Architecture Portfolio - 2019-2024

Krisha Kothari

“understanding architecture starts by questioning the notions and stereotypes.”

One of my favourite parts of designing and also my field of exploration is understanding and weaving spaces through the lens of social, cultural and contextual fabric. I believe architecture includes a peculiar exchange where one lends her emotion to a space and the space corresponds with an atmosphere which entices and reflects her perception and thoughts, which then also holds an ambiguous nature for another leading to reinterpretation of the sensorium of the space.

Krisha Kothari

9820327066

kkothari0212@gmail.com

kkrisha_k

Mumbai

English Hindi Gujarati Marathi

Education

Cambridge School (ICSE) 2003-2010

Jbcn International School (ICSE) 2010-2017

Gundecha Education Academy ISC (Science) 2017 - 2019

School of Environment and Architecture 2019 - 2024

Publications

Change story of Juanwaadi, Goa

Housing Practices In India’s Second Cities Kozhikode, Kerala

Building science & technology SEA press (2021-2022)

Solar passive Housing SEA press (2020- 2021)

Ground and Builtform Sewri, the wetland

Drifts and Anchors : Life and architecture in Phumdis, Manipur

Senses, Rhythms and Cities

Workshops

Working with Bamboo Arene Attari

Working with Bricks Prateek Dhanmer

Repair and Retrofit Komal Gopwani

Environmental Typography Ananya Tante

Housing in India’s second cities Shreyank Khemalapure

Identity and Storytelling Sadhna Prasad

Marketecture - Run on Gas Devashish Guruji

Material workshop - Bamboo Sankalpa Sankalpa

Material Workshop - Steel Manjunath.B

Bricolage as a method Rupali Gupte

Working with Ceramics Aastha Maru

Archiving Arpita Singh

Making an Exhibtion Sunil Jambulkar

Awards and Recognitions

Head Girl 2014 - 2015 / JBCN Intl School

Mock United Nations - UNSC 2015-2016

Cultural Secratary 2021 - 2022 / SEA

Certified with academic excellence 2022 - 2023 / SEA

Certified with excellence and consistent work and participation 2020 - 2021 / SEA

Voluntary work

Habitat for Humanity, Rotary club

Fabulations Ten year archival exhibition at SEA

Connected Collaborative Studio student led studio: SEA, Avani, WCFA, CARE

Curating SEA Website

Work experience

Teaching Assistant 2023 - 2024 / SEA

Gaurav Roy Choudhury Architects, Bangalore

Internship

Reasearcher for ‘The Andheri Project’ at Design Cell

Skills

Adobe Illustrator Photoshop After Effects

Autocad

Sketchup Enscape

Rhinocerous Grasshopper

MS Office

Media curation Website making

Making Illustrations

Hand-drafting Model-making Carpentary

BIM - Buildng information modelling (learning)

Everyday Religiosity and Housing in Suburban Mumbai

Research Thesis

Housing and Spatiality of Differences in Suburban Mumbai

Design - Thesis

Professional Practice

GRCA - Gaurav Roy Choudhury Architects, Bangalore

Questioning typology I

Home as a Mundane Routine

Modularity

Community space

Skywalk as nodes of transactions 01. 02. 03. 04. 05. 06. 07. 08. 09. 10. 11.

Systems, Detail and Drawings

Textile Muesum

Question Typology II

Factory as nesling spaces

Resources, Flows and System

Artist Residency, Powai

Interior Design

Commercial IT Office

Environmental Thresholds

Wetland Conservatory, Sewri

Senses, Rhythms and Cities

Everyday Religiosity and Housing in

Suburban Mumbai

Research Thesis

How does the intersection of everyday religiosity and real estate regulation shape spatiality and life in a suburban neighborhood in Mumbai?

At stake in this question lies the challenge to articulate the ways in which the spatiality of standardised, repetitive units of mass housing in a suburban neighbourhood undergoing intense redevelopment produces frictions and opportunities to mediate religious difference. I explored this question in Daulat Nagar, a suburban neighbourhood in Mumbai, where I resided for 20 years between 2001 - 2020. Daulat Nagar emerged as a privately plotted bungalow scheme in the 1950s housing Sindhi and Punjabi refugees alongside households from Gujarati and Maharashtrian linguistic communities. In the 1980s, it transformed into low-rise apartments and Gujarati and Marwari households increased in number. Post 2005, drawing upon Mumbai’s regulation of incentive Floor Space Index, it is transforming into high-rise apartments that are predominantly inhabited by Jain households.

I mapped housing redevelopment intensity in the neighborhood by decade and listened to local gossip, revealing stories intersecting redevelopment with religious discourse and practice. Five key stories emerged.

1.1 ‘Taara gali ma su hawa chaale che?’

Introductory story

What changes of winds blow in your lane?

“Aree who is redeveloping Harishbhai’s building?”

“Ayy Sunil how are you?”

“Ek Meetha paan”

“This was the only empty garage to sit in today.”

“Yes,

“Some new developer, now a days so many new people have entered this business. He has offered to give make an Upashray in the building.”

“I can’t smoke a cigarette here, lets go to the back road”

“Go to your building to play, this is my business time. The mandir aarti is over everyone will come out and buy my bananas”

“Chacha, there is no place in the building, all the cars are parked in the compound”

“Have you heard, Ambika’s daughter filed for a divorce. ”

“Yes, she is living with her parents now, what shameful generation this is.”

“Savita ben and her daughter in law had a huge fight yesterday. ”

“HAHA you are just craving non jain food na.”

“Ayy let’s go have chaat before we go home. Spicy bhel puri”

“Yes, lets eat quickly before my grandmother find out I am eating non jain food.”

Saraswati mata ground

heard it too, she made food with onion and garlic, how would Savita eat it.”

1.2‘Punya ka kaam’

Virtuous deed

A network map illustrating how Jain entrepreneur of the neighbourhood situate themselves in mobilising capital for the redevelopment business, under the discourse of Punya ka kaam (a virtuous deed).

1.3 ‘Ghar Upashray’

Habitation for Jain monks

How an apartment presents spatial affordances to retrofit an Upashray, and in the process, how the retrofit transforms the commons disrupting privacy and routines of the building’s residents.

1.4 ‘Kalank Lag Jaayega’

Reputation shall be blemished

How spatial stacking in the apartment type lends to olfactory experiences of cooking, and how the proximity of vegetarian and non-vegetarian households in densifying neighbourhoods result into social frictions.

1.5

‘Khuli jagah nahi hai’

There is no open space discusses the provision of amenities, which are mainly produced to suit the beliefs and resources framed by Jainism. Overlapping of other religious practices and routines prompt negotiations in this ‘ordered’ production of open spaces.

1.6 ‘Vaastu Anusar’

According to Vaastu Shastra

The design of modifications to the apartment type through the logic of vaastu shastra exceeding the city’s development control regulations. These unapproved modifications attempt to invent spatial affordances in the standardised apartment type that customise formal configurations to align with the differences produced by the practices of everyday religiosity.

Housing and Spatiality of Differences in Suburban Mumbai Design - Thesis

The above narrations and their analysis lends towards the argument that frictions along the axis of religious difference in this intense redevelopment of housing provides socio - spatial implications. The engagement of the residents with these religious differences and diversity gets translated into spatial housing forms through negotiations, modifications and reproductions.

Spaces produced by religious discourses

and networks are seen to conflict with real estate regulations; disrupting privacy and routines by converting private residential units to public space to accommodate religious practices; causing forms of exclusion and alienation through biased claims asserted on utilization of common services and adapting standardized regulations for amenities framed by the discourse of following a certain lifestyle preached by a particular community.

I argue that the designs of the form and configuration of the apartment type — situated in logics of universality, efficiency and standardization—are unable to absorb the cultural practices of everyday religious difference. It articulates the design provocation:

How can the architecture of the apartment type be rearticulated to absorb and hold the everyday practices emanating from religious difference?

Existing Site

Programmes

Religious programs

Living Space

Work space

Temples

Shop House

Home temple

Vaastu Compliant Living

Pooja room + Living

Public Pooja room + Living

Ghar Derasar

Ghar Upashray

Gurudwara

Tiffin Service + Living

Barber Shop + Living

Barber Shop

Electronic Repair

Clinic + Labratory

Workshop + Living Warehouse + Living

Cooking for religious institutes + Living

Shop

Existing Households

“Hello, Aur samaan mat bhejo, I dont have enough space to sleep.”

“This thursday, the Jains are hosting ‘parna’ in that dilapidated stucture ”

Warehouse + Living

“okay! then where do we host langar this week.”

“I wish we could hire a full time nurse, it is getting difficult to even walk these days”

“Where is your daughter Neeta?”

Home converted to Gurudwara

“I sent her to her friends place to study so that we could do ganpati aarti here”

Households host poojaopen to all

Living for

Cantilevered Slab

The building is recessed to extend the footpath, creating a public walkway with access to shops. It includes commercial spaces, connected housing units, and 0.5 m stepped courtyards. North is for public access, south for vehicles, with 6 m wide fire safety pathways.

The building is provided with a basement stacked parking of two floors. At +5 m the building has a podium, which is publicly accessed These are the ramps and staircases that can be used by the public to access the podium. These are the religious institutes, a temple, gurudwara and the derasar ‘jain temple’, the ground of each temple has a level difference of 0.5 m.

From this level the residential units begin. These are the units that are directly connected to the religious institutes. The houses have extensions that can be claimed as public, private as per the practices of each home.

Professional Practice

GRCA

Gaurav Roy Choudhury Architects, Bangalore

At GRCA, I have not only gained professional experience but also witnessed the mental space of an architect and how it reflects on the architecture created. Various projects and the logic of designs have opened up progressive thoughts and arguments. Most importantly a peek into processes of building and witnessing how designs and architecture impacts ones life has been immesely motivational.

Vieled House, Kundapur, Karnataka

Post - production drawings

Interior Drawings

Structural modelling

On - site experience

At GRCA, I have tagged along with fellow architect to learn about on site execution, I have overlooked, shuttering process, casting process, reinforcements, line out, foundation as well as was involved in on site interior design project execution.

Questioning typology I

Home as Mundane Routine

Charkop (site and services scheme)

What is a Home?

The surrounding has left upon us a strong impression of its archetype, the conventional ideology of a rigid BHK system that shape our lifestyles. But this rigid configuration has affected ones life in a mundane form and forbidding us to explore the various experience home as a space can offer. The existing house is incremented one floor above, the family of three has a mother, daughter and father. The father and the daughter are out to work most of the time. The space felt highly mundane to the wife to be in all day. The architectural intervention did not aim at completely abandoning the idea of mundane but rather aesthesising this mundane experience by carefully crafting the light and ventilation to allow one to alure this monotonous routine. Hence blurring the edges was requisite to make the mundaneness livable and enjoyable.

Charkop, Mumbai

Routine

The idea of lightwells was utilized to bring in skylight and ventilation in this compacted site. The staggering of plinth brings in visual connection fluidity in program and becomes an exciting space for the cat as well. The terrace garden connects one to the outside overlooking the courtyard. Amalgamating these experiences in a concrete block lets the stillness and monotony prevail in the home. It not only intervenes with the mundane routine but also broadens the variety of programs the home can accommodate to bring in varying experiences for each space.

Experimenting with paper model

Community space

Eksar, Borivali

How can modularity contribute in emergence of architectural forms?

The project addresses the question of modularity in architecture. Modularity today, is understood only through the lens of an industrially manufactured assembly system, where every component is expected to fit together with a highest degree of precision only. Instead, this project wants to explore a more communitarian, artisanal, exploratory, temporal and at times playful dimension of the idea of modularity. In the space of social events, modular and temporal aspects of the built-form are central and operative -from calamities and disasters to festivals. Every kind of event brings with it certain architectural imperatives and the focus here is on addressing the wide range of possible responses to these imperatives. To the imperatives of the events there are also imperatives of the site and management of resources like water that architecture needs to offer spatial ideas for. Even though modularity is the technical focus, the objective was also to think about the possible emergence of architectural forms that are more than the sum of all parts.

Repetition of the module to form a Ganpati pandal

Ganpati pandal

Repetition of the module to form a Fitness Centre

Fitness Centre

Systems, Detail and Drawings Textile Muesum Paithan, Maharashtra

Design in Detail; Detail in Design; Execution

Paithan has been the birth place of Paithani textile. This type of textile extensively runs in the historical culture of Paithan, but along the years there has been a rapid decrease in this practice. Many locals claim that this wave of modernization has opened up various other job opportunities, leaving behind almost no time to practice weaving. The project focuses on detail of design which outlines the mechanics of space through experience intent of the space, interrelationships between programmed and interstitial volumetric spaces, range of light, shadow, sound, smell, feel, emotions weaving with flowswater, wind, energy, the language of systems - geometrical and structural propositions of form. second; design of detail crafts the built form in conversation with the intent of detail of design. Details are articulated through articulation of surface and junctions of materiality to acquire the desired essence of space and experience. Details firmly display immediate expressions of the structure, language, system and function of the built form. Each detail thus narrates the story of its making, placing, proportioning and positioning at various stages.

The attempt here is to revive this old traditions and practices, making it informative as well as an experiential space. The structure is built keeping in mind the climate Paithan experiences, self shaded mini terraces, use of exposed brick, cross ventilation and recessed windows are few of the patterns that bring in heat relief within the structure. The terraces become spill out spaces and merge the programs in some way.

ALL DIMENSIONS ARE IN

OTHERWISE SPECIFIED.

ALL THE WRITTEN DIMENSIONS ARE TO BE FOLLOWED. - DRAWINGS TO BE SEEN WITH RESPECT TO ALL OTHER DRAWINGS. - P.C.C. IS IN THE RATIO OF 1:3:6 (CEMENT SAND COARSE AGGREGATE).

- ALL DECISIONS REINFORCEMENT CALCULATIONS - NEED TO BE TAKEN BY STRUCTURAL ENGINEER. - DO NOT SCALE THE DRAWING. - ALL DISCREPANCIES SHALL BE BROUGHT TO NOTICE TO THE ARCHITECT BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF ANY WORK. - RICHER CONCRETE MIX TO BE USED FOR THE FOUNDATION AND M:30 MIX TO BE USED FOR THE SUPER STRUCTURE, ALL MIXES SHALL BE SUGGESTED, EXAMINED AND APPROVED BY THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER. - VERIFY FIELD CONDITIONS AND COORDINATION WITH THE PROJECT DOCUMENTS PRIOR TO PROCEEDING WITH THE WORK. - WORK WITHIN THE FIELD BOUNDARIES AS SPECIFIED IN THE PROJECT DOCUMENT AND COMPLY WITH ALL THE APPLICABLE BUILDING CODES, REGULATIONS AND ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS. - OCCUPANTS ON THE ADJACENCIES TO THE PROJECT AREA SHALL CONTINUE UNINTERRUPTED/UNDISTURBED OCCUPANCY DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT.

Question Typology II

Factory as nesling spaces

What is a factory?

An image of factory ‘archetype’ is already established in the society. This factory provided a dignified space for the administration department and the capitalist, but the welfare of the laborer was not looked at. They were given a tiny table to occupy for lunch in the corridor and had to work in the same atmosphere everyday which made their lives mundane and decreased work productivity. Due to inadequate light and ventilation the work space wasnt healthy and hygienic. The toilets were provided to the laborer and were placed at the far end corner of the site. The strategy here is to build a dignified space for the worker as well as the admin. It is essential to break the monotony of the space that provides the same experience making the working wearisome hence it would be effective to intervene with the experiences the spaces can afford. Moving on with the idea of nesting spaces the aim is to create spaces within spaces which provide different experiences. This may contribute to the welfare of labourers by providing them with dignified spaces too.

Proposed factory - Factory as nesling spaces

Resources, Flows and System

Artist Residency, Powai

How can we create architecture that is not resistive but enhances the experiences of Environemental flows?

Today our urban environments are generated by indifferent mega systems. These have become unmanageable by virtue of its centrality and agglomeration. The centrality being a product of the nature of our economic order. A sense of larger common good is receding day by day. Architectural and City level norms and practices are unable to innovate and deal with the emerging situation of the inadequate and skewed distribution of resources. These conflicts have generated discomforting adjacencies creating uncomfortable relationships amongst communities over urban resources. There was an attempt to negotiate this condrum. The attempt was on asking questions of how we can create architecture that is not resistive but enhances the experiences of flows by building compassion towards flows that allows reinterpretation of resource consumption and management which resultantly demands reimagination of space through systemic spatial logics. the design was for an Artist’s Residency with spaces for residing, exhibition space, working space as well as cafe and kitchen.

The whole structure is only built with bamboo and thatch roof. This made sure to use natural resources, which are easily available and could involve the locals in the building process. The structure is kept porous for easy movement of natural flows

Structural joineries of Bamboo Ground floor plans Artist residency

What are the best strategies for optimizing small spaces to be both functional and efficient?

The course was an introduction to the complex process of interior design through a practical approach. We have designed a commercial office space with in-depth discussions. we have also attempted to understand and analyze the cost component that comes along with every design forms a crucial part of this studio. We were encouraged to conduct extensive market surveys to familiarize ourselves with the price points that is essentially associated with every design decision. The project was supported by a Bill of quantities analysing the cost component for their design.

The space gets vaguely divided into 4 horizontals, on the basis of user accessibility, circulation, and nature of the space. As you enter, on the left is the reception. One navigates towards the left from the ceiling-pivoted door to reach the founder’s cabin and the conference room, which are also interconnected. Towards the right of the ceiling pivoted door, is the co-working space mainly occupied by the employees. And further on towards the end, is the bathroom, pantry, and dining space. The way we live, work, and play is changing almost beyond recognition. As the lines between office, home, and leisure activities blur, both private and public spaces must now fulfill multiple purposes in a defined amount of space.

Environmental Thresholds

Wetland Conservatory, Sewri

How do you explore design possibilities that negotiate bio - social relationships on an ecologically sensetive terrain?

The environment as we experience it is a set of interconnected networks which balance each other to maintain the rhythmic flows. The current building practices have resulted in new spatial priorities which largely ignore their consequences on the environment. This causes disruption to the very interconnectedness of all life forms and natural systems. I have attempted to investigate and explore design possibilities that negotiate bio-social relationships on an ecologically sensitive terrain. The Intent of the design was to make it a paradigm of threshold that invites all flows, and coexistence of biodiversity and ecology. The roof is seen as a roof garden, a product of hydroponics over the brick vaults. The built form is submerged below the garden, which also acts as an element of surprise once one enters the site with an perception of a garden. Entering the design phase I began to articulate the roof in such a way that it also plays a part in giving back to what it consumes. Playing around with various free forms i then shifted to a physical model to conceptualize the idea and to bring it to realism. I then came down to using three segmental brick vaults which beholds the observatory below it. I tried experimenting with openings, courtyards, the plinth to get an idea of spaces being crafted in accordance to the light, ventilation and the relation with the outside.

Senses, Rhythms and Cities

Skywalk as nodes of transactions

City spaces evoke feelings ranging from appreciation to disgust, shaped by memory, context, and knowledge. While people immerse themselves in spaces they enjoy, they actively avoid those they find distasteful. These feelings are not inherent to the city but reflect personal beliefs and circumstances. Disgust, unlike fondness, leads to alienation and exclusion, intensifying the “not in my backyard” mentality and prompting responses aimed at imposing order and control—a legacy of colonial influence.

What place in the city do you dislike the most?

To challenge conventional methods of understanding and engaging with the city, participants are encouraged to spend time in spaces they dislike, experiencing them through their physical senses. This immersion allows for a deeper understanding of the site’s inherent forces and rhythms. Engagement, in this context, means meaningful interaction with the city’s dynamics, distinct from mere reaction or intervention. It emphasizes experiencing and understanding rather than identifying and solving perceived problems. This approach fosters a more nuanced and empathetic connection with urban spaces, moving beyond the impulse to impose control and towards a more inclusive and reflective way of relating to the city.

The site is seen as rhythms of static and motion forces, it also witnesses spillage of temporal and dynamic form of life crafted by street dwelleres.

The bridge offers relief and vastness, slowing commuters and attracting household spillover. Intervening here aims to make people consciously sense these feelings. Street dwellers create homes by hanging household items, a pattern defining their dwelling. The tactility and negotiation of objects empower users, making them aware of their body’s and mind’s needs to craft something dynamic and temporal.

Step by step process of transacting with the extension

Illustrations

Selected work

Kothari

Krisha