design portfolio
david mehta
spring 2022
hello My name is David Mehta. I’m currently a second-year student at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture. I grew up in Whistler, British Columbia, and am currently living in Cambridge, Ontario. I’ve been designing and building projects for as long as I can remember. My choice to study architecture comes from a love for experimentation and design. My drive in projects comes from a desire to help preserve the natural world and an interest in social development. In my free time, I’m always outside. Whether I’m hiking, skiing, surfing, or just spending time with the people I love, I will always choose an outdoor adventure over staying at home. Please enjoy this collection of my personal and academic work!
e: david.mehta@uwaterloo.ca t: 604-902-5847
Sean Kliman 6109 Carnarvon Street, Vancouver, BC V6N1K2 – 604-369-3893 – Sean.kliman@gmail.com October 17th 2021 To whom it may concern, I have known David Mehta since he was 11 years old, as he was one of my first campers at Camp Summit. Over the past 8 years I have been able to watch him grow, both as his director in leadership programs, as well as his direct supervisor this summer when he was able to finally join our staff team. David takes a thoughtful and hands on approach to everything he does. He approaches problems both critically, and creatively, coming up with inventive and practical solutions in an efficient manner. He shows an extraordinary amount of passion for his work, and the care he provides to those in his charge is outstanding. He shows an incredible attention to detail for any task he is assigned and ensures he has gone above and beyond in his completion of it, always with a smile on his face. His detailed oriented approach ensures that nothing gets missed with any assignment. Whenever we talk about something that needs to get done, I have full and complete confidence that it will be completed in a timely manner to the highest standard. Not only is he great at following directions, but David has both the eye to see when tasks need to be completed, as well as the initiative to start and finish them without being asked. David also brings a fantastic energy to the work environment, being both confident and personable. His peers hold him in high regard, voting him to be counsellor of the week this past summer, and describing him as a “God Send.” He is always willing to lend a helping hand and assists others when the need arises. Even in stressful situations, David demonstrates great leadership qualities by remaining calm, and being able to guide the group to make sure whatever the problem happens to be, gets solved. His mere presence improves the quality of any group. David is a dream employee in my eyes. He is always looking to improve the work he is doing, and is happy to receive critical feedback. Additionally, he is quick to implement any feedback he is given and will follow up to make sure the desired changes have been made. Outside of work, David is passionate about fighting to end climate injustice, consistently volunteering, organizing, and showing up to provide support. In general, he is easy going, fun to be around, and shockingly funny. It is my belief that he not only improves any work environment he is a part of, but it is in fact a detriment to not have him there. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out by either email or phone. Sincerely, Sean Kliman 6109 Carnarvon Street Vancouver BC, V6N 1K2 604-369-3893
education University of Waterloo School of Architecture | September 2020 - Present Bachelor of Architecture Candidate | Honour’s Co-op Program | Excellent Academic Standing Whistler Secondary School | September 2015 - June 2020 Class of 2020 Valedictorian | Top Grade Point Average
skills Digital
Analog
| Rhino 7
| Sketchup
| Rhino CAM
| Welding
| 3D Printing
| Revit
| Enscape
| Adobe Suite
| Wood Working
| CNC
| Grasshopper
| Blue Beam
| Microsoft Office
| Model Making
| Laser Cutting
work experience Architecural Intern | Boniface Oleksiuk Politano Architects | 2022 Received the highest perfomance evaluation of “Outstanding” | Worked in Revit, SketchUp, Enscape, and Bluebeam Camp Counsellor | Camp Summit | 2018 - 2021 Successfully organized and led 15 overnight 3+ day hiking trips | Cared for over 20 cabins of kids aged 4-14 | Completed a 3 year leadership program | Awarded counsellor of the session Lifeguard/Swim Instructor | Municipality of Whistler | 2019 - 2021 Trained in and provided first-aid and CPR | Confidently worked in a fast paced, high stress enviroment | Facilitated multiple swimming lesson sets for 2-12 year olds
distinctions President’s Scholar of Excellence Award | University of Toronto | 2020 Awarded to 90 of the most highly qualified students applying to all undergraduate programs Whistler Secondary Outstanding Student Award | 2020 Awarded to one graduate who “has proven to go above and beyond in every aspect of their lives in and out of school” Duke of Edinburgh Bronze & Silver Award | 2017-2020
pull theatre + cultural centre studio | 2a | fall 2021 software | rhino 7, enscape, adobe illustrator & photoshop supervisor | Eric Haldenby Located in the civil district of Kitchener, the Pull Theatre and Cultural Center aims to bring communities together through creative expression. The project transforms the old Kitchener police station by pulling back existing floors and walls to expose structural members. The original structure is almost entirely intact. The theatres are placed strategically to use the existing structure to their advantage. The incubation theatre caps off the left side of the building from street level. This is a multilevel theatre designed to allow for the performers to create their own set up. The existing structure provides a template for set design. The audience spirals up from the floor, around the outer edges of the theatre, all the way from the basement to the third floor. It is also imagined that the audience and performers could switch places; with the audience lining the three main floors, and performers lining the spiral stands. The main theatre serves two main purposes; in colder months it can be used as a standard theatre, in warmer months, three large garage doors open up on the facade. What would normally be the stands for the theatre becomes the stage. The courtyard at the back of the theatre becomes a massive space for audiences. The studio spaces dot the courtyard around the theatre. When the outdoor theatre is in use, they would act as concession, raised seating, and covered seating.
unfolded elevations
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1:200
site plan
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1:2000
upper floor plan
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1:200
Aa
N
main floor plan
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Bb
parti
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basement floor plan | 1:200
aa section
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bb section
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outdoor theatre
theatre + structure axonometrc
sanctuary library + cafe + transitional housing studio | 1b | winter 2021 software | rhino 7, adobe illustrator & photoshop supervisor | Cameron Parkin Located close to downtown Toronto, the Sanctuary provides a safe and inviting space for residents to remove themselves from busy urban life. The building is separated into three program shards, with the main library and counselling services in the largest triangle, cafe in the second, and transitional housing in the smallest. The goal of this library is to provide a transitional housing service for those who may have recently left a difficult situaiton. On an island between busy roads, an interior facing form was taken. All entrances and exits are removed from street level, with most of the windows following the same pattern. A large portion of the library sits below street level. Because of this, the windows on the exterior are limited. The space is meant to feel like a removal from urban life, in order to achieve this, it was important to have strength in lighting and precense of green spaces. Light wells that travel from floor to ceilinging in every building, with program spiralling off of it. The wells organize program, as well as provide visual connections for patrons of the library. On a social scale, this project aims to help people in need get back on their feet. The housing would be available for applicants for 2-4 months while residents work in the library or cafe. Counselling services would work in conjuction with the housing program; the entire upstairs of the main library section is dedicated to community ressources such as addiction and mental health counselling, as well as a job center.
first floor plan
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1:500
Aa
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second floor plan
material diagram
structure diagram
mass timber
water collection
wall section fragment
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sea-to-sky market steel competition building construction | 1b | winter 2021 software | rhino 7, grasshopper, enscape, adobe illustrator & photoshop supervisor | Justin Forest Bregg collaboration with | Megan Sousa The Sea-to-Sky Market Sits on the waterfront of Coal Harbour in Vancouver, British Columbia. The central area of the market is covered by a large steel canopy cladded with corten steel and glass panels, which houses a small performance space, multiple stands, and places to socialize. Sprawling off of the main structure, down the shoreline, are smaller individual stands for people to set up shop. These booths sit on a large walking route, putting them in immediate view and easy access of the public. The form is inspired by the massive mountains of the Garibaldi and North Shore Mountain ranges, as well as the sea that the structure dips into. The market mimics the mountain to shoreline landscape of the surrounding area into the Sea-to-Sky region.
east section
material diagram
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adaptive re-use cooperative housing studio | 2a | fall 2021 software | rhino 7, grasshopper, enscape, adobe illustrator & photoshop supervisor | Rick Haldenby Located in Kitchener, Ontario, this project aims to make the transition to higher density living possible for people moving from more rural and suburban areas. Based on the German Bagruppen cooperative housing model, this project aims tell the stories of real people. I talked to six people in my life that currently live in suburban or rural areas about what would make apartment style living fit their lifestyle. For example, there was one family with a person in a wheelchair, a multigeneration family, and a few families with students away from home. This project is designed to be almost entirely prefabricated. I created standard rooms and layouts for each apartment that could be slightly altered to meet the needs of the families. There are only four different types of prefabricated walls used for the facade, three different bathroom layouts, one kitchen layout, and three different bedroom set ups. These spaces were then reorganized to fill the space for the people that are imagined living there. The units are then supported by a communal green house, garden, and kitchen space. Plant walls made from the existing brick curve up the walls of the double-height space to form a large green space.
axonometric
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lower floor plan
0m
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aa section
2
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3
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upper floor plan
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0m
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each student’s model stacked.
bb section
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oblique
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other works
A01.2 // Models
digital fabrication tests | 2021
David Mehta, Dean Nguyen, Sarah Abdulkarim
welding/metal work | coffee table | 2019
wood working | fire pit | 2019
drawing, collaging, photoshop | 2021
thank you !
e: david.mehta@uwaterloo.ca t: 604-902-5847