Architecture Portfolio 2018-2021 by Ayesha Ak

AYESHA AK

E D U C A T I O N >> National Hill View Public School 2005 to 2015

ARCHITECTURE STUDENT /

C O N T A C T

>> Swargarani School and PU College 2005 to 2015 >> National Institue of Technology, Calicut 2018 to current

D E T A I L S

#37, 4th main link road, HHRW layout, Arehalli, Bangalore ayesha.nhvps@gmail.com https://www.instagram.com/ay_esha_ak/ Mobile No.

W O R K

E X P E R I E N C E

>> Senior Executive Adizya program committee | 2019 to present >> Senior Executive

7994922273

Ragam program committee | 2019 to present >> Senior Executive/ Writer Audio Visual Club | 2019 to present >> Co-Founder of Architecture Workshop Start-up Papercut | 2020 to 2021 >> Temp. Client Relations Manager Megham Labs | 2019 to 2020

W O R K S H O P S >> 12 Day Pottery Workshop Golden Bridge Pottery Barn | 8-26th Sept '21 > Studied under Ray Meekers assistance in Auroville, Pondicherry

>> Hands-on Mud Workshop Mrinmayee Consultants | 9th Nov '20 > Workshop about stabilised mud blocks and building alternatives under Prof K S Jagadish

>> Architectural Animation Workshop Clipoture | 26-27th Sept '20 > Workshop about animating renders through Adobe After effects and Photoshop

C O M P E T E N C I E S AutoCAD Sketchup Lumion Adobe Indesign Adobe Photoshop Blender Writing Project Management

/ > > >

C O M P E T I T I O N S Rmodul Vacation House | Ryterna The Labyrinth | Arch8 Womens house in Africa | Kaira Looro

AYESHA AK

E D U C A T I O N >> National Hill View Public School 2005 to 2015

ARCHITECTURE STUDENT /

C O N T A C T

>> Swargarani School and PU College 2015 to 2017 >> National Institue of Technology, Calicut 2018 to current

D E T A I L S

#37, 4th main link road, HHRW layout, Arehalli, Bangalore ayesha.nhvps@gmail.com https://www.instagram.com/ay_esha_ak/ Mobile No.

W O R K

E X P E R I E N C E

>> Senior Executive Adizya program committee | 2019 to present >> Senior Executive

7994922273

W O R K S H O P S >> 12 Day Pottery Workshop Golden Bridge Pottery Barn | 8-26th Sept '21 > Studied under Ray Meekers assistance in Auroville, Pondicherry

>> Hands-on Mud Workshop Mrinmayee Consultants | 9th Nov '20 > Workshop about stabilised mud blocks and building alternatives under Prof K S Jagadish

>> Architectural Animation Workshop Clipoture | 26-27th Sept '20 > Workshop about animating renders through Adobe After effects and Photoshop

C O M P E T E N C I E S AutoCAD Sketchup Lumion Adobe Indesign Adobe Photoshop Blender Writing Project Management

/ > > >

C O M P E T I T I O N S Rmodul Vacation House | Ryterna The Labyrinth | Arch8 Womens house in Africa | Kaira Looro

PROJECT A Commercial Complex for Jayanagar 4th Block renovation You park your scooter inbetween the cart owned by the potbellied uncle selling parsemmons and giant guavas and the two indifferent youngsters manning their mothers vegetable cart. It is a tight squeeze and you barely get off your scooter. You make your way through the vibrant street, avoiding puddles and banana leaves littered on the asphalt road. A sweet cloying smell of frying jilebis invades your nostrils, reminding you of those endless plates of jilebis shared with your cousins in those marriages you were forced to attend. Your eyes dont know what to look at, the swami selling holy amulets or the cotton candy seller violently shaking a bell. A building comes into view, the red bricks a stark contrast against the chaotic market up front. You dont stop

there, the market passes through the building. You enter this new haveli like street, feeling a blend of the surrounding markets and the arches you posed in front of in White town. The bridges tower overhead with shoppers loaded in arms with covers. You still have some time left before your friends arrive. You walk up the building, a cool retreat from the radiating heat of the asphalt outside. A cafe comes into view and your mouth waters at the dhokla displayed. A short conversation and a excahnge of bills later, you are sitting out on the balcony, chomping away on the samosa and trying not to smear it on the magazine you bought from the neighbouring bookstore. You look down at the street, at the thousands of people bustling and living their lives.

Central connection between two parts of the building modelled in sketchup, lumion and post produced in photoshop

Renders of (1) Foodcourt (2) Exhibition hall (3) Indoor Market done in photoshop

8 Front facade of commercial complex done in sketchup, lumion and post produced in photoshop

Site analysis of BDA complex in jayanagar during the pandemic

Built in 1975, the complex has been a landmark for 36 years, located on the highest terrain in the area, at the heart of the commercial pocket of Jayanagar 4th block. Though built as an amenities centre, through the years it has become a dynamic space with the people transforming the public space given to them. The announcement of the redesign of the complex in 2012 opened the discussion in regard to the scope it posseses towards how it could and would transform. The original building was designed like a market. It sprawled out on the site and acted as a cultural hub, that was supplemented by the masjid and temple close by. It was razed down after a few sections of it caught fire 10 years back. The old building was replaced by a mall

that proved to be the complete opposite. The new complex designed failed to replace the earlier complex as it was a complete change from a market to a mall. It has still not gained traction even after 3 years. The design proposal intends to provide an alternative to such a change that created a better transition from the old to the new. The idea proposed explores the reciprocal relation between the building and the market up front. Buildings are not self-contained isolated sculptures, They play an explicit part in the continuity of the urban fabric and urban social life. The building is divided into two to prevent a split between the market on both sides and create a seamless transition from one end to another. The culture and people are

Sketch of the front of the site to indicate the vibrance and noise of the market

to be highlighted and the building subtly highlights the market with the contrast.

Deriving from the thesis “Architecture microcosm: from city to building”, I explored how the city is a network of spaces of which the building is a unit, giving it structural coherance to the city. Nodes are the more active areas within the building based on program or movement and districts are differentiated areas for differentatied users. Beyond this, the idea of a complex market growing in its own way in a controlled environment was explored. Spaces had to be defined yet flexible. Markets are meant to be

used, to be played with, to be made a part of the life of the inhabitants and users. The brick walls allow freedom. Age and dirt is not visible on brick and it ages beautifully. The walls are a platform for the young artists. The transition spaces and empty walls are canvas and can create an integrated exhibition.The mud is obtained from the basement. The soil in this region is sufficiently strong and only requires an addition of 20% clay. Since mud concrete requires more labour than imported materials, the flow of money is towards the working class and skilled labour of the community. This decreases the need for any materials from oustide the site and only concrete for the RCC structure is brought in.

Fourth floor plan containing (2) food court and (1)Terrace seating

2 1

4 5 6

Third floor plan containing (3) exhibition hall, (4) book store, (5) cafe, (7)optician and (6) hair salon.

9 Second floor plan containing (8) retail stores, (10) kiosks and (9) stationary store.

8 10 8

11 11

13 12

13 13 15

First floor plan containing (11) Market, (12) Jewellery store, (14) Supermarket, (13) retail stores and (15) public toilet.

Basement plan with (16) service room.

Central space in commercial complex modelled in sketchup, lumion and post produced in photoshop

The ground floor intends to integrate itself with the market outside by creating pockets of semi-open spaces for vendors and small retail stores that include a larger demographic in its profile. Entry is through a transition space between the markets on either side of the plot. This space creates a street on it own and has small niches inbuilt that can be used for seating and for street vending. The open market allows the market to enter the building and into the semi-private market spaces. A statement spiral staircase adds dynamism and leads to the next floor. Ramps in both the sections allow freedom for the specially-abled to move around and the elevator assists in accessing the subsequent floors. A bridge connects the two buildings and overlooks the street created below. The open market space is at a double height and the stores connected to it on the second floor are visually connected to it. VISUAL CONNECTION is an important part of any market space. Certain parts of the facade are arched with wood louvers for protection while other sections have jali walls. This eradicates the need for additional air conditioning. The jali bricks are mud concrete bricks. The facade makes way for pockets

of planters imitating the niches on the ground floor. This makes up for the loss of vegetation on the ground and brings much needed greenery to an urban community. Large brands are discouraged in the building as it is made for the local community which doesnt rely on them much. Fairly popular brands like MAX encourage a different demographic to join the community. The second floor gives way to an exhibiton, book store, and cafe/ bakery. These three stores compliment each other and make the open seating on the balcony an enriching space. The cafe includes indoor seating along with an arched opening for a bakery that opens into the corridor. The building is bursting at the seams with activity and the jalis and openings on the walls provide ample ventilation for this. The exhibiton space is exempted from this. It is shaded and does not have any openings for sunlight or wind as this can prove to be corrosive for the artwork displayed. The right block of the building is a complete contrast as it houses functional arenas. An opticians office and hair salon create a space that is purely “need” based. The optician has a spectacle store inbuilt and is completed with a reception and waiting area.

PROJECT B Competition entry: Womens house in Africa Designed to be a gathering space for the empowerment of the women in Baghere, the building recognises the women of the community as a whole structure and emphasises on this. It establishes the building as a public space without departing from the comfort provided by private intimate spaces. The spaces in the centre can be unified when required to make a singular refuge. The design takes into account the local context and the climatic factors of the site. The shape of the building funnels the wind through every point. Major openings to the West take in the cooler monsoon and trade winds from the sea while blocking most of the dry winds from the East. The Eastern winds are channelled through the pool which acts as a humidifier to cool the dry winds. Air circulation is directed along the building axis using the wall angles. The roof is also designed to leverage the prevalent wind patterns. Though the women’s house is aligned along the east-west axis, the entry is to the south, from the main access of the village. The opening along these walls are reduced to maintain the privacy of the spaces within. The discussion well is dug into the earth with steps that double as seating, to be used for small meetings and group discussions. As is typically seen in houses in the region, the courtyard is the central element from which the three mains spaces branch out. The two wings can be used for smaller discussions while the spaces along the central axis are used for larger discussions. The larger spaces can be combined for exhibitions or separated by fabric partitions into two. A much larger community area can be formed by using all three sections with the courtyard as the focal point. Meetings can also be held outdoors with benches in front of the adjacent administrative building.

MATERIALS The materials selected are based on local climatic conditions and are considered to respond well to the prevalent climate. The walls are built using rammed earth which is the traditional building material of the region. The laterite earth used for this has a high thermal capacity and cools interior spaces by providing insulation from external heat. The use local earth also means that the building blends into the natural landscape of the region and adapts itself to the local environment. The flooring uses earth to raise the plinth level. A thick layer of PCC is used as an envelope to reduce erosion and wear. The cemented plinth being constantly shaded provides a cool floor over which reed mats and fabrics can be spread to provide comfortable seating areas. The circulations spaces within the building are given a darker shade of PCC with the addition of local black clay, to create a visual distinction between spaces. The roofing is made using Ferro cement method to create a lightweight shell roof. This reduces weight and materials required to construct the roof, meanwhile providing abundant cooling due to the insulation provided by the air cavity. CONSTRUCTION The initial construction involves digging a percolation pit under the courtyard into which water is to be drained from the courtyard via ducts enabling faster drainage. Capped with a concrete-cap the pit is covered by a layer of excavated earth enabling the courtyard to be used as a green space. The women’s house primarily uses rammed earth for construction. This requires shuttering and ramming rods. The shuttering is placed along the plinth edges. Earth is then filled in layers into the enclosed area, each rammed till compact. Once the plinth thickness is achieved, construction of rammed earth walls commence. Each wall is raised using the shuttering method until the desired roof height is reached. The roof uses Ferro cement method to make light weight shell roof. Concrete wire mesh is used as reinforcement for the cement clay mix. There roof is hollow with the air gap in between providing insulation. The roof upon curing is plastered with earth, completing the structure. In case of the discussion well and pool, they are dug into the ground contributing to the earth used in construction. Finally the plinth is plastered with P.C.C. to protect it from erosion and wear.

Front facade of womens house design done in sketchup and rendered in photoshop

Classroom view from the front done in Sketchup, Lumion and post produced in Photoshop

The classrooms are oriented to provide maximum lighting while avoiding heat gain. Students are clustered into groups of 4 for interactive learning. Since classes for this age group do not go past 12:00 pm, windows have been provided in the south. The steps act as a reading and playing space for the students. It is carpeted for mitigating impact sounds and comfort. The louvers on the east create an interesting play of light and shadow while providing a barricade from children climbing over the low sliding windows.

PROJECT C Kindergarten in Malappuram, Kozhikode

Customised furniture done in blender, lumion and post produced in photoshop

Play is our first exploration of physical space. Our toys, be it obvious elements like jenga or lego to creating mud pies in our garden ‘kitchen’, are our first act of creating spaces. It is during these early years of childhood that we discover the world. Each individual develops skills and behaviours in the spaces between kindergarten and home and it is the interplay between these environments that comprises everyday life and explains what place identity is. Place identity is charecterised by memories, attitudes, values,

thoughts, meanings and behaviour that relate to special feelings and belongs to special places. It embraces the physical, social, cultural environment and selfidentity. This is the reason why we must connect play to place identity. Beyond just being fantastical, such a play space must feel like home. It is at home that we are ourselves, and the one place where we discovered worlds through crayon drawings on walls. The design aims to integrate this idea of place identity with play formative memory to create a space that in subtle ways remind you of home.

Bridge connecting admin to main block done in sketchup, lumion and post produced in Photoshop

22 Front facade of Kindergarten designed and modelled in sketchup and rendered in photoshop

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

SECTIONS

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

ELEVATIONS

PROJECT D Competition entry: Labyrinth Design

You let the darkness engulf you, letting your senses take over. Every step echoes in the concrete halls, as you let the railings on the wall lead you to the start point. You glimpse a faint beam of light piercing through the inevitable darkness, a slight hope for escape. You follow the light, feeling the smooth concrete under you fingers. You make confusing decisions. Or that’s what you believe. Is it really your decision or are you being led with the belief that every choice was yours? Stumbling out of the impossible maze, you are shown a map of the maze you just conquered. You realize the path out was right in front of you. The design is composed into two containers, to ensure total darkness in the interior container. A small enclosure above the interior container traps the light inside, allowing the light to escape through small perforations.

PROJECT E Documentation on 8 vernacular settlements around the country Abhivi, or to come towards from different parts, perfectly describes the effort that went into this unorthodox documentation. This book is an amalgamation of the works of 46 students from different parts of the country. Through tumultuous video calls and befuddled conversations, seated in our tiny shacks miles away from each other, we have learnt about 8 settlements, each in a new corner, with startling differences. From the interior, with 48 minds put in and the chaos from the contrast of 46 opinions, it was a herculean task . But when we took a step back and looked at our book as a whole, we found beauty in that chaos. And that beauty represents this book. We urge you to step back and look at the bigger picture, one of differences celebrated.

PROJECT F Personal blog and miscellaneous: https://ayeshanhvps.wixsite. com/my-site