Snehal Oswal - Design Portfolio

Contents

Introduction to Architecture

(My growth as an Architect // Urban Designer)

Architecture for people, architecture for social equity, inclusive architecture and generating respect for all through design are the terms learned in this project.

A sensitive approach to the harsh and practical issues of developing countries. First impression of urban design.

Vernacular Architecture Slum Redevelopment

Implementing contextual design for a social cause

Humans and the community they form are subconsciously connected to the surroundings they are brought up. The health of human psyche is directly proportionate to the space they dwell in. Recreating and uplifting the community life for the artisans and thus their lifestyle and economy.

Community Upliftment

Learning contextual design

Curiosity of understanding the changing architecture and design with a slight change in physical context, culture and lifestyle is reflected in this study paper.

An attempt of combining vernacular principles and modern technology for an improved development.

Drawing parallels between contextual design and Place Identity

A practical and global issue of intensification is observed in this project. A rapid increase in population often leads to haphazard growth of a city thus hampering it’s identity.

An attempt of introducing vernacular planning in modern vertical growth as a solution is tested.

Testing timelessness and flexibility of the duo (city’s identity and city’s context)

Forming and testing a frame structure to analyze, and design cities to form healthy identities. Contextual reference or vernacular being the suggested solution for the research.

Understanding impact of development on Human Psyche

The term has been used a several times as an analyzing tool for cities across the globe by different designers.

This paper proposes the term Psychogeography as a designing tool and attempts to draw a rationale for the same theory. Paper

Urban Design - Slum Redevelopment

Social Equity

IV Year - B. Architecture

A project based in the city of Pune, Maharashtra, India.

About the Project - This project is based in a highly crowded region of the city, with people dwelling in unhygienic conditions and living an under-privileged lifestyle. A re-organized plan is proposed for this congested area occupied by slum dwellers, in order to better utilize the potential of land than its present day scenario.

Need of the Project - In this project an unorganized but structured space is achieved with an improved sense of :

Approach - The proposal focuses on elements of design as well as user psychology; obtaining equal distribution of resources on one hand and, on other hand, a redevelopment proposed without relocating the users thus responding to the user’s sentiments and their attachment to the land and house.

Living conditions and spacesSocial equity

Hygienic environment

OverallAreaconsidered

-Organizedorganicplanning

-Improvedpubliclife

- Improved Hygienic conditions

RoadNetworkandLayout

-Improvedconnectivity

-Improvisedsafetyconditions

GreenSpacedistribution

-Improvedhierarchy

-Equal distribution of Open space

Inadequateopeningstohousesunhygieniccommonsharedareas

Proposeddevelopment

Design Concept

The user type being socially complex, the design concept evolves in two stages. A complex layer of social and communal impact is observed in this area. A social, cultural and functional milieu is achieved in the proposed design.

Individual level

Commonareaonterrace

Balconyforinteraction andfutureextension

Utilityarea-against openground

Private utility area fordailychores

Semi public area inviting interaction

Community level

Smallnichesdesignedtocreate shadedinteractionspaces

Semipublicspaceforresidentsandutilitieslikewatertapandvendors

Public community area with elementslikereligiousstructuresora sittingarea,formingsocialandculturalepicenteroftheresidingcommunity

Dissertation (Research Paper) - Vernacular Architecture

IV Year - B. Architecture

A research based in the town of Malwan, Maharashtra, India.

About the Paper - A research paper addressing the issue of loss in identity of a region’s architecture and building techniques. This further leads to loss in the connection between the place and its users.

Need of the Paper - A lack of variation in architecture style across places, in respect to its local context, has given rise to the research question addressed in this paper.

Approach - A town is studied for its vernacular aspects and current issues. Then the contextual findings from past and present are inferred to propose possible solutions in order to retain the identity of the developing case example considered.

Case Example - Malwan

Increased visitors due to historical structure thus leading to tourist boom and evolution of tourism as occupation. This also led to haphazard growth of town which inturn affected the growth and progress of comunity.

Spread of community along the major connecting roads and further division into internal plots. Formation of machi market (Fish market) along coast.

Street along the outskirtsofthemarket.

StreetalongBeach

TouristDevelopment

Major roads to adjoining towns of achre and kasal, thus increased communication and formation of the central node of the town namely pimpal (Peepal tree).

MarketStreetofMalvan

Presence of a historical structure indicated presence of community or a settlement in this region. Further evolution of temples along the creek and coastline.

Internal streets majorlyResidentialzone

Current Development

Haphazardandun-monitoredgrowthduetotourism

Deteriorating conditionsoflocalsandtheir occupation (Fish Market)

Inappropriate constructionusingreinforcedconcreteincoastalregions,a resultofcopy-pastearchitecture

Conclusion

It is necessary to understand the importance of local identity and character of a region and breakthrough today’s trend of globalization in construction all over the world which is resulting in the fading away of the Vernacular Architecture of any region. An amalgamation of both, the beneficial aspects of Traditional Vernacular Architecture and the advanced construction techniques with modern technology can prove to be appropriate solutions to retain the identity of the region.

Final Year - B. Architecture Design Thesis - Cultural Upliftment Of Art Communities

A thesis project based in rural area of Kutch, Gujarat, India.

About the Project - Art and it’s required skill sets evolve over a period of time, influenced and inspired from its surrounding materials and context. Any art form is very local and original to the people and region it originates in.

Due to the current escalation and prosperity of an urban dweller against almost no growth in the rural art villages, practice of these art forms is wilting with time. The ever successful life in urban cities has enticed the younger generation of artists to abandon their practice and migrate, thus leading to loss of culture, art and tradition.

Need of the Project is two-folded, one being retaining the art of the communities and their linked traditions and culture. Second is the economy and quality of life for the communities residing.

Approach - In this thesis, one proposes upliftment and propagation of the art and the community performing it through various modes of design and policies for rural development.

Design Development - Main Centre

Infrastructure for resident artists and other visiting artists, on the rear, away from tourist services

Hierarchy of open space - Study of Ludia Village

In response to the surrounding residence

Linear Planning Study of Dhordo Village

Entrance responding to Access Point

Access to Site from National highway

1.Entrance

2.Amphitheater

3.SouvenirShop

4.ExhibitionArea

5.Amphitheater+Periodic(Bazaar)Market

6.ComputerLab

7.VocationalSchool

8.CommunitySpaceforlocals

9.LuharCommunity(Blacksmith’s)

10.KhatriCommunity (Painter’s)

11.JatCommunity(Woodenartwork)

12.VisitorsStay-Dormitories

13.Cafeteriaforvisitors

Todelvedeeper,CulturalupliftmentofKutch

Elements Designed along the Spine

Haat - Seasonal Market

Haat - Display and sale of arts from across the region

Amphitheater

Exhibition space

Amphitheater - Central hub for activities and performing arts - Public Gathering Space Catchment area for rain water harvesting

Exhibition space

Shop

Auditorium

Entrance

Central path forming the spine of movement in Tourist area.

Auditorium - Mud construction and Subterranean

Architecture

Truss supporting the roofs

- Stained glass and Bamboo work

Intangible Context in Design

Traditional Construction Styles

BeforeEarthquake in 2001

Artasahobby - Part of Daily Lifestyle

Artasasourceofcommunity living

Modernization of Art and Lifestyle

AfterEarthquake in 2001

Commercialization of ArtMode of Economy

Art lost to Urbanization andGlobalization

Intensification of Mexico City

Place Identity as Design Principle

Urban Design - Post-graduation

A project based in La Condesa region of Mexico city.

About the Project - Intensification, place identity, migration to urban land, urbanization, exploitation of resources are few of the many problems faced by almost all the urbanized areas across the globe. This shift of humans from rural to urban areas and an ever increasing pressure on comparatively smaller portion of urban land has created an imbalance between the demand-supply ratio of natural resources.

Quality of life led by the residents or locals is hugely impacted, which has tangible as well as intangible impacts on the users.

Need of the Project - In this project the author throws light on the intangible aspect of place identity which is negatively impacted by the increasing pressure levels on urban land.

Land being the most important of all the resources has had major effects on development of a society as well as an individual.

Approach - This project deals with the issue of no land and loss in identity. Thus proposing a vertical configuration of street life and bringing life in the vertical developments around the world.

Thesis - Vernacular Urbanism

Urban Design - Post-graduation

About the Thesis - This research intends to introduce, explore and derive from the term of vernacular urbanism in context to the issues of globalization and loss in place identity. The aim of the research is to define a frame structure based on the concept of vernacular urbanism, which is further used to analyze a city’s urban fabric. Globalization is promoting homogeneity in identity all over the world, thus making the world feel single entity.

The identity of a city generates from human psyche based on tangible and intangible factors forming a city. In order to retain or restructure the unique image of any region or city, the best possible place to find the answer would be its local surrounding. The vernacular of a region gives the area its distinctiveness, thus making each city, town, village or region stand out in its own way.

An attempt of deriving vernacular factors affecting a city’s fabric from those affecting the architecture of a city is displayed in the research, in conclusion of which a list of relevant factors have been discussed further in this paper.

The research uses a contextually modified version of Sinek’s theory of golden circle in order to evaluate a city against the proposed frame structure of vernacular urbanism.

It also discusses and suggests the best possible way of designing with a sensitive outlook towards concepts of place identity, place making and sense of belonging.

Toreadmore, VernacularUrbanism