WW
Architecture + Design Portfolio | Arjun Ajay
PROJECTS
LOCATION
PAGE
Thesis: The Biennale: Art | Architecture | Resilience
Kochi
03
Product design/ Urban intervention: De-sign
Panaji
07
Winnipeg
09
Conceptual/ Hypothetical design: Indus
Outer space
10
Gateway design: Raipur gate
Naya Raipur
11
Product design: Energy tree
Jammu
12
Architectural design: Residence
Jammu
13
Architectural design: Cultural centre
Jammu
14
Architectural design: Dream homes
Goa
15
Jammu
16
Critique: Grab handles
India
17
Other: Graphics, Poems
India
18
Installation design: Warming hugs
Transportation design: Bus experience
Architecture + Design Portfolio | Arjun Ajay | 02
The Biennale: Art | Architecture | Resilience Climate change appeared as a global phenomenon in the 19th century. The sea level rise is an effect of climate change and since most major cities are located close to coast, it is of importance to ponder ideas that help in improving the resiliency of our cities. Kochi is a port city in the S-W coast of India and is extremely vulnerable. The Fort Kochi area, demarcated as a heritage zone is known for its cultural and architectural differences, influenced by the Portugese, the Dutch, the English, the Chinese and the Arabs. Research on situations of similar stature throughout the world provided the possibility of using adaptive buildings, flood barriers and restoring of swamps in a three sided approach to increase the resilient quality of the city.
The indundation map shows some of the densly populated areas of the city under threat for a rise of 1m in sea level.
Site
Traffic
Sunpath
Nodes
Windpath
Site - Road
Site - Existing building
Site - Existing building
Site - Lakeside
Site - Canal Architecture + Design Portfolio | Thesis | 03
Site development
Connectivity
The idea was to design the permanent venue of the biennale such that it showcases the advantages of waterborne structures, and the proposal for increased resilience of the city. Also by such an intervention, people can get familiar to the proposal in a better way, while also sustaining parts of the biennale throughout the year. The roads in the area are narrow, and hence viable options of cycles, mini buses (shuttle), ferry and pedestrian need to be arranged to transport the people to various venues.
Sewage strategies
Section BB'
Architecture + Design Portfolio | Thesis | 04
Administrative, residential has been kept on the Fort are as the activities in the area were of similar stature. The Mattancherry side was provided with market, museum, library, cafeteria, and convention centre with a bridge connecting them internally.Existing buildings, and large trees inside the site has been retained. Following the resilient concept, all new structures were designed on water, using concrete barges and poles. A sea wall was provided, which could run throughout the city's coast in the future. Landscape has been converted into contours to create interest, and can hold temporary pavilions.
Site Plan
Architecture + Design Portfolio | Thesis | 05
Elevation
Chinese fishing nets
Sectional view
Section
First floor plan
Guest house
Bridge system
Ground floor plan Museum and library Market and convention centre could have docking points in the city and can be active throughout the year. The green area works as a public park and buffer during the off months, as next to a 2.5 Km long stretch of buildings without any green pockets. Bridges, influenced by the fishing nets, provides visual cues of the site. These work as physical barriers, as well as signals when the market, and convention centre docks at the site.
Exploded view
Architecture + Design Portfolio | Thesis | 06
DE-SIGN While the shop owners have the right to their signages, we cannot disregard the fact that these signages are often masking and disfiguring the entire facade of the building and the street, which forms an integral part of the urban experience. To the vendor the store sign doesn't stop at being just a way finder, it is also an integral part of building his brand identity. The solution needs to respect the vendor's right to express themselves while also providing the citizens unrestricted access to their cityscape. Citizen Right to the City: Access to the Urban Surrounding Access to Heritage Protection from irrelevant visual clutter Ownership of Urban Space Vendor Right to Express: Way Finding Brand Building Visual Communication Promotion of Commerce
The idea is to cater to both stakeholders.The solution does not focus on how to make the signages appear, rather it is about how to make them disappear as and when needed. The simplicity of the design makes the signage versatile and adaptable to the rather diametrically opposite needs of its stakeholders.
Working hours
Public holiday
After-work hours
Festival celibration
Architecture + Design Portfolio | De-sign | 07
Public holiday
After-work hours
Working hours
Festival celibration
Architecture + Design Portfolio | De-sign | 08
All of us are different. But out in th open, when its snowing and the wind bites; we all become one. The only thing we all need is a little warmth. So maybe, a simple hug could do the trick? These larger than human-size structures have evolved from the siple concept of the Hug. Recycling the colourful PVC coated tarpaulin sheets, lining its inner side with thick felt, and then supporting this combined 'warmth' with a framework shaped to allow us to step within and be hugged until our body regains its warmth; is that all this is. This shelter can take the form of a hug between a couple, a group, or just you. The main hug is formed by a six people group hug, which also generaes an inner, highly protected, safe and warm zone. Architecture + Design Portfolio | Warming hugs | 09
For the construction of a space colony, the 3554 Amun asteroid with its rich iron and nickel deposits could be a viable option. If the factories are made on the surface of the asteroid, wouldn't that increase the efficiency manifold! And if the asteroid is used as the base to construct the space colony, wouldn't that result in a faster construction!
Core & inner structure
Factories could be assembled in varoius parts of the asteroid, by using small probes. These factories could obtain the silica and the metals, and could use them to steadily create the settlement. First stage would be the construction of the belt which connects the factories to one another and providing a base. In the next stage, the asteroid could be mined to obtain the resources to construct the outer sphere that would funciton as the space colony. In a way, the asteroid would shrink as the colony grows larger. After the colony gets completed, the remaining resources can be used to create the core.
Stages of transformation
Architecture + Design Portfolio | Indus | 10
Serikhedi Gate
Parsatti Gate Kendri Gate Kendri Gate: Plan Raipur gate The brief was to design the three gateways to Naya Raipur. Basic unit was envisaged to be a square, with varying options. These gates were designed as three types; the past, the present and the future, each being represented by a unique material and type of opening. The past | Kendri : primary material: brick; opening type: semi circular The present | Parsatti : primary material: concrete; opening type: rectangular The future | Serikhedi : primary material: steel; opening type: triangular Architecture + Design Portfolio | Raipur gate | 11
A
Energy Farm
T G
Energy Farm Energy farm
B
C
Type 2 - On Highways
Energy Tower
Type 4 - Urban setting
Section A
Energy tree. Solar and wind energy are good sources of renewable energy. Many of the technological develpments are taking place in this arena of increasing the efficiency. This project was aimed at finding off grid energy solutions and also to try various techniques to increase the efficiency of energy farms and grids. The bottom part has solar panels and the top has a wind turbine, thereby generating electricity throughout the day. the structure can be of varying sizes and is transportable. The small area allows for placement on rooftops and other congested areas.
A
B
1Km
Security cabin, DC-AC, Security cabin, DC-AC, Transformer to line, Transformer to main Breakage of enclosure, mainRecreational line, spaces Charging Stations* charging stations
Type 1- Individual houses
A
1Km
Energy farm
B
Section B
Energy Tower
Architecture + Design Portfolio | Energy tree | 12
C
Residence.
Zones
Ground floor
First floor
Second floor
Trikuta in hindi denotes three peaks. SItuated in the lap of Trikuta mountain, the site provided a picturistic view of the mountain. The form factor of the building tries to blend into the outline of the mountain, thereby becoming part of the scene. The residence is divided into public and private areas by the use of levles. Bedrooms have been shifted to the upper floors and common areas are in the lower portion. The front facade of the house faces south and the views are mostly in the southern side. This opoortunity was used to keep the facade minimal.
Architecture + Design Portfolio | Residence | 13
Cultural Centre. Designing according to vernacular styles of architecture would be like imitating the culture, or even mocking it, for there are three stlyes of architecture present, and depicting it through an amalgamous design would be like taking away its inner soul. Roof would probably be one of the least used part of a builing in the context. At the same time,it occupies a large area that could be used for specific purposes. The idea was to use the roof as a park, provided with sittings and exhibits.
Layout
Form development
Plan of auditorium
Architecture + Design Portfolio | Cultural centre | 14
Dream valley project: Internship Dream valley project offered 35 individual villas with its subdivided plot of land. The project is to be located at the Cunchelim hills. The site has a steep slope and hence the project had to be designed with the contours. The roads are parallel to the contour. There are seven house types which have been designed according to the slope. Some types have further variants that look into the micro scenario of the plots assigned.
Architecture + Design Portfolio | Dream valley | 15
Bus experience: Busses in general have been the lifeline to most of the Indian Sub-Continent. They are so due to their ability to access even the most remote parts of the country, which is not even connected via railways or airports. This proposal called out to re-designing the very base, buses and the main terminal, along with selectivity of the region wherin the experience of bus travel was to be re-defined. With carefull survey and analysis 2 stretches we taken into consideration. 1.The road stretching to the Airport (Green) 2. The roads leading to the Railway Station (Violet) The main reforms which were brought about to change the bus expernence were : 1. Re - designing the existing mini busses (matador) 2. Introducing Double Dekker busses to ply along these main routes 3. Positioning and Locating bus stops in both routes 4. Enhancing the bus stops as to be technology friendly 5. The proposal of a new terminal (only phase 1) 6. Phase 1 involves in the main local stand and commercial spaces 7. Phase 2 involves the ISBT and hotel complexes
Type 1
City
Site
New buses
Type 2
Architecture + Design Portfolio | Bus experience | 16
Design critique - grab handles Earliest straps used for riders were leather or cloth. But they fared really bad with cotinued usage, and hence porcelain coverred metal straps came in, later replaced by stainless steel and of late plastic grab handles. I feel that the plastic handles used in many buses, with the attached nylon belt, is a particularly bad design. It not only underserves the desired audience, but also causes trouble to the rest. Even when a person uses the handle, he is forced to hold on to other objects for support. The metal handles in metros fare better, with the stainless steel coil providing support, but still the handles end up being slippery. In my experience in buses, I've seen that most people tend to avoid these and hold on the seats, rods, or poles. The handles seem like an installation that no one dares to use. Ergonomically, the standardised handle is usually too high for kids, and also not in a comfortable height for adults. Added to this is the swaying effect it causes with each and every motion of the vehicle. A solution could be to provide two heights in the main handle bar, with an increased number of poles(probably one with every seat or alternate ones) . Seats could have addtional bars for the kids. Slippery handles could be improved by providing, nylon thread to increase the grip.
Design critique - traditional easy chair The traditional wooden easy chairs have always been an example of the ingenuinity of our old generations. The chair has an old world charm and at the same time is portable and comfortable. The affordability of being portable enables it to be used in the highly mobile worl of today. It feels like an amalgamation of poolside bench and a cradle. It is also height adustable and some has extending handles for resting legs. The cloth can be removed by removing two rods and can be easily maintained. The whole chair folds to become a flat piece for easy portability. The chair also feels premium with minimum materials. It is also eco friendly and material friendly. It seems to be a good example of affordable, efficient and elegant design. The simple geometry and the possibilty to mass produce the elements add to its future possibilites. The chair has stood the test of time and does stand a chance to survive in the future.
Architecture + Design Portfolio | Critiques | 17
Architecture + Design Portfolio | Other works | 18
