The ‘Building Better Initiative’ aims to develop a technical assistance framework within a housing finance business model to improve the quality, longevity, and sustainability of rural housing in India. This project was developed for Mahindra Rural Housing Finance Ltd., by Lokal Habitat Labs, of which I am co-founder and team lead.
For the pilot project, we interviewed 70 customers of MRHFL and conducted observational post-construction analysis of their homes to understand crucial gaps and shortcomings in the rural housing construction process.
I was team lead, and developed the project proposal, designs and written content.
Field visits conducted in Umred, Wadi and Nagpur districts in Maharashtra, India
The Building Better Initiative
Four main interventions were selected based on their efficacy and feasibility of implementation in the pilot context. An evaluation of these pilot interventions will inform the final recommendaiton report and scaling-up measures of the project for MRHFL to take forward.
Knowledge-sharing materials included Design and Construction handbooks, one-page water and heat-proofing guides, and interactive physical models.
Design iterations for three typical built-up areas
Right: Construction materials and technologies ex plained using a range of graphic style
Design iterations and incremental design options
Left:
Top: Load-bearing construction details uning local materials and comprehensive graphic styles
Bottom: Interactive model align with the incremental development process prevalent in the housing context of India
Communication strategy
The medium and language of communication were carefully selected to cater to the rural audience. Easy-to-understand graphics and text that are not overwhelming for those unaccustomed to reading and/or writing were chosen to communicate complex design and construction techniques. Familiar elements were chosen in renders and sketches to increase credibility.
03 HEAT ADAPTATION PLAN :
Background
STUDIO PROJECT (Team of 4)| LOCATION : SEATTLE, WA
This project conceptualized a heat adaptation and urban design plan for the South Park and Georgetown neighborhoods within the Duwamish Valley in Seattle, Washington, for the ‘Designing for Climate Change Adaptation’ class at UCLA.
The Proposed Heat Adaptation Plan will included system-level recommendations as well as “grass tops to grassroots” strategies intended to deliver basic knowledge, uncover the community’s embedded practical knowledge, build capacity for design-decision making and informed discussion among local leaders and local stakeholders. 95°F
evening temp. 93°F evening temp.
Heat map for the Duwamish Valley and neighborhoods of Georgetown and South Park
DUWAMISH VALLEY
Heat Adaptation Framework
Acknowledging that urban heat adaptation frameworks cuts across various interdisciplinary systems of the urban fabric, the overarching Duwamish Valley Heat Action Plan takes a systems approach to embed inclusionary practices of urban heat
mitigation across sectors. Within the valley, the neighborhoods of Georgetown and South Park are envisioned to form their own Neighborhood Heat Action Plans within this larger framework.
South Park
Georgetown
URBAN GREENING AND RETROFITTING
The Design Catalog
The design recommendations catalog presents a range of design strategies that can be applied to the urban built form to alleviate and mitigate heat stress, and dampen the effect of severe heat events on the residents. This catalog functions as an ancillary tool for citizen design that allows for informed multi-directional exchange of ideas between communities, local leaders, technical and building professionals and the city. The scale and form of the design intervention will be based on local requirements, capacities and resources.
I was responsible for developing built-environment interventions such as building-level retrofits, urban design, form-based regulations, and land-use interventions.
DuwamishRiver
04 Housing Segregation $ Opportunity
GIS STUDIO PROJECT | LOCATION : LOS ANGELES, CA
Spatial distribution analysis of Affordable Housing projects built in the last 10 years
The project aims to highlight spatial segregation of affordable housing production in the City of Los Angeles, and their low access to opportunity and resources. It hopes to inform LA’s Housing Element 2021-29 rezoning process to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing.
After analysing the current state of housing, the research analysed 3 main housing production policies to evaluate their efficacy in AFFH. The maps above evaluate one of the policies (Transit Oriented Communities), which shows poor efficacy and geographic reach in high opportunity neighborhoods due to restricted zoning.
The project used the ACS APPI for income and race data, City of Los Angeles’ zoning data, LAHD permit data, TOC tier data, Fire Hazard Secerity Zones, land data from the City, LAHD, and Metro, and TCAC/HCD Opportunity data
TOC
Spatial autocorrelation analysis of location of affordable housing projects
TOC Policy Analysis
05 Mixed-Use Redevelopment in Venice
STUDIO PROJECT (Team of 3) | LOCATION : LOS
ANGELES, CA
Context analysis of the development location
Background
Venice Gateway is a 3 acre infill joint redevelopment project in 100 Sunset Avenue, Venice, Los Angeles, envisioned as a part of a Market-Rate Real Estate Development studio project at UCLA. The area program was derived from a detailed context, market and regulatory landscape analysis, as well as a community outreach conducted by Metro in 2018.
I was part of a team of 4, involved in all stages of the project and lead in design conceptualization and graphic representation, and CEQA emtitlement timeline.
Financial Feasibility Analysis
A detailed financial underwriting was performed to understand the financial feasibility of the design and funding options. We also analysed the multiple scenarios of operation timelines and funding to derive the most profitable outcome for investers, without compromising on the spatial design, needs of the local community, and environmental considerations.
National Guidelines on Temporary
CLIENT : NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY | LOCATION : INDIA
Background
The guidelines provide principles and standards for the design, construction, and technology options for the shelter in both in rural and urban contexts, as well as implementation mechanisms and roles and responsibilities for various Centre, State and District government and humanitarian stakeholders.
With a team of four at People in Centre, I was involved in the research, analysis, content development, design and layout of all documents along with conduction of mason trainings at various locations.
Shelters for Disaster-Affected Families
Primary Research
Apart from interviews with several important stakeholders in the disaster relief sector, we conducted site visits to Cyclone Titli-affected regions in Odisha, India to meet with affected families and local government and private actors to derive key grassroots learnings.
Evalation of Shelter Types and Construction Techniques
The guidelines highlight various shelter options, both policy-encouraged and adhoc, that families commonly chose in the aftermath of a disaster,
and their journey to permanent housing. This allows governments to innovatively support contextually-appropriate solutions
07 Street Optimization Proposal
CLIENT : K WARD MUNICIPALITY |
Background
I have lived in proximity to this road intersection for the last 15 years. Countless pedestrians have faced mortally dangerous incidents while crossing the road, especially the elderly, differently abled and children. I proposed a intersection redevelopment design to address both pedestrian safety and vehicular efficiency for diverse stakeeholders.
I conducted vehicle count and observational studies, measured drawings of the streets, an online survey with the residential societies. Drawing from the data and multiple consultations with WRI, I proposed an intersection redevelopment to enhance pedestrian safety, and developed comprehensive graphics, CAD drawings, 3D renders and proposal presentations. I proposed the preliminary design to the Municipal Commissioner of the K ward, who received it with enthusiasm. However, the project was stalled due to the COVID pandemic.
LOCATION : MUMBAI, INDIA
The first phase of the project included interviews with street vendors in the area, and tactical urbanism to gain feedback from the daily users of the space and evaluate the impact on vehicular circulation.
Potential opportunities for intersection redevelopment within the jurisdiction of the local municipal ward
Logic of intersection redevelopment design
3D
Aerial view of the proposed intersection redevelopment
Detailed
of the intersection plaza
08 The Eco-Centre
STUDENT THESIS| LOCATION : MUMBAI, INDIA
Background
This project explores how spaces can be designed to educate and make the users aware of waste generation in a consumerist society, a space which showcases and celebrates waste and demonstrates the recyclable value of the domestic waste generated in and around the site.
An Eco Centre; Eco-innovation centre with an environmental learning and a waste-to-energy facility. In one of the most energy-intensive mega cites, this project hopes to be an architype for the upcoming development in the district . R &
Context Analysis and Area Program
The area program for the site was derived after an extensive study of the site and the context. Currently occupied by informal workers of the waste sector who face the immenent threat of eviction and loss of livilihood, this project attempts to include them in formal development as key actors in the waste-to-energy and recycling facility.
Public spheres
Circularity
Circulation axes
Porosity and access
Building form orientation
Enabling pedestrian movement
Site, Design, and Building Technology
Site characteristics informed key circulation and building placement decisions, while proposing a river vitalization plan and edge for the Oshiwara river. Due to the public-facing and awareness-building nature the activities, the built structure responded with multiple perforations and spaces for visual and physical access for the public which were designed as ‘chance encounters’ to allow an uncurated educational experience on waste to occur.
To practice what the project preaches, the development imbibed various environmentally sustainable building, landscaping, and energy conservation practices in the site development, material choices and facade design.
Landscape design incorporating drains, native species, and RWH elements (percolation pits)
Facade design and passive cooling features incorporated in building design
High degree of integration of public open spaces with the internal spaces to encourage public footfall
Fenestration design (South side)
Vertical Louvers (East side)
Jaali pattern (West side)
09 Urban Treble - Urban Design
URBAN DESIGN STUDIO| LOCATION : DWARKA, INDIA | TEAM OF 4
For a studio project, in a team of 4, we were provided a prompt to design a transit-oriented development on a 20 acre site in a rapidly urbanizing district of Dwarka, near New Delhi. The project demanded a detailed site and context analysis to derive an area program which addresses both on-site and off-site, current and projected needs of the community. The project envisioned a 2.6 million sqft. high-density, mized-use develop-
ment containing office spaces, retail, commertial, hospitality, and affordble housing. It also aimed at providing a much-needed public space to the community, activating the oft ‘dead public space’ surrounding the existing infrastructure of the disecting rail line.
I was responsible for the site analysis, and for designing the site plan, public spaces, and the hospitality cum office block.
Floor plans and section of the hospitality - office block
Sketches, Watercolors, Illustrations
Concept sketches for thesis project - The Eco-Centre Caricatures using Adobe Photoshop
Stippling sketch of Tabo Monastery, Spiti, India
Live sketch of Taksang Monastery, Bhutan
Left: Posters for ChotaMota Art foundation using Adobe Photoshop and InDesign Watercolors
