urban design portfolio
DEVAKI KESH Selected Works 2020 - 2022
About me
My work experience in architecture, landscape design, city planning, graphic design, research and writing has helped me collaborate well across disciplines and tie up different scales of a project. I have a mix-media approach to creating urban design drawings and renderings by fusing my hand-drawing skills with digital modeling techniques. I believe in three opportunities through urban design:
Social Inclusivity
Climate Positivity
Water Sensitivity.
Contents
GRADUATE PROJECTS
SYNAPSE, Grove Park, ATL, GA Flood-Resilient Neighborhood
GLOBAL CITY, Memorial Dr, ATL, GA Urban Food District
SEIZE THE FREEWAY, Oakland, CA Retrofitting urban infrastructure
PROFESSIONAL
AFRH, Washington DC Veteran’s Retirement Housing (Perkins+Will)
KARA, Kuttanad Flood-Resilient Housing Prototype (Urvi Sustainable Spaces)
OTHER PROJECTS
KANI KAAV, Amboori, Kerala Recreating lost sacredscapes
GRAPHIC DESIGN, Planet Rescue Circular Economy Blog
ARTWORK Explorations with Paint & Ink
AFRH
Veteran’s Retirement Housing Washington DC, USA (Perkins+Will)
0 200 400 800 IRVING ST NW NORTH CAPITOL ST PERSHINGDR PERSHING DR SCALE GATE RD NW ARNOLD DR
Work - 6 -
Sidewalk/ Spillout Zone BioswaleParcel C Trail Planting Vehicular Street
IRVING STREET REVITALIZATION - The addition of bike lanes, trails and activated streetfronts create a lively & walkable Irvine Street. IRVINGSTNW NCAPITOLST Portfolio - 7 -
PlantingPlanting Vehicular Street Sidewalk Vegetated Strip Existing Parking Deck
Bike Lane
Flood-Resilient Housing Kuttanad, India (Urvi Sustainable Spaces) KARA
KUTTANAD INDIA KERA LA
RICE FIELDS
CANAL HOUSING
SECTION ACROSS Work - 10 -
ACROSS THE CANAL Portfolio - 11 -
ELEVATION UNIT PLAN Work - 12 -
SHINGLES
DORMER WINDOW
CEMENT FIBRE BOARD WALLS
GI HOLLOW PIPE (3” DIA)
TILED FLOOR ABOVE COCONUT WOODEN FRAMED STRUCTURE
GI PIPE (2” DIA)
FOLDABLE STAIRCASE
FIBRE BARRELS
RCC BASEMENT
2” GI PIPE
MECHANISM - When the water level rises, the house (estimated to weigh only 5 tons) can float up to 3m high as the hollow tube col umns have a sliding action over one another. The base of the house is made using 169 barrels. The area of the house is 990 sq. ft.
Portfolio - 13 -
The Synapse
Flood-resilient neighborhood Grove Park, Atlanta, USA
AVE NW HOLLOWELLPARKWAY NORTH AVE NW DONALD LEE WEST LAKE HORTENSE PL NW PROCTOK CREEK GREENWAY 0 200 400 800 (Ink & Water Color on Paper)
Chattahoochee
Grove Park Valley Branch
LAND INVENTORY
Beltli n e
This project looks at enabling a resilient, well-connected, and di verse neighbourhood in Grove Park, through revi talizing the public domain around the valley branch tributary of the proctor creek watershed.
VACANT PLATS VACANT PARCELS
PARTIALLY DEVELOPED PLATS
EXCESS LAND
PARTIALLY DEVELOPED PARCELS
MOSIAC OF DIFFERENT CONDITIONS
STREET FRONTAGE
ALLEY ACCESS BLOCKS WITHIN THE FLOOD ZONE
STREAM BUFFER
Academic - 16 -
INTERVENTION ZONE HIGHLIGHTING THE ZONES NEAR & WITHIN THE FLOOD ZONE INTERVENTION ZONE = VACANT&EXCESS LAND+STREAM BUFFER 6 NET INCREASE IN PERVIOUS SURFACES %1 ECOLOGY & CONNECTIVITY Portfolio - 17Green infrastructure is used strategically for floodplain management while also en hancing social connectivity through the park & trail access. Proctor Creek DLH Pkwy Storage Pond Bioretention Urban Wetland Riparian Corridor Bioswales STORE SLOW SOAK
RESILIENT PARK DESIGN Academic - 18 -
EXISTING FLOW EXISTING FLOOD CONDITION WATER FLOW REDIRECTED KEY PLAN Portfolio - 19DONALD LEE HOLLOWELL PKWY HORTENSE PL NW FRANCISE PL NW WEST LAKE AVE NW GROVE PARK RECREATION CENTRE KIPP WOODSON PARK ACADEMY GROVE THEATRE
VACANT LOTS PROPOSED STREETS & TRAIL NETWORK KEY PLAN GREEN CONNECTOR SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE FOUR SQUARES GRANNY FLAT Academic - 20 -
2 AVERAGE INCREASE IN HOUSING STOCK %5 EXTERIOR CONDITION INTERMEDIATE CONDITION INTERIOR CONDITION CREEK & TRAIL ACCESS CREEK ACCESS ONLY MIXED-INCOME HOUSING 6 HOUSING TYPES VALLEY BRANCH TRIBUTARY SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE COMMERCIAL/ RETAIL STRUCTURE PUBLIC GREEN SPACE TRAIL ACCESS ALLEY ACCESS PUBLIC GREEN SPACE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT WATER CATCHMENT PUBLIC GREEN SPACE Portfolio - 211 2 3 1 2 3
The Global City
High Performance (sub)urbanism Memorial Drive, Atlanta, USA
0 100 200 500 N DECATUR RD BRETTON WOODSRD MEMORIALDR DIAL DR ROCKBRIDGERDSW N INDIAN CREEK DR NINDIAN CREEKDR MEMORIALDR ROCKBRIDGE RD SW
There is a complex set of existing intersecting streets at our site, which we can use as an opportunity to create a central destination.
of existing intersecting which we can use as an central destination.
being 36, Dekalb has a population. The under-18 County is 38% lesser whole of Atlanta. Also, two colleges, and two more reason to make student-oriented, walkable, safe
CITY
STONE MOUNTAIN
The median age being 36, Dekalb has a relatively younger population. The under-18 population in Dekalb County is 38% lesser when compared to the whole of Atlanta. Also, being in the vicinity of two colleges, and two schools, makes it all the more reason to make these area a student-oriented, walkable, safe and fun urban node.
DEKALB COUNTY...
6.9 64 23 13
18-65 OVER 65 YR
YOUNGER POPULATION COMPARED TO THE WHOLE OF ATLANTA
Stone Mountain GLOBAL CITY I-285 & MEMORIAL DRIVE 1MILE GLOBAL OVER 65 YR UNDER 18 YR 23 13 % %
COUNTY... I-285 & MEMORIAL 1MILE UNDER 5 YR AGES
UNDER 18 YR
% % % %
IN
% % % % LACK OF FUN PUBLIC SPACES FOR THE NEARBY UNIVERSITIES & SCHOOLS LACK OF SAFETY: NO CROSSINGS AT THE INTERSECTIONS DISINTEGRATED RESTAURANTS & SMALL BUSINESSES
3 8 % Academic - 24 -
GLOBAL
MEMORI A L D R I VE I-285
CREEKSIDE URBAN FARM
Portfolio - 25 -
12M
FROM ROOFTOP
COLLECTION
GALLONS
RAINWATER
Academic - 26COURTYARD URBAN FARM
3 LOCAL FOOD PRODUCE %5 Portfolio - 27 -
Academic - 28FOOD STREET
As a pedestrianized street that brings together the restaurants and the markets, the food street can kickstart positive change in the corridor.
Portfolio - 29 -
Academic - 308 %4 CROSSWALK MARKINGS INCREASE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY BY SAFETY PERFORMANCE 19 INCREASE IN WALKSCORE FROM 58 TO
Seize the Freeway
Retrofitting redundant urban infrastructure Oakland, California, USA (ULI Hines 2022- Hon. Mention)
Academic - 34 -
Portfolio - 35 -
Academic - 36 -
Portfolio - 37 -
Kani Kaav
Recreating Lost Sacredscapes
Amboori, Kerala, India
Academic - 40In dia Neyyar River Basin AMBOORI TOWN AMBOORI FOREST Kanikkar Home Facade Monocropping has led to a loss of tribal culture and indeginous livelihood. A Kanikkaran from Amboori CONTEXT PLAN AND ANALYSIS VALLEY RIDGE RUBBER INDIGENOUS FLORA < 1:20 1:20-1:10 >1:10 BUILDING ALLOWED USER FRIENDLY SLOPE BUILDABLE LAND The Arogyapacha plant has a varied spectrum of pharmacological properties. WIND DIRECTION SITE MOUNTAIN VIEW
MASTER PLAN
The Kani community members
to give up their traditional
prac tices, due to modern medicine
thesis project
the community
sell
at reviving
space
Portfolio - 41KEY PLAN CLASSROOMS MEDICINE MAKING UNIT HEALING CLINICS SHOPS ANCESTRAL REMEMBRANCE PAVILION STUDENT HOUSING STAFF HOUSING CANTEEN PARKING COMMUNITY KITCHEN RETREAT HOMES HERBARIUM
had
ethnomedicinal
patenting. This
looks
a
where
can gather, practice healing &
natural medicine, while also engaging in taking their legacy forward. 0 50 10025
The materiality of this project expresses the traditional con struction palette of the Kani community, while also address ing the contemporary aspira tions of the community. Being located on sensitive land near the water, the structures are meant to be light - existing with the ecological systems.
- 42SECTION AA A A KEY PLAN -5 FT +5 FT O FT 12 FT 22 FT 32 FT 42 FT 52 FT 64 FT
- 43 -
STEEL JOINERY PLATE REED WEAVE (SHADING DEVICE)
CSEB BLOCKS YELLOW OXIDE
RAMMED EARTH FOUNDATION
STONE CLADDING
WALL SECTION
Logo Design
Planet Rescue 101 Circular Economy Blog
Planet Rescue is a blog that covers topics related to circular economy. The initial idea was to repurpose the 'O' to represent circular econo my or 'circle of life’ to indicate how something grows, dies, and then grows again.
This led to an abstract representa tion of a tree’s life cycle - as a seed, a plant, a tree, and as earth - in a closed circular loop. The colours for this idea were inspired from the co lours of nature‘s elements - earth, vegetation and water.
Artworks
with Paint & Ink
& Imagined
Explorations
Real
Breaking
Nature
She
Let
I
Let
rekindle
and so are
not
a
Nature thrives
all ties
grows Stands on her toes
is firm yet gentle
us
am nature
you
us
wait for
cue BLOOM
in
DEVAKI KESH dkesh3@gatech.edu +1 (470) 269-4386 Get
touch