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Walkable City Design Dissertation I January, 2018 Brief: Design Dissertation based on the changing the idea of streets, and trying to develop a new typology for streets.
If you have visited any of the world’s great cities, the sounds, sights, and smells of its streets are likely to be indelibly en grained in your memory. Taxis honking. Kids playing on side streets. The pleasant aroma of freshly prepared food. The unpleasant odour of overflowing garbage bins. The chill of standing in the shadow of a skyscraper. The warmth of packed bodies on the bus. These sensations are as enervating to some as they are energizing to others. The streets of tomorrow will likely be very different from what we currently know; ride-sourcing apps, streetlight sensors, programmable traffic lights, and other rapidly developing technologies, are already altering how our city streets function, look, and feel. The city of Mumbai has been known for its unorganized, discontinuous morphological spatial patterns. Earlier, the street was known to be a centre for social interaction, exchange of public dialogue and temporary interventions. Street developed a corridor and bridged the masses on its side, whereby the proportions enabled and encouraged the idea of a community living. Streets were a result of political and social issues. Population demands to grow vertical in the city like Mumbai, but the extreme proportions and masses around us leave us unconnected to our surroundings. Facades tend to either be standardized or commercialised in some cases, where in the need to have an architectural features overlooking the street has been lost. The research aims to develop solutions for reviving the character of the street, creating neighbourhood and community qualities in the growing city for a pedestrian and a resident.
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The Fishing Village I Versova, Mumbai Design Studio Project I April, 2016 Brief: Redesign the area for condition of Hyper density Built Up Area: 8,500 square meter
Versova fishing community is located along the western waterfront in K-West Ward. This settlement is constantly being compressed due to reduction in fishing practices. There is a rapid transformation within the built on site, from single storey mud and brick apartments to three storey concrete structures. Nature of the central street keeps changing throughout the day. It transforms itself from larger patches facing the beach to smaller modular units on the other side. Design tries to develop a flexible and sustainable system for the fishing community of Versova. Project tries to understand the growing pressures of the city and develops a futuristic proposal for an interactive neighbourhood considering and encouraging fishing as a profession. It creates spaces for communal interaction, promotes collective living and understands the importance of a semi-private spaces. Construction of the system involves working with natural materials making the idea extremely local.
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Reclaiming the Hill I Gilbert Hill, Mumbai Urban Design Project I April, 2017 Brief: Effects on ecology due to urbanism, method of achieving balance In collaboration with Abhijeet Karwa, Rashi Lalaji, Samyak Doshi
Gilbert Hill is a 200 feet monolith column of black basalt rock at Andheri. It was formed about 66 million years ago due to a volcanic eruption. Over the years, the Hill has been reduced in footprint due to the constant quarrying activities. Today, the hill just stands in the middle as a cliff with its surroundings dug out. Cutting off the mud slopes and digging into the hill has led to loosening up of the layers which have deteriorated the soil structure. Buildings built as close as 11 meters close to the hill started to affect the stability of the rock, as their foundations have been pierced through the anchor of the rock. They have also started to create water seepage problems. By refilling the quarries and reclaiming the hill, soil erosion and land degradation problems can be reduced. Terra forming would be done through layers of rock and soil compacted. Developing the area as an ecological park will help bring back the lost ecosystem and will attract tourists to the forgotten glory of the Grade II Heritage structure. It will also help in solving traffic issues from JP Road to Andheri Station as Gilbert hill will provide a shorter route to pass through.
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Land Degradation Over the years, the main issue faced at Gilbert hill is the constant land degradation and filling up of land with waste to built structures ranging from high rises to the slums. Illegal construction and encroachment around the hill have added to the degradation of land. Cutting off the mud slopes and digging into the hill has led to loosening up of the layers of soil in the basalt rock causing the ground to be unstable.
Schematic Section
High Rises
Dug out Terrain
Current Scenario Change in Footprint of the rock
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Gilbert hill Slums
Depletion of Rock
Andheri Station
Proposed Development Basic design strategies for the terrain and housing
Site Plan
1.1
1.1
250 M
1.1
250 M
1.2 1.3
1.4 1.1 1.1
1.1 No Direct Access to Gilbert Hill, from major roads or stations making it unable to locate. 1.2 Path to Gilbert Hill is packed with slums. 1.3 Surrounded by buildings, as close as 11 M from the hill. 1.4 Sagar City Development - affecting the stability of the rock.
1.1
1.
Contour Plan
Circulation
To reach Andheri station from JP Road, it is 2.1 km and approx. takes 20-30 minutes to reach during peak hours, whereby, the new proposed road gives you a dire way to Andheri station will help to reach much faster by cutting the distance to 1.41 km. 2. Contour plan showing the steep hill and the dug out terrain. 3. To reach gilbert hill the access as vehicular and pedestrian is poor. The main entrance is through the slums walkway and vehicular road which makes the accessibility difficult. Also the other access is a single two way road in a heavily populated residential area. Two Way Vehicular Pathway One Way Vehicular Pathway Pedestrian Pathway Possible Connections to the Main Road for easier transition 2.
3.
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Proposed Design 1.12
1.1
1.1
1.4
1.2
1.1
1.3 1.10
1.2 1.1 1.5 1.9
A
A’
1.6 1.8
1. 1.4 1.7
1.
Plan 1.1 Clustered Housing 1.2 Trail to Gaodevi Mandir 1.3 Gaodevi Mandir 1.4 Vehicular Road 1.5 Cycling Track 1.6 Community Centre 1.7 Ecological Park 1.8 Nursery 1.9 Catchment Area - Pond 1.10 Pedestrian Pathway 1.11 Market 1.12 Parking
1.10 1.12 1.10 1.11 1.1
1.4
1.1
2.3 2.5
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Mumbai is a city of a population of 18 million people and there is a lack of parks, open and recreation spaces. Gilbert hill and the areas around it has the potential to develop into an ecological park. The area can also help in connecting the Andheri Station to JP Road and the connection through Gilbert hill would really help reduce the traffic at the SV Road - Andheri Station junction. A community centre and a market would help engage the locals and nearby slum dwellers with the new developments on site. The housing for the slum dwellers is also looked at as a part of the project. The Gilbert hill is one of many natural wonders of Mumbai which can transform into an urban park and impact lives of the people living around it.
Views
3.2
3.1
3.3
Cross Section AA’
3.4
3.1 Showing the nursery planned facing the pond. 3.2 Showing the amphitheatre within the community centre in middle of the ecological park. 3.3 Showing terraced housing. Houses are provided on stilts with the vehicular road passing by. 3.4 Showing the trail to Goadevi Mandir. Halt points or platforms are provided along the route. 48
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Organic Farms I Yeoor Hills, Thane Design Studio Project I April, 2015 Brief: To study a theory inspired by nature, and design for the same Built Up Area: 7500 square meter
Balance is defined as a system consisting of sub systems working at micro and macro levels, in hierarchy at micro levels and forming a cycle at macro scale and making it a continuous process as perfect equilibrium can never be achieved. Balance could either be monotony - maintain the equilibrium or it could be understood as a positive negative effect. Drastic shift in the factors, causes very different spatial conditions. Shows different ways through which it has balanced itself. For example, if the first section which is densely covered would be removed the entire site would become so public and visible, with no clear visual barrier. Placement of each element in each section is so important because shift or change in them would disturb the cycle of balance.
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Neighborhood Unit I Vakola, Mumbai Design Studio Project I April, 2017 Brief: To invent a new architectural typology for mixed use design Built up area: 10,000 square meter
Site offers a different range of users and programs that have no distinction in terms of zoning and location. On site there is no separation and categorization which offers different users to interact and merge in terms of spaces. Different programs ranging from industries, commercial, retail to residential demand different scales of buffer spaces. The requirement of these intermediate spaces is based from daily to annual needs. Residents celebrate different festivals together all around the year. Promoting multi- user interaction would enable mix of different cultures, lifestyle – to come together for a rich neighbourhood living. Reorganizing the experience, approach where the community is easily accessible, practices are put up in these streets. These observations became the reason of this studio, where documenting these different requirements and activities at different attractor points became the first step of investigation. This would help understand the different usage and scale of these functions and activities with multi- user interaction.
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Site Instances
6. 2.
1.
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4. 3.
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1. Junction At Pipeline Road
2. Central Residential Street
3. Junction at the Industrial Zone
4. Community Area
5. Main Road Junction
6. Playground Space
Average areas on Site Retail
RANGE - 13 meter square to 25 meter square AVERAGE - 24 meter square
In dust rail
RANGE - 60 meter square to 120 meter square AVERAGE - 90 meter square
Commercial
RANGE - 40 meter square to 50 meter square AVERAGE - 45 meter square
Residential
RANGE - 12 meter square to 30 meter square AVERAGE - 25 meter square
Courtyard, parking, plinths
Entrance
Material Display Extension
RANGE - 40 meter square to 60 meter square AVERAGE - 35 meter square
To direct public flow
Depending on average area analysis, volumes were decided that would define the area and cater to the varied requirements of space on site.
3.0 0 4.
.0
3.0
3.0
Cross connectors and extensions
5.
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3. 0
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Public Seating
Combinations of Modules creating different spaces
Massing Iteration
Massing Diagram
Idea was to create a street that leads into courtyards, creating spaces to interaction
Commercial Residential Shared Public Spaces
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A
Elevation B Elevation A
A’
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B
Elevation B Elevation A
B’
Ground Floor Plan
Elevation A
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A
Elevation B Elevation A
A’
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B Elevation B Elevation A
B’
First Floor Plan
Elevation B
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Section AA’
Section BB’ Design aims to offer a space that would allow the users to continue the outward way of living. The arrangement, orientation and profile of the masses decide the street line for these masses. The street line in plan carves out within these masses blurring out the borders of private or public spaces. Arrangement of these blocks allows to form shared courtyards, common playgrounds and cross connectors. These spaces are flexible and the street character would change with every changing demand of the site. Inner lanes leading into courtyards would create interesting areas for public dialogue and social interaction. Different block profiles help to direct public flow, create sit out spaces of shared public areas. The massing gives a mix of residential commercial and retail areas, maintaining the variety. 68
06 Competitions 6.1 Tetricity
Idea Competition Proto Housing - Futuristic Idea for Housing
Intra Class Competition, 2016
6.2 Heritage Walk
Idea Competition Re - imaging Streets as Public spaces Pune Biennale Foundation, 2017
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The Flying Horse Kalaghoda Arts Festival I February, 2017 Brief: Life-size Installation based on ‘The Return of the Dark House’ In collaboration with Abhijeet Karwa, Rashi Lalaji, Samyak Doshi and Vedant Nair.
Kalaghoda potrays the heritage arts district of Mumbai. The purpose is to create and spread multi- cultural awareness through platforms like festivals and events. The festival sections are visual arts, dance, music, theatre, cinema, literature, workshops, heritage walks, urban design and architecture, food and a vibrant street section including stalls and the Visual Art Installations. The design features a 12 feet tessellated metallic horse emerging out of ground, galloping forward, portraying the speed of light. The tessellations are like rays of light, projecting in a manner that forms the mass of the horse. The tessellations are partly covered, denser near the base and sparser as the horse rises higher, letting light out of this mass and showing the horse emerge out of light. Universally, the horse is symbol of power and wisdom. The rustic plates of the surface showcase strength and power, and the finished frame building the horse portrays wisdom.
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Technical / Measure Drawings
8.1 Working Drawings CP Tank, Charni Road Studio Project, 2015
8.2 Divatia Ni Haveli Ahmedabad February, 2016
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Internship Work Case Design Studio I February, 2018 Brief: Prepared Models for the Venice Biennale 2018 Made architectural drawings for the guest house in Zanzibar
Based in Mumbai with projects in India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa, Case Design is an architecture and design practice committed to exploring the design process through acts of making. Case Design believes that objects and spaces deeply impact our relationship with the world around us and seek to create moments of quality inspired by observations from our daily lives. These experiences, both spatial and formal, are situationally grounded, considerate to human interaction and are inherently imbued with content and meaning. Venice - Bringing together a diverse group of builders, designers, farmers, artists, craftsmen, and engineers who share our belief that collaboration and empathy lie at the core of all good work, we have created moments of hospitality, social interaction, reflection, play, ritual, seclusion, performance, and comfort. Shown as representations and fragments of proposed interventions, they are elements to be woven back into the fabric of the built environment. Evolving through a process of inclusion, collaboration, and thoughtful attention to both physical and social environments, we collect and share these artefacts and narratives in an attempt to show how Freespace can be expressed through the experimental practice of making a school.
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