ARCHITECTURE POTFOLIO 2015
Lokesh Singh
contacts +91 7503668063 lokeshsingh.d@gmail.com be.net/lokeshsingh
address HIG 137, G.K. 4 Indirapuram, Ghaziabad 201010 India
Education Undergraduate Bachelors of Architecture (B. Arch) 2015 School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi Schooling ISCE 2009 Modern Academy, Indirapuram Ghaziabad
Achivements 2013,2014 Studio work selected for university eshibition, Made in SPA I&II 2014 Dissertation Converging: Metro, Station & City was very well recieved with external jury
Activities 2012 Organized and co-ordinated exhibition OcherHue-Jaisalmer. A culmination of culture and habitat understanding of studio trip to Jaisalmer 2013
Member of college photography club Sepia; Part of Photography excursion team. A guidance to freshers on blending fields of photorgaphy and architecture Exhibition Design for photgraphy club
2013 Part of sudent council, as a graphic designer and photography club representator. 2013 Developed several graphic identity for college fest. Utopia
Skills 2D 3D Graphics Publications
AutoCad, hand-drafting, LibreCad Sketchup, Physical model making, Revit Photoshop, Sketching+hand-rendering, Sketchbook Pro InDesign, LibreOffice, MS Office
Work Experience Documentation of built projects, and assistance in compilation COSTFORD and publishing for organization 2012 may-jun Concept development and site planning for Institute Managment in Government at Trivandrum INTACH Produced measure drawings and conditional mapping of Zafar 2013 dec-feb Mahal in Mehrauli village Sconce Global Part of Mahindra’s AutoExpo exhibition production team, as 2014 dec-feb a project supervisor. Worked in tandem with design team and production team, to study and employ feasable manufacturing process; and carry out inspection of manufacturings and site installation. Pertamina, Jakarta Involved in designing and site planning of office and residential 2014 feb/mar-apr compund in Surabaya, Indonesia Spidergrass Collective Developed detailed 3D model for residence at Koti, Himachal 2014 may-jul Pradesh and resort at Palia, Uttar Pradesh Produced working drawings for club house at Club House at Kelston, Shimla Developed design for resort, layout of room finalized with several discussion with client in Palia, Uttar Pradesh
Academic Work
SPA Exhibit SPA, New Delhi Design Studio ‘11
The design exercise was a college competition to examine the possible outcomes one can come up with, for a place currently possessed by building which houses a wood workshop and an industrial design studio.
The idea of design came from the lack of an dedicated exhibit space. This design has large column free space, which can be utilized to incorporate several functions... Lecture hall+Exhibit+Workshop...etc. The Exhibit on ground has uninterrupted space, partially double-height space with large glass area giving a much lighter feel. Movable partition can be arragened to serve various needs; while upper floor has containers which can hold short duration exhibits and other functions for students need.
Cultural Resort
Jaisalmer
Design Studio ‘12
Golden City, known for its finely sculpted temples and houses. These artistic structures and monuments are of local importance, which also serves as tourist destination. So, the design thought was to visualize the resort as modernistic building with clean simple lines yet it should respect the context which is surrounded by
rich heritage. The project is heterogeneous in nature. Exterior of resort complex is having staggering element with facade dressed with locally procured sandstone assigning more contemporary appearance, while the interior has courtyard surrounded by covered colonnaded walkway with cues taken from vernacular architecture of Jaisalmer
Mix-Use Office Building
Barakhamba Road, New Delhi Design Studio ‘13 Usually, a tower is a statement of dominance, and exert an effort to be remain at the focal point. And this motive is by default is achieved by height. A feature which is now exhaustively overused. However the setting of this project is kind of unexplored territory in area of high-rise. So multi-story should try to have a good interface to communicate with all kind of process a city possess. It will help establishing a long-term connection with city while projecting organization’s idea occupying the tower.
The office tower has 4 multi fuctionable floor, which sits very deep in the site and are covered by the office floor above. A sense of corporate workflow floating above hustle bustle of city. This will give a sense of very approachable building yet sheer height of the plaza will be intimidating. It is an attempt at an ordered scheme and a fusion of utilitarian and plastic solution.
The floors G+4 will have very ambiguous nature, making it possible to adapt to various need and can cash on to footfall provided by Barakhamba metro station. While office floor is articulated according to cardinal direction and to provide a face of tower sticking out of the line giving an flamboyance.
Settlement Study
McLeodganj Design Studio ‘13
HISTORICAL In 1849, a cantonement was established for British troops stationed at Kangra, on empty land housing a hindu resthouse, or dharamshala. By 1855, two suburbs had been established, namely McLeod Ganj, and Forsyth Ganj, named after Divisional commissioners. I n March 1959, the Dalai Lama had gained exile in McLeod Ganj, after a failed uprising in Tibet against the Communist Party of China. The Tibetan government has been running in exile ever since in the village of Ganchen Kyishong, which happens to be in between the McLeod Ganj and Dharamshala. Thus, in a twist of fate, the name Dharamshala regained its meaning by providing sanctuary to the
troubled. This sense of embracing others has spread to other communities, and the town has achieved an eclectic bohemian vibe, with people from all cultures coming in to learn about Buddhism, and seek an audience with His Holiness himself. However, amongst all of this, we must not forget that every year hundreds of Tibetans risk bullets, imprisonment, frostbite and hypothermia to escape through Nepal for refuge, pilgrimage and solace from the forces of the Chinese. McLeod Ganj is an interesting synthesis of an idyllic hill station and a city. While its environs and general feel are those of a picturesque retreat, it has a cultural and social life throbbing with activity. Tourists throng to the city for its diverse food, its centres of meditation, markets
full of a rich variety of cheap goods, and the natural wonders of the Bhagsu waterfall, and Triund hilltop. ANALYSIS Building Materials, with respect to ecosystem: Traditional buildings are made with material such as slate, stone, asbestos sheets, mud, thatch and glass. Modern buildings are made with brick, RCC and plaster. Most of them are upto G+3 , completely blocking out the view. Many constructions cut into the the mountain, such as the vast Tibetan nunnery that is built right next to a monastery, and is usually empty. Once you walk down the Jogibara road, you see the interaction between the mountain and the valleys these constructions are missing out on.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONCERNS The people who are originally of this town, the Gaddi maidens have not gained much from the Tibetans coming to McLeod Ganj. They usually work in low-skill labour jobs, and in the villages the tourism is bringin in a corrupting influence, with drug-peddling a major concern. The villages don’t see education as route to success anymore, as so many short-cut routes seem to be available. Many
people we interviewed felt that the village is at the cusp of a meltdown, and there is an urgent need to transition from the raw poverty of the village to indulgence of the city that the culture has brought to the town.
Transit oriented development: Mix-Use Housing Tikri Kalan, New Delhi
The design exercise summons for integrating housing with porous in nature, without sacrificing privacy and security. A call for such housing especially when gated communities creating isolation within large communities.
Design Studio ‘14
A model with parametrs from UTTIPEC and DDA by raking Transit oriented development norm stimulate for high-density, porous, perimeter built mixed-use habitat. The proposal tries to evade vehicular movement through-out the site by
providing three cul-desacs, which fulfils all the motorized vehicular needs. This scheme helps creating a large uninterupted open space , which can function as a green spine, that can be used by residents and nearby villagers or pedestrians to go across the site.
Clusters are dictated by, spaces within blocks, which translates into efficient volume, increased ground coverage, and resultant opens is much deliberate and defined, enforcing sense of ownership and a sense of collective property. thus, opens are efficient,as ambigious open spaces
that surrounds blocks are eliminated. The cluster plan depicted, is not a simple extrusion. Verticality is the viable option, and is deliberately placed at the two almost opposite corners of the cluster.
Constituents making up clusters are variations of the same system. Cluster 1 is made up of 3/4 units, out of those, low-rise (G+4/5) are dormitories, single room shared bath units and single room with attached bath units; mid-rise on the edges have variations of duplex units.
All units at parts are connected with corridors. Cluster 2 are developed for higher income purchaser, and placed on site which command a larger footfall; these have open floor plan space providing potential for business, employment, urban commercials. Above, cluster houses, large units.
Seminar: Shared Space
Sarai Kale Khan, New Delhi Design Studio ‘14 group of seven people
Who Really Owns Public Spaces? The vicinity of Nizamuddin Station has various points where activity of users of the site intersect and interact, and the struggle for space is pronounced. Each space has
an actor who reveals to us the dynamics of social interaction that are key to understanding inclusivity. Commuters Hawkers Autowallas Rickshawwallas Residents
Contemporary public spaces are defined, as the residual places that come from the abandonment of industries or unplanned growth of infrastrcuture. The large multi-functional voids, should be strategically reconsidered as new shared public spaces, where the integration
between different functions lead to reactivate new forms of re-using of built space on shared spaces.
No-one owns a Public Spaces, its a Shared Space!
The Gist To reestablish public space means, on one hand, to transform open spaces into representative places for the community, in capacitors of symbolic meanings and values, on the other, to work “according to a logic of metamorphosis of the open space� (GREGOTTI, 1993. 95), with minimum actions, inserts and stratifications that are able to work on preexisting buildings. The abandoned open spaces, the real places of
contemporary experimentation, are considered suspended and incomplete spaces, in particular they become a background against which to arrange individual architectures. The design of open spaces is organized through a strategy for inserts, acting in the spaces between things that becomes the link between constructed spaces and spaces of relationship: foundational element of an idea of connective tissue on which these spaces are based.
Mix-mode commuting hub
Sarai Kale Khan, New Delhi Design Studio ‘15 group of two Its is in and around the domain of Railway Station that a person encounters a city. It carries an essence of the city. Sarai Kale Khan is the place where different commuting modes are setting up in conjunction. It is an important area where commuting at all levels across the city, state and nation happens. Periphery of such place, are the most suit-
able grounds for commuters to use various other utilities [lodges, hotels, dorms, eateries, etc.]; however the existing infrastructure and utilities are over extended and incapable of handling any expansion, several problems have accumulated over the period of time and developing congestion due to highly contested spaces.
Sarai Kale Khan sits at the southern point on the city. It act as the gateway to rest of the city for people commuting from eastern city which is across the river Yamuna. While the Nizamuddi n railway station is another focal point for people arriving from southern and central parts of India. Site sits on the foreground of the Humayun tomb make it unique in nature, and metaphorically it can be said, this site provides a vibrant visual experience to all the commuters of city’s composite nature. However, ground reality is bit harsh, rampant unauthorized habitat development, and incoherent and disconnected transport hub has made situation uncomprehending for both commuters and residents. Sarai Kale Khan consist residential area along with four major transport unit sandwiched between park on east and barren land on west. The four major transport component are a) Nizamuddin railway station b) Rapid regional transit system[RRTS] connecting fast developing towns c) Delhi metro, plying along ring road d) Bus depot plying Inter-state and intra state.
the existing small unrecognized settlement has been urfurling with ever increasing unorganized commercial activity caterting to labor community, which sooner will get diminish as metro construction gets over . There’s heavy pressure on incoherent transport infrastructure, and government’s expansion plan of ISBT and railway station is again spread out on taking huge chunk land ; is unjusitifiable. With problems identified, this urban design scheme calls for an action plan to reduce the rampant land consumption. The proposal declare stacking of several
commuting programmes like layers into one large built mass which. A huge transport hub, catering commuters to railway station, inter-state and intra state bus services, city metro and regional rapid transit system. The multi transit hub is aligned as a pointer to the heritage site which lies beyond the railway line. This position also sympthaize with the strip of green land running along the railway line to enter into the site and creating more breathable environment for commuters and settlement placed after the MT hub.
Secretariat Office Extension Sunheri Bagh, New Delhi Thesis ‘15 Political intolerance is rapidly gripping the capital, and this in a way affecting the growth of physical aspects of the city; this thesis was built on the discussion with my peers, family, and my guides.
PROLOGUE A city always have layers, depicting changes it had gone through and is how it is adapting to new challenges of future. Architecture is an instrument like carbon dating method, which clearly helps deduce pasterns and evolution of any settlement. However recently, there’s a sheer lack of state’s involvement in developing new office avenues is clearly visible. Existing infrastructure is overburdened.
Growth is natural but to respect it in physical form is also a requirement. It’s clearly visible, State is not a patron anymore to democratic development. New Delhi’s Lutyen’s zone is one prime example of being a fish glass box; for protective government class. The function of Delhi has changed since this Lutyen’s design was crystalized. Delhi has changed from being an imperial capital to democratic capital of a republic.
“Densification is inevitable and welcome. The only difficulty that arises is how to weave this (Lutyen’s Zone) into the existing heroic pattern and not to make the whole this silly or suburban, or just a colossal bore.” _ Gorden Cullen, Ninth Delhi. 1961
PROJECT The project is a national secretariat office building.
coordination. At present, wings of many ministries and departments spread across many parts of the city.]__TNN, 5Nov, 2014
[The central government plans to build a massive new secretariat spread over nearly 10 acres in the Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone to overcome an officespace shortage of about 2 lakh square meter. The idea is to bring all wings of every ministry or department in one building for efficient delivery and better intradepartmental
This thesis engages intersecting themes of political ideology, culture and evolution in contemporary city forms; also it might just answer why there are fracture in city’s identity,urban form evolution and sustenance.
RESEARCH The period since the 1960’s has been an era in which issues of cultural identity have also been raised, not only in India, but also in countries, such as France, which felt culturally threatened by changes taking place in and around them. Perhaps the fundamental problem with the Modern movement was that architects used the forms of buildings and urban designs as a symbol of progress and democracy rather than attempting to
deal with the broader array of human needs. The geometric patterns of Modernism became used as a set of types for all architectural works by a number of architects. The patterns of these buildings became embedded in the minds of the clients as expressions of progress. Much of the continuing Modernist work consists of commercial buildings, some of which stand out because of their distinctive character. This character may arise from their location-they are single
towers in an otherwise lower scaled built environment or they have a design different from the norm. Buildings as the LIC by Charles Correa in CP. It is a stone and mirror glass building under a steel framed parasol set on a podium and dwarfs the Connaught circus buildings designed by Tor Russell, is substantially different from their surrounding as well as from standard commercial buildings. Together with the state trading corporation by Raj Rewal contributed to the dramatic new profile of the city center. In contrast, the aim to develop the Mall, to fit in with the architecture of Lutyens and Baker without being same seem to be a heavy-handed attempts to capture the essence. Vigyan Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan use chajjas and chattri and are topped with domes, are just imitation at its worst. They with their image only keeps the country tied to old systems of bureaucracy, never tries to strive towards
new adventure in future. These also not are a reminder to new democratic India. At independence, India though itself as something special, a country that would evolve into something unique. Much remains to be done to achieve this end. Architects will need to deal with ways of life, new technologies; there is a need to seek new architectural ways even as the past remains with us ( Jon Lang,2002).
PROGRAMME Programming and design have a reciprocal relationship, each necessarily informs the other. Methods of drafting a program are unique, depending on a number of issues, type of project, scale of project, client, etc. The progamme is driven by the news published, which requires a total floor space of 2lakh Sqmtr. To refine this total area, a broad outlines of the program has been derived from the present distribution of functions by the project architect. To interweave the functions in such a way that the space created is not monotonous for the user. At the same time it is able to segregate all conflicting uses such as: -Pedestrian and Vehicular -Public, Officials -Emergency Services -Catering Services The program when observed carefully, incorporates a very high circulation area. It is of utmost importance to be able to respond to this with the greatest of caution. Such a large program, can be reinterpreted as an urban design development. It is important to be able to respond boldly to such area distributions and not get caught with small gestures that do not contribute to anything in the bigger sense.
SITES There is a suggestion to built in Pragati Maidan, by completely removing the building which occupies the site. second option is, Lodhi Colony, the site which presently has a housing colony for approximately 1100 people. However for my thesis, after due deliberation, the site chosen is Sunheri Bagh,which is currently occupied by bungalows of naval officers. Sunheri Bagh is the most suitable site out of three. The location is near to the major national institutional and administrative offices and the traffic condition is not serious as the other site possess. Inferences: The proposed construct is a part of the new governance system to bring all the scattered houses of ministry under single roof for better functioning. There is dense vegetation majorly on site’s periphery. A careful approach needs to taken to respect the vegetation present. The topography of the site is fairly flat. Primary access to the site is from the 20 m road [Motilal Nehru Road] along the longer side of the site in Northeast-southwest direction. There is a height restriction of 34m, directed in the master plan; if building have to be higher than the height of India Gate, permission need to be taken from DUAC.
INTENTION Post-independence designs for new architecture have drawn heavily from this style in an attempt to complement the existing fabric. Consequently, the immovability and opacity of the Government apparatus has been metaphorically engrained into the stone facades of nearly all civic architecture erected post-independence. Hence design should strive to take care of society, city and as a point of departure. And to bring society’s attention to the possible future nature of public realm , its relation to private realm, and possibilities that might be achieved
Professional Work
Chapman Taylor Junior Architect 1 March ‘16 --
Currently working/developing concept design for a invited competition for High Court in Ahmedabad. Develeoped 3Ds, and worked out a tentative area programme and designed few interior layouts.
As previously interned, got some valuable insight into the working way of this particular field of exhibitions. This time I was asked to handle almost every aspect of this project (post-designing).
Sconce India
Freelance 10 Dec ‘15 -- 10 Feb ‘16
1. Develeoped 3Ds, electrical layout, constrution drawings for the Exhibition Project for Mahindra & Hyundai in AutoExpo ‘16. 2. Establishing understanding of work and materials with several vendors; prepared BOQs. 3. Managed exhibition related installation production in factory and other on-site assembly of exhibition.
Sconce India
Internship semester 15 Dec ‘13 -- 10 Feb ‘14
1. Develeoped 3Ds, electrical layout, constrution drawings for the Exhibition Project for Mahindra in AutoExpo ‘14. 2. Managed exhibition related installation production in factory and other on-site assembly of exhibition.
Spidergrass collective Internship semester 18 Feb ‘14 -- 10 May ‘14
Amerkot @ Baghni for Mr. Yogesh Gupta Managed and updated all floor plans as per by-laws and structural consultant’s suggestions and drawings Produced schematic 3Ds, working drawings, and layout drawings.
Grassmere @ Kandi, Palampur Updated all floor plans as per client’s suggestions and produced layout drawings, and some on-site works.
Pertamina Internship semester 23 May ‘14 -- 20 Jul ‘14
INTACH Winter Vacation 17 Dec ‘12 -- 8 Jan ‘13
Misc. Work These are some of the works of mine, liaise with architectural understanding, i have aquired over the period of five year.
[above]Lonely and Jaded Palace
Zafar Mahal(palace) the last resort of Mughals. BahadurShah Zafar had spent his years before being sent into exile by Britishers. Now this Palace stands weary in the middle of urban village in Mehrauli, Delhi.
Supraliminal in jakarta
[left]
The sensory feeling which is partly comprehensible, rest it’s better experienced rather trying decoding.
Mute bachelors of Chattisgarh [right]
An annual mela of young adults. The peculiar feature of this mela is, brides flock around to find bridegroom. male adults roams with a flower stuck on their ear, signifying unmarried. So if young lady like the guy they catch hold of him and run away for couple of days, to know each other.
Strong Cerebral, blurred vision
[below]
Sometimes memories retains some the most vivid sights.
Imagine the Sarai
[left]
Thework was done during the research work for seminar of site Sarai Kale Khan. A digital collage exploring the contemporary setting of a ‘Satai’.
Melodies in Heaven
[below]
Mumtaz imagined as she looks at Taj Mahal from Jannah.
Utopia
[top left]
Annual Collge fest poster.
SpacedOut
[top left]
Entry calling letter for College’s annual magazine. [bottom right]SMLXLHousing Poster Poster for housing, done by our group; for display at inter-college competition.
Shimla: Colonial Builts[2014-ongoing]
[bottom left]
Material designing and research work for book on Shimla’s last remaining Colonial buildings.