PORTFOLIO HEENA GAJJAR MLA CANDIDATE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
Surface artwork based on the thought “What lays below the surface, effects the surface” - Andy Goldsworthy
Reclaiming the Consciousness Community outreach Pen and Colors Marinelife Interpretation Bird and Wetland Conservation Professional Works Shifting Landscapes
Bleeding Greens Day in Life of a River A World in Motion In Shadows and Reflections Chalet Landscape Design Community outreach Summer Intern
Meander
BLEEDING GREENS:
Swamps
A matrix of interlaced open spaces (Site in New Orleans)
Bayou
Mudflats
Lakes Oyster Reefs
ULI Competition, 2015 (as landscape design contribution in a team of five interdisciplinary members) Open Bay
Fresh Marsh
Floodplain
Barrier Islands
Saline Marsh Subaqueous Levees
The construction of artificial levees has disrupted the river’s natural processes of annual flooding and silt deposition, the river can no longer change course or deposit fresh sediments. Seven hundred more square miles of land could disappear by 2020 if land loss continues unchecked, making Greater New Orleans more vulnerable to rising sea levels. (Source_ Ecological Society of America)
Marginal Beaches
Meander Swamps Bayou
Mudflats
Lakes Oyster Reefs
Open Bay
New Orleans
Fresh Marsh Floodplain
Barrier Islands
Saline Marsh Subaqueous Levees
Marginal Beaches
Ecosystem along early Mississippi River
Urbanized Mississippi River
New Orleans
Events that shaped the landscape of New Orleans
The landscape here is a palimpsest of evolution of the landscape from early swamps through to cypress forests, trade canal, rail road, greenway, festival grounds and finally to the our concept of the bleeding greens. The landscape encourages communities to interact with each other as well as nature. The attempt is to bring life amidst urban ecology. Along with recreation spaces there is need for a touch of nature. Community gardens will encourage the interaction within communities as well as encourage people to release their stresses through interacting with nature. Rainwater is collected in ecological ponds created in the depressions along the slope of the city, increasing infiltration and creating habitat for native species of plants, thus encouraging urban wildlife and increasing the biodiversity.
Green spaces Re-interpreting the landscape
Concept - Bleeding Greens Re-establishing the lost connection between the lake and river that can help mitigate flooding while extending the greens into the city.
Mixed Use Mixed Use
Hotel Mixed Use
Mixed Use Business Mixed Use
Built spaces Reading the negative
Zoning Plan
Mixed Use
Mixed Use Mixed Use
RECLAIMING KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS: Journeys in the Cultural Landscapes of Okhamandal Gujarat, India (Graduate Thesis - UIUC)
Cultural and heritage sites are constantly under threat of losing out their significant inherent values of culture and evolution. The approach is to understand the site and propose design interventions that are outcome of the findings from the site at three levels. Mythic - Krishna Consciousness, Historic - geological and archeological findings Heritage - cultural and natural heritage. The tools used to analyze the same are Geoarcheology - site formation Mythology - myth interpretation.
Salt pans
Salt ingress
Inland waterbodies
Productive soils
Settlements
Farming
Ecology
Connectivity
Elements defining sacred landscapes Parallel timeline of myth and science
Hills and plains
Geological formations
Rivers and Watersheds
Pilgrim Circuit Krishna Temples
Existing condition Rejuvenative Landscape Adaptive reuse of abandoned stone quarry to collect rain water that would recharge the groundwater assisting in pushing back the salt ingress.
Existing condition Coastal Landscape
A shift from hardscape to softscape for the coastal edge that would increase infiltration and help to mitigate the pressures of rising sea levels. Floating deck with periscope to allow viewing of underwater excavations of city of lord Krishna.
Existing condition A Threshold - Okhamadhi
A transitional landscape that defines the experience of entering into an island- ‘Mandal’, the Krishna’s territory.
Existing condition Regenerative Landscape
Enhancing the catchment area around to manage water efficiently for local and migratory birds in the wetlands that make the area ecologically diverse.
SHIFTING LANDSCAPE ALONG THE RIVER GANGA Varanasi, India (Semester 2- UIUC)
Festivals, Seasons, Performances and Rituals (graphic made in a group of two students)
Site Hydrology
(graphic made in a group of two students)
The Watershed of Ganga
Changing Pattern of Flooding
Deposition along the flow of Ganga
Section across the Ghats
The attempt is to arrive at a resilient landscape solution that could withstand the shifting water levels by utilizing the inherent natural process on the site as a potential co-player.
Process + Landform
The study of topography and flooding situation suggested the high points as potential grove and public spaces. The central area is a maidan – a large public open space for multifunctional use. At the edge there are viewing areas to enjoy the events of famous ghats. The intermediate levels are the areas where the rich alluvial deposition takes place, as potential zone for the seasonal farming. The low laying areas have potential for the bio-filtration basins assisting in controlling the pollution levels.
Fluvial Process
Flood lvl
Normal lvl Deposition edge
Erosion edge
Cross Section
Biofilters + Farms
Public space + Ecology
A DAY IN LIFE OF SANGAMON RIVER
Arts and Ecology center, Allerton Park, Illinois, USA (Semester 1 - UIUC)
Historic meandering pattern of Sangamon river (1875 - 2012)
Landing and grounding made me aware of so many fallen trees at a specific spot over the site. Further research helped me to understand how the rivers function and their natural process of erosion and deposition.
Overlay of time and process
Meandering detail Erosion Deposition
Typical river section
Flooding section
Development sketches
The congregational space derived from the deposition of the sands allowing it to merge back to nature. The trail takes one to discover the reminiscence of the natural process of flooding, erosion and deposition.
Crafting spaces
A WORLD IN MOTION
Kinetic Landscape, UIUC Arboretum, Illinois, USA (Semester 1 - UIUC)
Time scale as the fourth dimension to regulate the pace of the evident variations. The attempt is to modulate the scale of time to make the subtle variation of shadows, reflections & air movements more enhanced and noticeable. The landscape is the stage where the visitors are the performers. Hence, the setting as a choreography enhancing the performers movements.
Presence of performers
Remains of movements still visible
PROFESSIONAL WORKS AT STANTEC (INDIA) (formerly known as Burt Hill Design Pvt. Ltd)
The boulevard perceived as the urban hub and landscaped recreation area for the inhabitants. The design encompasses feature walls, seating walls, planters, water features, and plantations themed with colors of flowering seasonal trees to enhance the richness of the experience along the boulevard.
Contribution : Project head - Concept Design - Presentation work - Photoshop graphics - Visuals in sketch-up - Working Drawing Set - Coordination work on site
Cresent Park, Bangalore, India
Working details for Cresent Park, Bangalore, India
PROFESSIONAL WORKS AT edc - INDIA environmental design consultant
The design aims at restoring the inherent nature of the site with large native trees planted in an articulated manner to evolve usable spaces beneath and around them. The organic arrangement of seamless indoor and outdoor spaces provides spontaneity within the generic order. The essence of purpose can be interpreted as an attempt to re-establish the inherent association with nature.
The Fern Gir Forest Resort, Gir, India
(Site images from project website)
Contribution : - Concept Design - Design development - Presentation work - Photoshop graphics - Visuals in sketch-up - Landsape Working Drawings - Coordination work on site
A man-made lagoon is created by forming check dams in low lying areas to strengthen the valuable natural resources & forest ecosystem. Visitors would enjoy the wilderness, observe and embrace the sheer beauty of nature.
Contribution : - Study of landform - Concept Design - Presentation work - Photoshop graphics - Visuals in sketch-up -3d views development with visualizing team Safari park at TGR, Gir, India
A CENTER FOR BIRD CONSERVATION & ECOTOURISM Wadhavana Wetland - Vadodara (Undergraduate Architecture Thesis - IPSA)
Seasonal wetlands are created studying the natural topography which allows ‘Observing and Realizing the Nature’ and its various components along with the ecological processes. As a deliberate design attempt, the built blocks are placed on elevated spots at distant locations within the site and connected by elevated trails and walkways. This enhances the possibilities of undisturbed water catchment and bird nesting in the depressions at the same time offering silent inroads into the core areas for close observation. information pannels natural greens conserved
binoculars for bird watching
seasonal wetlands with aquatic vegetation
viewing towers existing topography
MARINE LIFE INTERPRETATION CENTER
Narara Bet - Marine National Park - Jamnagar (Sem IX - IPSA)
Awareness for protection and conservation of the unique and diverse marine ecosystem was the challenge. The transition from one space is a free flowing space under one roof made up of tensile structure. This allows continuity in perception of the issues of awareness. The architecture is such that creates least disturbances at the site, so the construction system adopted is pre cast and the roofing system used is tensile which covers the free flowing continuous spaces and allows the existing trees to come out.
IN SHADOWS
IN REFLECTIONS
For more on instagram - introexplo
PEN (SKETCHING)
COLOR (PAINTING)
Untitled Medium: Handmade paper, water, ink, salt
Untitled Medium: Handmade paper, watercolor
SUMMER INTERN (2014) University of Illinois Arboretum
Worked with Professor emeritus Terry Harkness to develop visual representation for a cermony of introducing the proposal of new section The Presidential Memorial Grove & Garden
(Concept sketch by Professor emeritus Terry Harkness)
Planted, organized and labelled Miles C. Hartley selection gardens under supervision of C. Diane Anderson at UIUC
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
An initiative for under-privileged kids at Ghatlodia by EDRC (an NGO) Ahmedabad - India
I have experienced the joys of sharing knowledge with the under-privileged children of the slums. A fact that I have experienced and learnt from my life that even a small ray of hope and guidance can change a life to be more meaningful and productive one. I have realized that proper inputs for the young minds at the very beginning may open up vast avenues for them. If inculcated correctly from the beginning, the significance of an individual’s role in building up the society may immensely help developing the future bearers and making the world a better place.
Community work in Urbana Champaign It gives immense satisfaction and contentment to share and contribute back to the society.
Education
- Candidate for Master’s of Landscape Architecture University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, USA - Bachelor of Architecture IP School of Architecture, Rajkot (Saurashtra University, India)
December, 2015 Cumulative GPA: 3.71/4.0 October, 2009 Cumulative GPA: 3.61/4.0
Research Experience
- Chicago: approaches to unlocking its rivers, USA Spring semester, 2015 Under Prof. Mary Pat Mattson at Landscape Architecture, UIUC - Ghats of Varanasi, India Spring and summer semester, 2014 Under Prof. Amita Sinha at Landscape Architecture, UIUC online link- http://www.landarch.illinois.edu/portfolio/facultyprojects/india-projects/Varanasi_Project/Ghats_of_Varanasi_report_small.pdf
Teaching Experience
- Asian Mythology Under Prof. Jessica Birkenholtz at Department of Religion, UIUC - S. Asian Cultural Landscapes Under Prof. Amita Sinha at Landscape Architecture, UIUC - Relative Study Programme - Jaipur, India Under Prof. Hitesh Changela at IP School of Architecture- Rajkot, India
Work Experience
Volunteering
Exhibition
Awards
Memberships Software Skills Interests Language
- Summer Intern Under C. Diane Anderson at University of Illinois Arboretum, UIUC - Architect at Stantec (formerly known as Burt Hill Design Pvt. Ltd) Ahmedabad, India. www.burthill.com - Architect at Environmental Design Consultants Ahmedabad, India. www.edc.org.in - Trainee Architect at Brijesh Contractor and Associates Ahmedabad, India. - Landscape Design and maintenance for Hindu Temple Mattis Ave, Champaign - Designer of Ghats of Varanasi Exhibition Landscape Architecture, UIUC - Educating Slum Children EDRC, an NGO in Ahmedabad, India.
Fall semester, 2014 Fall semester, 2013 December, 2008 Summer, 2014 September, 2011 to July, 2013 December, 2009 to July, 2011 July to November, 2007 July, 2014 to present May, 2014 December, 2009 to December, 2010
- Boneyard Arts Festival Urbana Champaign - Ghats of Varanasi on the Ganga in India The Cultural Landscape Reclaimed (Studio exhibition as a class) Landscape Architecture, UIUC
April 12, 2014
- Chalet Design Competition, MLA, UIUC - first prize - TATA International Scholar, India - JN TATA Travel Grant, India - LA journal student design competition, India - Awards for excellence in Architectural Thesis, NIASA, India - Interest free loan scholarship as B.arch promising student, IPSA
May, 2014 August, 2013 - 2014 August, 2013 August, 2009 September, 2010 July, 2006 - October, 2009
- ASLA, Illinois chapter, student member, USA - Registered Architect, Council of Architecture, India
August, 2013 to present May, 2010 to present
Proficient- AutoCAD, Microsoft Office, Google sketch up, Adobe- Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator. Basic- Rhino, ArcGIS, Piranesi, 3d max, Revit Architecture Gardening, photography, painting, sketching, model making, reading, and travelling. Fluent - English, Hindi, Gujarati Intermediate - Sanskrit, Marathi
May, 2014
THANK YOU gajjar2@illinois.edu