Portfolio by Riya Parekh

PAREKH RIYA Architecture Portfolio

RIYA PAREKH

p ho n e :

(+1) 2 01-3 49- 87 74

e -mai l:

rrp are k h96@g m a i l .c o m rri yaaz . b lo g s p ot .c o m

b lo g:

WORK EXPERIENCE Library Assistant | Littman Library, NJIT | Sept 2021-Current Circulation of Library materials, maintaining stacks, posting flyers.

Junior Architect | Center for Building Knowledge, NJIT | June-Sept 2021 Facilities Conditions Assessment for Newark Public Schools(NPS) - 3D scanning entire school using Matterport camera, 3D modelling of all schools in Revit, creating database in the NPS App and giving feedback for improving team effort.

Project Executive & Associate Editor | Good Governance India Foundation, Mumbai-Bangalore | Jan-Feb 2020

An aspiring contemporary architect who has passion for design and research. I am motivated by discussions on space in the urban context and interested in designing new ways of constructing space in the built environment.

Manual:

Hand Drafting | Sketching | Model Making

VOLUNTEER WORK Painting Panels at Vile Parle Railway Station, Mumbai

Content creator for 16th Municipalika event - managing and co-ordinating all tasks related to conferences for a large travelling exposition and responsible for successful completion of appointed panel on the days of the expo. Research and Writing on the ‘Smart Cities Mission’ and sub-urban topics related to India, for monthly magazine viz. Urban News Digest (UND).

Research Assistant | “Dencity”, Durham University, UK | Nov-Dec 2019

Research on density & waste, with Dr. Priyam Tripathy - Interviewing residents of the slums near Mumbai’s largest dumping grounds ‘Deonar’, creating analytical sections and perspective of streets and writing brief observations of daily life.

Intern | Nitin Killawala and Associates, Mumbai | Oct 2017-April 2018

Tasks - design alteration drawings & attending client meetings for a school under construction, Working Drawings for pharmaceutical companies, Design and Master Plan with head architect for a university project in Gujarat.

Student Assistant | School of Environment and Architecture, Mumbai | June-July 2015 Digitization climatology notes using AutoCad, Transcription of guest lectures, E-library Database for school library, Editing content for school website.

EVENTS Panelist | Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai | Jan 02-04, 2020 I was invited to India’s most renowned research Institutions based on my work on Gender and Educational Institutes, for a 3 day series called ‘A Room of One’s Own: Challenging Poor Women’s Marginalisation in Urban Housing Regimes in India’

Student Work & Exhibition | AIA, Center for Architecture, New York | Oct 26, 2021 A one day exhibition of select student works from NJIT & Pratt Institute and panel discussion at the event - Wasted: Living with Trash

PUBLICATIONS NJIT’s Hillier College of Architecture and Design Fall 2021 Super Review Showcases Civic Engagement and Climate Action, Archinect | Dec 2019 Mumbai Modern Poster, SEA Press | 2016

INTERESTS

Cinema

Book Making

Cooking

Yoga

Photography

Travel

CONTENTS

BRIGHTFIELD

COURTYARDS OF CARE

COLLABORATION WITH GSA

GENDERED UNIVERSITIES

WATER & PUBLIC SPACE

PROFESSIONAL WORK

OTHER WORKS

Image - Earthworm, using bamboo and jute on the cover - artwork by author

BRIGHTFIELD Data and Energy School, Dayton, Newark

Newark, NJ’s data and energy resources have been concentrated in its heavily invested Downtown District. This uneven distribution of a resource that in modern day is essential for work and education, has created data deserts in communities in need. One of these areas happened to be the Dayton Neighborhood, specifically the Seth Boyden Site. Newark 2050 is a network of energy hubs that redefine Newark as more than its downtown region. It is a take on a decentralized urban framework.

The Green New Deal brings to light the changing climate, its impacts and affects. As we adapt to the change we realise that standard education is no longer the only requirement. More so in 2050 basic knowledge about sustainability, solar power and green energy will become a necessity. The Data and Energy School, promotes creative thinking and sensitive learning towards the environment along with the standard middle school education. The students joining the school will be children from families living in the Dayton neighbourhood, additionally hosting students from lowincome families. The coursework is shaped for students moving towards careers in sciences, data, sustainability, analysis, etc. 1

Exploratory Drawing 2

CURRENT DATA & ENERGY AVAILABILITY

REIMAGINING-EQUITABLE DATA & ENERGY DISTRIBUTION

Group work - Anna, Miluska, Riya, Sara Resource & Method - GIS & Illustrator 4

TOOLKIT

Solar Panels

CONCEPT DIAGRAMS

Green

Green Corridors

Accessibility

Green Corridors

Division

Internet Stations

Solar Tiles + Data Stations

Sun Energy Utilization

Use

Sun Path

Solar Energy

First Floor Plan

Above - Transverse Section Below - Longitudinal Section 6

TITLE : Location :

View of the Courtyard 8

COURTYARDS OF CARE Old and Orphanage Home, Dadar, India

Present Condition - Orphanages and Old Age Homes not only lack privacy but also suffer from no space for recreational purposes. The common area is usually large and inward-looking. This limits the possibility for intimate conversations and small scale activities. The living spaces are compartmentalized. They are bleak and inhospitable. While these organizations are functional in terms of safety and care giving to its minimum, they meagerly encourage public participation and interaction with the neighbourhood.

The project is a hybrid of an orphanage and an old age home. It is a collective space that inhabits different social groups and opens up the opportunity for day to day public interaction. The project moves beyond the utilitarian idea of old age and orphanage homes. It is a complex that enables various social groups to do series of activities together and privately. The old and the young age groups are intertwined in a way that both are caring and care giving bodies simultaneously.

Exploratory Drawing Hand drawn 33’’x46’’ 10

TITLE : Location :

Transverse Section

Longitudinal Section

Ground Floor Plan

Longitudinal Section 12

EXTERNAL WALL SECTION - LIBRARY

Model Material - plywood base, mount board, watch makers Method - Laser cut, hand assembly 14

COLLABORATION WITH GSA New Green District, Downtown, Newark

The Fall 2021 Urban Design studio was focused on developing a district scaled framework for Newark’s civic center. The project included working in collaboration with the United States General Service Administration (GSA), the City of Newark and local stakeholders. The district consists of an “urban ensemble” of buildings including the Rodino Federal Building, the Lautenberg Post Office, the MLK Courthouse, Newark City Hall.

Broad St. Station Washington Park

Military Park NJPAC Military Park. Station Lincoln Park

Prudential

Civic Core

Newark Penn Station

Newark is divided into single-use micro-districts that are clustered and isolated by limited public transit. High school students, immigrants, residents, judges, federal workers and employees are important stakeholders of the district. They bring various activities to the site. However, the public realm is not fully equipped to handle these needs, resulting in unwelcoming situations.

We propose the following urban design framework A network of improved green streets, with a major green spine running east to west, and north-south corridors, each with its own speed and character. An expanded security belt, with blue-green safety buffers, and new gateways. An activated and improved public realm, with new paving, crossings, street furniture and art! 3D printed Newark model with aerial projection 15

Credits - Aleksandra Czyrsznic, Samantha Garcia, Anuradha Kadam, Vishva Modi, Dana Naim, Riya Parekh, Kesha Patel, Ebony Payne, Tamalie Ranatunga, Iman Syed, Terevina Tawdroos, Hussain Qureshi

Framework

Demonstration Projects 16

PEOPLE’S PLACE

The civic core is used by every person residing in Newark and also by people coming from outside. On any particular day in Newark, the civic core should be a place for the people, where they feel welcomed, find relief and spend time.

EXISTING

PROPOSED

GENDERED UNIVERSITIES Women’s Hostel, Vijaywada, India

Between 1950s-70s, several SNIPPETS OF MY OBSERVATION universities and institutes for higher education were established in Vijayawada city. Gendering of physical space emerges as one of the striking features of many of these, if not all, educational campuses. Through extended conversations with women students, teachers and administrators in V. R. Siddhartha College of Engineering, I examined the spatial manifestations of stated and implicit rules of gender “We aren’t allowed to stay in the segregation on the educational college premises after working campus, how certain building hours” typologies have shaped gendered use of space, and how gendered behaviours and perceptions manifest in space. The women hostel was an intriguing building typology that shaped a forced and implied gendered use of space, and pupil’s behaviours.

The study raises design provocations about transforming existing and shaping new hostel typology that combines open and recreational spaces in ways that are sensitive to the desires of women students.

“The security guard won’t allow us to sit here together”

“Men and women must walk separately” 19

Existing Hostel Typology Hand drawn 8’’x8’’ 20

POEM OF FEMALE DESIRES

She sits cramped inside a tiny space, in a room that feels like jail. She comes back before dusk, or faces the scorn of the warden. She can’t go home on the weekend, mobile phone is her only friend. She is not allowed to meet male friends, in a hostel that feels like a trap. She wishes a house with terrace to see the rising sun, to watch the street affairs, to gossip with fellow friends.

House with Balconies

She wishes a house with balconies to enjoy the evening tea, to look out into the courtyard, to see the ground from different levels. She wishes a house wrapped around trees to pluck a flower whilst climbing the stairs, to sit under a tree in her verandah, to stroll on the mowed grass of her house. She wishes a house to cook to trade the taste of different cuisines, to savor a feast under the sky, to cook together with friends. She wishes a house with a garden to grow roses for friends, to watch the flowers bloom, to walk through the garden into her house. She wishes a house with a sky view to view the starry sky, to sleep under the sky on a summer night, to be alone and with friends as well.

House with Garden

She wishes a house with solitude, to have her private place, to read a book in her court, to feel calmness around her. She wishes a house that changes inside to enjoy with friends but also with self, to shift the walls inside, to use the house as multipurpose. She wishes a house for visitors to party with friends on the weekend, to hangout in open and closed spaces, to meet her parents and siblings. Above is a poem I wrote, as a form of manifestation of many hidden desires of women living in the hostel. 21 House which changes inside

House to meet visitiors

House wrapped around trees

House to cook

House with Terrace

House forms derived from the poem Hand drawn 23’’ x 24’ 22 House with sky view

House with solitude

WATER & PUBLIC SPACE River Revitalization Project, Athens, Greece

In the municipality of Acharnes, the flow of Hadrian’s Aqueduct crosses the Helidonous River and becomes visible in the small above-ground dome of a well. If you trace the aqueduct’s path from Leropigis Street, you will find a small forgotten part of Athens municipality. The Helidonous River area is especially beautiful, and brings a new identity to Athens. Industries, commerce, and family residences all sit within half a mile radius of the river. The river’s natural beauty is starkly different from its adjacent neighbourhood - suddenly from the chaos of the industries you are met with a serene water body shaded by dense tree foliage.

However, the nearby industrial activities have had a negative impact on the site. The site is subject to partial deforestation and industrial runoff which contaminates the water. The River Revitalization Program will incrementally restore and protect this precious landscape and serve as a community gathering space. The program thus includes nature trails along both sides of Kiffissou River, it will be advertised with billboards across the city and a mobile app to avail the trail information and activities.

Sites along the Hadrian Aqueduct Class of 2021 23

SITE PROGRAMMING

Site Prorgam Illustrations 24

PROFESSIONAL WORK Internship @ Nitin Killawala & Associates, Mumbai

C 06

07 3525

08 2625

2625

3525

C67

C68

C64

C65

C66

C61

C62

5150

8000

C63

L.TOILET 2925X5000

C44 CILL +600MM

CLASS RM 02 6000 X 8000

CLASS RM 03 6000 X 8000

6000

670

8000

CLASS RM 01 6000 X 8000 6000

C26

C45

1500

5900

4400

5800

C27

C28

G.TOILET 2925X5000

C37

C47

1500

4925

4150

CHOWK

1500

L.TOILET 2925X5000

C48

C49

G.TOILET 2925X5000

TREAD : 300 RISER : 160

LVL ± 0.00 MTS

C36

C50 CILL +600MM

C40

C51 CILL +600MM

5900

RISER : 160

C35

6150

C58

C46

UP TREAD : 300 C38

6075

CLASS RM 07 6000 X 8000

C29

5800

CLASS RM 08 6000 X 8000

CLASS RM 09 6000 X 8000

6000

C30

6000 1500

C31

C52

CILL +600MM

5800

6000

C39

1500

C43 CILL +600MM

6225

8000

5800

C57

C56

LVL -1.15 MTS

1800

CILL +600MM

3000

C55

C53

6000

2700

1500

3080

C42

C41

6000 X 4925 8000

CHOWK

UTILITIES

KITCHEN 6000 X 4925 6000

CILL +1100MM

670

D E

C54

3000

05 6225

2700

04 6075

C60

CILL +1100MM

03 6150

19200

4925

5075

02 4150

4325

CAFE

C59

15300

1500 C32

C33

1500 5500

1500

6000

1200

C15

6000

C21

1500

± 0.00 MTS

6000

1500

C24

1500

6000

CLASS RM 10 6000 X 8000

CLASS RM 11 6000 X 8000

CLASS RM 12 6000 X 8000

20600

2500

C22

C16

ARRIVAL FOYER

C34

CILL +600MM

C20

1500

C23

1500

C17

VOID ABOVE

C19

7000

C18

17750

2500 7000

TEACHER'S 7000 X 7000

VOID ABOVE

PARTITION DETAILS WILL FOLLOW

TEACHER'S 7000 X 7000

C13

C14

SECURITY 3150X5900

UP 5800

5900

C1 1500

C2 CILL +600MM

3150

17000

5700

3.00 mts

W3 5700 X 2600 600 MM 2 W4 5600 X 2600 600 MM 2 W5 1200 X 2100 1100 MM 1 W5a 1500 X 2100 1100 MM 2

17000

SCHOOL BUILDING

2800

CAFE

900

STILTS ( ARRIVAL )

- 1.15 LVL

3300

CLASS ROOM

2500

GROUND FLOOR ± 0.0 LVL

CORRIDOR

CLASS ROOM

SECTION A

CLASS ROOM

3300

500

FIRST FLOOR + 3.30 LVL

CORRIDOR

CLASS ROOM

3300 10800

2100

SECOND FLOOR + 6.60 LVL

CLASS ROOM

3300

3300 9900

3300

LIBRARY + 1.65 LVL

TERRACE + 9.90 LVL

TERRACE

500

TERRACE

+ 4.95 LVL

SKYLIGHT

2100

3300

COMPUTER LAB

3300

M.S. RAILING

3300

900

TERRACE + 9.90 LVL

TERRACE

800

900

1700

700

1700

900

1700

900

SKY LIGHT

+ 8.25 LVL

PHYSICS LAB

10300

ARCHITECTS & PLANNERS PVT LTD

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

BIOLOGY LAB

18600

SHREEVALLABH ASHRAM'S NEW SCHOOL

CHEMISTRY LAB

3150

C10 CILL +600MM

78100

WIDE RAMP

DOOR SCHEDULE WINDOW SCHEDULE SIZE. NO'S NO. SIZE. CILL HT NO'S NO. W1 5800 X 2600 600 MM 6 D1 1500 X 2600 15 W2 5900 X 2600 600 MM 4 D1a 1500 X 2100 2

C9 CILL +600MM

3150

5800

C8 CILL +600MM

18450

TERRACE + 11.55 LVL

5900

CILL +600MM

10158

10300

5700

C3 CILL +600MM

3300

4050

2000

CLASS RM 06 6000 X 8000

3300

5150

CLASS RM 05 6000 X 8000

1500

5150

DROP - OFF

CLASS RM 04 6000 X 8000

5900

C12

8000

CILL+1100MM

C11

CLASS ROOM

SECOND FLOOR + 6.60 LVL

FIRST FLOOR + 3.30 LVL

GROUND FLOOR ± 0.0 LVL

SECTION B

TERRACE + 9.90 LVL

2100

TERRACE + 8.25 LVL

M.S. RAILING

ART + CRAFT

SECOND FLOOR + 6.60 LVL

+ 4.95 LVL 3300

500

2100

TERRACE

SOCIAL SCIENCE

+ 1.65 LVL 3300

2100

FIRST FLOOR + 3.30 LVL

500 2100

3300

9900 3300

3300

500

3300

900

TERRACE + 11.55 LVL

2800

2250

CILL +600MM

4230

C25

1500

7000

STILTS ( ARRIVAL ) CAFE

KITCHEN

- 1.15 LVL

SECURITY

EARTH FILLING

GROUND FLOOR ± 0.0 LVL

SECTION C

SHREEVALLABH ASHRAM'S NEW SCHOOL

SCHOOL BUILDING TERRACE LEVEL PLAN

26 ARCHITECTS & PLANNERS PVT LTD

OTHER WORKS A list of different electives and workshops

Standard Bank Centre, Johannesburg Structure: R.C.C Core, cantilevered beams 27

GLULAM -Stand/Coat hanger Model: Screw-less assembly using bending and glue

Rammed Earth (Batch of 2019) Seating spaces with Earth

Printmaking Apparatus: Leaf, Flowers, Stems

Nodal Model, Sidhpur, India Documenting the historic town of Gujarat

Model (Dhruv, Riya, Shivani, Shubham, Yash) Material: Balsa Wood (method - lazer cut) 28