Urban Design & Architecture Portfolio

Architecture + Urban Design

PORTFOLIO

Selected Works of MUD & B.Arch

Vidhi Shah CEPT University

Contents

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Semester 3 | MUD

Semester 2 | MUD

Semester 2 | MUD

Final year B.Arch

Master Plan Studio Integrated Township Development Site Location About The Site Vision & Conceptual Idea Spatial Strategies Master Plan Framework Central Public Place Urban Block Urban Design Guidelines Conclusion

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Elements of Urban Design..

Building Types Residential Apartments & Hotels Streets Oxford Street, London Colaba Causeway, Mumbai Urban Blocks Old Town, Toronto

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Public Place Design Revitalizing the Shopping Street Linking Road, Bandra Site Location & Context Design Aim Zoning Design Strategies Existing and Proposed Layout The Proposal Key learnings

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B.Arch Dissertation

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Role of Architecture in Reclaiming Urban Squares- A case of Fort Precinct Site Location About The Site Design Aim & Parameters Existing & Proposed Layout The Proposal Site Sections The Built Form Proposed Activities Conclusion

Semester 3

Master Plan Studio The studio focuses on preparing Master Plans for large greenfield developments in peri-urban areas. To respond to the demand of expansion in the rapidly growing urban centres, governments facilitate such new developments through various development mechanisms. The studio operates within the existing development framework of the Integrated Township Policy which is a typically developer-driven activity and involves design on a large tract of land under single ownership.

Site Location

About the Site

Softwares Used : ArcGIS, Mapbox, Photoshop

Softwares Used : Photoshop, Hand - Drawn Sketch

Situating the Site in Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Understanding the Characteristics of the Site

The site is located in Lapkaman, Ahmedabad, outside the AMC boundary abutting the Dholka Branch Canal at a potential junction in close proximity to SG Highway and SP Ring Road which connects Gandhinagar on one side and Ahmedabad on the other.

The Site Character plays an important factor. Being on the canal edge, it is identified as a potential feature. It is a greenfield site with several farmlands around.

Despite being located outside the AMC boundary and in the fringes of the city the site is well accessible through major roads and future DP roads will provide more potential connections from the site to the rest of the city.

Site Character

18.0 kms ( 50 mins ) from Railway Station 21.0 kms ( 34 mins ) from Sardar ValhabhBhai Patel Airport 6

Master Plan Studio

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Vision & Conceptual Idea

Spatial Strategies

Softwares Used : Photoshop and Hand-drawn

Softwares Used : AutoCAD, Photoshop

Stating the vision and the conceptual way forward

Key Strategies to develop the master plan Connecting the DP Roads

Central Public Place

Linking the Two half’s

To make the site connections robust.

The idea is to establish a main spine which connects the 45m DP road and a secondary spine which connects the canal road.

These road connection creates a city level public place located centrally in the township. Cutting the site into two half’s

A central connection is established which connects these two halfs.

Street Network & Nodes

Open Green Spaces

Building Uses

Further with secondary and tertiary roads the internal network is built along with nodes.

Apart from the central public place, there are neighborhood greens and the green connectors. These green connectors act as view corridors and strengthens the visual connection to the open green spaces

The commercial cluster is located along the canal edge and in few pockets of the site. Mixed use is at the nodes and institutional is spreading across the site, remaining is residential.

% of street network : 17%

% of open spaces : 20%

% of residential building use : 60%

Vision : “To create a city-level public place which marks the identity of the neighborhoods as well as connect the people of the township.”

Conceptual Idea Public Place

Weaving the site around the central public place

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Green Spaces

The smaller green spaces around in the neighborhood, will have integrated activities for users

Active and Walkable Neighborhood

Linking the neighborhood with the central public place and recreational areas which are accessible from all ends of the site

Master Plan Studio

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Master Plan

Master Plan Softwares Used : AutoCAD, Photoshop

Framework of the Master plan

The master plan combines to form the structure of the integrated township around a central public place which marks the identity of the neighborhood and also keeps the township active and connected with people.

Further, the design of central public place is looked at, along with one of the urban blocks to understand the proposal at a zoomed in scale.

oad

e DP R

id 36 m W

High-Rise Premium Residential Buildings Institutional Cluster

Cricket Ground

Green Connectors Commercial Cluster Neighborhood park Extended Commercial Edge Central Public Place Node Plaza Canal front

Lake front

park

Mid-Rise Residential

Bungalows

Buildings

Neighborhood park

ide

W 5m

d

oa

R DP

4 EWS Housing

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Master Plan Studio

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Programs

Central Public Place Softwares Used : AutoCAD, Photoshop

Programming of Central Public Place

Zone 4 Zone 1 Workshop & Learning Zone Along the main entrance is the Skill development and workshop centre, with art galleries and various activities for different user groups.

Zone 2 The Celebration Plaza and Lake front The celebration plaza constitutes of spaces for entertainment, garba, fun and fairs, exhibitions, concerts and various city level events. On the remaining days of the year it could be used as a pedestrian plaza, and stepped seating area besides the lake front.

Zone 3 Shopping and Eateries The mixed use buildings constitute shopping malls, cafe, restaurants, theaters, informal shopping and food markets.

Sports Amenities along the canal front

Zone 3 Shopping and Eateries

Zone 2 The Celebration Plaza and Lakefront

Zone 1 Workshop & Learning Zone

Zone 4 Sports Amenities along the canal front Along the canal front, the central public space constitutes sport amenities, spaces for picnic and recreational around the dense vegetation and canal front for the township.

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Master Plan Studio

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Central Public Place

Stepped Seating Area Celebration Plaza

Lakefront

This view is overlooking the celebration plaza, the stepped seating area besides the lake front. The celebration plaza constitutes of spaces for entertainment, garba, fun and fairs, exhibitions, concerts and various city level events. On the remaining days of the year it could be used as a pedestrian plaza, and stepped seating area besides the lake front.

Central Public Place Shopping Plaza

Eateries

There are several activity zones, one of which is shopping zone with spill over plazas. There are set up for informal shopping spaces with buffer and seating spaces around the corners.

Central Public Place

There is a transition of built and open spaces in the central public place with various indoor and outdoor activities. The public place would remain active and vibrant throughout the day. The internal streets are completely pedestrianized for people.

Central Public Place Softwares Used : Sketch Up, Photoshop

This section is cutting through the main road, Lake front and the celebration plaza.

36 m wide Road

Celebration Plaza

Park

Green spine Lakefront

Commercial Edge

Urban Block Softwares Used : Sketch Up, Photoshop

Detail Design of the Urban Block

Green Connectors

This block lies on the 36m wide main road overlooking the central public place. The block is a form of a perimeter block with 4 access points. There are variations in heights with chamfered edges at nodes and it is a mixed use block with an active built edge. The commercial buildings are low in height with terraces which overlook the central public place.

The gradual variation in the building heights helps to maintain the visual connect with the central public place.

Evolution of Urban Block

Perimeter Block

Chamfered Edges

Access Points

Height Variation

Building use

Built Form

Node Plaza

Residential Neighborhood Pathways

Urban Block - Neighborhood level Open spaces

The neighborhood open spaces are private in nature with calm green spaces where people can enjoy jogging, cycling, playing and meeting etc. The green connectors act as visual corridors and strengthens the visual connection to the central public place. They also allow people to enjoy the greens at neighborhood level.

Urban Design Guidelines Softwares Used : Sketch Up, Photoshop

Setting Urban Design Guidelines for one of the Urban Block on site To achieve the nature of the urban block the goal is to Support active street life and interaction with the public place, there are urban design guidelines that could be followed:

Circulation Network

Green Network

Vehicular access to the plot should be from primary/ secondary/tertiary roads.

Green connectors should be kept open without any obstructions. No construction of any permanent or temporary structures.

4.5m setback for people used as footpaths and 2.2m for cycle track

They should be physically and visually connected with the central public place.

Building Height Strategy

Built Form

The building height lowers down when it comes towards the public place.

Commercial building along the 36m and 24m wide main roads should have stepped overlooking built form. Only accessible from the main roads.

The maximum height of residential buildings should be 48m.

Maintaining building heights for good sunlight and better views to central public place.

The commercial and mixed use building along the main road should have active edge with shopfronts 6 m in height built. This will support the interaction at street and ground level as well.

At the nodes the buildings need to have chamfered edges to accommodate the public plaza.

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Master Plan Studio

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Conclusion Softwares Used : Sketch Up, Photoshop

RESIDE MEET COLLABORATE

LEARN

PLAY

SHOP EAT

CREATE

EXPLORE

RELAX

CONNECT WITH THE ENVIRONMENT

The public place tangles the township with nature, activities and life that is for people. There is a distinct public place which will be active and inviting for all. Where as the private open spaces will remain calm and intimate to residents.

The Township not only provides a place to reside but also a place for to meet/collaborate/learn, play, explore, relax and connect with the nature. This is what makes the township “A Place for the people”.

“A Place for the People” 28

Master Plan Studio

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Semester 2

Elements of Urban Design The studio is structured as introduction to urban design representation and how it is used as a means of design thinking.

The premise is that urban design is best understood and expressed through study and representation of the built urban environment.

Hence the studio focuses on the study and representation of the key urban elements in cities and will be structured in multiple modules running through the semester, each culminating with an exhibition of the outcome. These modules will significantly focus on effectively capturing and communicating the spatial qualities of the urban built environment.

Module 1 involved perceiving and representation of the key elements of urban design. The premise is that building types, urban blocks, streets and public open spaces form the key elements that come together to make any functional urban space.

Module 2 was the final exercise which involved detail designing of public places.

Oxford Street, London

Building Types Softwares Used : Sketch Up, Photoshop

Analyzing Building Types, relationship with Streets and Spaces between buildings

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The color coding for Indian case studies are in orange and for international case studies are in blue. The highlighted portion shows the active edges for people. The shades of color represent the fading space and decreasing activities i.e. between the built and street.

In the Indian context the compound wall separates the building from street envelope whereas in case of International examples ,the landscape merges with footpath.

Elements of Urban Design

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Streets

Oxford Street, London

Softwares Used : Sketch Up, Photoshop

Analyzing relationship of the street with the Built-edge and the context The Oxford Street in London is a famous shopping paradise for tourist and visitors.

The distinct elements of Oxford street are the junction, active shop-fronts and the wide footpath that enhances user experience and makes the street vibrant.

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Elements of Urban Design

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Streets

Colaba Causeway, Mumbai

Softwares Used : Sketch Up, Photoshop

Analyzing relationship of the street with the Built-edge and the context The illustration shows maximum activity hour where in Colaba Causeway is mostly observed to be active in day light hours and Oxford street is majorly active post 6pm, i.e during the evening.

Colaba Causeway is a famous clothing and accessory market of south Mumbai.

The distinct elements of Colaba Causeway are ground floor edge, arcades along the footpath and the vending activities that actives the whole street and makes a public space.

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Elements of Urban Design

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Urban Blocks Softwares Used : Sketch Up, Photoshop

Old Town, Toronto

The illustration highlights the distinctive elements – Built blocks, active spaces between the building spaces, streets, open spaces and relationship between them.

Analyzing Building Types, relationship with Streets and Spaces between buildings The Old town is located in the neighborhood of the new down town, Toronto.

The Old town is driven by the institutional built use in the center, and it has many building uses around which makes it a self-sufficient neighborhood.

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Elements of Urban Design

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Semester 2

Public Place Design The focus of the design exercise was to re-imagine existing scenarios in the city with a fresh perspective on the opportunities in the public domain. The selected public place was required to have a spark of an idea of how the place will look like after design intervention was implemented.

The design intends to develop ability to re-imagine the public place with strategic design that not only solves the existing issues but also provides multiple uses either through the day, or season or on special occasions.

Revitalizing the Shopping Street

Site Context

Softwares Used : Sketch Up, Photoshop

Linking Road, Bandra

Mumbai markets are a shopaholic’s lifeline.. the bazaars of Mumbai are the most crowded and popular places to buy things at reasonable rates.

The project is about this famous shopping street of Bandra, Mumbai.

Located abutting the main Link road and Patwardhan Park on its opposite side where shop fronts are aligned on the edge of the park.

Existing Section

History of Linking Road Market dates back to early 1940s, Linking Road did not start as a shopping paradise.

After the construction of RD National College, the fashion stores started to thrive and many new shops came up.

Park

Over the years this shopping hub has stretched beyond its original length.

Vendors sell clothing items, shoes and accessories etc. on the street.

The market is taken over by vendors, yet the informality of the street keeps it active and vibrant but the park behind the street is not active.

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Shopping Street

Link Road

RD National College

The street has no segregation of vehicular path and pedestrian movement because of which the vehicles often pass through the shopping space to avoid main road traffic.

Public Place Design

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Design Aim

Zoning

Existing Layout

The idea is to integrate the shopping The existing layout shows how the street and park edge. stalls are aligned in a linear pattern along the park edge making it a dead edge.

The idea is to integrate the shopping street and park edge.

The proposal comprises of 1.8 m pathways which are comfortable to walk without obstructions. The zones for formal and informal vending is demarcated to avoid encroachment and create unobstructed pedestrian movement.

The design aims at revitalizing the shopping street into a multipurpose plaza with multiple activities catering to a larger user group. The journey of the user adds several layers to integrate the functions which flow throughout the roadMultipurpose plaza- inside the park.

Proposed Layout

Design Strategy

The division of plaza led to creating Stitching the street and the park edge The junction edge juts out from the multiple axes into the public space opens up a larger space for people. plaza space. Carving and slicing out the connecting each of the activity zones. activity zones in the proposed plaza.

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Public Place Design

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The Proposal Softwares Used : Sketch Up, Photoshop

The shopping street is re-imagined as a multipurpose plaza with activities around integrating the park edge making it a space for people.

The linear shopping market is proposed as a chunk of shopping zone with buffer spaces and temporary builtstructures.

The food cart zone located on the south of the plaza next to shopping zone, with hand drove small carts; Central plaza designed as a central public space which holds both the ends of the proposal.

Exhibition zone is a flexible layout proposed for art/or any kind of installation, located on the north end of plaza.

Play Zone, this zone includes activities for kids and adults adjacent to exhibition zone.

All together this plaza makes a PUBLIC SPACE FOR PEOPLE OF MUMBAI CITY.

Proposal of the Multipurpose Plaza, Linking Road, Bandra

The pathways are designed in a way that will create the most important way of direction, physically and visually connected and leading to any of the activity zones. The plaza will be active throughout the day and night because of the multiple activities catering to larger user group. Even the people who are just passing by will have a sense of the plaza space.

The footpath connects the north end of the plaza. Play zone will enhance the activities for all age groups and keep the space active. The play zone is visually connected from the footpath but protected with safety barriers. This proposal if implemented will make the place more active and vibrant.

Key Learnings Softwares Used : Sketch Up, Photoshop

Streets, Built forms, Open Spaces, Urban Blocks are various urban design elements that make up the Urban Public Place. These elements are linked with one another and they help in the functioning of urban space for the people. The study of elements of urban design helped to understand the relationship between the surrounding context, condition of ground floor edge, and its influence on the activities around.

Public open spaces apart from being accessible should have porous edges for a visual connection with the user. Through the analysis done for various elements, my design proposal for Linking road Bandra focuses on designing a place for people which is more than a shopping paradise. The design aims at solving the existing problems of vehicular traffic and pedestrian movement along with integrating the dead edge of the park into an active and vibrant public plaza.

This project will lead to a vibrant plaza, active street edges, and integrated park edge. Hereby enhancing the livability of the city. The project if implemented will also act as an addition to the public open space in Mumbai city which will play a multipurpose role for the people of the city.

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Public Place Design

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B.Arch Dissertation

Role of Architecture in Reclaiming Urban Squares Mumbai is a fast-growing and an unplanned city. It has evolved according to the needs and issues arose. Mumbai’s fort area is the one to have the rich historic heritage structures. Fort area has been developed in a row of centuries and has different types of structures with different Architectural Styles. The buildings like Bombay high court, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and many more today are listed as Grade I Heritage building and now characterized as public and private functioning buildings. They create an identity of the place. The use of some heritage buildings has changed over time and it has a different impact on the unbuilt environment.

Increasing vehicle traffic, segregation of the user groups, neglecting public space, increasing private relations of individuals are among the reasons why “public life” declines and public spaces degrade.

A portion of Mumbai, i.e. Fort area has been designed by the British and the layout is similar to the streets and buildings in London. But, the public spaces like urban squares went missing in the Mumbai setting. The public open spaces (i.e. the Oval Maidan, Cross Maidan, Azad Maidan, and Cooperage Ground) of that time are also retained. They were termed as esplanades earlier. Open spaces are for public activities.

The intent is to understand the relationship between the built and the unbuilt and how they have transformed over a period of time according to the change in building use or the change in unbuilt form use.

Site Location

About the Site

Softwares Used : Mapbox, Photoshop

Softwares Used : Photoshop, Secondary Source

Situating the site in Mumbai, Maharashtra

Understanding the characteristics and the surrounding context of the site

The north of Colaba, lies Kala Ghoda (“Black Horse”) district.

Flanked by Mumbai’s principal museum and art galleries, the neighbourhood has in recent years been rebranded as a “cultural enclave” – as much in an attempt to preserve its many historic buildings as to promote the contemporary visual arts that have thrived here since the 1950s.

The intent of this Proposal is to identify existing setting for an Urban Square and to transform them such that they can be optimally utilized by the people.

The location of Kala Ghoda intersection has the potential to have an Urban Square, along with the Heritage buildings around and the essence of art and culture but the intersection remains yet undefined as a square.

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B.Arch Thesis Dissertation

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Design Aim & Parameters

Existing & Proposed Layout

Softwares Used : Sketch Up , Photoshop

Softwares Used : AutoCAD , Photoshop

The design aim, noticed issues and parameters for the design proposal

Analyzing the Existing Situation and moving forward to the Proposal

Aim To identify existing setting in Mumbai for an Urban Square and transform them to utilize optimally.

Issues Identified in kala ghoda •Spaces not utilized well •No public involvement on daily basis (happens only once a year) •Heritage buildings not maintained well •Kala Ghoda needs attention and organization of its own strength and opportunities to build up a place for people.

The intend of the thesis is to reclaim the under-utilized urban areas and to give a new life to the heritage buildings which are dilapidated before the history dies in them.

If cities are considered to be the hubs of social engagement, then Urban squares are the backbone to create unique identity of the place that accommodates ‘All’.

Existing Layout

Proposed Layout

Urban Design Parameters

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B.Arch Thesis Dissertation

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The Proposal

Site Section through the Proposed Urban Square and the heritage structures acting as the backdrop

Softwares Used : Sketch Up , Photoshop

The proposal is explained with site sections, how the Urban Square holds the built forms around together and how people interact with the built Integration of built and unbuilt space stands on the utmost priority while designing public buildings. In order to connect people (i.e. large working class population, tourist and local visitors) with the heritage buildings and the art culture around introducing a node to let people connect with the unbuilt as well as built.

Site Section through the proposed Art & Cultural Centre, the Urban Square and the art gallery

Evolution of Proposed Art & Cultural Centre

Site Section through the Heritage Structure, main road and the proposed Art & Cultural Centre

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B.Arch Thesis Dissertation

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The Built Form

Proposed Activities

Softwares Used : ArchiCAD, Rhino, Sketch Up, Photoshop

Softwares Used : Sketch Up , Photoshop

Zoning and Character of the Proposed Built form

Daily and Annual Activities proposed in and around the Urban Square

The building is very porous in nature. It is designed in a manner that the outside unbuilt spaces stay visually connected

Different Scenarios Proposed in Urban Square Exhibition set up

Outdoor Performance Area

Market set up

Art installation Set up

with the inside built spaces.

The building still has its own individuality and since few facades have been kept dead is to compliment with the beautiful facade of the surrounding heritage buildings.

Various Activities proposed in and around the Urban Square

Architectural elements like Columns, Scale and proportion of windows have been used. This new modern design will not overpower the rich old architectural styles nor subdue its existence but instead play individually in its own space yet holding on to the old heritage.

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B.Arch Thesis Dissertation

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Conclusion Softwares Used : Sketch Up, Photoshop

The basic elements of unbuilt spaces are that they make spaces, patterns, domains around the built form.

A good urban space is formed by the arrangement of built form and its building use. The building use usually depends on the need of area but user preferences but also be considered so that the space is used by the people. Achieving a relationship between the spaces & the people who live and use the spaces create an identity of place. The quality of each space; whether large, small, wide, narrow, has an observable character which can be related to the experience of human & their feelings.

In Mumbai, public spaces are not used adequately. Today, people prefer to visit malls rather than visiting open spaces like gardens. A public space needs to be integrated with the unbuilt environment. The research studies areas of fort precinct in search for potential setting for an urban squares and enhance the building use around them.

The proposal has been designed to take care of the culture, heritage around the site and behaving as a ‘Magnet’ for the tourism and ‘catalyst’ for the Art district.

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B.Arch Thesis Dissertation

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vidhi.pud20394@cept.ac.in | +91 9769061146