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MOST OF OUR TIME IN OUR URBAN LIVES IS SPENT AT WORKPLACES. IN ORDER TO INVESTIGATE INTO HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES, ONE NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE INTO THE NATURE OF WORKPLACES. NEW CITIES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND THE EXISTING ONES ARE EXPANDING. THE DEVELOPMENT IS OFTEN HAPHAZARD AND DOES NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE BIGGER IMPACT IT HAS ON THE CITY AND ITS HABITATS. THE SPATIAL NATURE OF THE SPACES CREATED LACK SENSITIVITY IN TERMS OF DESIGN. IT IS TIME CITIES CHANGE THE APPROACH OF DEVELOPMENT. DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE INCLUSIVE OF THE EXPERIENCE THE CITY HAS TO OFFER. IT IS A STAND THE CITY TAKES FOR CULTURAL CHANGE WHERE A VISION FOR HEALTHIER SPACES AND RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS DESIGN.
DESIGN PROCESS
BUILT FORMS ARE GENERATED THROUGH A COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN PROCESS. UNIQUE FLOOR PLATES ARE STACKED TO ACHIVE A SUBTRACTIVE FORM. THE NATURE OF THESE SPACES FORMED IS DIFFERENT ON EACH FLOOR. VOIDS ACT AS PRIVATE OPEN SPACES.THE CRITERIA FOR FORM GENERATION IS MAXIMIZING NATURAL LIGHT, MINIMIZING SUNLIGHT RADIATION,MAXIMIZING FSI AND GIVE A MAXIMUM VARIETY OF OPEN SPACES.THESE FLOORS ARE THEN CONNECTED THROUGH SERVICE BLOCKS SITE CONTEXT
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PLAN LVL 0
SECTION AA’
DESIGN AND CONTEXT
SECTION BB’ SITE SECTION
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FLOOR
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PLANS
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THE ARCHITECTURE OF AN ERA OFTEN REFLECTS THE TOOLS AVAILABLE AT THE TIME. THE POSSIBILITIES OF COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN ARE NOT YET EXPLORED TO THE MAXIMUM IN THE INDIAN CONTEXT. HOWEVER, IT IS TO BE NOTED THAT IN REFERENCE TO THIS STUDY, COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN AND GENERATIVE DESIGN REFERS TO THE PROCESS OF DESIGNING AND NOT AN ARCHITECTURAL STYLE. PARAMETERS ARE GOVERNED BY A SET OF RULES TO GENERATE RESULTS. THESE ARE MODIFIED TO GENERATE A NUMBER OF OUTCOMES THAT ARE ANALYZED BASED ON A SET OF CRITERIA. THESE PROCESSES NEED NOT ALWAYS BE DIGITAL OR COMPUTATIONAL. HOWEVER, COMPUTATION HAS MADE THESE PROCESSES FASTER, MORE EFFICIENT, AND GIVEN THE ARCHITECT MORE CONTROL. GENERATIVE DESIGN CAN BE FURTHER USED TO OPTIMIZE THESE PARAMETERS BY INTRODUCING CONSTRAINTS. CONSTRAINTS ARE IDENTIFIED BY THE DESIGNER IN THE FORM OF A REQUIRED QUANTITY, ORIENTATION, GEOMETRY, OR ANY DESIGN INTENT. MUCH LIKE ANY OTHER DESIGN PROCESS, COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN PROCESSES START WITH AN IDEA, CONCEPT, OR INTENT. DIGITAL TOOLS ARE USED TO AID THIS CONVENTIONAL DESIGN PROCESS. IT MAKES THE PROCESS FASTER, PRECISE AND HELPS ANALYZE THE DESIGN AND COMPUTE DATA. HOUSING HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CRISIS IN INDEPENDENT INDIA. NOT ONLY IS THERE A RISING DEMAND FOR NEW HOUSES BUT SLUM REHABILITATION PROJECTS HAVE ALSO BECOME AN INTEGRAL AND UNAVOIDABLE PART OF ALL URBAN CITIES. OFTEN, IN THE PRESSURE TO EXECUTE A QUANTUM LOT AT THE EARLIEST, NOT ENOUGH CONSIDERATIONS ARE GIVEN TO LOW - COST HOUSING DESIGNS. RESIDENTS ARE STRIPPED OF THEIR WAY OF LIVING AND HAVE TO MAKE DO WITH UNADAPTABLE CONDITIONS. THERE IS HARDLY A SENSE OF IDENTITY AND A REPETITIVE NATURE CAN BE ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR DESIGN. HERE, GENERATIVE DESIGN SEEMS LIKE A POTENTIAL PROCESS OF DESIGN. IT HAS AN ABILITY TO GENERATE MULTIPLE UNIQUE SOLUTIONS, FROM THE SAME SYSTEM, ALL FOLLOWING A CERTAIN SET OF RULES. THIS SYSTEM CAN HAVE ITS ROOTS IN THE EXISTING DWELLINGS AND LIVING CONDITIONS OF THE RESIDENTS THE STUDY AIMS TO DEMONSTRATE A GENERATIVE APPROACH TO DESIGN COMMUNITY DWELLINGS, TAKING MUMBAI AS A CASE. PRINCIPLES ARE EXTRACTED FROM EXISTING DWELLING DESIGNS THAT FORM THE BASIS OF AN ALGORITHM OR A SYSTEM. THE STUDY FOCUSES MORE ON THE PROCESS OF DESIGNING THIS SYSTEM RATHER THAN THE FINAL DESIGN ITSELF. THIS SYSTEM OF GENERATIVE DESIGN CAN THEN BE REPLICATED AND REUSED FOR ARRIVING AT UNIQUE RESULTS FOR DIFFERENT CONTEXTS AND REQUIREMENTS. IT TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION THE CUES FROM THE SITE - CLIMATE, TOPOGRAPHY, CONNECTIVITY, AND MORE IMPORTANT THE DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS SET BY THE DESIGNER. THE DESIGNER’S ROLE IN GENERATIVE DESIGN PROCESSES IS EMPHASIZED. THE ALGORITHM IS DESIGNED IN A MODULAR FASHION TO ENABLE THE DESIGNER TO UNDERSTAND, ALTER, AND ANALYSE PARAMETERS AT EACH STEP. THE PRIMARY TOOLS USED ARE RHINOCEROS, GRASSHOPPER3D (AND ITS PLUG-INS), AND BIOMORPHER. BIOMORPHER IN AN INTERACTIVE EVOLUTIONARY ALGORITHM THAT ALLOWS FOR THE DESIGNER TO HAVE MORE CONTROL AND UNDERSTANDING OVER THE GENERATED OUTPUT. HENCE, IT BETTER REPRESENTS A DESIGNER’S PROCESS OF GOING BACK AND FORTH AND EMPHASIZES THE ANALYTICAL ROLE OF AN ARCHITECT IN THE PROCESS. GENERATED OUTPUTS ARE THEN ANALYSED AND COMPARED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER AND THE ORIGINAL CASES STUDIED.
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THE SELECTED STUDIES ARE CHOSEN ON THE BASIS OF A DEFINED STRATEGY THAT COMES FROM THE INTENT. HERE, IT IS TO DESIGN AFFORDABLE HOUSING. FOR ARRIVING AT AN OPTIMIZING STRATEGY, ONE NEEDS TO FIRST HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE DESIGN OF THESE CASE STUDIES. THESE PRINCIPLES ARE EXTRACTED AFTER AN INITIAL ANALYSIS. AN ALGORITHM IS DESIGNED BASED ON THIS THE OPTIMIZING STRATEGY. AT SAME TIME, THE INITIAL CASE STUDY IS ANALYZED THROUGH THIS OPTIMIZING STRATEGY. OPTIMIZED SOLUTIONS ARE THEN GENERATED USING THE DEIGNED AND EVOLUTIONARY ALGORITHM. THE RESULTANT OUTPUTS ARE COMPARED WITH EACH OTHER AS WELL AS THE ORIGINAL CASE TO ARRIVE AT A CONCLUDING ANALYSIS.
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BILBAO HAS GONE THROUGH 4 MAJOR PERIODS- THE MEDIAEVAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND TRANSFORMATION. THE COMMISSION OF THE GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM WAS THE START OF THE TRANSFORMATION PERIOD AND AFTER IT’S COMPLETION THE CITY WAS PUT ON THE WORLD MAP AND THE ECONOMY WHICH HAD DECLINED IN THE INDUSTRIAL PHASE WAS REJUVENATED. FOR THE EXTENSION, ANOTHER MUSEUM WHICH WOULD SHOWCASE THE JOURNEY OF THE CITY WAS PROPOSED.IT WOULD ALSO CELEBRATE THE POWER OF ARCHITECTURE TO TRANSFORM.
THE LOCATION OF THE NEW MUSEUM IS THE FOCAL POINT OF THE SITE, WITH BOTH THE STAIRCASE AND THE BRIDGE LEADING TO IT, ALSO PROVIDING VIEWS OF THE EXISTING BUILDING ON ONE SIDE AND THE RIVER AND MOUNTAINS ON THE OTHER. EXPRESSION THE DESIGN WAS REQUIRED TO STAND OUT YET NOT COMPETE WITH THE EXIXTING MUSEUM. THE PROPSAL IS A SIMPLE BLACK BOX BROKEN BY A FULL SCALE TITANIUM SCULPTURE, NATURALLY LIT FROM ABOVE AND HOLDING REFLECTIONS FROM THE POOL BENEATH - A TRIBUTE TO THE EXISTING BUILDING, MAKING IT ALMOST DIVINE.
PLAN LVL:1
SECTION THROUGH RAMP
SECTION THROUGH GALLERIES
PLAN LVL:2
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LONGITUDNAL SECTION
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WALKING DOWN THE RAMP, YOU EXPERIENCE HOW ARCHITECTURE IS MUCH GREATER AND POWERFUL THAN YOU ARE
MAZZANINE FLOOR: S E R V I C E S AND TOILETS
THE STAIRS ITSELF ACT AS A TRANSITION,
A HEAVY COLUMN MARKS YOUR ENTRY TO MEDIAEVAL PERIOD.
YOU GO THROUGH ARCHES BUT THEY’RE UNCONVENTIONALLY PLACED, TELLING YOU SOMETHING IS CHANGING FROM THE NORMAL.
YOU RAMP
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ENTER INTO
THROUGH A THE ATRIUM.
THE BUILDING IS ALSO RAISED SO IT WOULDN’T AFFECT THE CIRCULATION IN THAT PART AND ALSO ALMOST APPEAR FLOATING.
EXPLODED ISOMETRIC VIEW
YOU ENTER THROUGH A RAMP INTO THE ATRIUM.A HEAVY COLUMN MARKS YOUR ENTRY TO MEDIAEVAL PERIOD. YOU MOVE TO THE COMMERCIAL PERIOD, THE ROOF IS MADE OF MULTIPLE PLANES, SOME OPAQUE AND SOME TRANSPARENT. THIS GALLERY REPRESENTS CHANGE, ACTIVITY AND MOVEMENT. FROM THERE TO EITHER GO OUT TO THE LOBBY OR UP THE STAIRCASE TO THE INDUSTRIAL GALLERY. THE WALLS SLOWLY CLOSING IN AS YOU ENTER THE INDUSTRIAL ERA. THE GALLERY IS DARK AND LOW MAKING YOU WANT TO RUSH TO THE TRANSFORMATION ERA. YOU ENTER TO A GRAND GALLERY, SCALED UP CONSIDERABLY. IN THE CENTRE A BLACK ALUMINIM, A GLASS AND A TITANIUM COLUMN REPRESENT THE CHANGE. YOU EXIT IT THROUGH A CIRCULAR RAMP. THE SCULPTURE ABOVE YOU. YOU SEE THE RIVER ON ONE SIDE AS YOU COME DOWN THE RAMP AND AS YOU TURN TO EXIT THE BUILDING YOU SEE THE GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM.
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A BASIC CUBOID IS MODIFIED BY EXTRUTIONS AND VOIDS, KEEPING THE VOLUME CONSTANT. EACH OF THESE MODIFICATIONS IS REASONED BY FACTORS LIKE, INTERACTION TO BUILDING EDGE, SCALE PERCEIVED AT EYE LEVEL, POROSITY ACHIEVED, NEED OF OPEN SPACES ON VARIOUS LEVELS ETC. THE SITE IS ALSO ANALYSED AT A LARGER LEVEL AND A NEW MASTER PLAN IS PROPOSED.
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CROSS SECTION
URBAN UTOPIA WHAT IS AN IDEAL URBAN CITY? THIS DESIGN TRIES TO EXPLORE THE ANSWERS MAINLY FOCUSING ON PUBLIC SPACES IN MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT. THE DESIGN MANAGES TO BREAK THE RIGIDITY OF THE BUILT FORM BY PLAYING WITH VOIDS, HOW BUILDING EDGES ARE PERCEIVED AND HOW SCALE CAN BE BROKEN AT VARIOUS LEVELS FOR THE USERS TO HAVE A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE. IT ALSO LAYS EMPHASIS ON THE BUILT FORM NOT HAVING A ‘FRONT’ OR ‘BACK’ RESPONDING AND INVITING USERS FROM ALL SIDES.
RETAIL
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RESIDENTIAL
OFFICES
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VANAKBARA IS A FISHING VILLAGE LOCATED IN DIU, INDIA. THE EXISTING HOUSES ARE SMALL, NARROW AND TALL. THE HOUSEHOLDS ARE MAINLY RUN BY WOMEN AS MEN ARE AT SEA FOR MOST PART OF THE YEAR. THE COLOURFUL STREETS ARE ALWAYS BUZZING WITH ACTIVITY. WOMEN DOING DAILY CHORES TOGETHER- DESHELLING CRABS, WASHING CLOTHES, CUTTING WOOD AND OFTEN, COOKING OUTDOORS. THE PROPOSED DESIGN IS A STAGGERED CLUSTER OF HOUSES (OF 12 OR 16 UNITS BASED ON THE TYPE OF CLUSTER) WITH STREETS AND TERRACES FACING EACH OTHER ON MULTIPLE LEVELS. – ENHANCING THE ESSENCE OF THE CURRENT NEIGHBOURHOOD. THE WAY THE CLUSTERS ARE ARRANGED CREATED TWO KINDS OF STREETS INWARD LOOKING THAT WILL CATER TO THE ACTIVITIES THAT TAKE PLACE. STREETS FORMED AT THE BACKSIDE OF THE CLUSTERS CREATE QUITE, GREEN PLACES THAT THE VILLAGE LACKS.
CONTEXT MODEL
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SITE PLAN: LVL 0
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CLUSTER SECTION
THE WEST SIDE OF THE SITE TOUCHES THE JETTY AND HAS A FEW WAREHOUSES THAT STORE FISHES – THEY ARE LEFT UNTOUCHED KEEPING IN MIND ITS FUNCTIONALITY. THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDES ARE GATED WHILE THE EAST- WEST IS APPROACHABLE BY THE ENTIRE VILLAGE – LIKE ALL EXISTING NEIGHBOURHOODS ARE. MOREOVER, CIRCULATION FROM EXISTING HOUSEHOLDS TO THE BUSY JETTY REMAINS UNHINDERED. EACH CLUSTER COULD HAVE A SMALL SHRINE, WELL, PUMP OR A TREE THAT WOULD ACT AS A NODE. THESE NODES ARE CONNECTED THROUGH STREETS ON MULTIPLE LEVELS.
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THE KITCHEN IS BROUGHT FORWARD- MAKING THE STREETS ACTIVE. THE CONCEPT OF PUBLIC/ PRIVATE OR DESIGNATED SPACES IS NOT WELL DEFINED IN THEIR CULTURE. A FLEXIBLE FLOOR AREA ENSURES EFFICIENT USE OF THE SPACE ACCORDING TO DIFFERENT FAMILIES OR THE TIME OF THE DAY.
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GENESIS AIMS TO PROVIDE SHELTERS FOR VICTIMS, NOT JUST AS REFUGEE CAMPS BUT AS A HEALING EXPERIENCE POST THE TRAUMA AND ALSO A QUICK, SUSTAINABLE AND REVOLUTIONARY METHOD TO RE-CREATE CITIES. ‘ MATERIAL ECOLOGY’ – A TERM COINED BY NERI OXMAN IS AN INTERGRAL PART OF GENESIS. “IN THIS APPROACH, PRODUCTS AND BUILDINGS ARE BIOLOGICALLY INFORMED AND DIGITALLY ENGINEERED BY, WITH AND FOR, NATURE. “
THE MODULE IS DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT CREATES SPACES FOR STORAGE LOFTS, WATER TANKS AND OTHER SERVICES
SECTION AA’
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THE MICROORGANISMS ENGULF THE PRIMARY SHELTER, THEIR GROWTH DEPENDS ON EXTERNAL PARAMETERS. THESE EXTERNAL PARAMETERS LIKE SOLAR RADIATION GOVERN THE THICKNESS OF THE MATERIAL. THICK OPAQUE MATERIAL IS GENERATED WHERE SOLAR RADIATION IS MAXIMUM AND THIN TRANSPARENT SURFACES ARE CREATED WHERE LIGHT IS REQUIRED.
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PLAN LVL: -1
CROSS SECTION
LONGITUDNAL SECTION
NORTH ELEVATION
THE TASK WAS TO DESIGN A RESIDENCE FOR A NUCLEAR FAMILY ON A SITE LOCATED JUST OPPOSITE THE ENTRANCE OF CEPT INSTITUTE, AHMEDABAD.
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THE SITE OFFERED CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF A NEED FOR A QUITE PRIVATE PLACE IN THE MIDST OF VARIOS INFORMAL ACTIVITIES HAPPENING AROUND IT AND THE RESPONDING TO THE INSTITUTE. 49
INSPIRED FROM THE WAY A FAMILY FUNCTIONS, DIFFERENT PEOPLE FITTING TOGETHER TO WORK AS ONE, THE CONCEPT OF A PUZZLE IS ADAPTED. IT IS REFLECTED NOT ONLY IN THE INTERSECTING RECTANGLES IN PLAN BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF THE JOURNEY ONE EXPERIENCES AS THEY APPROACH AND MOVE ABOUT THE BUILDING. THE MORE PRIVATE FUNCTIONS ARE SUNK A STOREY BELOW – BREAKING AWAY FROM THE INFORMAL CONTEXT. ENTERING THE SITE, ONE ONLY PERCEIVES A SMALL, LOW BUILT FORM - DECEIVING AND PUZZLING. YOU CAN DIRECTLY ENTER THE OFFICES AT THIS LEVEL.
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AS ONE WALKS TOWARDS IT- THEY ALSO COME ACROSS ANOTHER ENTRANCE - SET DEEP IN THE SITE. THIS IS THE ENTRANCE TO THE HOUSE BELOW. ENTERING THE HOUSE, ONE ALMOST FORGETS IT TO BE A LEVEL DOWN. THE FUNCTIONS ARE SET AROUND A COURTYARD. A SMALLER, INACCESSIBLE COURT LINKS THE LOWER STOREY AND THE STOREY ABOVE. THE SAME COURTYARD OFFERS A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE. ON THE LOWER LEVER – OPENING TO THE HEART OF THE HOUSE AND ON THE UPPER LEVEL- TO AN OUTDOOR SEATING.
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THE RESIDENCE DESIGN OF STUDIO- 3 IS TAKEN FORWARD AND RESOLVED FURTHER TO MAKE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS.
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BASEMENT PLAN
THE PRIMARY MATERIALS ARE ‘SIROHI’ STONE AND R.C.C. BOTH THESE MATERIALS ARE LEFT EXPOSED. THE COARSE AND ROUGH EXPRESSION OF THE RANDOM RUBBLE WALLS IS BROKEN BY THE SMOOTH FINISH OF THE CONCRETE BEAMS. GROUND FLOOR PLAN
THE STAIRCASE ADJOINING THE SMALLER COURT (DETAIL ON PG 00) IS MADE OF PRE- CAST R.C.C MEMBERS. THE LOWER FLIGHT ALSO OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT AND EXPERIENCE THE ADJACENT COURT.
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LONGITUDNAL SECTION
STAIRCASE DETAIL
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JODHPUR, RAJASTHAN RSP 3
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AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT AMC, HERITAGE CELL
VANAKBARA, DIU RSP 1
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DARSHI KAPADIA darshikapadia.10@gmail.com