CONGENIAL BIO-TECH SYNERGY
An approach developed for prototype generation at distinct scales to placate 21st century Urban Predicaments
BIONBLOB
An archetype of neofuture of cultural montaging
Rewari, India
BIONICITY
Delineating Urban Realm of Aerotropolis
Bangalore, India
AEROTROPOLIS MODEL
Urban
Critical infrastructure shortages
Rising Urban Population
Slum Development
City Saturation
For centuries, civilizations have flourished around transportation hubs. Our world’s first major commercial centers evolved largely around seaports. The next wave of development took place along rivers and canals, forming the backbones of the industrial revolution. The third wave occurred with railroads and the expansion of suburban highway systems created a fourth wave of development. We are now well into the fifth wave of transit-oriented development –where in the speed-driven and globally connected economy of the 21st century, airports are fast becoming the primary anchors of urban economic growth.
The design proposal which will be elaborated further is the development of a CITY OF CITIES. Connected through a well-knit rail loop network, the node to node transfer significantly reduces the travel time and caters to maximum carriage, deterring the private vehicular movement. In economics, the Jevons paradox occurs when technological progress increases the efficiency with which a resource is used (reducing the amount necessary for any one use), but the rate of consumption of that resource rises because of increasing demand. The areas surrounding these nodes will the natural settings of the ecosystem with the introduction to gardens with cycle and pedestrian tracks, forest reserves, eco- logical centers, bio diversity preservation reserves, sanctuaries etc. Thus making our lives in and around nature practically possible. Incorporating the city within the nature not the other way round is the most organic way of housing ourselves in this synergy.All this interwoven lace of nodes will be catered by a major airport, the central hub of all the major transports and globalizing modals.
Urban Agglomeration
Rising land prices
Urban time bombs
Excess pressure on limited resources
The project aims to counter such problems by proposing development guidelines across the border lines of the states thereby blurring the borders and promoting holistic growth of INDIA. The unification of all economic, industrial and IT sectors along the borderlines ensures that growth benefits multiple states and will be able to alleviate economic hierarchy of different states of India. A prototype based on Border Development Program can be replicated to form future model of cities with sustainability, technological, environmental, societal considerations.
Metropolitan Map of India
Location of proposed smart cities
BORDER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Predicaments
Blurring the boundaries with coeval growth of states
“An ambitious unprecedented cultural district greater than sum of its parts”
BIONBLOB An archetype of neofuture of cultural montaging
Rewari, India
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1
The Derivation
Planning for symbiosis of Industry and Sustainable Living
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4
5
Symbiosis
cross border cultural exchange Phygital Interaction
Heritage museum of the city
Business
Research
mixed use commercial hub
Plan of Rewari,Haryana, India
Exhibition Performance Nature
Fooditecture
Learning
Living
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Close proximity to 4 states of India that are Haryana, NCR, Rajasthan and UP establishing a perfect location for cross state interactions as well.
5a
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Performing Arts Centre
Locomotive Museum
Commercial Hub
_To safeguard and exchange of varied cultures from multiple states. _Re-enforcement of regional identity _An attraction to encourage relocation of organizations, industry and commerce in an area with subsequent employment benefits.
Rewari is famous for its locomotive museum and houses many India’s oldest working locomotives. Hence to preserve old ones and soon to be old ones I am proposing a rail museum arising from the current need of the hour of the place.
_Startup spaces can bring creative synergies together to innovate in their respective fields.
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8b
_self sustenance of the bionblob _one place for all ,all in one.
8c
B. Arch Thesis Design Proposal X Semester -Chandigarh College of Architecture Project year- 2018 Site Area- 25 Acres
Indian PM Mr. Narendra Modi commissioned Urban Planning department of India to develop 100 smart cities across the country as India is planning to proliferate its industrial ,manufacturing and economic sector. Simultaneously India will see the steep rise in urban population from 450 million in 2018 to predicted 700 million by 2040 according to UN department of social and economic affairs. Most conspicuously such imminent scenarios should be dealt well in advance with fully laid out plan integrating both industrial-economic growth and burgeoning urban population and cities not left to suffocate into technonised version of industrial towns of Europe during industrial revolution.The peruse of city planning should be retrospective in order to prevent mistakes of the past. The results after examining the past-present patterns and ever updating technology aims towards seamless integration of physical and digital realm. In future separate systems or zones for different architectural typologies will seam obsolete due to the changed dynamics of working and leisure. Emergence of mixed used buildings have already started to amalgamate but the congenial apogee of integration is still yet to be turned into reality. With this approach in mind i Envisaged new set of guidelines and designed Bionblob as the heart of new smart cities and the utopian border development program as a proposal for the location of development of new cities. The Border Development Program will serve as guiding macro proposal for the design proposal. The genesis of the name Bionblob itself derive from the approach taken to find the solutions for new city planning guide. Bion is a microorganism comprising an elementary form of life existing between life and non life and blob is a droplet , hence Bionblob can be defined as the drop of components of life floating in the ocean of industrial monoliths. Bionblob will form a new cultural anchor, in the emerging urban context of Rewari, whose buildings and connective public realm will be inhabited and activated by diverse forms of creativity, making, learning, performance, and interaction. The unprecedented collective presence of these cultural partners offers exciting opportunities to create a critical mass, new spaces for a new generation, with transformative power to generate uncharted innovations in the future.
Structures defining the inner and outer rims without constructing physical boundary to separate both and prompting directional influx between the two.
Embellishing inner rim with distinct and multi-functional piazzas for outdoor concerts ,performances, activities engaging varied end users from all four quadrants of the complex.
Activation of peripheral areas by fabricating an outer rim of leisure spaces to bolster diurnal and nocturnal activities by people residing in nearby areas
Entrances delineated from the visitor influx on distinct roads and creating seamless movement pattern for the end users accessing from different strata of nearby areas
Site Encrusting
Visitor and Audience entry to the museum and performing arts centre from the bus stand road
Entry for performers from the inner road
Visitor and passersby entry to the museum and commercial complex from the highway
Streamlining individual character
Orchestra
forms and connection
Performing Arts Centre
Locomotive Museum
Tubular approach for the movement of locomotives(when desired) in the whole museum making it a rail junction A smooth curved promenade replicating on track motion of locomotives
Commercial hub
Commercial hub will act as a plug-in to both performing arts centre and museum Character will be hybrid of individual character of both to form seamless composition
Geometries following effect of one entity into the other creating interactive voids in the process Following circular grid to create smooth finishes embellishing individual’s character
ating
ns
Percolating users into inner plazas from outer ring spaces
Maximizing the influx into the inner plazas and reciprocating to outer ring recreational spaces Design language started from individual character sketch coming to amalgamated dynamic curve linearity composition
Typical Layering
Open ended journey created as functions laid. Upon reaching the top after completely traversing the building ,nothing gets left to be seen or experienced giving abrupt climax to the journey
Mobius Strip
Creating 3d circulation patterns rather than its 2d counterpart Journey will conclude at its genesis forming the mobius strip traversing experience
Z axis layering equally important to x-axis or y-axis layering
Concurrence
imax cinemas PERFORMACE PERFORMACE PERFORMANCE
imax cinemas
FOYER
s
Outcome
Interactive zone- having railway diorama, operational simulations (where person can experience actual driving of locomotives), multimedia hall ,museum library and workshop area. Museum Galleries Admin Sector ,Museum shop and Cafe
imax cinemas
cafe cafe
retail retail retail retail retail retail retail retail
plaza
retailretail
OFFICE OFFICE OFFICE OFFICE
OFFICE
Performing Arts Centre The Performing arts centre rests on the rear node of the 3- part complex and its undulating architectural terrain. Its design is seamlessly molded to the Railway Museum and the Commercial Complex on the either side. The Performing arts centre's design has strategically evolved from the parametrically designed scheme of elements in the complex, with an embedded futuristic outlook, unfolding the future cultural possibilities for the nation.
The building has segregated on type of end users while keeping in check the movement around the complex. The public entrance is given from the north side central plaza which will serve as main hotspot of the complex due to its orientation and micro-climate. The entrance for the performers will be from southern side where they will have their separate waiting areas which will have direct access to performer’s spaces making their movement and loading-unloading hassle free.
The movement of the architectural composition, strategically directs the flow of people from different directions to the entrance of this grand theatre. The skylight above of the reception and the lounge area utilizes natural daylight in a delicate choreographing through the spaces in its beautiful intricate geometric patterns volumes and shades. The homogeneously fluidic planning of the Centre, directs the visitors to the central node which flows to The Grand Theatre and the Experimental theatre on the either side.
The edifice embodies an enlightened framework. The structure is composed of lighter materials, non rectilinear geometry for creating large column free spaces.
Secondary support skeleton setting out inner and outer skins accurately at their interface with the space frame. The inner skeleton substructure has been developed to incorporate a flexible connection (steel ball nodes) between rigid grid of spacial structure and sheathing seems freely.
Impressions
IMAX Cinemas with one side connected to The Emporium PA centre and the commercial hub Connected passageway
The Experimental Theatre based on IRCAM ,Paris The Grand Theatre Service floor for the experimental, grand theatre and imax cinemas Performer’s area including rehearsal rooms,green rooms and dressing room The Experimental Theatre Ribbon staircase wrapping the edifice to give multiple planes of accessibility with beautiful views guiding users to directly interact with the building rather than through means of defined function The glass fiber reinforced concrete and fiber glass polyester facade
Locomotive Museum The railway museum is one of the frontal landmarks of the panoramic architectural composition of the complex. As we progress towards the Museum Building , not only just the form strikes upon but also the sight of stationary and mobile locomotives, in the interiors and their in-out movement from the building , rushing the levels of curiosity. The Building envelope spikes out the curvilinear segments of the structure on the three of it's sides, curtained by fabricated glass, which provides a little glimpse as a prelude to what the museum has to offer.
The Grand Entrance welcomes you with one of the finest locomotives at display and leads to an entire floor of a hub of Mobile locomotives, to be seen and gotten upon to. The unconventional permutation of floors creating non uniform levels and combination of mezzanines, with the huge atrium space as the epicenter, is metaphorical to a mechanical instrument itself with its intricate algorithmic mechanism. The skylight roof is the major daylight source to the majority of the floor space. The outlooking glass punctures fit into the triangulated segments of the built form, are an extension to the building, connecting to the massive out doors, laid out with rail tracks and running locomotives. The building comprehensively blends the interiors to the exteriors.
The Crocodile framework composed of lighter materials for creating large column free spaces. Future Simulations Gallery Miniature Gallery
Transport and Signage Gallery Operational Systems Gallery History of locomotives Gallery Museum Library Locomotive engineering Gallery
Impressions
Multimedia hall Museum shop Museum Archives Administration Sector
Working Locomotive Arena
Light Tunnels to maximize intake of natural light
The Emporium In the 3- part complex, the mall is placed in between the two cultural nodes, the Railway Museum and the Performing Arts Centre. It is the connecting node of the three blocks, joining the Performing arts centre on its fourth floor level and linked to the Museum on ground level. As the mall picks up the architectural vocabulary from the two buildings, which is quite evident at the either end of its structure, these linkages between the three structures appear to be seamless and the entire architectural mass flows homogeneously from one to the other. The entire panoramic view of the structures, evenly directs the sight from one to the other, with variations so uniformly cohesive that it is easy to distinguish the different buildings but hard to tell where one finishes and the other joins in. The building follows the same architectural language as the other two, with its dynamic built mass and out-looking punctures to the exteriors which flow seamlessly in a curve motion, blending with the floor plates. The segregated segments' curtain, flow from a raging height and connect to the ground floor similar to a draping cloth. There is a certain sense of delicacy to this dynamic massive structure. Materiality of the structure plays a major part to create an opaque - translucent architectural profile. Sun lit atria, covered with the poly - geometric interconnected fabricated glass modules, arrest the day light on all the floors with the movement being swift as the sun change its trajectories. The geometric pattern create a kaleidoscope of geometric patterns with varied sizes and brightness.
Locomotive Museum Atrium
Central water plaza
Performing arts centre foyer
Locomotive museum
Museum gallery
Commercial Hub
The Mirror Pavilion
Garden of Scios
The Dome Of Meditation
BIONICITY
Delineating Urban Realm of Aerotropolis
Bangalore, India
Skyscraper Design Proposal
IX semester design assignment + eVolo2018 Project year- 2018 Site Area- 6000 Acres
The proposal is to envision the new age metamorphosing Aerotropolis (or airport city), aspiring to provide a unique revitalized urban condition to pragmatically eradicate the catastrophic contingencies associated with the ongoing worldwide issues concerning the urban development. In this project we re imagine our cities, as a paradigm of well distributed nodal development. The design of the interlaced 3-part prototype Residential Mixed use Tower Media and Culture Oriented Mixed Use Tower Business District relates to a bud emerging from the ground into a floret. The mega structure, though towering sky high, still tends to be well rooted to the ground (just like a tree)and the ecosystem surrounding it. The layering of the plates in the towers progress from the public oriented functions to more private with intermittent green belts of nature parks. The lower most layers comprise of the green belt which creates a gradual aesthetical transition from the piazza to the footings and then to the tower plates. On ascending, daily use retail stores and community centers are placed and on further ascending the dense layers housing various typologies of residences are inculcated. Huge green belt, creates a buffer between the private residences and the common public recreational amenities. This green belt specifically caters to the demands of the people to enjoy green parks and gardens, a less obvious sight in the growing metropolises.
Contemporary cities with densified public squares
Medieval cities with wide public squares
Peaceful suburban setting leading to healthy lifestyle
Equidistant planning with central airport
Shortest trajectories to the airport
Bringing suburbs directly in the main city
Small scale buildings for aiding airport, public engagement and natural ecosystems
Green fields for growing self sustaining food resource for the city
Urban forest on the periphery
Varying green spaces accounting for leisure, recreation and food growth
Outer Ring Development
Inner Ring Development
Configuration of rail loop network and roads under the loop
Vertical cities at the cardinal points on outer ring
City Network
#City of Cities #Forest City #treehousecity
Fusion of three settings rising to prosperous future living
Garden city concept By Ebenezer Howard for comparison of treatment of suburbs
Plan of Mumbai roads for comparison of ease of travel
Plan of Manhattan for comparison of density
Analogy
Coalescing
multiple facets of architecture based on positive additons with each other
_ evolution
Skyline
Comparison between typical skyline of typical high-rise city and the proposal
Vertical agglomeration Three Tier Microcosm pertaining to dynamic heuristics
rising to category specific mixed used towers
Twisting
leading to 360 degree view-ports by each tower and refraining direct views to each other at same level
Multiple Datum System
interaction at different levels of the building and equidistribtion of recreational facilities between upper and lower sections of the building
Multi-modal Hub
Datum plane as place for congregation of all communities from all three towers
Commercial Hub
Upper floors catering to more private usage of all towers
Configuration
Lower levels with varied facets specific to functional orientation of the towers
Datum at top most level for serving to more privatized congregation
Residential Tower
Penthouses
Multi Family apartments
Recreational
Apartments
Vertical Forest Retail Single Family apartments
Studio Apartments
Business District
Media and Culture oriented Mixed Use Tower
TWIN RIPPLES Redevelopment of two plazas of Sector 34
Chandigarh, India
Urban Redevelopment Proposal IX Semester -Chandigarh College of Architecture Project year- 2017 Site Area- 20 Acres
The project entails the ramifications of a finite Urban Ecosystem as it gets influenced with infinite human factors that evolve over time. Planned by master architect Le Corbusier, the city of Chandigarh has gone through major socio-economic changes over the last 60 years. The project focuses on one of the busiest business districts of the city- Sector 34. It was planned as the second biggest commercial sector of Chandigarh right after the City HeartSector 17. However over the years, due to its somewhat flexible bylaws and proximity to the fast growing neighboring satellite cities, it has evolved to be the busiest business district in terms of both economy and social culture. The Urban Management, sadly, has been slow to cope up with these changes. Hence, the sector today is a chaotic mess of overlapping functions, congested parking and transportation, and fast disappearing human comfort. Sector is divided into pockets and the most sardined pocket requiring dire up gradations was chosen as acupuncture point. A thorough site analysis was conducted , with emphasis on the human perspective over an urban level of infrastructure. Although Urban inhibitors were recognized and lack of infrastructure was duly noted but the analysis was bound together with the human experience of the site itself. Sensory Analysis, culturally and economically inclusive analysis, thus, became the forbearer of how the design was developed. Keeping in mind the concept of Urban Acupuncture, hotspots were identified on the basis of the both Urban and Human analysis. Site identification thus focused on the intersection of these hotspots and the most strategic point of intervention to enhance and save the ecosystem.
Footprint Pattern
Age Group Comparison
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A
B
B
Built
Below 25
Proposed
Above 25
Occupancy
A Higher Educational Institutes
Hotel
Book Depot
Fitness Centre
Hawker-Vendor Distribution
Traces
A
A
B
B
B Shop
Educational Institutes
Office
To-Let
Below 18
Less than 2kms
18-30
2-4 kms
30-60
5-10 kms
Above 60
More than 10 kms Age Classification
Influx Accessibility
Shopping
Less than 1 hr
Leisure
1-3 hrs
Work
3-5 hrs
Study
More than 5 hrs
Others
Propellers
Sojourning
Beggars/ homeless
Contented
Extended shop displays
Apathetic
Un- authorized construction
Concerned
Hawkers and Vendors Others
Encroachment stakeholders
Encroachment reviews
Alarmingly Faulty Minor Changes Required Appreciable
Parking Amenities
Pedestrian Pathways
Services
Recreational Spaces
Public Safety
Public Washrooms
Bicycle Car Taxi Two-Wheelers Transport Propensity
Buses
Diurnal 3-4 times/week Once in a week Occasional Frequency of Visit
Recreational Areas Macro Planning Micro Planning Parking Space Numero Uno
Street Lighting
Overall Cleanliness
Space vs population ratio
Overall Planning
Site Surveys
A
B
Setting up built- piazza relationship in addition to proposing outright educational and commercial blocks
Delineating Movement Logistics
Functions fabricated in accordance with needs of end users
Gross Integration
Form Modulation B
A
Configuring bulk-void character according to planning requirements annexing with inward outward flux flow
Contemplating dual inward flux from main road and state library
Downsizing bulk pockets with development of harmonious waterway-pathway channel with no bulk lying in union regions of the curve
Developing Diagonal Relationship
Activating passive space planning strategies in coherence with the channels
Activating passive space planning strategies in coherence with the channels
Minimal bulkiness achieved giving space more feather properties
Minimal bulkiness achieved giving space more feather properties
Garden of Evergreens
Garden of Miniatures
Street of Achievers 3 OATs Pre fabricated shops Mini public sqaure
Lily deck
Water deck
Arena of rocks
Infinity Park
Basketball court
OAT
The Terrace Running pad
Mini public sqaure
Rose garden
PIERRE JEANNERET SYMPOSIUM Documentation, Analysis and research panel for symposium 2017
Chandigarh, India
MLA Hostel
X Semester -Chandigarh College of Architecture Project year- 2017 Site - Sector4 ,Chandigarh
Pierre Jeanneret joined hands with Le Corbusier in December 1950, to help him create a capital for Punjab, namely Chandigarh. Le Corbusier was fully confident that Jeanneret would translate into reality the vast avant-garde conception of his architectural and town planning theories. Jeanneret was mainly involved in the detailed designing of the living and amenity areas for mass housing, besides others. Celebrating 50th death anniversary of Pierre Jeanneret .The aim of the symposium is to get the people closer to the history of Chandigarh, the works of Pierre Jeanneret, and also involve them in the preservation of the city and its unique architecture. The two-day symposium (December 3-4, 2017) included number of events like lectures, panel discussions and guided tours. I was commissioned as an urban design student to document, research and analyze MLA hostel and flats designed by the architect by our college dean MLA Hostels located on either side of the Uttar Marg-Jan Marg Junction, were designed as an accommodation for unmarried legislators during the Assembly session. The two units contains fifty-six bedrooms each with accommodation for service staff, common dining , lounge and recreational spaces. The research focused on understanding the nature of planning,delineating link with golden ration and contemplating the design language with intricate design elements.
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1
1 Entrance portico
Followed Le Modular System based on three aspects -
2 Bedrooms 3 Servant room
Human Measurements
4 Office 5 Store room 6 Lounge 7 Kitchen
Golden ratio
8 Pantry 9 Pool
Fibonacci Sequence
2 2 2 6
6
1
The units are based on same planning principles, the only difference being the entrance portico. Rooms are arranged in two distinct wings of the buildings connected by singly loaded corridors and repetition is observed on all floors giving it linear look with facade consisting of exposed brick and plastered surfaces.
Elements like the curvilinear portico, brick mural on north eastern facade of the building , brick jaali on the front facade and linear white plastered slabs complement each other form the aesthetical language of the building. In comparison with MLA flats ,hostels are designed highlighting the functional efficiency resulting in more compact and minimalistic spaces. Interior structural elements like canteen columns combined with s-shaped shelf are designed to serve multiple functions while on the other hand switchback staircase opens upto framed natural views of the landscape outside. It clealry shows architect’s attention to details and his artistic perspective even while designing structural components.
MLA Flat The MLA Flats , designated for married legislators, all units are arranged in linear blocks on either side of the Uttar Marg-Jan Marg Junction. Both the facades of the houses are visible from Jan Marg due to their northwest and northeast orientation. The planning of individual units, however, was to some extent motivated by then then-prevailing social norms and aim to create spaces on a scale commensurate with the status of legislators. The ground floor unit has both front and rear garden whereas first floor unit has enclosed roof terrace. External facade consists of exposed brick walls, perforated brick parapets, and, a plethora of plastered, white lime-washed bands that projected out considerably from vertical planes. One of the most ornate and intricate creations of Jeanneret MLA flats highlight their short end walls decorated with low-relief brick murals depicting various aspects of design principles of Chandigarh. Apartments receive natural sunlight for most part of the day and the has effective cross ventilation due to the presence of open spaces in front and rear side of the apartments.
1 Entrance 2 Living room 3 Bed room 4 Store 5 Dressing 6 Kitchen 7 Front garden 8 Rear garden 9 Patio
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Visual contemplation through photography of design elements of AC Joshi library of Panjab University, PGI hospital, Museum in Panjab University and Gandhi Bhawan designed by the architect was also done and then seamlessly stitched to understand the cohesiveness and complimenting nature of the elements harmoniously dwelling with each other.
PGI Hospital , Sector 12 Chandigarh
The rectilinear planes with curvilinear entrance portico created a mystical anomaly in the front facade and perspectives are designed with Golden ratio in check which resulted in perfect amalgamation of inner-outer frames of the edifice
MLA Hostels , Sector 04 Chandigarh
Elongated horizontal facade elements neutralizing verticality of the building with sun breakers on south side and burly recessed punctures on the eastern side.Treatment is varied on each side but together form a plenary picture with mutual synchronization.
AC Joshi Library , Sector 14 Chandigarh
Linear facade curtains the curvilinear geometry of the staircase elucidating the dynamic nature of the staircase for the circulation inside the library in addition to interactive nature of the floors due to the gap between the different levels of the stairs.
AC Joshi Library , Sector 14 Chandigarh
HERE CES 2017 PAVILION
Internship at Benz and Ziegler Architects, Munich , Germany Project year- 2016-17 Site- CES Tech East Las Vegas Convention and
World Trade Center, USA
Site Area- 400sqm Designers- Matthias Benz and Christoph Ziegler HERE Technologies is a company that provides mapping and location data and related services to individuals and companies. It is majority-owned by a consortium of German automotive companies (namely Audi, BMW, and Daimler), whilst other companies also own minority stakes. Its roots date back to U.S.-based Navteq in 1985, which was acquired by Finland-based Nokia in 2007 and currently based in Amsterdam B&Z was commissioned to design HERE pavilion for CES 2017 and I was assigned to work by Matthias on research,design presentations, drawings of the pavilion ,software visualizations with guidance of project architect. The work assigned to me helped in understanding every stage of the project from the early sketches to final built form with in depth complexities of the drawings. The experienced gained paved way for more mature and innovative design solutions of different projects undertaken by me in college.
The Idea Pre-event Activation Awareness
First sight On-boarding An Impressive brand statement
Ground Floor
HERE 360 High octane full brand immersion
Dive Demos
Out-boarding Reward
First Floor
Post-event
Visualizations
Fathom Construction Process
Final Product
ARCHITECTURAL SINGULARITIES
Story about reaching the limitless limits Some bar near Walt Disney Studios,USA
Fairytale 2018 Story Proposal
Fairytale architectural story writing competition 2018 Project year- 2018 I don’t think it was the first drink of the night. It certainly wasn’t the last. But I could care less. The drink had lost my attention, which was captured by the table behind me. Captured, yeah. The table was a host to 5 architecture students. The detective in me proudly deducted. Simply put it was the most excited table tonight. And for some reason, that for the life of me I cannot fathom, they were all excited about architecture. And they “had” my attention. And yes, I didn’t memorize any of their names, nor do I remember how they look (I was drinking, what’d you expect?). but for the sake of narrating this tale I shall name the girls Cinderella and Rapunzel. Boys can be Jack, Peter and Aladdin. There! That should hold you off for a while. The tale starts with Cinderella pounding her glass on the table. “I’m telling you”, she announced “mathematicians did it, scientists did it. Heck even philosophers did it. It’s time we architects do this too!” “Do what?” Aladdin asked as the rest of the group groaned. “Now you’re gonna get her started!” cried Rapunzel. Apparently, this is a world where a group of students talk about architecture while drinking in a bar on a Saturday night. Not a bad world at all. “Okay just hear me out. Every calculable subject in the world fantasizes about its infinities and how once we approach those infinite values we get to a singularity. Gravity reaches infinite values and we get a black hole. And at its center? A singularity. The answer to all indefinites. An Astro physicists wet dream. Now think about the same thing in architecture.” “So what now Cinderella, you want architect’s chasing infinities now?” Jack asked. “Shouldn’t we?” “a skyscraper is made up of stacked floors, the more the number of floors the higher the skyscraper. As soon as the number of floors reach infinity- Bam! Skyscraper singularity.” “hey genius! How many drinks have you had? An infinite skyscraper? That’s your singularity?” Peter looked perplexed. “wait I want to hear more about this.” Quipped in Rapunzel. “How does that happen?” “I can almost imagine an excerpt from the future, like some newspaper article which goes-
It had always been a mad race. A mad race to conquer the skies. Every skyscraper had the ambition of being the tallest building in the world. Mad ambition. Who could have thought that it will be mad ambition that gave rise to this perfect equation? An equation that perpetuates the growth of a skyscraper infinitely. The skyscraper grows, its growth evident with its constantly changing base; which tries frantically to keep up with its top, I like to think. The singularity is quite peculiar in its nature. They tried to prove the singularity to no avail. They tried to disprove the singularity and failed yet again. So, they worshipped it. the Greater Pyramid. Though not as stoic as I liked my ancient pyramids, the singularity would rather remind me of an endless passageway searching for a destination that always eludes it.” “It’s an impossibility I often entertain, chasing infinities.” By now the group had grown solemn. I could hear a deep rumble as their half-drunk minds tried to make sense of the possibilities that had just opened up. It was Peter who broke the silence, “so you take one parameter of architecture and as soon as it reaches infinite values we get a singularity?” “In the most basic terms, yeah”
“So, what about time?” “What about it?” “The master architects often talked about a quality of timelessness in their designs. Was that a singularity?” asked Peter. “the masters talked of timelessness as a quality.” He continued “As a quality which had to be achieved by: -having the architecture belong to every time, or -by having the architecture belong to none of the times. I think they too were in a way chasing a singularity or rather trying to create a singularity in architecture” Aladdin looked like he might implode. “But what would that singularity even mean! Like I know the old timers never thought of it like this. But what would a timeless singularity even mean?” “No time. Just a big long NOW” The kids were starting to make a little sense. And they knew it. Their expressions announcing in all their intoxication, their brains whirring with an intensity only a crazy idea could spark.
“Fractals? As in the coral geometries?” “Exactly! A pure geometry of architecture. Uniform. Right down to its basic unit.” “A fractal Singularity that shall take over the world, to create a uniform world order. The world shall become one big fractal city, a dystopian utopia.” It was Aladdin’s turn to light up now. “But these are all mathematical variables. What about the actual direction in which architecture is evolving right now? We all know the rush in sustainable and eco architecture is the new trend these days. What if we achieve an infinite singularity of preservation!” He gleamed. As if he had just found a genie to solve all of world’s problem. Everybody else waited. Hanging on to his words. Wanting a new singularity to blow their minds.
“But I believe this singularity isn’t something we’ll achieve by speeding up the trends on preserving our bioreserves. In fact, it will be the counter product of chasing the opposite of such infinite.” “Go big or go home. That’s what everyone said. We tried to go big: big numbers, big buildings, big architects. We tried frantically to go big. For a span of 3 centuries we were convinced we’re going big. And now we were going home. We decide to cut back and return to our roots. The singularity we chased became our reality. A singularity of preservation. Trying to reach the opposite. Exhausted, resources and patience, by the chase of the infinite architectural singularity, we rush towards the other end of the spectrum. The Singularity of architecture that tends to ‘zero’”. “I told you I’ll save the world one day. I just did! Woooohh!” “But wait a minute!” Rapunzel looked a bit worked up. Her hair thrashing wildly, “you talk about going big as an anomaly. Whereas its quite the opposite.” “how?”
“The technological aspirations of architectural world are not so elusive. I would think that its more likely we reach a technological singularity in architecture, than regress and start moving backwards.” “So, lemme guess, are you suggesting the super intelligent singularity?” “yes exactly!” She flicked a hair strand away, beaming with excitement. “the intelligence singularity of architecture shall precede the technological singularity of humans. As the intelligence of building reach infinite values, the building starts to behave as a machine, transforming and adapting to all the variables of architecture…” … They rambled on. I had finally decided on a last drink and alas! it had ended. It was time to go off into my reality. I wanted to thank these weird people who decided to drink and talk about architecture. About a perfect world with its perfect singularities. But singularities and infinities are the stuff fairy tales are made off. Our world can never be content with any singularity. Our world is better of chasing the elusive infinites…
DUALITY TO SINGULARITY RATIO Chandigarh's Urban Community and The Coveda Chandigarh, India
Teaching Students
Art workshops for students
Discussions
UCB,California Essay Proposal UCB Essay writing competition 2017 Project year- 2017 Site - Coveda ,Chd
Built from scratch, the city of Chandigarh was designed upon robust ideals of democracy and modernism. In accordance to the stronghold principle of democracy, the city and its architecture belonged to every individual and community. The uniform and efficient planning thus blurs the line between communities and community specific architecture. It poses a striking contrast to the Indian context of Chandigarh where historical and religious communities are the decisive factors for the architecture of any region. Hence, the search for communities, in a city with a very critical architectural language, led to some rather interesting revelations about communities and their manifestations through architecture.
We embarked upon a small educational community right next to the heart of Chandigarh. The Coveda School. No classes. No Curriculum. No exams. No teachers. But all students. Coveda started as an “association of home schoolers” but soon evolved to become a close-knit community of conscious individuals who aspire for self-growth. Most adults belong to either academic or design or architectural backgrounds, thus shaping Coveda a space for free flow of ideas ,creativity and knowledge. Intensive activities for pottery, painting, oration, science, woodworking, and even building and designing the spaces around the school form a part of life oriented learning process where every individual contributes and grows.
Corbusier encouraged social interaction and gatherings through the minute modular details in his designs. Thus creating “pockets of socialization”, ranging from man-made Sukhna lake to the pedestrianized City Centre and the naturally preserved green belt, throughout Chandigarh. Upon research, we found a thriving community in Chandigarh which can only be reached through these “pockets”. The community consists of individuals which take part in awareness drives (marathons and Cyclothon on Sukhna Lake), art campaigns (exhibitions and competitions at Capitol Complex) or even protests for betterment of society and the city (this community saved the Rock Garden of Chandigarh). This open and subconscious “Urban Community” thrives through the intensively designed architecture of Chandigarh. The way Chandigarh’s community manifests itself through Corbusier’s elements and how Corbusier’s social vision is manifested through this community, forms an intensive study into relationship of architecture, community and social causes.
Coveda, associated to a particular building, focuses upon inner self; while the urban community, spread out in the whole city, caters to social issues which are global in nature. The way architecture inherits social causes within these two communities broadens our perspective to perceive the social art of architecture beyond the walls of a building. We further aim to understand how these communities, which are on opposite extremes, function and achieve their common goal of social awareness by comparing them. Understanding how architecture sustains these communities and how these communities shape architecture is crucial. Helmed as a social art, architecture tries to evoke itself as a social cause: and thus actively evolving for the future. The social art of architecture thus contains in itself a wonderful paradox much like the mythological sword which sharpens its blade with every cut it makes.
To be continued.........