Undergraduate portfolio by Harini Padmanabhan

Cover page: Sketch at Shanghai, China (June 2012)

studio design: Introduction

This section consists of selected projects forming part of the coursework for my undergraduate program, presented such that they show a diversity in design, concepts and thought processes.

studio design: 9-square matrix

Semester 01/Basic Design

studio design: The Artspace

Semester 09/Architectural Design

Semester ___/Architectural design ___

studio design: Convention Centre Semester 06/Architectural Design

Semester ___/Architectural design ___

studio design: Apartment complex

Semester 05/Architectural Design

(TOP LEFT) 3-BED APARTMENT TYPICAL PLAN 3 houses/floor: mutual shading due to staggered arrangement + Common inward looking terraced spaces to foster greater interaction amongst residents given the hectic work hours of the community Interior planning allows for easy movement

(BOTTOM LEFT) 2-BED APARTMENT TYPICAL PLANS BUTTERFLY ROOFING

Block 4

Clubhouse

Block 3

Common areas

used wherein water collects in the valley created by the gables which can be used for alternative purposes while yielding a higher roof height in the topmost apartments

This design was centred on the design of an apartment complex specifically catering to professionals working in the Information technology sector INTENT: EFFICIENT/COMPACT LAYOUT + PLANNING

COMMON AMENITIES

provided: Clubhouse + infinity pool for every two blocks

Common areas Block 1

Block 2

(Top): Block model showing view of the entire complex (Left): Site Plan showing arrangement of blocks + stilt parking below (Right) Typical section showing 2/4 blocks

studio design: Shopping complex

Semester 06/Architectural Design

Semester ___/Architectural design ___

s t u d i o d e s i g n : Wa t e r f ro n t d e ve l o p m e n t , Chennai Semester 09/Urban Design

s t u d i o d e s i g n : Wa t e r f ro n t d e ve l o p m e n t , Chennai

documentation: Urban design, Chennai Semester 09/Urban Design This documentation was a group project during the ninth semester in Chennai, India. The site for this process consisted of some of the busiest areas in the city. The aim of this project was to get acquainted with , record and reflect upon the various elements that make up the urban environment and the way they interact within the framework of a city. The exercise particularly focused on Urban movement. In doing so, both pedestrian and vehicular movement on site was studied and understood.. Related aspects such as road network, public services and theoretical parameters such as connectivity were also included in this study.

In photos: Site model done as part of the project (group work) in order to study urban morphology

documentation: Urban design, Chennai Semester ___/Architectural design ___

work ex: Mumbai, India

Semester 07/Architectural Internship

(July-November 2013) Intern at Architect Hafeez Contractor, Mumbai as part of a design team Work assigned consisted of various types of projects + responsibilities

work ex: Mumbai, India

Semester 07/Architectural Internship Semester ___/Architectural internship

work ex: New Delhi, India Semester 8/Architectural Internship

The second internship semester was spent at RSMS Architects in New Delhi, India. (July-November 2013) The focus here was on healthcare projects. My work here involved studying and working extensively with structural aspects and also on details within the spaces, exposing me to the intricacies within the same.

Other work

sketches photography writing

Other wor k: Sketches “A study in texture” TIT Creative Park, Guangzhou, China 5th January, 2013 4:00pm (Medium: Black felt marker, ball pen)

Bird’s eye - The old and the new: Xian City, China 16th June, 2012 2:45pm VIew of the Guangzhou Opera House, Guangzhou 13th June, 2013 12:05 p.m

(Medium: Black felt marker, ball pen)

(Medium: Black felt marker, ballpoint pen)

Concept sketches (Medium: Charcoal)

May 2014 30

Other wor k: Photography

“Colour me sunny” Hong Kong Police Headquarters Building Hong Kong

“Somewhere back in time” Madras Literary Society Library Chennai, India “Looking at the larger picture” View of the skyline from Elephanta Mumbai, India

“Bird’s eye” View from World Financial Centre, Shanghai China

“Perspective” View of the Canton Tower from the Pearl Riverfront, Guangzhou, China “Equilibrium” Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India 32

Other work: Writing

Article for college newsletter (2010):

Architectural Dissertation (Semester 8):

“Vertical Cities”: Tell Tale of the High Rise Phenomenon

Improving the feasibility of governmental policy implementation in waterfront planning projects

(Also selected for publication in the NASA Convention newsletter)

“Mies means money” was what businessmen all over America were inspired to say, after the appearance of the iconic Seagram Building in the 1950s. Did they really appreciate the intricacy and detail that comprised the towering steel and brass structure? Well, perhaps not. But Mies Van De Rohe had certainly done one thing: saved them money and space. Though initially envisioned as a mere escape from rising land prices, his archetype changed our world forever. It was as if the high rise era had begun in full swing, fuelled by the rapid development of technology and increasing mechanization. Today, as we walk the roads of any typical city, we always find it punctuated by atleast a building or two that rises way above its peers. Exactly how integral are these skyscrapers to the world that we live in? The growth of the high rise phenomenon, as it may be called, has been exceptional, with its purpose and function extending well beyond that of industrial activity. High rise buildings also serve as hotels, shopping malls or even residences, surpassing the idea of a skyscraper as just being an office building and adding a lot more architectural value to it. It has realised the idea of having an infinity pool, or a penthouse hundreds of metres above the ground. The discovery of such interesting possibilities has pushed them up to further, awe-inspiring heights. The catastrophic 9/11 event which destroyed the World Trade Centre in New York led to the belief that the skyscraper era had ended – it would no longer be the favoured archetype that it had been all these years. But this prediction has been blatantly proven wrong by the coming years. The Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has declared 2010 to be the most successful year in skyscraper completion. It is interesting to note that while these towering structures have their roots in America; their construction is most rampant in Asia and the Middle East, which have greater populations. For example, Asia houses about 56.8% of the world’s skyscrapers and contains about 57.5% of the world’s population. Of the 66 skyscrapers completed in 2010, China, one of the most rapidly developing economies in the world, houses 22, topping the list. Dubai houses 14 of these while topping the list for the most number of skyscrapers in one city (11). The US however, houses only 9% of these, as compared to 22% of the number completed in the year 2009 – a sharp decline. High rise construction seems to be closely

linked to the level of economic expansion in these countries. It is easy to see why; with the available land being finite and the population growing at a scary rate, isn’t it only logical that we expand our buildings vertically rather than horizontally? One might ask: is their construction really necessary? Developing countries such as India and China need to invest in various other industries and cater to the other growing needs of their huge population. Issues such as poverty and lack of infrastructure are screaming for attention. Besides, the construction of a skyscraper definitely has its risks. How reliable are our current methods in making up for the lower levels of oxygen at higher altitudes? How do we tackle the increased possibility of hazards like fire accidents at higher altitudes? These are some nagging concerns which make us reconsider the glorious image of the high rise phenomenon. Then why do these countries invest such significant amounts of time and money in high rise construction? It is because a skyscraper is not just a product of steel and concrete. It is a sign of sophistication. It is not merely a past architectural experiment; it is a sign of the future. It is one of the many means to prove to the world that their economies are visibly expanding. Thus, the high rise phenomenon has, over the years, gone from being an architectural project to an indicator of economic and social progress. While the Great Wall of China and the beautiful monuments of India have firmly established their culture in world history, it is the high rise buildings which seem to say,“We’re going to the next level now.” Yes, they have created concrete jungles. Maybe they don’t need these “supertalls”. But in the immediate future, can anything serve as an alternative to the skyscraper and still satisfy both its economic and visual dominance? That is indeed, doubtful. To conclude; I feel that the cities across the world today would be very hard to visualize in the absence of the skyscraper. The high rise phenomenon has brought with it powerful implications, not to mention adorned our urban skylines befittingly, with each one being a fingerprint of the whole city. Beyond the obvious pros and cons that we can identify, these towering relics have satisfied man’s hunger to reach the skies, to get to the top and to feel like he has made a statement. And it is completely justified as I gaze at the clouds, shadowing my eyes against the sun, wondering just how tall the building in front of me could be.

This dissertation was aimed at identifying the governmental norms and policies that are indispensable to large-scale urban planning projects and the nature of implementation of the same by looking at the work of governmental organizations in such projects. In doing so, potential issues were identified which might introduce a gap into what is initially planned and what is successfully realized. In order to study and illustrate these aspects, the chosen case studies focused on three different waterfront projects headed by such organizations. The data collected elucidated the hierarchy of the planning process along with the broad stipulations of the same, based on existing regulatory framework pertaining to urban planning. The intent of the project and it’s work plan, it’s constraints and unresolved issues were identified and documented. At the outset, it can be inferred that the government has a standard and systematic way of planning and executing urban development projects. However, it is impossible for any organization to rely completely on these norms given that there are external factors, mostly socioeconomic in nature, which affect not only the execution and implementation stages but also the very initial/conceptual stages of the project. This converts the concept of urban development into one that is multidisciplinary in nature as opposed to one merely classified as a theoretical planning activity. It is only when this holistic approach is adopted that the proposed urban model becomes optimal to both the site upon which is it conceived and the people who will continue to inhabit it in the years to come.