Kumar, Samuel

Samuel Kumar Architectural Portfolio 2020

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I am a hard working, passionate, and determined individual, looking forward to a future career in architecture. I enjoy being active in the architectural community, from helping to organise exhibitions, to taking an active role in local architectural societies.

During my time at LJMU, I have become particularly passionate about a rationalist, ‘less is more’ approach to architecture; an approach which I hope to continue to explore and learn during my part 1 experience.

About Me

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Contents

4

Curriculum Vitae

6

Library of Performances

28

Calder Centre for Environmental Awareness

36

North West Screen Print Archive

40

Faber House

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Samuel Kumar University

Home: 8 Glovers Loom, Great Boughton, Chester, CH3 5TY

- Achieved 2:1 in both first and second year, on track to receive 1st in third year

Email: samuel.kumar@hotmail.com

I am a good problem solver, who enjoys responding creatively to design challenges.

Tel: 07975 607380

Personal Information

I am confident in all aspects of the design process, from conception through to resolution. I am well practised in producing concept and refined imagery, and believe in the importance of physical models, from hand cut wood to 3D printed elements.

- Age: 21

I am very comfortable sketching ideas and concepts, and am able to digitally model these complex forms in a variety of different software.

Notable Achievements

- Date of Birth: 24th August 1998 - Sex: Male - Nationality: British

- Council member of the Liverpool Architectural Society

References

- Student Representative for the LJMU BA Architecture course

- Gary Brown Third Year Tutor: Liverpool John Moores

- Work featured in LJMU Architecture Catalogue (2018)

0151 231 2121 G.P.Brown@ljmu.ac.uk - Philip Lo First Year Tutor: Liverpool John Moores 0151 231 2121 P.Lo@ljmu.ac.uk - Annette Dodds Duty Manager: Waitrose + Partners 01244 342900 80786251.mail@waitrose.co.uk

CV

Contact Information

- Organised and composed the Julia Midgley public exhibition - Given team supervisor responsibilities while working at Waitrose + Partners

Key Software - Photoshop - InDesign - Illustrator - Sketchup - Microsoft Office

- AutoCad - 3ds Max - Revit - Rhino - Grasshopper

Employment

Education

- Waitrose + Partners November 2014 - January 2020

- Liverpool John Moores University September 2017 - June 2020

- Leading and managing the customer service team during peak trading hours - Communicating tasks to the customer service team, store wide, and with other stores/distribution My main role was providing a customer interface, offering a variety of services to customers, and resolving issues and complaints. I coordinated with other stores and distribution during peak seasonal periods, ensuring constant stock levels and service for customers.

As a customer service supervisor, my role included assigning partners to areas across the store to meet changing demand throughout the day, as well as ensuring daily tasks were completed.

Work Experience - Grimshaw Architects February 2017 - Gained an understanding of required qualities of interchange architecture - Worked on a self lead design project for a pod/shelter placed in a train station - Shadowed team briefings and meetings regarding work and evaluations Whilst at Grimshaw, I had the opportunity to gain an insight into the realities of the design process, from stages 0 - 7. It was inspiring to see the magnitude of projects being delivered.

BA Architecture Predicted 1st - West Cheshire College September 2016 - June 2017 Art & Design Foundation Year - Bishops Blue Coat High School September 2009 - June 2016 3 A levels 11 GCSEs

Additional Information I am very enthusiastic about architecture, and very eager to continue learning about architecture through practice. I have completed my final core design project, which I have enjoyed immensely.

I have recently finished an ‘Instagram’ side project, whereby I have posted one image each day of the work I have produced, including my development, time in the studios, and anything else that is architecture related: @sammyk_archlife Outside of architecture, I am a keen climber, and frequently boulder at indoor climbing centres. I have attended bouldering competitions and events, and am currently climbing at a V6 level. I also enjoy mountain climbing and trekking, having most recently completed the Crib Goch path of Snowdon in 2 hours.

To date I have travelled to seventeen countries, and hope to visit many more.

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A Library of Performances A new type of theatre: one that is transparent and open to the visitor, encouraging exploration, and promoting new performers.

The building consists of a variety of different performance spaces, varying in form and size. The spaces are intended for use by the public, offering a platform for independent directors, artists, musicians, and students to showcase and rehearse their work.

This constant array of differing performances allows the visitor to ‘browse’ the performances available, before deciding on which piece they wish to view. Like in a library, the ritual of browsing becomes important, focusing on the exploration of the occupant.

These performances, along with past productions can be stored digitally, allowing visitors to view previous performances within the building. These past performances are displayed through digital screens, offering an interactive element to the building.

The building becomes a holistic centre for performance, focusing on availability rather than exclusivity. This creates a new typology of architecture; a library that accumulates performances and choreography, rather than books and journals.

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‘The Landing’

‘The Chamber’

All performance and rehearsal spaces within the library are broken into four typologies: ‘The Landing’ acts as an informal and flexible space for a single performer; offering only a subtle threshold between the audience.

‘The Chamber’ is intended as a more formal yet intimate music performance space, promoting close interaction between the audience and the performer.

The space is intended for use by a single musician, as a platform for individual talent.

third year | semester two

‘The Studio’

‘The Auditorium’

‘The Studio’ acts as a series of flexible studio spaces, intended as rehearsal spaces open for use by members of the public. These rehearsal rooms offer carefully controlled views into the space, allowing the performance to be viewed without disturbance.

‘The Auditorium’ offers a more traditional structure of performance, retaining the distance between audience and the performer to offer a contrast in performance space, compared to the smaller, more intimate ‘Chamber’.

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Sound from the performance is allowed to escape into the ‘Diffusion Zone’: an informal viewing area allowing visitors to ‘browse’ the performances on offer, before joining the performance as a member of the audience.

third year | semester two

The ‘Gallery’ offers formal seating within the performance space, once the visitor has entered. The visitor joins the performance as an audience member, allowing a greater, more intimate immersion.

The ‘Performance zone’ is the designated space for the performer, marked by a small threshold as a change in height and materiality. This provides some distinction between the audience, whilst retaining the closeness to the performer.

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Diffusion Zones

third year | semester two

Performance & Rehearsal Spaces

DANCE

WATCH

ACT

WATCH

SING

LISTEN

LISTEN

SING MOVE

SING

WATCH

LISTEN

SING SING DANCE ACT

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Section AA The library is intended as a collection of performance and rehearsal spaces, for use by members of the public. The variation in the typology of spaces allows for an array of varying performances, offering a platform for new and independent artists and performers.

third year | semester two

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Central Auditorium The auditorium is flanked on either side by a concrete colonnade, offering diffusion zones that allow visitors to ‘browse’ the performance before entering, without disturbing the performers. The theatre can also be naturally lit, increasing the transparency of the building, thus promoting intrigue and exploration.

third year | semester two

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Section BB Working in tandem with the Library of Performances, the School of Performing Arts offers facilities and spaces for the teaching of acting, music, and dance to students. The school provides conventional teaching spaces, as well as immersive dance chambers and black box theatre.

third year | semester two

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Section CC As the places where performance and theatre is born, dance studios within the scheme are treated as the poetic beating heart of the building. Thus, each dance studio receives an excessive architectural treatment, intended to empower and inspire the students that use them.

third year | semester two

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third year | semester two

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East Elevation The East elevation is used as a device to express the activity within the building to the street, thus offering life and movement to it’s immediate surroundings. Daily routine is treated as a performance, with circulation spaces treated as a stage for the outside world to watch.

third year | semester two

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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Dance Chamber Detail

third year | semester two

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Second Floor

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Calder Centre for Environmental Awareness The project site is parallel to the river Calder, which has previously tripled in height during peak rainfall. This results in a site which continues to flood annually, with water levels rising two metres above ground level.

This therefore determined the main design challenge: to produce a scheme that would continue to function, whilst responding to a changing water level. The response was to use a sacrificial ground floor, allowing the water into the lower level of the building.

The scheme intends to offer a local centre for raising environmental awareness through independent learning spaces, such as gallery and exhibition rooms, while also offering taught spaces like the auditorium and classroom. These spaces relate to experiential water zones, where the river is allowed into interior pools and channels around the ground floor. Office space allows local environmental groups a temporary location to work during times of peak flooding, and allows the centre to provide teaching and meetings with students and local residents.

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Capture The scheme responds to the changing water level with 4 different methods: river water is captured in internal pools, making use of the natural element as a building material. The rise and fall creates changes in the building, turning seating to stepping stones.

third year | semester one

Sacrifice Rather than resist the water, the building uses a sacrificial ground floor, allowing the water into the building. By accepting the flooding, ground floor spaces are designed to withstand the water, using a carefully considered programme.

Fortify Essential spaces that are in use, and cannot adapt to the flooding, respond with a ‘fortify’ method. Thick treated stone walls are used to fortify against flood water, ensuring constant use of the space without interruption.

Prioritise Vulnerable spaces, such as the offices for environmental groups, are prioritised as essential spaces that cannot be flooded. These spaces are raised from the ground, following a strict programme.

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Internal Vista The is building intended to provide environmental awareness as an educational building, offering exhibition spaces, as well as teaching space and offices. With a focus on the environment, nature is brought into the building through carefully considered vistas, breathing life through the structure.

third year | semester one

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third year | semester one

First Floor

Ground Floor

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second year | semester two

North West Screen Print Archive The intention of the project was to produce a public archive for the safeguard and storage of screen printed artwork and material. At the forefront of the design process was the relationship between private and public domains within architecture, through the use of solid and void.

A key aim of the project was to express the gradient of public to private, from the public exhibition spaces through to private strong rooms. Using forms that related to solid and void, the occupant is subjected to a fluid transition in spatial quality, moving from transparent public spaces through to opaque private rooms.

The gradient in transparency is achieved through the use of a kinetic copper facade, allowing the occupant to open or close exterior panels based on their preferences and needs. Thus, the experience within and outside of the building varies, based on the programme of the building.

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second year | semester two

Lower Ground

Ground Floor

First Floor

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first year | semester two

Faber House Our final first year brief was to design a building specifically around a chosen craft/craftsman. My response was Faber House, intended for bespoke tailoring.

The Portland stone structure consisted of several spaces to meet the tailor's needs, such as workshop, fabric storage, fitting rooms, showroom and accommodation. The building is wrapped within a partially permeated brick outer wall, controlling the quality of light within, whilst referencing the subject of the scheme: fabric.

The key principle throughout the design process was the expression of the integrity of the craft, which was intended to be carried through into the fabric of the architecture. Thick stone walls and load-bearing structure aimed to instil a sense of strength and longevity to those who entered.

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first year | semester two

Ground Floor

First Floor

Second Floor

Third Floor

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Contact 07975 607380 samuel.kumar@hotmail.com