Architectural Portfolio - Raghuveer Ramesh

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Name: Raghuveer Ramesh Date and Place of Birth: 19.06.1987 Chennai Nationality: Indian Education: Master of Science in Architecture at Technical University of Delft

Address: 471, Roland Holstlaan, 2624 HM, Delft, The Netherlands Phone: 0031-685285510 E-Mail: raghuveer.ramesh@gmail.com



SADD (Graduate thesis) Housing Tomorrow (Undergraduate thesis) Living Plus Hill Housing

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01 united nations

environmental council - graduate thesis At the SADD (Strategic Architectural Design Development) studio we propose a sixth council for the United Nations, naming it the Environmental Council. The sixth council will have the power to accomplish the sustainable goals of the United Nations. The studio is about recognizing the possibilities and making the right choices in the period between the first notions of design and the final work. The project involves design at various scales ranging from a 1:5000 MasterPlan to a minute 1:5 window detail.

September 2011

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Site

Top - United Nations plot, Manhattan, New York Background image - The environmental council, frontal image of the building from the United Nations park

The graduation project involved 3 problem statements: 1. To generate a master plan that solves the existing problems around the plot and provide a better quality environment. 2. To design a public park in the plot serving the people of New York. 3. To design the UN Headquarters of Sustainability, or UN Environmental Council, in the existing United Nations Headquarters plot in New York City. The master plan was designed as a group. It involved addressing issues like lack of greener y, a discontinuous waterfront, security issues around the site, etc. The park was designed as a forecourt to the General Assembly building. The concept for the park was to design a space that could adapt itself to the desires of the visitors/ tourists who use it. A hard landscaped park with pockets of greener y and water features was designed. Rising blocks of different heights created in an informal arrangement creates elements of surprise as one takes a stroll.

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Building Design

1. The UN Park Forming the façade of one whole side of the park, it was important that the building’s massing had some sort of relation with the language of the park.

3. Solids and Voids The spaces in between the blocks are linked through glass patios, introduced in contrast with the solid volumes.

2. Design continuity Continuing along the concept of creating undulating blocks, the building has volumes springing up from the ground at different points and at different heights. The experience of unfolding spaces is also continued into the building, making the boundar y seamless.

4. The Environmental Council A louvered pavilion creates a gradual transtion from the open part to the building’s interiors. The glass patios are developed further with regard to functioning, structural design, climate concepts and spatial experiences. The programs and functioning of the building is worked out and volumes turn into floor slabs and facades that house various facilities.


Top - Conceptual sketches of the experience in the patios Left and Below - Visualizations of the entrance patio

A museum of lush green patios The concept of the building is to try to incorporate an office into a lush green space that would not only help in greatly improving the quality of the working environment but also the presence of the patios would ultimately work towards the sustainability of the complex. The theme is to make every user travel through patios that are filled with water and greenery to reach a certain function unit. It would be exemplary of rejuvenating ecology at the building site and maintaining a close relationship with nature.

The entrance patio The space is designed to create an experience similar to that of a museum; sophistication and simplicity are the norm. 10


Energy Concepts Winter situation - Climate design Primar y heating/ ventilation is fed into rooms from an AHU whose load is reduced by the use of an earth duct. The exhaust is let into the atriums and the heat is recovered by heat collectors on the glazed roof. Under floor heating pipes are used for secondar y heating, further reducing the energy loads.

Summer situation - Climate design

Similar to the process during winter, the exhaust air let into the atriums is partially let out to the atmosphere and partially stored underground. Climate ceilings using cold water stored in the aquifiers underground help in Secondar y cooling.

Water management and Daylighting Rain water is collected from the extensive gable roof and fed into the patios. The soil acts as a cleansing biotope and initially used in the mini ponds as an aesthetic feature. The excess water is stored underground and later used for gardening, firefighting, etc. Daylight is used to provide natural lighting to the interiors. Decks provide shade during summer, while light shelves improve the lighting during winters. 11


While the exterior of the building is designed as a contrast between solids (concrete surfaces) and voids (glazed patios), the interiors are treated predominently with wooden facades and sprawling greener y to create a natural experience. The interior gardens balance temperature extremes; the garden also provides gorgeous views for relaxation and usable space for employees in the form of green working spaces. Apart from solving the energy concepts of the building, constructions details were also refined for choice of joiner y, materials and resolving structural and climatic design calculations.

Top Left- Conceptual sketches of the experience in the patios Left - Visualizations of the center court patio Below - Visualization of the experience in the center court patio

The center court

Pergolas and water ponds provide good relaxation spots. These green working spaces create the feeling of being sheltered in nature 12


Top - Sectional detail perspective of inner facade Left - Inner facade detail

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Top Left and Right - Model of the United Nations Environmental Council with the UN park Background image - Close up of the entrance part of United Nations Environmental Council



Top - View of the mid segment of the residential tower Right - A birds eye view of the housing project on the site

02 housing

tomorrow - under graduate thesis

The choice of high rise living space available to the newest generation of city dwellers is considered as some of the most desirable properties available in cities throughout the world. This residential tower project located in Mumbai, whose land area is approximately 450 sqkms, is one of the most densely-populated cities in the world. The design rethinks strategies for investigating residential design from macro - to - micro scales ranging from urban — promoting broader physical interconnectivity; communal — exploiting an interaction of units with shared facilities; and internal — examining the interior particularity of the unit, individual, or family in housing design toward promoting identity, ownership, privacy and intimacy. 16

January 2010



Top - A birds eye view of the housing project on the site Left - Conceptual design for apartment types at different sections of the tower Right - Example of a 4 Bedroom apartment design for the mid segment of the residential tower


The project site is located around a sea of slum rehabilitation and low income housing blocks. Designing a set of high luxur y residential towers amidst these housing blocks, factors like terrain on the site, approach to the site, easy connectivity to the city center and the environmental impact of the tower like the inclusion of 200 new sets of families in the small site; all played a pivotal role in the positioning of the base of the tower and the over-all urban design of the project. The design of the apartments within the tower themselves are based on various design elements like differing sit-outs, cantilevered balconies, scooped out community hubs, projecting rooms, staggered spaces and also stepped terrace housing blocks.

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Unlike low rise apartments or neighborhoods, the design of communal spaces is quite a challenge in a skyscraper. A vertical tower of such magnitude would require these interaction zones laid out vertically at various intervals that cater to a hub of residences. The design ensures housing is still maintained as a community and lush urban oasis with public gardens create a network of communal spaces across the vertical section of the tower. Left - Design portraying various scooped out portions in the tower that contain community hubs across various sections Below - Plan and visualizations of one of the community hubs Right - Night time view of one of the towers, section and elevation


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Top - View of the elevated residential complex with the public realm below

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03 living

plus

As a part of the Architecture and Dwelling studio, “Living+� was my first project at Delft. It was about investigating the architecture of dwellings against the background of changing lifestyles and the issues of programmatic complexity and flexibility. Each of us had to choose an additional function and combine it with the dwelling program, ultimately creating a well integrated building. September 2011

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Site

Top - The long strip is the plot for design. Antwerp, Belgium Below - Design development diagrams

Working in a group of 2, we decided to combine the dwelling program with a set of publically accessible facilities. The site surrounded by museums, art galleries, auditoriums; providing us the opportunity to bring together these nodes around the site by creating a free public space. The final design would ultimately behave as one large cultural realm. Antwerp also has the 2nd highest immigrant population in the world. This led us to work on the theme “Living together with diversity ”. The concept of the public realm would be translated in smaller scales within chunks of residential units in the form of communal spaces comprising of mini auditoriums, club houses and indoor sports centers. The routing is also designed along the lines of “streets in the sky ” that would promote healthy interaction between residents and continue to live as a community.

1 Site for design

2 Cultural hub + Dwellings

4 Dwellings float above the public space 24

3 Creating the cultural realm

5 Refinement of massing in relation with surroundings

6 Final design is a spine on the water side with projecting and recessed blocks towards the city


Left Below- Schematic Section with different types of communal spaces in the design. Ground floor plan is a free public space with parks, amphitheatres, and mini galleries Below - Photos of the model describing the conceptual design

The dwellings float above the ground floor which is a public open space. The space is divided into different sections and a variety of public functions are introduced. The ground floor comprises of green landscaped parks, an excavated amphitheatre, art galleries and shops. The dwellings themselves share smaller theatres and other common spaces. 25


Left - Split up view of facade components Below - Sections at various points in the site Below - Split up view of structural pier and floor construction


Top and Right - Dwelling typologies - Sectional Perspectives

As the site was extremely long in proportion to its width, the arrangement of houses changes along the length creating interesting scenarios at ever y section. In the part of the site taken to detail further, 6 different typologies of dwellings were designed and arranged around a front yard that is a shared common space - to be used as a garden or a barbecue or even a mini play lot. With a fixed structural grid and a ducting system, it was possible to arrange these houses in various combinations, thus achieving an interesting faรงade image with non-monotonous repeating modular elements. With as many repetitive modules, the facades are pre-cast and inserted between the floor slabs with respect to the housing typology. 27



04 hill

housing

The project required the design of a residential neighbourhood on a hilly site and showcased an architecture that not only blends with its natural landscape but one that used its surroundings to enhance its functionality. The site had steep contours and dense vegetation. After analyzing the site, the plot was zoned into two halves; one having small valleys and the other a steep slope. The specific location of blocks in the design was decided after weighing the pros and cons in ever y section of the site. To retain the lush vegetation, areas with least tree cover were marked for the placement of blocks. Housing design typologies were optimized for different areas in the site. August 2009

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Top - Concept sketch of buildings seamlessly merging into the site Below - Visualization of the apartment blocks on the terrain

The residences in the valley section were designed as circular apartment blocks to achieve the best possible views in all directions. The housing units were cantilevered from the central access core of the structure from the first level onwards. Thus, by minimizing the building foot print and by strategically locating the blocks, ground damage is reduced, thereby leaving most of the vegetation undisturbed. Ramps and stepped walkways create an ambience of living in the woods, and allow one to experience the natural beauty and appreciate the organic nature of the design. Since the buildings were set in a forest environment, my aim was to subtly merge the structures into the surroundings. For this, vertical louvers are clad on the expansive glass curtain walls, thus behaving as screening devices and at the same time blend with the tall trees around.


Top - View of the living room in the circular apartment Below - Site Plan and Site Section

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While one half of the site with the valley is designed with circular apartments, the other half in the steep slope is designed in a row-housing pattern. All houses stick out from the terrain and look onto the deep mountain ranges. Faรงade design was another key component in the design project that fascinated me. Facing the northern direction and receiving diffused sunlight, the faรงades are glazed completely to get seamless views of the surrounding landscape with minimal direct impact of the sun.

Right - Floor Plans - 3 bedroom and 4 bedroom apartments Below - View of the row-houses on the steep part of the terrain


Internship at MindSpace

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Top - Visualization of the residential apartments at the site (Source - Architype3d)


05 intern

MindSpace

at

As a part of my practical training, I worked at Mindspace, an architectural firm based in Bangalore, India for 5 months (June to October 2008). The firm is led by architect Sanjay Mohe, Indian Architect of the year 2008, who has also been my inspiration and role model ever since I entered the field of architecture. Here I worked on a large scale residential project that involved the design of 200 apartments, a club house and other facilities for the residents. June 2008

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Top and left - Facade study models Below - Site sections

My first assignment at the firm was to work on the faรงade design. A number of faรงade study models were built to work on the proportions of the different geometrical elements. The faรงade is made of simple planes and the emphasis is on layers of solid and void surfaces. The massing for the design is based on making use of an advantage in the building regulations for the city were double height semi-open spaces are not calculated in the floor area ratio (FAR).

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The reminder of the internship, I worked on layout designs, scheme drawings, digital visualizations and a complete set of construction drawings for the whole residential complex. Working schematically has transformed my perception of design from fancy forms, aesthetically dressed facades and merely satisfying function, to spaces that emote one’s senses and solving function through architectonic strategies.

Top - Visualization of one of the apartment blocks with a walk through space below (Source - Architype3d) Right - Floor plans to construction drawing detail 37


Top - Visialization of the clubhouse (Source - Architype3d) and floor plans

The design of the clubhouse was a composition of simple geometrical cuboids, floating and connected by bridges. The size of each cuboid was based on the standard dimensions of the functional space it housed. For example, if it contained a badminton court, then its size would be based on the standard height, length and width of the court. The terraces and shaded parts were used for commercial and social activities like restaurants and media centers.

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Public Realm Media Tower

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Architecture Art Modernism

Post -Modernism

Top - Design concept Right - The building as a sculpture, as seen from the open air theatre

06 public

design - 1st Place

The SIDC (South India Design Competition) project specifically called for a design to be in “blobitecture” style (design dominated by bulbous shapes and curvy forms). The concept was to design a sculpture that encompasses usable public space. The evolution of the design could be described as: roots of architecture lying in art – blobitecture allows art to detach itself from fundamental expression – mould architecture with art – results in esoteric and sensual architecture – articulated design of the building with algorithmic structures that support itself on repeating arches. 40

September 2009

realm

Blobitecture

Building as a sculpture




Left - Visualization of the deck spaces inserted in between the arched network Right - Elevation, section and ground floor plan Below - The entire “sculpture� revolves around a tree, which is the central element of the design

Cross connecting arches create virtual blobs providing the opportunity to introduce spaces within this structural framework. Tensile roofs with acr ylic sheets provide the necessar y shelter. The framework of the structure is computer generated to create a system of arches that loop and support other arches in a continuous and non-terminating manner. Spaces are parasites in this structure containing various public facilities and relaxation spaces. They suspend from these arches in the form of decks.

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Right - The Media tower and its digital facade Top - Ground floor exhibition of the latest developments in the media world

07 media

The competition organized by St. Gobain Glass Company called for the design of a 225m tall tower for the World expo on media and technology. Apart from containing exhibition spaces and a museum that promotes recent advancements in the field of media technology, the tower also houses a hotel, a restaurant and a night club. All the programs in the tower would be designed under the theme of a mediaplex using latest technologies and aim to create a true digital experience. 44

November 2008

tower



Section

Section showing the zoning of pods

The 225m tall tower is a representation of the direction our future is headed. Located in Bangalore, one of the most vibrant cities in India, the Mediaplex would be a symbol of what the city is all about. With no tall structures around in the city, the tower does not intend to be a competitor to the city ’s traditions but rather in dialogue with it. The tower is wrapped with glass panes of different transparencies and supported with a complex steel framework. The glass panes metaphorically represent the multi-cultural people in Bangalore and the complex framework that of the city itself.


Section explaining sustainability features

Elevation

Various spaces inside the tower are designed in the form of pods, vertically split with intermediate voids that could be described as green, floating gardens. For example, the night club with interactive lights and responsive lighting overlooks the dancing floor which is dim, cozy and the illuminated city provides a backdrop through the clear glass facades. Left - Night club with the digital screen tables and interactive lights on the wall Below - Looking down into the hotel lobby from the floating gardens

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Top 1 - The exhibition pod with an interactive digital screen wrapped around the core Top 2 - View of the restaurant pod


Light Architecture Architectural Studies Building Technology Beyond 3d Architectural Photography

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Right - Proposed lighting design in the square during winter Top - Day and night images of the Beestal markt square, Delft Photo: Personal collection

08 light

architecture

The course required us to work out a lighting plan and design for a public space that would improve the quality of the environment. The location chosen was Beestal markt, in the old city centre of Delft, Netherlands. It is a square filled with trees and surrounded by many cafĂŠs and restaurants. Even though Delft has a vibrant night life, the square seems to be dormant during the night. The aim is to infuse a sense of life into the square to rejuvenate the night life, to bring in more users and create a conducive atmosphere for all seasons through the year. 50

February 2011




Looking at the way the square was used in different seasons, the idea was to have a seperate scheme for summer and winter. Overall the motive of the design was to express an environment bustling with energy and create a happy festive mood at all times.

Left - Proposed lighting design in the square during summer Bottom - Lighting in the edge of the square and the sheet lights on the celinigs of the canopies of restaurant terraces

Through the use of grid lighting on the floor and along the edges in the elevation, the square is highlighted. During summers, the green canopy is illuminated and restaurants have a sheet of light in the ceilings. In winters, an artificial canopy is created by inverted candle like Led lights.

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Central court - Residence Buffalo, Paris Photo source: Fernand Pouillon website

09 architectural studies

Each group was provided with a building, in our case the Residence Buffalo in the suburbs of Paris, a design by architect Fernand Pouillon. The brief called for a single drawing that brought out a specific quality of the respective project. The quality expressed here is that of the building’s massing and its relative design of open spaces around it (inside and outside). 54

September 201



Glare on a sunny day, BK City Photo: Personal collection

10 building technology

The course called for a redesign of any component of my Architectural faculty (BK City) that would improve the building’s performance through its visual quality. I chose lighting and designed to retrofit the long windows of the faculty with holographic glazing. A thorough research on the working of a hologram and its adaptability as an architectural element was investigated. After studying the angles of incidence of the sun and required relative positions of the hologram, a structural detail was solved. The use of holographic windows not only creates visuals on the façade but converts direct light to diffused light and thus improving the quality of light in the work environment as well. 56

September 2010



Arcam, Amsterdam Photo source: Luuk Kramer

11 beyond

The aim of the project was to choose an existing building along with a choice of a particular mood theme and recreate the scene through computer visualization. The course helps develop 3- dimensional modeling and rendering skills. Arcam in Amsterdam was choson as the building and the theme - a stormy night. I particularly chose this combination for the project, as it combined the two major challenges in digital visualizations - complex form modeling and a night time render. 58

February 2011

3d



Left - Reflection of the Fernsehturm Berlin, Berlin Right - 100 11th Avenue, New York

12 architectural photography

Photography started as a hobby and quickly grew into something I became ver y passionate about. I enjoy shooting interior spaces in buildings and architectural elements on facades or on a building’s massing. The image through the view finder has helped me improve my perception of spaces, the magical quality that natural light can produce and even how specific geometr y can stimulate one’s senses. Architectural photography has certainly helped me become a better designer. 60



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1. Reichstag Dome, Berlin 2. World Trumph Tower, New York 3. The New York Times building, New York 4. Mercedes Benz Museum, Stuttgart 5. GSW Headquarters, Berlin 6. Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan 7. St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice 8. Mobile Art Exhibition outside Arab World Institute, Paris


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Raghuveer Ramesh Architectural Portfolio 2005 - 2012


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