PERSONAL INFORMATION 1, Braintree House, Malcom Road Bethnal Green, E1 4HN 07405595767 ashokkumar.ashwini@ gmail.com LANGUAGES English Hindi Tamil Malayalam Gujarati
ASHWINI ASHOKKUMAR I am a spatial designer with a keen interest in parametric design and geometry. I have trained as an interior architect from CEPT University, India with a Master of Science in Architecture from the Emergent Technology and Design Programme at the Architectural Association. My design interest lies in the intersection of Mathematics, Space and Material. I believe in the use of parametric design to inform the behaviour of materials and geometry for an enhanced spatial experience as well as proposing environmentally and structurally sound solutions to wide-ranging design problems.
EDUCATION Postgraduate: Master of Science in Architecture, Emergent Technologies & Design, Architectural Association. Undergraduate: Bachelor of Interior Design, Faculty of Design, Center for Environmental Planning & Technology.
WORK EXPERIENCE Jan 2015July 2015
Lab Assistant, Digital Prototyping Lab, Architectural Association, London
Oct 2014Dec 2014
Design Assistant, Ajay Khanna, Cambridge Projects: Sinuous Wall, Dia-grid Dome. Teaching Assistant, CEPT University, Ahmedabad Subjects: Interior Design Studio IV, Technical Representation of Drawing, Algorithms-Past & Present
Jan 2013 Aug 2014
Jul 2013Aug 2014
Interior Architect, Aakruti Architects, Ahmedabad Projects: SBST Redevelopment, Parikh Residence, CEPT Library Redevelopment
May 2009Nov 2009
Design Intern, Chandavarkar and Thakkar Architects, Bangalore Projects: Dr Reddy’s Laboratory, Mindtree Corporate Office.
April 2008Sept 2008
Design Intern, Hasmukh C. Patel Interior Architects, Ahmedabad Projects: Ambuja Corporate Office.
LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNICATION July 2013
Quizmaster, ‘Mindspace’-Regional Quiz Competition, Indian Institute of Interior Designers, Gujarat Convention Centre, Ahmedabad
Sept 2011
Master of Ceremonies, ‘Samvad:Dialogue’, International Conference by SID Research Cell, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
June 2010June 2011
Academic Secretary, Faculty of Design, CEPT University, Ahmedabad
SKILLS Scripting
Grasshopper
3D Modelling
Rhinoceros, Autocad 3D & 2D, Google Sketchup
Analysis
Strand (Structural Analysis), Autodesk Flow design (CFD Analysis), Depthmap (Network Analysis)
Presentation
Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign
Fabrication
CNC Cutting, Laser Cutting, 3d Printing
Traditional
Sketching, Model Making, Craft [Paper Making, Weaving, Bamboo craft, Wood Carving]
MERITS & AWARDS 2012
Undergraduate Thesis •CEPT University Award for Best Research Thesis •Gujarat Institute of Civil Engineers & Architects Gold Medal for Best Thesis
2011
Professional Studio IV •Pidilite Award for Best Design for Environmental Protection/Ecological Design •CEPT University Award for Best Professional Studio IV
2010
Interior Design Studio III •CEPT University Award for Best Design Studio III
2008
Summer Work •CEPT University Award for Best Summer Work on Measure Drawings and Craft study of Pemayangste Monastery, Pelling, Sikkim
1 DENSITY / MATTERS [Dec 2014, London]
Trees are able to withstand high velocity winds. The branching characteristic contributes to distributing mass within a given volume thus providing more obstacles per unit volume. Density/ Matters identifies this property of branching and aims to create a pavilion that is informed by density differentiation and geometric possibilities of tree branching. By varying the angle and length of element, proliferation can be manipulated to achieve such density differentiation. Series of physical and digital tests aid in providing information on the possibilities and limitations of the system.
TREE BRANCHING
Mass-Density Variations using branching
CFD SIMULATION OF BRANCHING ITERATIONS
1
2
3
Branching iteration 1
Wind speeds maintined at 16m/s with single branching
GEOMETRIC VARIATION
Mass1= k Volume1 = V1
Mass2= k Volume2= 3(V1/2)
1
2
Mass2= k Volume2= 7(V1/3)
2
3
Branching iteration 2
Wind speeds reduced to 10.01m/s after second branching
Z Y
1
109째 2
120째 X
4
109 째 3
Joint angles and growth
Variable Parameter that affects overall geometry
Fixed Volume and varying length
Variable Parameter that affects overall density
2 VEIN+MEMBRANE [Nov 2014, London]
The reticulate vein pattern of the dragonfly wing works in combination with cross-bracing membranes to reorganise its form as an instantaneous response when subjected to multidirectional wind loads. The stresses are transfered to the muscles at the thorax whilst undergoing constant deformations to achieve ideal forms for various load conditions. The effect of vein pattern, corrugation and variable flexibility is studied to design a system that is lightweight and capable of withstanding multiple load conditions.
BIOMIMETIC RESEARCH
Study on Dragon Fly Wing’s vein-membrane relationship
RETICULATE VEIN PATTERN
peak
valley
level 1
level 1
level 3
level 2
level 3
level 2
level 4
level 4
level 5
level 5
Variable Flexibility
Variable fexibility determined by varying cell shape
CORRUGATION PATTERN
z y
x
Uz - displacement (z) peak
valley
position of corrugation
Multiple Corrugations Effect of fold direction
[m]
0
-12.9
Anchor Plane
Multiple Corrugations Effect of anchor condition
Wind Load
3 DEPLO[HY]PAR [Nov 2014, London]
The study on vein and membrane relationship from the study of dragonfly wing is extended to the design of a deployable structure. The equilibrium between tensile and compressive forces is exploited to create a shelter that is made of identical hypar surfaces that replace valley folds in an origamic pattern. This, when anchored, keeps the structure in equilibrium. The use of bamboo rods as veins and tensile membrane as infills keeps the structure light-weight and well as able to reorganise itself to wind conditions.
DEPLOYABLE STRUCTURE
Tensioned membrane in folding patterns
SYSTEM PERFORMANCE
[mm] 0
Wind direction: 157.2
Physical Model
Digital Simulation
Extending Vein-Membrane relationship to fold-able structures
Performance under wind load
JOINT DIRECTIONALITY Fixed axis of rotation between both beams no fixed angle between them
B
B
9°
A
20°
B
34°
A
45°
44°
30°
A
Fixed angle with axis of rotation
C
Identical Components
Replacing Valleys with Hypars
C
C
B
B
B
B
B
A
B
A
9°
20° 9° 9°
45°
A B
C C
C C C C
Folding Pattern Collapsibility
C
C C
B
C
44°
45°
45°
44°
30°
44°
30°
B A
B
30°
A
34°
A
A A
C
A
20°
34°
A A
20°
34°
B
A
B
4 CELL+
[March 2015, London]
Cell+ is a series of experiments at different urban and morphological scales with the aim of reconfiguring the Isle of Dogs region for a residential density of 100,000 people per square kilometer. Considering pedestrian walk-ability around the area as of paramount importance, green corridors, courtyards and podiums feature extensively in the design. Programmes are distributed among the built area through a mathematical algorithm built on cellular automaton in strict relation with the influences of present and future situations in the areas around the project site.
INFORMATION FLOW
Using cellular automata to transfer density information
DENSITY DRIVERS
Victoria Park Park Westferry Westferry Rd. Rd.Victoria Victoria Park Mile End Mile End Westferry Rd. ictoria Park VMile . End d R Victoria stferry Rd. Mile Manchester Rd. Manchester WeWestferry End Park . dRd. anchester RRd. M Mile End Manchester Manchester Rd.
SurreySurrey CanalCanal Surrey Canal Surrey Canal l Surrey Cana
Resulting Open vs. Built
Isovist field analysis of green space
HIERARCHY OF GREEN SPACE
Greenwich Greenwich Park Park wich Park n e re G Greenwich Park Connector Identifying connections across the sitePark Greenwich Proposed Connections Proposed Connections reen Vehicular Pedestrian-green Vehicular Pedestrian-green Pedestrian-g Proposed Connections VehicularVehicular Pedestrian-green ons ti c e n n o Proposed Connections C d Vehicular Pedestrian-green Propose
Rules of attachment
Preferential attachment of green cells
Feedback information
2 A10A102 A102 A102 A102
Programme distribution determined by green space hierarchy
Ocean
Source of Polluted Water
Reed Bed Systems
Free Surface constructed wetlands for water purification
Semi-Intensive Fish Farm Cultivation of salt water fish
Rain Water Harvesting
Source of fresh water for village and fish farm consumption
Village Consumption
Food and Water requirements of the village fulfilled
5 HYBRID ECOSYSTEMS [Aug 2015, London]
Hybrid Ecosystem investigates the social and agricultural integration of aquaculture in coastal fishing villages affected by growing activities inland as an alternative solution for economic recovery and autonomy. It focuses on feedbacks from existing local cultural modalities, topographical and hydrological conditions and potentials, to drive the emergence of innovative social and agricultural organizations and production-driven distribution systems within a rural collective system. The system is implemented on the test site of Tai O to provide an integrated wetland development strategy.
TAI O
Identifying the issues and potentials of Tai O village, Hong Kong
ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS 1
WATER POLLUTION Total S.S 0.06-0.07 kg/m3
2
SITE POTENTIALS ECONOMIC DECLINE 450,000HKDpppa in 1960 200,000 HKD in 2015
3 FRESH WATER SHORTAGE
4.5 m 4m 3.5 m 3m 2.5 m <2 m
5000 L/day for 2000 people
N
Below Mean Tide Level
150m
1
WATER CLEANSING Reed Bed Systems
2
AQUACULTURE
Semi-Instensive Fish Ponds
3
FRESH WATER
Rainwater Harvesting
POTENTIAL WETLAND
For Aquaculture & Reed Beds
WATER BASED SETTLEMENT POTENTIAL FRESH WATER For Integration with Fish Farms
137 Ha HARVEST: 5500kg/Ha/Yr
PRODUCTIVITY: 1800kg/Ha/Yr
5.9 Ha
Rainwater Harvesting
88km3/yr
CONSUMPTION: 40 880 m3/year
Stilt Houses
Fresh Water Storage
Village Consumption: 10,900m3/month
Fresh Water Requirement: 51,400m3/month Fish Ponds Fish Pond Requirement: 40,470m3/month Reed Beds Reed Bed Requirement: 16,530m3/ month
Polluted water Clean Sea Water Clean Fresh Water
6 WAFFLE PAVILION
[July 2014, Ahmedabad]
This is an installation by the students of 2nd year at the Faculty of Design, CEPT University. The installation was part of an exercise to introduce students to the methods and possibilities of CNC milling with an introduction to complex geometries. I was invited as a guest faculty to assist on the theory and digital modeling exercises for the team. This project was executed in 48 hours with a team of 4 faculty and 28 students.
Form Work
Introduction to CNC fabrication to students of Design, CEPT University
Milled Corian Cladding
Textures milled on Corian to provide tactile experience
7 BACKYARD EXPERIMENTS [Nov 2014, Cambridge]
Backyard experiments are part of a collection of explorationswith Cambridge-based architect Ajay Khanna. The goal of the project was to use locally available materials to recreate geometrical primitives (such as dia-grids, sinuous curves, geodesic domes etc.) without the use of computation, rather, relying on intuitive manipulations that is informed by material and site. As a design assitant I was able to contribute my geometric acumen to determine the sequence and manipulation of material for the experiments.
Sinuous Wall
Intuitive placement of bricks to create a sinuous wall without the use of CAD
Dia-grid Dome
Exploring the natural bending properties of vegetal rods to weave a diagrid dome
8 THE TWIST*
[May 2015, Hooke Park]
The Twist is the Design/Build project of the Emergent Technologies and Design studio at the Architectural Association executed by the batch of 2014-15. The goal of the project is to exploit the bending and twisting properties of sheet ply to create a self supporting structure following the geometry of a mobius strip. As part of the team of 31, I was involved in the initial physical experiments from which information of material behavior was extracted, the designer of the commercial logo, the 1:10 model of the final structure as well as part of the assembly team of the final pavilion.
TWIST AND BEND
Utilizing the properties of ply to determine the form
PHYSICAL EXPERIMENTATION
1:10 scale model Modius strip
Depth of the strip
Double connection point
Middle strip to retain geometry
Twist due to strip curvature
Global curvature
Singly curved planar strip
Material Behavior
Twisting of wing determined by arched ribs