Selected Work Portfolio_KritikaSinghal by kritika singhal

TEMPELHOF, BERLIN, GERMANY

DUJIANGYAN, CHENGDU, CHINA

ÄNGELHOLM, SKANE, SWEDEN

YSTAD HARBOUR, SKANE, SWEDEN

MAKING ROOM Transforming Brownfields

CULTIVATING CONNECTIONS Integrating Agriculture in Urban Life

NESTABLE RETREAT Blending in the Natural Diversity

WATER HINGE Interaction with water-an everyday affair

The thesis explores the relationship of Housing & Urbanism. The research was comprehended by the idea of creating room for “new” habitable spaces in the city with the strategy of green densification. Urban renewal of one of the historic centres in south of Berlin-Tempelhof, where the Industrial backyards & parking lots were proposed to be transformed into Liveable Neighbourhood.

Reinforcing the idea of urban agricultural practise to bridge the gaps between local farmers and urban consumers. The agriculture corridors were proposed as a strategy to cultivate the ecological and social values in this rapidly growing heritage city of Dujiangyan. Along these corridors various multi-use destinations to build local economies and spaces for social interactions.

Analysing development potentials of an important node in the polycentric systems of cities around Oresund sea. The regional landscape history and diversity were carefully examined to find nature based solutions. The design proposes to enrich the existing qualities along the coastal forest with a sequence of public functions and activities that promotes eco-tourism.

Connecting the existing natural creeks to the rainwater channel that goes all along the site becoming as hinge between the harbour edge and medieval city. Activating the major streets with water nodes and bio-swales to improve the quality of the built environment. Reusing the old industrial harbour structures like silos to retain the identity and diverse typologies on the site.

Masters Thesis- Sustainable Urban Design Spring Semester 2020

Sustainable Urban Dynamics Autumn Semester 2019

Sustainable Urban Landscape Spring Semester 2019

Brief Portfolio | Selected Academic Work Projects | Kritika Singhal

Sustainable Urban Recycling Autumn Semester 2018

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

TH-OWL Detmold, Germany Jan 2020- Mar 2021

PROJECT ARCHITECT

Dar & Wagh Architects, Pune & Singapore Jan 2016 - Oct 2017

SITE ARCHITECT

JUNIOR ARCHITECT (Industrial)

VARIABLE APARTMENTS Benchmarking Student Housing

CLUBHOUSE LODHA STERLING, KOLSHET Architectural Minimalism

REVIVING VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE Hands-on site experience

PICFARE INDUSTRIES, UGANDA Design & Development Analysis

As a part of Zukunft Bau innovation program, carried out by the Federal Institute for Building, Urban and Spatial Research (BBSR) in Germany. The research aims to provide guidelines for the real estate developers to invest in the ideas of Variable- community living apartments. My role here has been to find, analyse and evaluate the innovative approaches in student housing.

As the proposed site was the only central green area in the dense housing complex, the key design strategy was to integrate the building into the landscape. Here, I lead various aspects of the project ranging from conceptualization to contract documentation, co-ordination and eventually construction. It helped to advance my skills in realising a large scale public building.

Translating values of human relationship with architecture, cultural aesthetics & traditions. Here, I got involved in correcting, co-ordinating & documenting the various infrastructure and maintenance works on site. This stint exposed me to the alternate construction methods that can achieve high environment friendly standards without compromising the building aesthetics.

As an offsite architect, I was involved in analysing an industrial site for a paper production industry based in Uganda, Africa. Here, I learnt mapping the ground condition using GIS. It was necessary to establish a datum level so as to achieve maximum workable ground. The development strategies were based on the micro to macro analyses of the supply and production cycles.

AKG Engineering College, Delhi NCR Aug 2015 - Jan 2016

Brief Portfolio | Selected Professional Work Projects | Kritika Singhal

HCP-DPM, Ahmedabad, Gujarat Jul 2014 - Jan 2015

Berlin

Tempelhof Field

Allotment Gardens Town Hall

Francke Park

Proposed site: 40 ha

Alter Park

DIVERSIFICATION

Tempelhof Hafen

Creative ventures Cultural Identity

Teltow Canal

Local income generators New nodes of interest & Investment

LIVING Housing Densification Variable living Housing Cooperatives Affordability & Diversity

Masters Thesis – MSc. SUDes, LTH at Lund University MAKING ROOM- Exploring the relationship of Housing & Urbanism Project site: Tempelhof district, Berlin. Examiner: Peter Siöström

This project was inspired by my own journey of house hunting in 10 cities across 3 countries in last 10 years and the search continues. These experiences have made me curious to explore the urban dynamics of this never-ending housing demand in cities across the globe. The thesis examines the parameters associated with rental housing deficiency in Berlin- a city that offers diversity and opportunity at both national and global level. The question raised is, how can it house more talent and yet remains affordable? The research is comprehended with an urban renewal proposal for one of the historic centres in south of Berlin- Tempelhof. Proposing to transform the Industrial backyards into Liveable Neighbourhood. This is comprehended by the idea of creating room for “new” habitable spaces with the strategic planning towards greenification and densification of the area. It intends to broaden the vision of the existing re-development plans for Neue Mitte Tempelhof. Link to the full publication document: Making Room: Exploring the relationship of Housing and Urbanism (lu.se)

RECREATION Putting the pieces together- The big housing puzzle! (Based on the UN sustainability goals, this illustration shows the complexity and planning strategies for future housing development.)

Public Realm Ecological Connections Community gardens Water front development

Masters Thesis Abstract | MSc. Sustainable Urban Design | Work Portfolio | Kritika Singhal

WALKING Accessibility to all areas Walking ease to Public Transportation Bicycles & Pedestrians Parking Houses

TRANSFORMING BROWNFIELDS

Current

Based on the SWOT analysis of this area, it was found that the industrial backyards of the Tempelhof district have a great potential for development & densification. As highlighted here, this pocket in the quarter was chosen for the detail design proposal. This urban transformation proposal can greatly benefit the current development plans of Neue Mitte Tempelhof in order to reach the full potential

Proposed

ACCESSIBILITY & INTEGRATION Multi level parking house Vehicular streets Restricted vehicular streets Active streets with slow moving traffic Only Pedestrian movement allowed

REDEFINING LAND USE

GREEN & BLUE STRUCTURE

AFFORDABILITY & DIVERSITY

Housing- Living Use

Green Sponge Spine

Shared ownership

Mixed- use (mostly work related places)

Participatory Horticulture

Housing cooperatives

Commercial Use

Life along Teltow Canal

Purpose built rentals

Masters Thesis Abstract | MSc. Sustainable Urban Design | Work Portfolio | Kritika Singhal

TYPOLOGIES

Key Plan: Isometric view showing the various typologies proposed on the site.

Typology A: This courtyard scheme that mixes the

private residential blocks with housing cooperatives and rental apartment block. The central green becomes a semiprivate areas and thus prevents the privatisation of public space.

Based on the overlaps of the housing puzzle, these typology diagrams highlight the interrelation of ownership with the public functions. It is considered that the various public space, parks, common green shall be kept accessible for all. The idea of privatisation and profit building is challenged with the help of varied ownerships of the land/ plots. In order to achieve social and economic sustainability to the neighbourhood. The idea is to bring together people from various walks of life & economic background to live in harmony.

Typology B: Courtyard scheme where different

ownerships come together with the central common space. Also the outer edges of these blocks shall be made as public functions or services to keep the streets and corners active.

Typology C: Vertically Dense Block scheme, its an

example of mixed land use where the podium offers public functions and the varied height towers offer place to work & live. Also east side of the block is planned as a multilevel car park with an active public roof.

Typology D: This scheme shows how the existing roof in the area can be made vertically dense. At the same time, these new top up blocks can offers exciting perspective to the public spaces. Shared ownership can make this happen for real.

Typology E: Open block scheme that promote the

Typology F: This complex dense scheme is located at the

variable living apartments. The ground floors become active public functions, such as co-work spaces and restaurants or even Day care centres. The shared ownership of these block allows economic sustainability.

Masters Thesis Abstract | MSc. Sustainable Urban Design | Work Portfolio | Kritika Singhal

canal edge. Thus to make it affordable, certain floors shall be reserved for social housing. This is only possible with shared land ownership, where the expensive apartment owners bear the common maintenance expenses.

CURRENT : Poor Ground Conditions

PROPOSED : Green Sponge Spine

Design Details 01: Brown to green-fields The ground condition is very poor and adulterated. Surface parking was found to be the biggest threat in this post industrial site. Thus two multilevel parking were proposed in the area- this also makes room for a central green spine.

The sponge areas are also created to improve the ground quality and to complete the missing link in the natural water drainage of the site. It will invite diverse group of people and activities in the area.

The section highlights the mix use of a parking house. Where the GF can be used as supermarket; a floor dedicated for bicycle and car-share parking, and roof as a public park. Pocket parks and outdoor gym are proposed to make public room along the central spine.

Section CC Masters Thesis Abstract | MSc. Sustainable Urban Design | Work Portfolio | Kritika Singhal

Detail Plan 01

CURRENT : Abundant Water Edge at Teltow Canal

PROPOSED : Access to water edge

Design Details 02: Accessibility to Teltow The water edge is inaccessible for public use. The retaining walls were recently built to protect the area from water level rise. The design proposes to transform the water edge- to activated it with mix leisure facilities, Beer gardens & Water sports. Also the intention is to boost the local economy of this area, is to connect the existing creative ventures in the area to this new development. This will enhance and flourish the green-tech industries in the area, such asIndoor Farms.

The section below highlights the stairway that lead down to the water edge and connects to the boards walk. The idea is to make a way through the dense green. Hence, the building edges are proposed 10 meters away from the green belt along the canal.

Section DD Masters Thesis Abstract | MSc. Sustainable Urban Design | Work Portfolio | Kritika Singhal

Detail Plan 02

CURRENT: Restricted Entries

PROPOSED : Participatory Horticulture Track

Design Details 03: Community Urban Farms The Allotment garden are centrally located in the area and yet disconnected for public use. The high & dense fences makes them to be perceived as private gardens. The proposed horticultural track invites larger group of people and which add both ecological and social values to the neighbourhood. The intention is to connect this with the main and secondary streets networkeventually promoting walkability & biking ease in the area. The section shows how these participatory urban farms can activate the public space and street culture. The podium roofs and ground floors of the buildings also offer relative functions such as cafeterias, organic food restaurant sand supermarket.

E Detail Section EE Masters Thesis Abstract | MSc. Sustainable Urban Design | Work Portfolio | Kritika Singhal

E Detail Plan C

An aerial conceptual image of the area. Describing the forms of “new room” that brings along diverse values to this neighbourhood.

Masters Thesis Abstract | MSc. Sustainable Urban Design | Work Portfolio | Kritika Singhal

An aerial conceptual image of the area. Describing the forms of “new room” that brings along diverse values to this neighbourhood.

Masters Thesis Abstract | MSc. Sustainable Urban Design | Work Portfolio | Kritika Singhal

European Middle Class Mass Housing MCMH has been generally underestimated in urban and architectural studies and there is still a lack of comparative analysis and global prespectives. By crossing different approaches focus on Architecture, Urbanism, Planning, Public Policies, History, Sociology, our network allows a wider understanding of MCMH sprawl, deeping on-going researchers and focusing on the existing case studies.

Aim and objective The main challenge of MCMH-EU is create a tranational network that gathers European researchers carrying studies on Middle- Class Mass Housing (MCMH) built in Europe since the 1905s and to develop new scientific approaches by discussing, testing and assessing diverse case studies and their different methodolgies and prespectives. The target groups of the Action include three levels of end users: • Academic/ scientific working groups; • Institutional stakeholders and policymakers; • Local communities

My role in this Cost Action as a member of WG3 has been to co-ordinate the Visualization of Public policies. This involves analyzing and visualizing housing policy data from various EU members participating in this action and countries beyond EU such as Serbia, Turkey, Russia, Algeria etc. The aim is to find common patterns in the transition from the construction of mass housing to urban renewal schemes and planning towards carbon reduction.

WG1

Documenting the MCMH

WG2

Development of a specific set of (new) concepts for MCMH analyses

WG3

Leverage contemporary architecture interventions and Public Policies Current Research Association | European Middle Class Mass Housing | Work Portfolio | Kritika Singhal

Initially I developed visualization schemes based on all the housing policy data available and later I started contacting the country representatives for more specific information as well as requesting for an active participation in the action. The process evolved to a more structured format once I formulated a Visual Team and distributed the work among 7 other members, who are familiar with contextual knowledge of the country clusters. My role focuses particularly on the Former Socialist countries, i.e., Poland, Hungary and Romania, however the maximum time and energy goes in conducting regular meetings with this visual team. This of course needs a lot of patience and persistence as I am trying to extract information from a group of transdisciplinary researchers from diverse ethnic backgrounds who are usually having extremely busy schedules.

Current Research Association | European Middle Class Mass Housing | Work Portfolio | Kritika Singhal

Wissenschaftliche Forschungsbegleitung mit Schwerpunkt Demonstrationsvorhaben und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit: „Modellvorhaben zum nachhaltigen und bezahlbaren Bau von Variowohnungen“ im Forschungsprogramm Zukunft Bau Auftraggeber: BBSR Laufzeit: 05/2017 - 06/2021

Accompanied Research Variowohnungen

Under supervision of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Uta Pottgiesser

Variowohnungen

Student Living

Many cities in Europe are currently finding solution for extreme demand of rental/ affordable housing. And this demand might change its parameters in terms of serving diverse age groups or generations. In this regard, Germany is running an innovation program- Zukunft Bau. This is carried out on behalf of the BMI by the Federal Institute for Building, Urban and Spatial Research (BBSR) in the Federal Office for Building and Spatial Planning (BBR). Apart from all other reform measures, it aims to promote sustainable development in the building sector as a whole.

Respecting Legacy & Building for the Future

Social interactive spaces

Affordable constructio n

The research aims to find typologies for the apartments that show how, given the aging and changing society, the creation of adaptable, urban living space can work together. These protype projects intend to promote Variable living concepts. The research program includes 18 projects across Germany. In addition to new construction projects, there are numerous projects that implement conversions and new ideas in existing buildings. The funding is to provide the basis for the further development and sustainable use of variable apartments through research. Scientific support is carried out on two levels: on the one hand, each model project is scientifically accompanied by a research institution designated in the application (individual evaluation). In addition, an accompanying research team commissioned by the BBSR is performing a cross-project evaluation of all model projects. It compares the projects with each other as well as with realized comparable projects and develops transferable recommendations for action from the results of the overarching research questions. Questions from the funding programme and their ability to implement them in practice are to be answered: is it possible to produce high-quality, attractive and long-term usable housing with a tight budget and a minimized demand for space? Can it be used to generate economically viable concepts from the client's point of view? The results of the funded research will be freely used by anyone.

Shortened construction time

Based on the initial research, it was realised that providing affordable housing for student was an urgent task in Germanythat has a legacy of being the most student friendly country. Germany continues to be a top choice for international and domestic students, with high-quality education and low fees. Meanwhile, the tense housing market puts pressure on students in need of accommodation during studies and beyond. Thus it was concluded that Variable housing concept can ease the current demands and the future opportunities for community based living. This directed the project towards providing funds and guidelines to the developer (student housing companies) to invest in the ideas of Vario- apartments, across Germany.

National Benchmarks Sustainability and reuse Quality of use Public Mobility

Variable and adaptable

Urban life

The illustration is translated in English and can be found more in details at: Zukunft Bau: Variowohnungen

As a part of cross- project evaluation team, it was decided to also find the best practices in student housing development across the country. It is very important to note that certain parameters were kept in mind while finding examples or shortlisting them, which were derived from the Variowohnungen concept. Such as: •

University cities with high student housing demands

•

Futuristic approach in planning- Community spaces

•

New built or Adaptive reuse

•

Flexible, affordable, and fast track construction methods.

•

Certified with national energy compliance standards

•

Responsible use of resource- space & material

Supply-Demand Ratio for Student Housing Undersupply is and remains the greatest in the middle price segment. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany.

After examining around 12 projects, 7 were further shortlisted to be evaluated as National Benchmark projects. These projects specifically meet the low energy criteria and were comparable to some of the ongoing model projects. Model Projects Benchmark Projects

Published Research Project | Variable Housing | Work Portfolio | Kritika Singhal

International Benchmarking

The major part of my role as an Intern assistant in this research was to find the best practices in student housing development across the globe. The intention is to provide a broader perspective to all the stake holders involved in resolving & improving the student living conditions in Germany. In this regard, the research started with looking at countries and cities that attract a larger student population. Initially the cities across Europe and UK, such as- Copenhagen, Delft, Eindhoven, Paris, Sheffield, Oxford, were investigated. The university campuses with high student housing demands were spotted across these cities which already gave a wide spectrum of innovative student housing construction in the EU/EEA region.

Béton House- Park Hill Sheffield , UK

Somerville College Housing Oxford, UK

Aurora TUe Eindhoven, NL

CPH Village København, Denmark

Grønneviksøren Student Apartments Bergen, Norway

HSB Living Lab Göteborg, Sweden

About 10 countries including US and Japan were examined and it was interesting to see how they treat student housing in the overall development plans for the university. In total 30 projects were found as highly innovative approach of shared accommodations. Then, based on the preliminary analysis and several internal discussions a set of 12 projects were shortlisted. These projects were found to be contextually relevant and aligned to Vario parameters. Later, the architects or housing agencies were contacted to collect the precise information and design details. Some of key aspects considered while evaluating these projects are divided into four categories. The questions raised here areHow we live, build, collaborate and finance housing; the answers to which are explained as below: 1. New Model of living: Micro-living, co- housing, communal living, or intergenerational living. 2. Alternative construction & Design: Adaptive reuse, Flexible design, Time involved in construction, pre- fabrication, or Low energy consumptions. 3. Re-imagine communities: Bridging the social-cultural gaps in the neighbourhood, mixed- use hybrid, or participatory design approaches. 4. New notions of Affordability: Purpose built rentals, Non-profit housing cooperatives, Brownfield transformation, or Community land trusts.

Evaluation Matrix :To compare various aspects of both National and International Benchmarks to the Variowohnungen concept.

Comparative analysis

Hill College House University of Pennsylvania, USA

Student Residence Paris, France

Olympe De Gouges Toulouse, France

Fonderie Fribourg, Switzerland

Lope De Vega Residence Madrid , Spain

This was then used as an evaluation tool to draw parallels with the 18 model-Vario projects across Germany.

Ququri Tokyo, Japan

The drawings and details from various projects were compared and closely examined. It was found that almost all the universities across these 10 countries have a distinct way of developing student housing. For instance, in the United states at Philadelphia- the Hill college house is seen as a self-protected village with a huge central piazza space; whereas in Japan at Tokyo- the Arm length apartments promote a minimalistic life style and pushes the comfort zone of young students in town. Similarly, we see in the Scandinavian context- Norway, Sweden and Denmark, communitybased living models are being promoted with fast track construction techniques. On the other hand, examples from the United Kingdom and France shows how student housing is being well integrated as part of the inner-city densification.

Please note: Final publication on this project can be found at: https://www.zukunftbau.de/neue-meldung/variowohnungenbezahlbar-anpassbar-nachhaltig

Published Research Project | Variable Housing | Work Portfolio | Kritika Singhal

Completed Architecture Project | Public Building | Work Portfolio | Kritika Singhal