Abhinav Ramesan | 4th Year Undergraduate Portfolio 2021 | Architecture

abhinav

selected works

ramesan

2018-2021

Skills Industry Knowledge Architectural Design Architectural Visualisation Graphic Design Drafting Architectural Writing Interpersonal Skills Team Leadership Event Management Elocution

Abhinav Ramesan B. Arch Undergraduate ( 4th Year ) School of Planning and Architecture Bhopal he/him 7.10.1999

Bhopal India

Languages English Hindi Malayalam German

High Proficiency Working Proficiency Limited Proficiency Beginner

Hobbies and Interests

Reading | Writing | Urban Sketching | Digital Illustrations | General Trivia

I am a student currently pursuing Bachelor of Architecture from School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal. I am currently based here and originally from Kerala, but I have spent my childhood living in several different parts of India.

In the few years I have spent in architecture school, I have broadened and reoriented my mindset towards architecture. One insight I hold very valuable is that the site is not a blank canvas. I like to play with the sun, and design my forms to take advantage of its position and orientation.

Apart from that, I like spending my time making illustrations, playing with my pet cat, and collecting fun facts and trivia.

Software Drafting AutoCAD 3D Modelling Sketchup Rhino Blender

Intermediate Intermediate Basic

BIM Revit

Intermediate

Visualisation Lumion Blender (cycles)

Basic Intermediate

GIS QGIS Presentation Photoshop Illustrator InDesign

2

Advanced

Basic Intermediate Intermediate Basic

Features

Academic Work Picky Eaters - NASA GSEN Trophy 2020 Productive Urbanism Report - Team Scribble Solar Decathlon India 2020 Gone with the Wind - CLT Induction 2021 Aakar Design

2019 ▪ Weekend Cottages ▪ Daily-Needs-Shops and Plaza at SPA Bhopal ▪ Vernacular Documentation of the Juang Tribe ▪ Design Intervention of the Juang Dormitory ▪ Artist-Couple’s Home and Workspace 2020 ▪ Highway Wayside Amenities ▪ Premium Car Showroom ▪ Working Drawing of a two-storey Residence ▪ 100-Day COVID Hospital 2021 ▪ Middle-Income Multi-Storey Housing ▪ Five-Star Hotel

Experience

Workshops

Coordinator Litsock; Literary Society, SPA Bhopal July 2019 - October 2020

Earth and Bamboo Workshop by Auroville Green Practices - Auroville, TN. June 2019

Mapper Internship at India; Lost and Found August 2020 - March 2021

Z-Axis: You and Your Neighbourhood.

Workshop by Charles Correa Foundation.

Online. Sept 2020 CLT Induction Workshop by Mitsubishi and Aakar Design Studio. Online. March 2021

Achievements Top 30 NASA Writing Architecture 2018 Jan 2019 Winner NASA DesTech Challenge 2020 April 2021 Special Mention (Student Category) CLT Induction Competition 2021 May 2021 Finalist - Top 6 (Office Building Category) Solar Decathlon India 2020 May 2021 Top 39 NASA Writing Architecture 2020 June 2021 Special Mention NASA GSEN Trophy 2020 June 2021

Competitions 2018 ▪ NASA Writing Architecture Trophy 2018 ▪ NASA Landscape Architecture Trophy 2018 2019 ▪ NASA ANDC 2019 ▪ NASA Writing Architecture Trophy 2019-20 2020 ▪ mooArch IsoNation ▪ COA International Essay Competition 2020 ▪ 120 Hours 2020 ▪ NASA ANDC 2020-21 ▪ ArchDais Sacred Architecture ▪ IDHA Essay Writing Competition ▪ NASA DesTech Challenge 2020 ▪ Solar Decathlon India 2020-21 ▪ NASA Writing Architecture Trophy 2020-21 ▪ NASA GSEN Trophy 2020 2021 ▪ CLT Induction Competition 2021 ▪ Arkitekturo Bauhaus Campus 2021

3

1

Am

0

Ab

1

Be

2

Un

3 4

2

midst the Healing

08

Working Drawings and Renders

44

bove the Noise

18

Architectural Essays

48

eyond Net-Zero

28

Hands-on Workshop

52

nder the Roof

36

Digital Illustrations

54

5

1

Academic and Competition Proje

ects

Amidst the Healing Community Centre Muzaffarnagar, India ARCHDAIS SACRED ARCHITECTURE 2020 | GROUP OF 3 August-October 2020

SOFTWARE USED -

8

Rhino (Model) Photoshop (post-production)

9

The site lies in a torn and battered land; once a home for all, now a reminder of the deep wound inflicted upon the people that left them disintegrated and scattered. The city and surrounding farmlands of Muzaffarnagar are a land scarred by the horrors of communal strife.

A community, which once was united across religious lines since independence, was shattered and hasn’t recovered since. Famously known for its sugarcane cultivation where the two communities worked together, the farmers are now struggling to even harvest their produce. A sense of betrayal and distrust persists to this day, especially among the thousands forced to flee their homes.

Our proposal aims to be a catalyst to the healing of the broken community. It is a space that considers the healing to be sacred, with all its spaces dedicated to bringing that to actualisation with the help of Introspection, Congregation, and Reconciliation.

10

Karnal

Muzaffarnagar

Meerut Delhi

North-central India

Site

Muzaffarnagar, UP, India

Conceptualisation

Well-defined multiple pathways, making the user choose where to go

Series of open and closed places, heightens the users’ sense of space

The semicircular shape of the site allows for a point of convergence at the center

11

Form Development

Formation of concentric semicircular walls

Divergence of paths at the entrance

Subtractions for paths and nodes

Convergence of paths at the centre 12

Site Plan

11.

1.

10.

9.

2.

3.

4.

8.

5.

7.

6.

12.

Ka li

Riv er

uz

M

1. Community Space 2. Transitional Vault 3. Community Dining 4. Kitchen 5. Staff Area 6. Courtyard 7. Visitor’s Centre 8. Entrance Courtyard 9. Niches 10. The Maze 11. Contemplation Pods 12. Access Bridge

T ar ag

rn

fa af an

w ha

b na ha Rd

10

0

10

20

30

40 m

13

On one side, the maze runs along contemplation pods and meeting spaces

On the other side, beyond the visitors centre, is the community eating space.

14

Contemplation amidst the trees

Traversing through the maze

Remembering the tragedy

Coming together to eat

15

Brick Vault shelters some parts of the maze Exposed Concrete Gutter Brick Jali

Brick walls 3.5 m high Wall arches spanning 2 m

Here’s a semi-circle amidst a farmland Of a fractured people An entrance with a multitude of paths that go different places.

Some lead to fulfillment a few to togetherness, and the rest to contemplation.

But all these paths terminate at one place; a place where people pray, sit, look at the water play, dance, sing some music, a place where the community heals, a place where humanity is sacred.

16

Community space at the center, where all the paths converge

17

Above the Noise Multi-storey Housing Bhopal, India ACADEMIC PROJECT | INDIVIDUAL January - May 2021

SOFTWARE USED -

18

Rhino (Block models and ideation) Revit (full model) Photoshop and Illustrator (post-production)

19

Located in the south-eastern part of the city of Bhopal, Hoshangabad Road is seeing rapid development along its entire stretch, including several apartment buildings for the expanding middle-class of the city.

Situated between a railway line and a busy arterial road, the project offers to be a refuge from the noise, and stand apart from the crowd of generic unthoughtful apartment buildings that dominate the area.

Bhopal, MP, India 20

Hoshangabad Road and locale

The Site

Conceptualisation

Form Development 7.5 m

Lobby

The lobby acts as a common space between the four units, encouraging interaction between occupants.

7.5 m

Cross-Ventilation

The orientation of the units have been made to allow winds to flow through the building.

12 m

37.5° 7.5 m

Orienting three blocks

Nodes

All the units have thin plans, necessitating a central long corridor connecting two nodes at the entrance and interior

Projections

Parts of balconies and terraces are staggered on alternate floors, allowing more daylight into the open spaces .

Scattering and staggering

Fenestrations

Minimisation of southwestern openings.

Use of right-sized shades based on the geolocation and climate of the site.

Forming vertical cores

Detailing and polishing

21

Site Plan

1.

3.

1.

5.

X’

4.

1.

X

2.

1. Apartment Block 2. Amenities Block 3. Play Park 4. Main Plaza 5. Park m 10 8 6 4 2 0

22

ngaba

Hosha

3

Blocks

4

d Rd

Units per floor

12

Floors

2nd - 12th Floors

Residences

1st Floor

Service Road

Upper Ground Floor

Parking

Ground Floor

UG 145

G 110

Parking Parking Spaces Spaces

Circulation

10

20

30

40

50 m

23

Type C 3.5BHK

10.

Type D 2BHK

7.

9.

6.

4.

8.

6.

5.

13.

8.

3.

10.

10.

9.

10.

5.

10.

13.

11.

3.

4.

ENTRY

9.

ENTRY

1.

Type B 3BHK 8.

ENTRY

10. 10.

7.

6.

13.

Block B 3rd Floor

9.

9.

Plan of Floor Plate

24

4.

Type A

4 BHK

199 sqm 36 units

Type B

3 BHK

142 sqm 36 units

Type C Type D

3.5 BHK 159 sqm 36 units 2 BHK

93 sqm

Dwelling Units

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

Amenities

Areas

1890 sqm

Site Area

11800 sqm

FAR

2

Ground Cov.

8.8% (excl. podium)

Built-up Area

22959 sqm

Open Spaces and Circulation

10761 sqm

Type A 4BHK

ENTRY

12.

7.

9.

5.

4.

141 units

21069 sqm

LEGEND Lobby Maintenance Drawing Living Dining Kitchen Utility Master Bedroom Bedroom Toilet Study Powder Room Corridor Node

2.

3.

33 units

10.

8.

13.

6.

9.

10. 10.

9.

25

6500

+43900

2400

Rooftop

+41200

Roof LVL

+38200

12th Floor

+35200

11th Floor

+32200

10th Floor

+29200

9th Floor 8th Floor

36000

44000

+26200 +23200

7th Floor

+20200

6th Floor

+17200

5th Floor

+14200

4th Floor

+11200

3rd Floor

+8200

2nd Floor

+5200

1st Floor

+2600

2400

Upper Ground

All measurements unless specified are in mm m

Site Section XX’

5

m 0

5

Energy Performance Apart from Design features, other measures have been taken to reduce energy consumption.

55.4%

of base case

Solar Energy Rooftop PV panels generate 16% of the total energy demand.

Cool Roof Tiles With an SRI of 104, helps reduce heat gain through the roof.

Walling Materials Locally sourced fly-ash bricks and AAC blocks help in reducing the embodied energy of the project.

26

Energy Consumption

69.6%

of base case Embodied Energy Energy performance estimates from app.edgebuildings.com

10

15

20

27

Beyond Net-Zero Office Building Bhopal, India SOLAR DECATHLON INDIA 2020 | GROUP OF 10 September 2020 - May 2021

Finalist - Top 6

SOFTWARE USED -

28

Rhino (Block and component models) Various simulation software Revit (Full model) Lumion (Rendering) Photoshop and Illustrator (Post-production)

29

Engineering

Innovation

abil

ity

Wa ter

Affo rd Su sta

ina

bi lity

Design

gy

er

En

Presentation

bility

Scala

nt me n o lity vir En Qua

Team Scribble and the Ten Contests

The site for the headquarters of the National Health Mission for the state of Madhya Pradesh is in Patrakar Colony, Bhopal. The headquarters will be used as the main office building to oversee various health policies and family planning initiatives undertaken by the Government of India.

Our objective was to design a Net-Zero-EnergyWater-Building on this site, while fulfilling the goals that we set according to ten contests. We also seeked to create a building that reinforces Bhopal’s image as a green, beautiful city.

After extensive research and using several passive and active design strategies, we were able to reach an optimised design. Apart from achieving net positive electricity and net zero water usage, we were able to obtain an EPI of 32.25, reduce HVAC load by about 50%, achieve 70% comfortable hours, improve indoor comfort, and withstand climate scenarios till 2050.

Bhopal

30

Patrakar Colony

Design Development Design Strategy Bundles

Form Optimisation OPTION A Centralised Configuration EUI

-

91KWh/m²a

Daylight (sDA 300/50%): 55% Glare (ASE 1000.250): 26.4%

OPTION B Staggered Configuration EUI

-

101KWh/m²a

Daylight (sDA 300/50%): 57% Glare (ASE 1000.250): 18.8%

Optimisation EUI

-

80KWh/m²a

Daylight (sDA 300/50%): 65% Glare (ASE 1000.250): 12%

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The Design

Y

Y’

Site Plan 32

Cool courtyard

Warm courtyard

+14450 +10950 +7450 +3950 +450

Section YY’

The two courtyards are central to the building’s functioning and identity. All spaces and vertical cores are directed towards the courtyards, with a singly-loaded corridor separating them. They also stimulate natural ventilation passively as explained in the illustration above.

Third Floor

Library, Administration

Second Floor Departments, HR

First Floor

Cafeteria, Departments, Training

Ground Floor Conference, Administration, Legal, Finance

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Specialisations Perforated wall systems Perforated walls, or ‘jalis’ as known colloquially, help in increasing ventilation through the venturi affect, while also providing a screen between the interior and exterior. Two different types of jaalis have been used.

An arrangement of a bamboo mesh with a sprinkler system in front of the hollow blocks, inspired by the local Rathwa tribe

AAC Hollow blocks, tapered towards the inside, increase air flow even more, used mostly along corridors. 70% perf.

Sandstone jali perforations, used in mostly in the frontage.

Largely ornamentally used, Around 60% perf.

HVAC PCM

Taking advantage of the high diurnal temperature difference, Phase Change materials use Latent Thermal Energy storage to “recharge” at night and support the primary Chiller system.

Heat Recovery System

The Heat Recovery system preconditions the ventilated air to reduce space conditioning demands.

Radiant Cooling

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Radiant panels and chilled beams using cold or warm water to provide thermal comfort.

The Outcome EPI reduced to 24.6 kWh/sqm, enabling energy net-positivity through Solar energy

101.2 89.5

57.0 43.0

Optimum HVAC

Efficient Lighting

Glazing Material

Building Material

Window Design

Equipment

27.0

24.6

Shading Design

45.0

0 Efficiency Add-ons

Electrical work

Plumbing Work

Miscellaneous

Fenestration

EPI (kWh/m2)

100

Finishes

RCC

0

Substructure

Cost of Construction per sq. m 2.0K 1.9K 1.8K 1.6K 1.4K 1.2K 1.0K 0.8K 0.6K 0.4K 0.2K

Efficient

Construction cost reduced significantly due to use of local materials

Solar Power Generation 139250 kWh Optimised Annual Consumption 110700 kWh Net Positive Energy 28550 kWh annually

Reduction of proposed costs 27.4%

Link and QR Code for the Full 47-page-report https://solardecathlonindia.in/ wp-content/uploads/2021/05/1_ D4_OFF_SCRIBBLE.pdf

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Under the Roof Resilient Community Shelter Dhanushkodi, India CLT INDUCTION 2021 | GROUP OF 6 February - March 2021

Special Mention

SOFTWARE USED -

36

Rhino (Base model) Blender (Rendering) Photoshop (Post-production)

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Dhanushkodi is located at the southeastern tip of Pamban Island, the start of the submerged land bridge between Sri Lanka and India. Unoccupied since 1964 following a cyclone, it is now a famed tourist destination, with its many abandoned buildings, out of which the hospital building forms the largest of the ruins. Placed between two seas, Dhanushkodi is a major fishing hub, with some members of this fishing community still selling fried fish to tourists, living in temporary shacks along the shoreline. Harsh weather, however, has prevented permanent settlements from coming up again in Dhanushkodi.

Our proposal seeks to transform the abandoned hospital building into a much-needed community shelter for the fishing community and construct it with Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), an upcoming new material.

With the eventual increase in production of CLT and optimisation towards Indian conditions, this proposal will become an easy, low-cost and highly durable option.

This project can also be expanded to the other ruins of the ghost-town, and eventually help in the revival of Dhanushkodi into a thriving community.

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Major ruins2.

Pamban Island

1. Hospital 2. Railway Station 3. Church

Dhanushkodi Sri Lanka

Palk Strait

3.

Palk Strait

N

Sri Lanka

1.

Dhanushkodi

Southern India

Dh

an

The CLT walls give support to the old masonry walls and help preserve it, while the old walls shield the lower levels of CLT from wear-and-tear.

ush

kod

i Be

ac

hR

oa

d

Main Courtyard Cluster Courtyard Private Unit

N The Site - Hospital Ruins

Total 55 Units over 3 Floors, all looking inward Typical size - 5.5x5.5 sqm

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Ventilation Passages allow flow of air through the structure preventing the roof from collapsing in cyclones.

Cross-Bracing ensures resistance to transverse loads and keeps the walls in place

Construction

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Hospital Walls

CLT Core Frame

CLT Edge Walls

CLT Floors and Walls

Roof Frame

Wall and Roof Boards

Ventilators open into the courtyards allowing stack ventilation and help the release of air pressure.

Connection between Masonry Wall and CLT Frame

Beam to Column connections

Wall-to-Wall and Floor-toWall Connections

41

2

Working Drawing Architectural Essays Hands-on Workshop Digital Illustrations

Working Drawings and a Render

This was an academic project which had the objective of designing a residence for a family of 6 along with an attached workspace. A set of working drawings had been created along with relevant details for the services, spaces and materials.

44

Rendered in Blender (cycles)

45

E

C

D

A

B 20000

13700 6000

4500

3000

3000

3000

BACKYARD 13000 X 5000

6200

Y

2650 2640 2300

+600 PLINTH LVL

856

5000 5000 19200 26260

5000

1800

700 1100

OFFICE ENTRY

+600 PLINTH LVL

5 1500

UP

1200

1000

3

5 4

1

2

0

1598

+1600 LANDING

1698

1190

D2

1141

690

1788

4

6

600

4000

600

12

600

W8

9 10 11

600

W8

8

600

W8

7

W8

15 16

W8

D1

+2740 LANDING

800

600

W7

200 W8

13

600

W7

+650 ENTRANCE LOBBY GROUND 3000 X 4500 FLOOR LVL

DRAWING ROOM 3800 X 5800

14

600

W7

1300

W4

W4

W6

6

W4

3000

ENTRY

FRONT PORCH 3000 X 5000 CAR PORCH 9600 X 2900 600

600

600

4900

+600 PLINTH LVL

7 8

Y'

FRONT LAWN 10700 X 10300

m4

3

2

1

0

100 cm

N

46

ENTRY

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

2487

W3

600

1476

RECEPTION 4800 X 2800

600

D4 967

600

664

2930

6200

3800

1800

40000

5800

600 W7

1798

2070

1010

2988 KITCHEN 3800 X 5800

600 W7

1634

3

1396

W7

588 474

1100

3000

UTILITY 2800 X 2800

W9

OFFICE 4800 X 5800

224

D4

600 838 600

W7 2900

2255

900

600

W5

W7

5000

DINING 4800 x 4300

W5

528

3100

600

W5

1951

2354

D6

BATHROOM 2800 X 2800

D6

4290 3000

2

900

D4

W5

TOILET 1800 X 2200

1800

900

600

2000

D6

300

LOUNGE 4000 x 2800

800

970

BEDROOM 4800 X 4200

1500

W5

W5 TOILET 2800 X 2800

820

2740

3739

1950

3870

+650 GROUND FLR LVL

W3

3655

1800

3800

SERVANT'S QUARTERS 3800 x 2800

1

757

D3

2800 D5

+600 PLINTH LVL

W2

1888

1200

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

600 520

1080

2120

950

1050

16

270

15

190

14 13 PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

12 11

280

10

5

235

4

495

2

PLASTER 12 THICK

305

150 THICK WAIST SLAB

305

235

1

ANTI-SKID VITRIFIED STAIR TILES 12 THICK

745

3

745

6

2120

SS RAILING, 50 DIA SS NEWEL POST, 50 DIA 5 THICK GLAZED PANEL

5790

8 7

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

3040

9

SECTION ZZ' SCALE - 1:10

1270

Above - Section of the staircase Left - Plan of Ground Floor Right - Elevation and Cross-Section detail of a Window at the Drawing Room Below - (right) Plan of a Toilet showing fixture and utility details, and (left) Elevation of the wall with window All measurements are in mm

200

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

30 MM CWSP 25 L GEYSER 305X625

SHOWER FAUCET

VITRIFIED FLOOR TILE 600 X 300

25 MM HWSP

380

VITRIFIED FLOOR TILES 12 MM THICK CONCRETE SCREED

930

220

1420

CERAMIC DADO TILE 300 X 300

NAHANI TRAP 110 X 110

20 MM HWSP 20 MM CWSP

MIRROR 960 X 900 X 20

CERAMIC W/C SS TOWEL HANGER WASH BASIN

1000

740

1110

2110

80

80

510

1200

ALUMINIUM VERTICAL SLIDING WINDOW

670

25 MM CWSP

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

CERAMIC DADO TILE 300 X 300

110 MM SWP

860

ALIGN WITH WINDOW LINTEL LEVEL

START

110 MM WWP

110

1130

NAHANI TRAP 110 X 110

110

500

ACRYLIC EMULSION PAINT ( WARM WHITE OR EQUIVALENT)

220

TILE DROP

BRICK BAT COBA

RCC FILLER SLAB

47

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Architectural Essays

Spaces That Nurture Designing for an Equitable Upbringing

-co-authored with Saavi Natekar and Adya Jha NASA WRITING ARCHITECTURE TROPHY 2020

Shortlisted (Top 39)

48

“It takes a village to raise a child.”

-old African proverb

T

he future of a society is defined by how its children are brought up. However, it often fails to provide all its children with adequate opportunities for securing a better future. In India, there are countless children who don’t get access to proper infrastructure for a decent quality of life. Consequently, this gap, that arose simply from an accident of birth, gets widened further.

This inequity is visible in the absence of adequate public spaces for the underprivileged.

For the poor, this disparity crops up as different challenges; subpar health facilities in their infancy, the dearth of mental and physical fitness, and the diminished opportunities for proper learning. These add up and limit the potential of the child, thus perpetuating the vicious cycle of inequity.

Architecture reflects the existing power structures in society and reinforces this discrepancy. Hence, it is unavoidable that the built and unbuilt environment will reflect inequity if the community is plagued with discrimination. The need for equitable spaces originates from this imbalance in the distribution of infrastructure. Thus, the question arises. How can architects make sure that every child gets an equitable upbringing?

Scan the QR code for the full essay

The First Challenge; Ensuring Basic Services The divide between the rich and poor children starts from the very beginning. Children born into lower-income families have to face inadequate food security and public health infrastructure.

As per the World Bank Report 2009, half of children in India under the age of three are underweight. In 2019 itself, the infant mortality rate was 28.3 out of 1000 live births in India.

In order to combat this, the government set up policies to provide equity in basic health and food services. One of the ways to achieve this was Anganwadis; local units which provide social support to children and their mothers. Anganwadis act as child learning and healthcare centres which also provide contraceptives, sanitary products, midday meals etc.

One such Anganwadi exists in the slums of Tahakar, a dense community of migrants seeking job opportunities in Ahmedabad.

With a meagre earning and many stomachs to feed, poor health is predestined. The community is served by an Anganwadi of a mere 3m x 3m room, which serves as a classroom for more than 30 children....

49

Two Sides of a Lake Bhopal and its Diverging Identities -co-authored with Saavi Natekar

IDHA LABS ESSAY WRITING COMPETITION 2020

50

I

t’s early in the morning. Seedhi Ghat by the Upper Lake is dotted with commuters drinking their cup of tea and taking in the views of the city of Bhopal. The Upper Lake is intrinsically connected to Bhopal, since its creation by a Paramara king in the 11th century, and the addition of several more lakes and the growth of the city along their shores. Resultantly called the City of Lakes, the urban landscape of Bhopal has centered itself along these water bodies throughout its history. In modern times, while the identity of the city has evolved away from its water bodies, the lakes continue to be important to its functioning and image. This essay will explore the traditional and modern spaces on either side of the Upper Lake, analyse their influence on the identity of the city, and understand how they affect each other.

The City of Begums For hundreds of years, the city existed on the northern shore of the Upper Lake. The golden age of the city was started by Qudsia Begum in the 19th century. She was succeeded by three generations of regnant Begums who went on to develop and modernise Bhopal and turn it into a center of arts and culture.

They also built three prominent mosques, the largest of which, Taj-ul Masajid, became a center of Islamic learning in South Asia.

Gauhar Mahal, the oldest surviving royal residence, is perched on the north-eastern edge of the Upper Lake. The grounds outside of the palace were set up by the Begums to function as a cultural arts and crafts bazaar. After independence and the abolition of the monarchy, the crafts bazaar slowly extended to cover the interior premises of the now disused palace. Today, following its restoration, the two courtyards of the Mahal serve as exhibition grounds for local art, textiles and handlooms.

Scan the QR code for the full essay

Every morning, hawkers in Shahjahanabad, the city founded by Begum Shahjahan, clean up their tiny stalls selling food, clothes, and hardware for yet another busy day. These bazaars form a network of streets around the landmarks of Iqbal Maidan, and the three main mosques (Jama Masjid, Moti Masjid and Taj-ul Masajid). Once a courtyard of Gauhar Mahal, Iqbal Maidan today acts as a vibrant public space hosting various public events, and is also used by the children of the neighbourhood.

By 7 p.m., as a busy day comes to an end, things slow down.

Hawkers shut shops, get their stools out and balance a plank or patta between them. This is the time when the street becomes a platform for debates, card games and endless discussions among hawkers, their neighbours and their customers over multiple cups of tea. Famously known as Pattabaazi, this session continues till way past midnight. This practice is said to have evolved from scholarly discussions that took place in Iqbal Maidan. The streets thus become a public space for the close-knit neighbourhoods and commercial centres in Shahjahanabad, developing a strong sense of identity....

51

Hands-on Workshop Earth and Bamboo Workshop Auroville Green Practices

May 2019 | Auroville, TN, India In the hot summer months of 2019, I travelled to Auroville, a township in south India famous for its innovative culture for a five-day workshop. This workshop was first held in Auroville Earth Institute and then Auroville Bamboo Centre, where we learnt and experimented on several different ways of using earth and bamboo for building construction.

At the Earth Institute, we did hands-on construction of stabilised mud bricks, and consequently the construction of rammed earth, cob, and mud brick walls. At the bamboo institute on the last day, we were tasked to design a wall using bamboo.

My team made a frame with several potential planters and the provision of bowls which could be used as bird feeders, adorned by an array of bamboo rings on both sides.

The workshop ended with an architectural tour around Auroville and some of its latest construction projects.

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Digital Illustrations

During the early months of the pandemic in 2020, I decided to elevate my doodling skills on to a digital platform. I started experimenting on Adobe Illustrator, and soon enough it became a new hobby.

Here are some of my works that I made in the past one year.

Blobcat; a series of digital illustration featuring a blue-coloured cat doing mundane stuff

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abhinav ramesan

School of Planning and Architecture Bhopal +91 9940390235 abhinavramesan@gmail.com