SUBLIME ORDINARINESS
J.W.S MASS HOUSING, VASIND
HOLE IN THE WATER
UNDERWATER GARDEN FOR AXOLOTLS
SANDIA BASE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
MASTER PLANNING- KIRTLAND AIRFORCE BASE
ELEVATE
BREWERY ON ROUTE 66
PROFESSIONAL PROJECT
Design Co-orperative, Mumbai
Fall 2014
Principal Architects: Shilpa Ranade & Quiad Doongerwala
Affordable housing project located about 60 km to the Northeast of Mumbai that houses 54 families of staff working in the industrial facility of a color coating plant for a large corporate group. The housing has been designed keeping these socio-cultural realities in mind. Designed by an architectural firm in Mumbai called Design Cooperative, my level of involvement in the project was at schematic design, design detailing and construction drawing stage.
Using the Mumbai chawl as a reference to organize the spaces, we saw it as a typology with tremendous possibility of being a social catalyst. Four apartments of 540 sq.ft. each are strung along a corridor space. At the end of which sits the staircase. On the ground floor , the apartments are accessible individually having their own small semi private space, resembling the characteristic “otla” ( raised entrance level plinth) seen in the traditional houses of India ( pols, wadas etc) . Three blocks come together along with the semi round monolithic block to form this large central community space into which all the corridors open. This housing for the staff of a steel processing factory is built to accommodate 60 one-bed
First was the lack of social spaces where the residents could interact with each other and second was the need for a degree of flexibility in the layout to accommodate varying sizes of families. The primary focus in the proposal then was to address these and evolve a cost effective solution for the same. The building blocks are tied to the landscape
though the atypical articulation of the ground floor and the staircase which tumbles out to meet the ground. The building cluster is organized on site to make it visually open from the street and the open spaces that emerge are of different scales for large and small gatherings.
FACADE VIEW OF ONE OF THE HOUSING UNITS
Photo Courtsey: Design Cooperative, Mumbai
GRADUATE FINAL PROJECT
SEM 4
Spring 2019
Professor: Dr. Clare Cardinal Pett
An underwater immersive awareness centre in Xochimilco area of Mexico City. This was final graduate project for Master of Architecture course at UNM. The study analyses water problems in Mexico City and attempts at suggesting solutions that may potentially help in solving the problem. This project looked closely at the habitat of axolotls in Xochimilco area that is being lost at a rapid rate and what amends can be made to revive the ecosystem of these beautiful mystical creatures native to this area since the time of the Aztecs.
“Hole in the water” is a reflection of the experiences that one gets on travelling through the given site.
Taking the concept of Sublime and functioning from a place of fear, the shrine is unique in its aproach. The journey takes one through a series of experiences, where one feels extreme fear at first, then a sense of respect for what water is capable of doing. The respect turns into appreciation when they expereince the shrine from within, for it has the unique treasures of the Chinampas and the axolotl. These experiences of sublime, respect and appreciation, ultimately would instil a sense of admiration for the chinamapas and the need to preserve them, among the people who come to experience it. The spillway would act like an aeration pump for this area of Xochimilco. It will help pump in some oxygen back into the water, that could eventually help in rejuvanation of aquatic life in the waters of Xochimilco.
The site is located in Xochimilco area of Mexico City. Its strategic location with respect to the Isla de las Muñecas, gives it sense of sublime or fear of the unknown.
The water control valve could also work as a natural elevator. Whenever someone wants to embark on the journey, the valve would close, allowing the spillway passage to fill up with water to the brim. When the water reaches the top, interested parties can hop onto a platform that would lower them into the space.
Ambystoma mexicanum, also known as the Mexican walking fish, is a neotenic salamander related to the tiger salamander. Although the axolotl is colloquially known as a “walking fish”, it is not a fish, but an amphibian. The species was originally found in several lakes, such as Lake Xochimilco underlying Mexico City.
As of 2010, wild axolotls were near extinction due to urbanization in Mexico City and consequent water pollution, as well as the introduction of invasive species such as tilapia and perch. Axolotls are used extensively in scientific research due to their ability to regenerate limbs. They were also sold as food in Mexican markets and were a staple in the Aztec diet.
Fall 2019
Principal Architect: Devendra N. Contractor
The brief for the project was to assess, evaluate and analyse the existing conditions of Sandia Base Elementary School on Kirtland Airforce Base camp in Albuquerque. And then propose three options for master planning of the school. The planning was done according to the DoDEA guidelines for elementary school design. My involvement in this project was at the evaluation & analysis phase, as well as, throughout the schematic phase of master planning. This Master Plan document utilized APS Design Standards as the basis for design recommendations. DoDEA standards for Educational Facilities, and Kirtland Air Force Base Installation Facilities Standards were referred to as part of the planning study.
DNCA Architects LLC., Santa Fe, NM
PROFESSIONAL PROJECT
1.Areviewofallpreviousstudiesandevalua�onreports.TheseareincludedaspartofAppendixE
a.SandiaBaseESFacilityCondi�onAssessmentReport(KAFB):ElementarySchool
b.SandiaBaseESFacilityReport(AlbuquerquePublicSchools:SchoolDataandSummary2011-
Kirtland Air Force Base is the third largest installation in Air Force Strike Command and sixth largest in the Air Force. Historically, it has evolved from a hastily constructed training and testing facility necessitated by the onset of World War II to a significant USAF center for Research & Development. Having begun as a 2,000acre air base, it has grown into a 51,800-plus-acre facility.
3.Visitstothesitetovisuallyinspectthebuildings,groundsandfacili�es.
The masterplanning process was guided by an initial decision making process that compared the viability and cost of renovating the existing facilities to conform with current standards and requirements, versus the option of replacing the campus with new buildings and facilities. In addition to cost, the impact of all recommendations on the ability of the school to fully function during an implementation phase was a primary concern. The recommendation of this Masterplan is to construction of a new school campus; renovation and remodeling the existing campus would cost more and would significantly impact the functioning of the school.
4.Developmentandpresenta�onofthreedesignop�onsforreviewwithAPSStaff.
OPTION A
• Simplif edphasingreducesoverallcost, allowsformorecontrolledcampus.
OPTION B
• Supervision and way-finding mightbe difficultinthisdoublecourtyardscheme.
ThisOpinionofProbableCostisbasedonphasesproposedintheMasterPlanforSandiaBaseElementary School.Phaseoneincludesreloca�onofu�li�esinprepara�onfornewconstruc�on.Phasetwoincludes construc�onofthenewfacilityandassociatedparkinglotanddrop-offloop.Phase3includesdemoli�on ofexis�ngbuildingsandtheremovalofportableclassrooms.Phase4includesconstruc�onofremaining parkingandserviceyard,athle�cfieldsandlandscaping.
ThisOpinionofProbableCostisbasedonphasesproposedintheSiteMasterPlanforSandiaBaseElementarySchool.Phase1includesrelocation theutilitiesinpreparationfornewconstruction.Phasetwoincludesconstructionofthenewfacility,andassociatedparkinglotanddrop-offloop. Phase3includesdemolitionofexistingbuildingsandtheremovalofportableclassrooms.Phase4includesconstructionofremainingparkingand serviceyard,athleticfieldsandlandscaping.
5.Refinementofthepreferreddesignop�onalongwithimplementa�onphasing.
The Master Planning Process included:
6.Presenta�onofthepreferredop�onandrecommendedphasingalongwithancostanalysisof theproposedmasterplan.
1. A review of all previous studies and evaluation reports. These are included as part of Appendix E and include:
a. Sandia Base ES Facility Condition Assessment Report (KAFB): Elementary School
b. Sandia Base ES Facility Report (Albuquerque Public Schools: School Data and Summary 201116 ARC)
c. Program of Space (APS Capital Master Plan)
2. A review of the following standards:
a. Albuquerque Public School Design Standards
b. DoDEA standards for Educational Facilities
OPTION C
Note:
c. Kirtland Air Force Base Installation Facilities Standards
d. All available site plans, and survey documents
3. Visits to the site to visually inspect the buildings, grounds and facilities.
4. Development and presentation of three design options for review with APS Staff.
Speciala�en�onhasbeenpaidtothephasingoftheMasterPlantominimizedisrup�ontothe regularimplementa�onoftheestablishedcurriculumthatmayresultfromtheconstruc�onofanew facility.Studentsareonlyexpectedtorelocateoncethroughouttheconstruc�onprocess.
5. Refinement of the preferred design option along with implementation phasing.
6. Presentation of the preferred option and recommended phasing along with an cost analysis of the proposed master plan.
TheproposedMasterPlanincludesu�li�esreloca�onphase,aconstruc�onphase,ademoli�on phaseandthepermanentremovalofexis�ngbuildingandportables.LEEDrequirementsarenot includedintheMasterPlan,butarecri�caltoAPSdesignstandards.
NOTE:
Special attention has been paid to the phasing of the Master Plan to minimize disruption to the regular implementation of the established curriculum that may result from the construction of a new facility. Students are only expected to relocate once throughout the construction process. The proposed Master Plan includes utlities relocaton phase, a construction phase, a demolition phase and the permanent removal of existing building and portables. LEED requirements are not included in the Master Plan, but are critical to APS design standards.
• Thedemoli�onofgyminini�alphase couldbeproblema�cforthe func�oningoftheschool.
Shownabovearedesignop�onsdiscussedwithAPSstaffatpreliminary stage.[SeeAppendix-Cformoredetails]
Relocatefollowingu�litylines: Water Gas SewerDrainage
Newu�li�estobefunc�onal beforecappingtheexis�ngones. RefertoPhase1planfordetails.
Demoli�onofrestrooms(U235& U255)andlobby(H113)in Gymnasium.
SandiaBaseElementarySchool|SITEMASTERPLAN
PHASE3 Program Legend 1 New building 2 Courtyard play area 3 Exis�n busloop 4 New parking 5 Exis�n service yard 6 Paren pick-up/drop-off zone 1 4 5 3 #
MOVE/DEMOLISH
Disclaimer: Thisanalysisis preliminaryandhasnotbeen confirmedinthefieldbythe appropriateu�litycompaniesor surveyor.Priortodesignwork,the designteamwillberequiredto fieldverifytheseexis�ng condi�ons.
PHASE2 MOVE/DEMOLISH
MasterPlanDiagram Demolishexis�ngparkinglotand Southsideplayingfields. Demolishexis�nggymlobbyand toilets. RemovePortables DemolishExistingBuilding
Constructthefollowing: Newbuilding Newvisitorparkinglot NewDrop-off/pick-upzone Northentranceofexis�nggym func�onal Atthecomple�onofthisphase, newbuildingwillbefully func�onal.
RELOCATE
MasterPlanDiagram CONSTRUCT NewStaffparking NewPlaygrounds NewServiceyard NewEmergencyaccessroad Newtotlots andbasketballcourts
Reconstruc�onofnewsitewith installa�onofthefollowing: Newstaffparkingarea Newserviceyard. emergencyaccessroad Newplaygrounds, Totlotsand Basketballcourts
MASTERS PROJECT
ARCH 603
Brewery on the Historic Route 66, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Main constraints of project were to use the City’s building codes and design a brewery, keeping in the mind the real issues that affect a building.
Fall 2019
Prof: Gabriella Guittrez
Elevate brewing company is designed for a site which is at the cross section of Mulberry and Central. A brewery that would cater to its immediate neighbors, such as (the proposed) Highland hotel, Presbyterian hospital, as well as, the locals from the community and the city.
Built in this concrete forest of the city, this brewery is conceptualized as a space existing among a forest of columns.
The columns become nodes of interaction and socializing. Having a massive waffle slab roof hovering over the spaces and a forest of columns supporting it, this brewery encap-
sulates the context in which it is designed in.
With beer being a social lubricator since time immemorial, this brewery would cater to social, as well as, community meetings and special events. Providing spaces for social interaction, such as the outdoor café along Mulberry and
the community space along Central on second floor; the brewery would facilitate active community participation amongst themselves, as well as the city. The brewery facing central would have an interesting effect on the visual
interaction of passers-by on Central St. Ave, Mulberry and also, I25 highway. People interested in the art of brewing would have the chance to learn it in classrooms and demonstration spaces provided in the brewery. Beautiful outdoor and indoor social spaces, along with intensive learning
spaces for brewing, make the brewery, a space with interesting blend of activities, existing among these forms floating in this forest of columns.
The structure for the brewery would be a concrete waffle slab supported by a forest of columns at a 30x30 grid or 30x15 grid. The primary structural system would be a
two-way slab supported by beams at second floor level. The entire structure of the building will be covered by a massive waffle slab. The outdoor space will have a double
height space from where the visitor’s can enjoy the beer while admiring the beautiful structure of the brewery. The main concept behind this building is to
have to showcase purity of structure and materials. Aesthetics along with functionality are the underlying concepts that are potrayed through this design.
SECTION THROUGH THE BREWERY AND STREETS LOOKING NORTH
