renewable resources in the design. 2. Natural disasters and terrorist attacksResearch and application of latest building technologies for earthquake and terror attack resistant planning. 3.Urban linkresearching the impressions of a public institution on city and its people. Analyzing the link established between city and citizen. 4.Contemporary aspectswith image of Mumbai as financial capital of India and with completion of many international standard infrastructure projects, it is vital to come up with international quality contemporary architecture.
Fishermen’s village Beypore, Kerala, India
third year architectural design, Sir J. J. College of Architecture, 2006
Our 3rd year study tour was constituted of studying a fishing harbour of Beypore in Kerala The brief for design project of 6th semester was derived out of this research. We were asked to redevelop an existing fishing harbour of Beypore. The harbour has a large adjoining vacant plot for residential purpose. Entire site is surrounded by coconut farms. There facilities provided are fuelling stn, fish storage; which locals find inadequate. A fisheries technical school is located nearby harbour. Design approachAfter studying the site and interacting with local fishermen, I conclud-
ed that the planning and architectural language for the proposed village should be based on the site forces and context. As it is their place of residence and they do not accept anything which do not relate to them. Thus I required a strong idea, which strongly supports vernacular factor of the design and IIM Ahemedabad turned out to be great example where this idea has been successfully implemented. Architect Louis Kahn placed the buildings obeying the prevalent wind directions and the spaces were arranged in a hierarchy. He derived his inspiration out of the Moghul city, Fatehpur Sikri.
Community Center for village Torda, Goa, India
second year architectural design, Sir J. J. College of Architecture, 2005 The project concise: Te brief was formed on the basis of our interaction with the villagers. The brief clearly stated that the locals require a place where they can gather to celebrate, to work, to trade, to hangout and to get refreshed. The requirements were, A community hall of 500 sq m, An office for a local municipal corporation and 40 shops as part of the bazaar. The site is located near a community church. A stream runs around the site which separates the site from the church. The site and the church are surrounded by coconut and rice cultivation farms. With the arrival of monsoon, entire surroundings get filled with lush green. The form: As we were visiting the museum of houses of goa, the building stood before me like an edifice. The architect had developed contemporary
forms using locally available basalt stone. The building form was different and refreshing than the houses seen in village. This inspired me to develop more advanced, different and refreshing forms using locally available materials. With these thoughts in mind, I sketched numerous forms which will produce refreshing and festival atmosphere for community center and at the same time, by using local material and colors I made sure that the buildings merge with surroundings. It was important that the forms are simple to relate to and the atmosphere is different, refreshing and festival like; so that people are attracted to it. Placing of the different activities on site became an important task as it directs the visitor movement on the campus. Care was taken that
visitor movement is continuous from starting to end point and chaos is not formed at any junction. An intelligent use of different site elements and forces, like re channelling the existing stream through the site created interesting junctions which visitors will enjoy while strolling through the campus. While working on the assignment, I learned to develop a language of architecture which is simple, easier to relate to, refreshing, and most importantly different than vernacular but still merging with skyline. It helped me explore my design abilities as a creative person, an artist, a sensitive designer and also channelled my thoughts towards environmentally friendly design and sustainability.
Vidyalankar Institue of Technology - X Block Mumbai- 2008-2009
for Planet 3 Studios Architecture pvt. ltd.
Vidyalankar Campus. Taking forward the progressive education agenda of the institute, this significant new addition to the larger Vidyalankar campus is an adaptivereuse of a pre-existing industrial structure that is being retrofitted into a very unusual learning facility. Enthused by the s uccess of their earlier designed ‘Vidyalankar Institute of Technology’ building, the educators and the students unanimously elected to have Planet 3 Studios Architecture
professional works
Pvt. Ltd design this 35,000 sq ft space. While the façade of the earlier building was subtle and quiet in deference to the industrial neighborhood, this building is much more exuberant and makes its presence known. The idea of a striking skin enveloping the structure emerged in one of the early interactions with the faculty and students contributing to the programming process. Some dissenting voices
wanted to completely demolish the existing structure and replace with a new one. On a campus photograph lying on the table, one of the educators scribbled out the original structure with a box marker. Our view about preservation prevailed and we saved the scribble as a memento. Later, when the view emerged that this building had to be more visually striking, we borrowed from the interesting graphic quality of the scribble to create the skin that evokes the sway of tall grass stalks in strong wind.This skin
wraps over an external patio that serves as a partially shaded public space. With street furniture, service from canteen and WI-FI facility, they expect it to be another space that students will accept as their own. At night, the colored glass punctures opening from the canteen and reflective skin surface will add a bit of drama and turn this into a really exciting college to learn and hang out in. We hope that this project will go on to establish the fact that building typologies have to evolve to keep pace with changing needs and design can truly contribute towards communicating and establishing progressive ideas. There is after all no better proof of intention that the built form.
The program dictated multiple learning spaces and labs that would develop into an independent bio-technology and life-sciences centre. Located across an internal campus street, this structure directly faces the larger institute but defers in scale and significance. A post occupancy study of the earlier building provided insights into what was appreciated and accepted by the end users. We decided to push the envelope further with more design interventions that challenged accepted notions of educational facility design. In a sense, this building is an intellectual and physical extension of the earlier facility. As before, the focus remained on the needs, wants and aspirations of the students and educators who were to inhabit and accept it as their own.
Gutted of its core, the bare shell received a mezzanine floor supported on an independent steel structure. Partitions and elements of lightweight building materials bend, twist and turn to become large student work displays, rock climbing walls, graffiti strips, light sources, Braille scripted tactile story boards, lotus petal cladding over a computer centre, outsized signage letters, a couple of Peepul trees with a hammock hanging in between, large leaf like partitions, cellular screens and more. The design borrows heavily from the language and forms of nature and the graphic quality of most constructs reiterates its intended use. A staircase with a railing evoking frayed, open edges of a traditional Indian wicker basket rendered in wood and steel, a slide connecting two levels, game board near the entrance and strategically punctured roof with skylights illuminating the interior corridors, all will reiterate the unique nature of this facility.
Vidyalankar School of Business Mumbai Feb 2009-ongoing
for Planet 3 Studios Architecture pvt. ltd.
This project is the third significant addition to the Vidyalankar educational campus at wadala, mumbai. With relaxation of statutory minimum area norms for educational facilities in cities, an empty plot butting Vidyalankar institute of technology became a possible site for school of business. while the earlier facility had been designed as a low height structure that occupied almost all of the available space, this new building had to manage almost the built up square footage in less than fourth of plot area. As a tall structure, it risked becoming another faceless Mumbai college and more worryingly a misfit with the rest of the campus architecture.
softwares: AutoCAD, Google Sketchup, vray, Adobe Photoshop
Our solution is to simply pull the interior campus street of the earlier VIT building and take it all the way to the top of this new addition! This vertical connectivity between floors is through easy walk able ramps and short stairs. student activity area and social spaces, breakout zones, a squash court, green lawn, trees, Wi-Fi enabled space, lounge etc. are exciting offerings that include students to walk it up. On upper floors, ramp meanders outside the building line and the sculptural quality of the whole construct will lend unique identity to the institution. The campus is on all floors, connected in the sense of a walk able neighborhood. This new building will reiterate the progressive new agenda of the institution and offer a new way to architecturally deal with the issues related to vertical developments, especially in a super crowded urban environments.
Karnala Resort Mumbai April 2009-ongoing
for Planet 3 Studios Architecture pvt. ltd.
Mumbai firm Planet 3 Studios Architecture Pvt. Ltd. wins an invited competition for the design of the new Panoramic Hotel at Karnala, in India. Their dramatic, spiraling design won approval on its ability to maximise views into the lush green surroundings that form a local bird sanctuary. While local building codes restricted the structure to ground plus one floor, the client requirement of an iconic property that combined the best of a dispersed format resort and a monolithic hotel provided the point of inspiration for this remarkable design. Radiating from a central core with restaurants, spa, health club, cafĂŠ, a large pool and suites on the upper level, five arms extend into the landscape with out-facing rooms on two floors. Balconies connected with each room have privacy and a unique view of the outdoors. The building skin engineered in horizontal louvers to moderate harsh tropical sun. At night, some of these louvers will light up in subtle colours, suggesting magical lanterns that float in air.
Karnala club Mumbai planning stage
for Planet 3 Studios Architecture pvt. ltd.
The project of Karnala resort and Karnala club allowed us to explore our design skills across various levels. Club house needed a structure that would compliment or challenge more grand Karanala resort building. We created an impression in which the edifice seamlessley rises from the ground from one end and abruptly finishes in the air at other end. It is like going up the hill and then standing at the edge of the cliff. Criss-cross positioning and intersection of the longer building sections allowed the creation of smaller and intricate pockets of spaces through accidents. By providing glazed side faces, club users will have visual access to abundant natural beauty of the Karnala bird sanctuary. We are confident that once covered with green terraces, this modern structure will homogenize with surrounding soft landscapes.
softwares: AutoCAD, Google Sketchup, vray
Tourist reception center Kashmir planning stage - proposal 1 for Planet 3 Studios Architecture pvt. ltd. Along with interior refurbishment of an existing convocation hall in Kashmir University Campus at Srinagar. The additional construction would create a fresh face for the building. A glass faรงade screened with wooden slates form local timber to bring in lot of natural light, , a roof that evokes the undulations of rolling hills and mountains helps it to blend in better with surroundings, while still creating a certain distinct architectural character; we proposed such design features to make the new building forward looking, contemporary in character, but yet retain connection with its context.
softwares: AutoCAD, Google Sketchup
Tourist reception center Kashmir planning stage - proposal 2 for Planet 3 Studios Architecture pvt. ltd. Along with interior refurbishment of an existing convocation hall in Kashmir University Campus at Srinagar. The additional construction would create a fresh face for the building. A glass faรงade screened with wooden slates form local timber to bring in lot of natural light, , a roof that evokes the undulations of rolling hills and mountains helps it to blend in better with surroundings, while still creating a certain distinct architectural character; we proposed such design features to make the new building forward looking, contemporary in character, but yet retain connection with its context.
softwares: AutoCAD, Google Sketchup
Barbeque Nation Restaurant New Mumbai planning stage
for Planet 3 Studios Architecture pvt. ltd.
The site of the project provided a covered and open restaurant areas. It was a great challenge to provide a balancing design language across the varied spaces. Addition of show kitchen, glossy wooden bar, live music area and a live outdoor bakery helped build live and entertaining environment in large dining area. brick vaults lined with white arches gave a classic feel to the indoor dining space. The zigzag floor balanced out the more calm brick vaults. Plants were used to advantage in order to create the seggregation between different areas. Provision of large openings between indoor and outdoor areas helped create large and continuous spacious feel.
softwares: AutoCAD, Google Sketchup
eVOLO Skyscraper competition January 2009 The prime question still remains, can skyscrapers be built to address more specific local issues? Can they belong to some place, with a philosophy that defines the social fabric there? Can skyscrapers sell faith? Can we conceive that human-earth connection on the sky? ... It’s primitive of human nature to have a sense of ownership, to belong and this does not stay put within ownership of a saleable space. What is missing in the city in general, is the fact that what’s on the offering platter is ‘saleable space’, which is getting increasingly depressing and expensive, and not ‘saleable earth’. The basic connection with earth is exactly snapped here and this is probably where the point of departure
for Planet 3 Studios Architecture pvt. ltd. lies for the city. It disconnects natural human growth to a state of unprofitable compromise.
skyscraper can thus look forward to achieve the personality of the city, rather than a metaphorical ill-fitted fashion statement.
We believe that the skyscraper can be a literal extension to the lively dynamism of the urban system; with goodness of the earth connection sold profitably in ‘built-it-yourself’ plots. In this case, that there can be a generative conception of what can be called an ‘Indian skyscraper’. This is where the skyscraper assumes a specific identity, conceived from the fabric of the urban system, and strives to become the true microcosm of the city at large. It can be custom-made; can grow when & where it needs to, can discard & decay where it needs to resurrect again. The
Moreover, the density of the Asian social fabric, particularly India’s, is very intense. It is far more complex than the more western urban models. Perhaps this is one reason; the skyscrapers were conceived much before in the western society. Not very surprisingly, this social fabric is so flexible and yet deep rooted that it stood against all kinds of trends & grinders. Facets of Indian fabric like caste, religion, sex, vocation, wealth, ethnicity, food habits have & will always be there intricately woven in its lifelines. The city of Mumbai, especially thrive with a never ending zest
softwares: AutoCAD, Google Sketchup, vray, Adobe Photoshop for life, a weird concoction of vulgar pulse and strong sense of ethical belonging. If these are destroyed then the city would cease to radiate its identity. It would turn into a melancholic, monochromatic industrial machine. So rather than attempting to severe these ties, our approach should be towards reinforcing and enriching it… but all in the sky. This skyscraper exudes what India as a national collective conscience, loves most, the spices in our lives…the ‘masala’ of having it all. It’s an all inclusive, maximally chromatic approach to life at large. From class to crass, everything blends seamlessly to form the urban fabric. The skyscraper seeks to constructively provide the city with saleable plots
that can be custom built upon, with specific public needs addressed at various levels and a complex structural system that would allow physical growth as per evolving needs. Its roots or cores derive from the corridors of the existing city, converging and rising towards the sky, in a complex network of intersections of service and commutation cores. And it doesn’t grow all of a sudden, neither out of berserk chase of profit making goof-ups nor idiosyncratic philanthropies. It grows out of an agglomeration of preceding models surrounding the site growing around a focal point. So the urban fabric does not shoot up the sky from one Monday morning boardroom-studio meeting. It is built first in acceptable scales, gradually shifting upwards. We have understood and
appreciate the fact that the nation is on a verge of a ‘Grey-Revolution’. It’s our choice how we welcome this chance of a century. Do we must keep dolling-up decaying souls of the cities, or accept who we are and how we see towards life? Why can’t we have peaceful sustainable urban fabric based on the sustainable local models and yet be a brand in ourselves? It starts with a strong belief after all… And a clear cut realistic imagery of the fantasies deep within. The ‘MASALA-SCRAPER’ is born.
Sculpture of Ganesha
Photography
academic + professional works Amey Kandalgaonkar
1A, Axminster road, London, N7 6BL email: ameykahn@gmail.com phone: 07879999523