Architectural Portfolio

Architecture Portfolio Dhruv Hemant Shah Email. dhruvshah317@gmail.com / ucbqdsh@ucl.ac.uk Ph. +91 9978997623

Contents,

Manikarnika.

Redevelopment of the Varanasi Burning Ghats.

Retrace.

Bhau Daji Lad Museum Extension.

Gap.

Housing scheme for the average income demographic.

INWM.

Indian National War Museum, Delhi, India.

Remnant.

University Island Design Competition.

Mille-Bridge.

Millipede inspired Pedestrian Bridge.

Guggenheim Switch.

First prize and honorary mention in International competition.

The Phoenix Arises.

top 10 honorary mention in International competition.

ST(Art) Canvas.

Top 25 honorary mention in an International Competition.

“Architecture is not so much the Knowledge of Form but a Form of Knowledge”

Manikarnika.

Redevelopment of the Varanasi Burning Ghats.

Project Level :

Academic Project.

Project Type :

Individual Project.

Project Scale :

12000 square metres.

Date :

Fourth Year Project (January to April, 2015).

Project Supervisor :

Percy Pithawala, Professor, S.E.D.A. Navrachana University. pithawalapercy@gmail.com +919825011301

Ram Naam Satya Hai. Its the dawn of dusk, I see smoke spawning at a distance. Its dark yet the smoke darker. I tread towards the smoke. Ram Naam Satya Hai. A cow rests. Unaffected by what goes around. It is dark yet the cow darker. The cow is its lazy self as if lying in a farm. A farm of the flaming flesh. Ram Naam Satya Hai. And there you see. A pundit performing his rituals.

Circling the pile of wood. Like a vulture circles its prey. And then the fireworks begin. The people warming their cold hearts with the screams of the gone. The terminator diabolically poking his war stick into the flames as if searching for his own soul, spawns sparks as pretty as fireflies which vanish in the smoke as if they have reached above. Ram Naam Satya Hai. Fifteen souls have passed in a matter of minutes. Not a tear is shed. Its the dawn of dusk. I see smoke at a distance. Shree Ram Naam Satya Hai. Location Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together�

-Mark Twain Banaras. Anandvan. Benares. Kashi. Varanasi. The number of different names do not even begin to give a picture of the complexity that Varanasi is. One of the oldest cities of the world, Varanasi is a living breathing manifestation of what Indian is. The juxtaposing of religions, the overlap of cultures and traditions the surreal mutualism of life and death. The geographical topography plays an existential role in the growth of this city.

(Sacred Geography).

Banaras is a city of senses. Every street every corner of Banaras is filled with instigated sensory stimuli. Walking into the streets over the Ghats, one could smell the incense sticks at one point and the smell of fresh sweets made right at that spot. The complex odour of the cow dung isn’t far away. The pungent smell of the dead bodies passing at a distance always pertains to the air. This amalgamation of scents. Walking on the Ghats one would see the Pundits readying up for the aarti, people opening up shops, boats men bargaining for the view, kids playing cricket, flying kites and the raging fire of death at a distance.

The superimposition of life, commerce, recreation and death.

The sound of repeatedly hit manjiras, people quarreling over who goes first, bargaining of shoe parking space, pigeon fights and Ram naam satya hai. Cold damp wind flooding the alleys, the old stone homes, different textures walkways, ghats, the ever so sacred Ganges, the heat from the aarti and the burning bodies; all have separate textures which generate memories completely different. Fragmented these stimuli are and yet they form a complex web. Overlapping them and juxtaposing them together generates the crux of the foundation of Banaras. A city of Senses.

The Field of influence around the centre as reflected in the physicality and activity of the place. The totality of human activity in relation to Manikarnika has brought about the condition of sacred and profane; a ceremonial path amidst everyday activities of the people. Alignment of activities in accordance with the centres

Analysis of the Bhramanal Gali (The cremation route)

The ceremonial route meandering and interspersed by numerous tertiary streets, breaks the axiality and a sense of visual orientation towards the ghat.

The perceived public domain as an extension of the gali consisting of the amorphous commercial edge and the religious structures.

Religious structures act as symbols of life on the ceremonial crematory route.

They remind the people constantly of the coexistence of life and death.

Commercial edge along the cremation route has been understood as the foremost layer, a buffer between the public and the private domains.

The perceived public domain as an extension of the gali consisting of the amorphous commercial edge and the religious structures.

There is a concrete overlay of the sacred and the profane. The ceremonial route adds to the development of the edge as a commercial one.

Manikarnika Ghat Manikarnika Ghat is one of the holiest among the sacred riverfronts (ghats), alongside the river Ganga. It is believed that a dead human’s soul finds salvation (moksha), when cremated here. Thus, scores of the elderly across the whole country seek to walk upto its edges, and spend their last days absorbing the charisma of the ghat - which makes even death painless and insignificant to be pondered upon.

Analysis of areas around Manikarnika Ghat

There is a need to systematize the process of cremation on the ghats. The process of cremation currently going on is devoid of sensitivity towards the process. The design proposal attempts to isolate the process to an extent along with catering to systematizing for varied factors both tangible and intangible.

Gali Brahmanaal seen with a larger reference to these three centres. The religious and commercial activity,as related activities, tend to overlap bringing about varying intensities of commercial residential and religious activities.

Burning Areas And Temporary economic activities.

Important nodes and junctions around the cremation route.

Religious centres and the Manikarnika Kund.

Wood Storage areas.

Cremation Route along with sensorial centres.

Residential (Red) Vs Economic Areas (Yellow).

Chowk

Vishwanath Temple

Manikarnika Ghat

Sensorial tracing of various activities in Banaras. The entire atmosphere around cremation is so insensitive that the loss is almost celebrated in Banaras.

Proposal for the Redevelopment of the Manikarnika Ghat

Cross section of cremation pod

Redevelopment of the urban blocks surrounding the ghat.

Cross section of the gali with the cremation route

Projections of the various ghats and important buildings in the surrounding.

Proposal A massive issue the process of cremation was promoting, was the pollution of the river Ganges. The process of cremation involves washing the body of the deceased in the pure considered waters of the Ganges. The body exudes harmful chemicals which pollute the water. Also, the process of burning the body also generates a lot of air pollution, which is furthered by research conducted which showcased increase in the number of deathly diseases like cancer in the houses surrounding the ghat. The process of cremation involves the use of a lot of wood which also works extensively against the environment.

Taking inspiration from the Manikarnika kund right behind the ghat, the design proposes for the construction of a check dam like kund, where the bodies can be cleaned, this allows for the water to be purified before it goes back into the river Ganges.

A series of burning pods have been generated with the temple cross section which have filters which allow for smoke control.

A very important installation of the C.I based furnace has been installed, which reduces the consumption of wood by 50 percent reducing tree consumption.

Before

One of the major issues in Varanasi is the flooding of the river Ganges. There is a 6-7 metre rise and fall of the water level of the Ganges due to the change in seasons. Along with the rising water levels due to global warming and the ghats being right on the water edge, the Manikarnika ghat faces extreme difficulty in performing the rituals that bodies are burnt in mass together on a higher platform.

After

There is a strong need for an intervention which allows for a better and controlled cremation procedure. The proposed design generates an array of levels which act as a dam wall merging seamlessly with the stepped language of the ghats surrounding it. The various level allow for people to walk around the ghat at various levels according to the water level along with the unloading of wood.

Retrace.

Bhau Daji Lad Museum Extension.

Project Level :

Academic Project.

Project Type :

Individual Project.

Project Scale :

12000 square metres.

Date :

Fifth Year Project (August to November, 2015)

Project Supervisor :

Gurdev Singh, Dean, S.E.D.A. Navrachana University. gurdevs@gmail.com +919879114223

“In this city, every deserted street corner conceals a crowd. It appears in a minute when something disrupts the way in which the world is supposed to work. It can disappear almost as instantaneously.” ― Jerry Pinto, Em and The Big Hoom 7 islands one soul. Bombay. Mumbai wasn’t the illustrious ,dense or powerful city it is today. South Bombay itself was a group of 7 small islands which did not have an identity of themselves. These islands were then connected through a series of causeways and land re-fillment initiatives which connected the islands and made Mumbai the city it is today.

“The thing about Mumbai is you go 5 yards and all of human existence is revealed. Its an incredible calvacade of life,and i love that.”

-Julian Sands Mumbai is one of most dense and one of the most complex cities in the world. The cross section of lives that you encounter everyday is phenomenal. The network of roads,railways or the juxtaposition of lives is so complex that they form multiple loops and nodal centres where the lives converge and diverge. The complexity of mumbai was very well reflected in the cross section of a bone where there are multiple layers and connections inside. The idea is to get the character of the cross section of a bone.

Reconstruction of the process of land refillment and the formation of bridges to connect the seven islands which is Mumbai today

Museums are institutions that were meant to connect us to our heritage. Museums bridge the gap between present and past and keep our roots connected. The concept is to reflect the growth of mumbai in the design of the museum experientially.

Returning to our roots always gives us something to lay back upon. History is never meant to be forgotten.

The idea is that all the important functions act as major nodes or islands which function individually. The islands on the ground are the non secure islands which are accessible to the public even when the museum is not open. Functions like auditorium, cafe, library and resource center are all non secure zones. The secure zones i.e. the galleries are all above in multiple loops have multiple connections representing the complexity of Mumbai just like the cross section of a bone. The islands become pause spaces which have a very interesting spatial hierarchy of single, double, triple and quadruple height spaces which enhance the dynamism of the building. These secure islands are connected by multiple bridges like causeways which generate multiple connections. These multiple connections at different levels generate multiple punctures which makes the building porous and helps in generating courtyards which in turn generates micro climates which help in humidity control. The context has a Rani Baug at the back drop and the museum on the side. History must never be forgotten. The internal structural and structural grid has been scaled, modified and pulled out and incorporated into the building which in turn controls the dynamism of the building and also helps in laying services and exhibition walls. Spaces can be altered according to need.

"The collection sings in many voices because the Museum as a whole works like a carefully crafted installation" -Homi Bhabha, Director of the Mahindra humanities centre, Harvard university, USA.

Location of the ground level blobs which allows for a pedestrian entry.

Evolution of the column of the older building to develop micro public spaces.

Scaling the column grid of the older museum and spreading it on the site.

Diagrams representing the various floor plates and circulation systems.

Diagram representing the HVAC and Electrical services which run parallel to the grid.

The various function islands connected through a series of bridges and escalators.

The entire proposal is raised above the ground to not cut the existing trees on site along with propagating the movement of pedestrians on site involving locals into the art exhibits by Indian artists.

Section showcasing the various functions along with the exhibition galleries. The volumes include a multitude of varying heights which enhance the spatial experience of these volumes during the exhibition.

Images showing how the building sits in stark contrast with the existing building. The raised building allows for a pedestrian path below along with not harming the trees existing on site.

GAP.

Housing scheme for the average income demographic.

Project Level :

Academic Project.

Project Type :

Individual Project.

Project Scale :

12000 square metres.

Date :

Third year project (August to November, 2013).

Project Supervisor :

Hiten Chavda, Professor, S.E.D.A. Navrachana University. hitenc@nuv.ac.in +918866070304

“A house is a machine for living in�

- Le Corbusier.

In the modern context, a house is a lot more than that. Especially in India. India is one of the few countries, where the concept of communal living is still intact. The vibrancy in festivals, the various occasions where people come together, all screams for a good community housing scheme.

Designing a concept for housing needs to cater to a lot of varied factors which are both macro and micro in nature. From approach to site to the smallest of service details; a housing scheme needs to be very efficient in pragmatic as well as notional aspects considering we spend the most number of hours as a family together in our homes.

Location Vadodara, one of the most culturally driven and cosmopolitan cities of India, has some strong challenges to present. One of the major challenges that it presents is the climate. With global warming being a proven reality, summers are elongating and peak summer temperatures reach well beyond 45 degree Celsius.

Site Located in one of the growing areas in the city, The site on one hand flaunts a lake in the north and vishvamitri, the nonperennial river on the west, it faces a slum on its east side on the other hand the main road to its south.

Architecture is the constant struggle between overcoming nature while preserving it.

Conceptual Analysis

Site Conditions The site marked in green. The location of the site poses challenges on every side. The north side of the side faces the lake and touching the main road on the south.

Site Surroundings Generating a volume on sight after catering offset rules of 6m.

The east side has the slum areas which hinder the view from the individual units.

Site Approach Subtracting volume in response to the noise of the main road and cutting the view to the slum. Approach to the site is also shifted to the tertiary road to prevent commotion.

Subtraction Responding to the harsh climate of the city, the mass is punctured at different places, creating perforations for better air flow and ventilation.

Courtyard Planting tall trees all around the periphery of the building along with the small activity centre generates a courtyard of sorts which aids with air flow and air cooling.

Response to subtraction The central open green courtyard space leading to the units having either a garden view or a lake or river view and the undulations responding to the voids in the building.

Site Level Analysis

Floor Plates Layering of the floor plates according to site shape with the railing been converted into a green edge which aid cooling and ventilation.

Columns The Column Grid and the floor plates respond to the site with creating punctures in the building to accommodate for two important trees on site.

Services The column grid parallels the service grid which includes alternating wet services and dry services for clear ducting and service distribution

Circulation Vertical circulation with emergency circulation with service elevators to carry heavier load like furniture located at strategic location for least disturbance along with acting as a buffer.

Unit Placement Unit distribution using the process of subtraction for micro spaces within the housing scheme. Acting as small scale community spaces which propagate interaction.

Buffer The concept of Buffer runs throughout the building at different scales. A roof which reduces thermal heating, and kinetic panels for every unit.

Unit Level Analysis

Single Unit

Unit Development

Offset for structural columns

Offset for other services

Green edge

Cluster development

At micro level planning, The unit generated is actually the intertwining of two units. Unlike the Unite d’ Habitation by corbusier where the central corridor is wrapped around by the units, here the two storey units ground floor in on the same level and the top floor converts the central space generating the corridor of 2 metres in the centre allowing for views on both sides. The unit is offset by a meter where the service functions come to allow for structural columns and service pipes to continue. The units share the east and west walls like row houses which allows for the repetition of the modules and eases the process of subtraction for socio- climatic reasons.

Flexible spaces

Bedroom

Wet areas

Circulation

Living area

Wet areas

Circulation

Double height

Kitchen

Flexible spaces

Dining area

Kinetic Panels

Gallery spaces

Ground floor four units

Kinetic Panels

First floor four units

Four units with floor and roof plates

At the unit level organisation, the two floors have been divided according to the level of privacy and there are levels of privacy on the ground level as well. There is provision for flexible spaces on both the floors. The dining area and kitchen are on the ground floor. The living room has a double height space where people can collect and also allows for better ventilation and lighting. There is one bathroom on each level. The bedroom spaces are on the first floor. To cater to the extreme climatic conditions the top floor cantilevers by one meter to provide shade for the ground floor and the top floor has kinetic panels which control the amount of light and also providing views on both sides.

Every unit has a system of kinetic panels which allows for the control of light and heat. At the macro level, the design accommodates two existing trees on site. The punctures act as micro level public spaces and a better ventilation system at the macro climatic level.

INWM. Indian National War Museum, Delhi, India.

Project Level :

Competition Project.

Project Type :

Group Project.

Project Scale:

25000 square metres.

Contribution :

Responsible for placement of tubes according to the location of trees. (Design Decisions) and delivery of assigned set of presentation drawings.

Project Supervisor :

Gurdev Singh gurdevs@nuv.ac.in

Date :

December, 2016.

Comp. Result :

Second prize won by Aakar Design Consultants and Gurdev Singh. ( Built Projects Competition )

Location The National War Museum is proposed to be constructed in the Princess Park area (10.71 acres) in harmony with the National War Memorial. Both are planned to be constructed in central Delhi, near India Gate (Lutyens Zone, New Delhi). The Site is densely covered with large trees, out of which many are around 80-100 years old. The Princess Park, presently consists of large housing blocks which are unoccupied currently and are in a ‘left over’ situation. The site is in the esteemed vicinity of India Gate and Rajpath. The Museum is planned to be connected to the proposed War Memorial.

Issues Trees - The Heritage The fundamental idea of the design approach is to leave with minimum damage to the existing trees on site and its root zones.

The design has been carefully tailored to site in a way that each tree, its position and its foliage is protected. The old structures on site are also carefully brought down with the existing vehicular routes on site.

The Context The landscape of the region including the built and unbuilt architecture has a very strong reference of geometry and typology respectively. Learning from both of these extremes as well as with the vision of Modern India with new technology the proposal sits humbly in nature.

Construction System The mechanical contraption and conception of the structure is a direct translation of the Bailey Bridge that is frequently used by Military forces. The process of construction shall proceed with the in-situ cast concrete walls and then a quick assembly of the prefabricated truss, the substructure and the cladding.

Curator’s Delight Any museum building is like a hardware and a curator’s role is of providing the necessary software, and the two in tandem deliver the final experience. Our Built form with its unique array of spaces, courtyards to open spaces, to a variety of indoor spaces gives an immense opportunity to a curator to showcase his creative skills. A typical walkthrough each gallery spaces is of around 400 -500 metres. A Linear gallery space with an interesting variation of heights lends itself a lot better than the enclosed spaces.

Existing barracks

Exisiting trees

Micro climate and creating a free ground

Structural blade walls

Placement of structural walls on existing footing of barracks

Circulation loop

Sectional organization and intersections

Service walls

Service walls with gallery space punctures

Blade walls for lateral stability

Sectional movement

Position of gallery spaces with respect to existing trees

Insertion of structural module for tubular exhibtion space

Finishing of exhibition space with cladding

Movement in plan

Auditorium An Auditorium for a capacity of 1920 persons with its accompanying infrastructure like underground parking, outdoor open gathering spaces, cafeteria’s and other facilities. The need for a large auditorium has long been felt and this location lends itself well for any international event, on a large scale. The Auditorium form nestles at a strategic location on site in the midst of trees.

Landscape Shadows on the land-war, irrespective of the winning or losing leaves both deep scares on ones psyche, as on the physical body (Metaphor for the landscape or land ). The National War Museum built from to form shadow lines that are the basis of the landscape concept. The sun-path shadow lines formed at the precise time of Vijay Diwas ( Winning Day ), 26th July are the lines used to dictate the landscape, symbolism that armed forces are also sentimental about.

Subterranean Experience Multiple Experiences such as Trenches, Command Posts, Bunkers in various situations, Missile Silos, life in a submarine. Several aspects and activities of the services are best exhibited in a Subterranean experience. A Tunnel, entered through the Amphitheatre passes through the four courts culminating in the large exhibition hall. The unique subterranean experience gives the visitors a good insight into the functioning of the services at the border post.

The four courtyards depict the soldiers trails and tribulation in the terrain which they have encountered and often inhabit during war. It consists of Marshy, Desert, Rocky and Water terrain experiences.

Arial View of the prosed design.

Remnant.The incomplete whole.

University Island Design Competition Project Level :

Competition Project.

Project Type :

Group Projects (5 students),

Project Scale :

25000 square metres.

Contribution :

Core concept Design team. All presentation drawings and renders with write up.

Date :

May, 2016.

Comp. Result :

Top 30 finalists.

Location and Brief Failure and salvation at the same time – the place of the unconscious before being a real geographic site – an island is the place where people challenge themselves getting used to silence and nature, face amazing challenges. Despite its area extent and beauty that mark the difference between Poveglia and the other lagoon islands, over the last years this incomparable gemstone had to undergo, a disastrous decline.

Without any connection to the mainland, abandoned for almost 50 years, today in Poveglia a thick vegetation has grown wild affecting every cultivation and crushing every architecture.

Poveglia enters into history in the 6th century AD when, after the Lombard invasions, people escaped from the devastation of Este and Padua find a shelter on the island making this land their home place and center of their community. The dreadful decline of the island started in 1380, when – with the exacerbation of the war of Chioggia - people move to Venice, a much safer place than Poveglia.

Since then, the island becomes firstly a leper hospital and secondly a maritime quarantine place throughout the 19th century until the second postwar. With a tragic history and increasingly related to a bad reputation, Poveglia becomes a geriatric hospital until 1968. For almost half a century, Poveglia remains isolated, victim of disregard and of a nature that soon makes most of the island inaccessible. Nowadays, Poveglia looks like a bewitched and gloomy place.

Major Issue How to transform a desert island into a spearheading study and research center? Which architecture should be integrated in one of the most delightful locations in the Venetian Lagoon in order to create an international campus to equal the value of one of the most stunning cities in the world?

Lost in the back lagoons of Venice, Poveglia is a forgotten incomplete whole. The terrain boundaries generate a feeling of a primal circle residue. The pure forms of geometry of the built when juxtaposed with the incomplete circle generate strong memories of suprematist landscapes. The purity of the rectangular courtyard placed in disjunction to the terrain is felt ever so strong. The islands appear as echoes to the octagon which along with the clock tower act as pivots generating radial shifting forces which break the linearity of the built. The proposal respects the existing forces acting on the new built generating a primal composition of the forces perceived.

The Proposal “It seems in fact, that more advanced a society is, the greater will be its interest in ruined things, for it will see in them a redemptively sobering reminder of the fragility of its own achievements” Time is one single continuum. The passage of time is in continual constancy with relativity. Its experience is an expression of paradox and the effect of time on space and that of space on time. The paradox is the interaction, the conversation between any solitary object and the momentum with which time interacts with it. Bring in the concept of decay – which is the rate of change of time and this decay when acts on a building becomes a ruin, a residue of what once used to stand strong opposing the force that constantly tries to crush it. A ruin is a representation of something that remains with parts of it taken, yet never to give up but to embrace the change and mould in with humility. Such is the history of what once used to be a thriving piece of land in the back lagoons of Italy, until its exploitation, beautiful until it was tried to be ripped of its integrity, leaving apart a residue. A residue in use, a residue in history and a residue in existence. Still Poveglia stands strong.

Marty Rubin quotes “ruins are cathedrals of time.” The Island is a ruin as a whole, understanding from its history, its usage was constantly as a residual space. In context, the island is a true provision for dark and frightening imagination. To refurbish or design an educational institution on such a site is primarily a critical task. Requirement for a change in identity and relative spaces to make the island a more lively space is what one must address rst. Education is like a transaction – it’s like a bottomless pot from which people give their knowledge and imbibe at the same time. It's like an agreement. To give what one takes. In just the same way the new proposal stays in a state of decay or breaking down where students have taken parts from the educational units and how these spaces travel across the world to develop a rather holistic environment.

01

Site Site site two crucial The The site has twohas crucial Site contextual subjects toon, focus contextual subjects to focus The site has two crucial on, with the ruins open the ruins openwith courtitsand contextual subjects toits focus on, the river court and the creek. the ruins with its open court and the river

004 Auditorium 004 Sports Complex

004 Auditorium Auditorium

004 Sports Complex Sports Complex

02

Spline Spine A spine is introduced parallel toparallel A spine is introduced the edge of the courtyard, the Spline to the edge of the courtyard, main building stays parallel to the A spine is introduced parallel to stays the main building parallel edge the edge of the courtyard, the

005 Housing

to the edge.

Housing 005 Housing

main building stays parallel to the edge

03

Orientation Orientation The main building is then oriented The main building is then towards the south west also such towards the south Orientationthat itoriented intersects the spine, parallel The main to building then oriented westis also that it intersects a block of thesuch ruin as well as towards the south also such to the west spine, parallel a block of tangential to the existing mound that it intersects theruin spine, parallel respecting theas site context. the well as tangential to

to a block of the ruin as wellmound as the existing respecting tangential to the mound theexisting site context. respecting the site context.

04

Housing and Library Housing and Library Taking inspiration from the Taking inspiration from the venetian context the housing is venetian context the housing developed around the river Housing and Library edge. library is The developed around the Taking inspiration from the is incorporated amidst the grid of ruinsThe closerlibrary to river edge. is venetian context the housing is the open court. incorporated amidst the grid

developed around the river of isruins closer to the open edge. The library incorporated amidst the gridcourt. of ruins closer to the open court.

05

VoidsVoids The main building generates a The main building generates a sense of memory by bringing sense of memory spatial experiences of the by ruinsbringing experiences of the insidespatial the building, these spaces Voids ruins inside the act as public voids.

The main building generates a building, these

spaces act as public voids. sense of memory by bringing spatial experiences of the ruins inside the building, these spaces act as public voids.

06

Conservatory Conservatory As a gesture of introducing As spaces a gesture of introducing informal and capturing informal capturing hot air throughspaces the roof,and a layer of hot air through green is introduced at thethe top roof, a Conservatory level layer of the main building of green is introduced

As a gesture ofat introducing the top level of the main informal spaces and capturing building. hot air through the roof, a layer of green is introduced at the top level of the main building

000 Public realm / Central Courtyard Library Block 006

Library Block Library Block 006 Ruins/Cafeteria Seating 006

003 Public Main Building and Lab Block realm /- Class Central Courtyard Public000 realm/ Central Courtyard

003 Main Building ClassLab and Lab Block Main BuildingClass -and Block

Cafeteria Seating 006

Ruins/Cafeteria Seating Ruins/Cafeteria Seating 006 007 Ruins/Museum of Island History

Multi-purpose Hall 007 Ruins/Cafeteria Cafeteria Seating 006 Seating

Multi-purpose hall Multi-purpose Hall 007

Administration 007

007 Ruins/Museum Island History Ruins/Museum of IslandofHistory

Administration 007

Administration Administration 007 Administration 007 Administration Meditation Center 000

Meditation Centre Meditation Center 000

SitePlan1:2000

SitePlan1:2000

SiteSection1:2000

SiteSection1:2000

Site Diagrams/Layout 002 Site and Design Process

Site Diagrams/Layout 002

The internal experience of the new building is that of decay, the space is punctured by one ambulatory that largely cuts through the whole site, three major voids that act as memories of on site ruins, vertical and horizontal circulation that celebrate the internal and external vistas in simultaneity and all of these spaces are topped with a glass box, a conservatory that primarily helps in keeping the space warm and generating an internal environment.

03

06

04

01

02

Plan

Section

04

04

03

07

05

06

09

06

02

01

09

02

Legend Toilet 01 Digital Lab 02 Lecture Hall 03 Practical Lab 04 Foyer/Breakout 05 Memory 06 Ambulatory 07 Staff Breakout 08 Cafeteria 09

Class and Laboratory Block

The library proposal is like a junction between the existing ruins near the creek on the second island. It is based on the old building grid. On the side facing the creek, the library building flows out to the existing ruins while on the other side, it acts as a thoroughfare between the library and the canteen block that is in the largest ruin. The nature of the connection is similar to that of a scaffolding that symbolizes the hollowing out of the new and the acceptance by the old.

Legend Kitchen 01 Toilet 02 CafĂŠ Seating 03 Courtyard 04 Informal Library Seating 05 Library Office 06 Library Seating 07 Memory Seating 08

02 06 05 08

03

01

04

07

02

Plan

Section

Section

Library and Cafeteria Blocks

The space inside the old building has been placed with the conference rooms, administration and faculty workstations. To celebrate the islands time-line, an island history museum has been proposed in the ruin attached to the administration block. Internal and concise circulation blocks enhance the way faculty can move inside the space. Generation of a new bridge between the faculty block and the multipurpose hall accentuates the journey.

Legend Principals Quarters 01 Multipurpose Hall 02 Staff Room and Offices 03 Conference Room 04 Courtyard 05 Toilets 06 Island History Museum 07

The second island is proposed as a space for the private functions predominantly carried out by students. The island boasts several sports ď€ elds, a double storey multi-use sports hall, a 750-seater auditorium and housing for faculty and students. Along the perimeter, provision for water sports is also given to make most use of the surrounding lagoon. The multiple pathways allow for greater interaction to take place at more junctions within the landscape.

Mille-Bridge Millipede inspired Pedestrian Bridge Project Level :

Academic Project.

Project Type :

Individual Project.

Project Scale :

100m length

Date :

Second year project (July to September, 2012)

Project Supervisor :

Krishna Kanuga, Professor, S.E.D.A. Navrachana University. krishnas@gmail.com +919925389703

Abstraction “The more our world functions like the natural world, the more likely we are tho endure on this home that is ours, but not ours alone.”

Abstraction is the process of taking away or removing characteristics from something in order to reduce it to a set of essential characteristics. Conceptual abstractions may be formd by filtering the information content of a concept or an obsevable phenomenon, selecting only the aspects which are relevant for a particular purpose. The process here is the abstraction of an object taken from nature. (Elemental Abstraction). The Combinination of Bio-mimicry and elemental abstraction the basis for the design process.

Studying various properties of the millipede like response to stimulus, locomotion pattern, skin and material type etcetera, these aspects were then translated in models which best represented these qualities. The study aided the process of design where outcomes were used as starting points for the design of the pedestrian bridge, the outcome which is fixed from before.

Bio-mimicry is basically taking a design challenge and then finding an ecosystem that’s already solved that challenge, and literally trying to emulate what you learn.

Approach Rigorous study was conducted on millipedes by actually catching a few from nearby wetlands and then conducting a few experiments to understand the nature of its existence. Two extremely strong aspects that come to the fore front are the response to stimulus and the locomotion pattern of the millipede.

The most obvious characteristic of the millipede is the response to stimulus. To protect itself from external agents, the millipede goes into a spiral like burrowed position to safeguard the softer parts of it’s body with its exoskeleton. Millipedes do not have an internal skeleton. Instead they have an exoskeleton that consists of three different layers. The first inner layer is made up of the epidermis. The middle layer is made up of soft, flexible chitin.

Because of the chitin, it can absorb impacts made by other animals. The last final layer is also made of chitin but has been stiffened and hardened to protect itself from other enemies.

The second is its locomotion. Millipede locomotion is remarkable to watch. Millipede legs move in a pattern of metachronal waves- coordinated with a constant phase difference that produces wave-like appearance. The movement of each leg has two stages: a posterior propulsive stroke, and an anterior recovery stroke. Depending on the speed of the millipede’s gait, a certain number of legs will be in a propulsive state and a certain number in a repulsive phase.

Metachronal wave pattern diagram, millipede locomotion study

Process Models of Abstraction The Models shown here are three-dimensional renders of actual 3d-models made for better representation and understanding. Once the final product is ready, the project was then continued to the working stage where a bridge was then translated into a working 1:20 scale model.

Vertical movement of leg-pairs

Wave like formation during movement

Abstraction representation of wave

Structural evolution of locomotive movement

Skin Study with various materials

Skin Study of exoskeleton

Study of the metachronal wave in 2-dimension

Study of the metachronal wave in 2-dimension

Trajectory study

Evolution of inverted exoskeleton with stage-I curling

Evolution of inverted exoskeleton with stage-II one way curling

Response to stimuli - two way curling

The Final two outcomes of the study of millipedes through abstraction. These have been carried forward to the construction stage.

Curling-Bridge The rolling bridge in Paddington, London can be connected to the burrowing response the millipede has. The bridge uses hydraulic pistons to cater to rolling and unrolling, the attempt here was made to take it to the next level. The curling now happens in two ways at a much larger scale and structural system has been completely altered. The bridge is a two-way curling tensile bridge hovering slightly above the ground which allows the bridge to always stay in a state of tension. The tensile members are connected to the rotating motor which can pull the wires back in when the bridge needs to curl which ever way to allow ships and boats to pass.

Milli-bridge Using specific characteristics of the study conducted earlier, the locomotion aspect of the movement of the millipede legs is a very interesting solution to bridge design. Converting the legs into structural members and looking at the movement of the legs as a bending diagram generates a beautiful example of bridge design.

Diagram showing how the tensile bridge functions.

Section of the bridge showing the undulation of the members reflecting millipede locomotion.

Exploded view showing different layers of structure, railing, I-sections and the floor boards.

Guggenheim Repository.

Switch competition

Project Level :

Competition project.

Project Type :

Group Project

Project Scale :

6000 sq metres

Date :

June, 2018

Project Supervisor :

Percy Pithawala and Me.

Prize:

Competition Winning Entry. (First Prize)

“Maybe you are searching among the branches, for what only appears in the roots.”

We strongly feel the urgent need to conserve art for all posterity in the face of the impending catalytic events. Just like the kimberlite pipe, the proposal is a trench like void which will hold the diamonds of the art world.

Our proposal envisages a thriving public space amidst the high rise density of New York City. The whelved spaces create an interesting experience of negative space in the city of skyscrapers. It goes 360 m into the ground in the form of a drilled out trench.

A domed plaza encasing a conservatory forms an approach for the building. The rotunda at the central lobby is reminiscent of FLW’s existing museum. The first three levels under the earth comprise of reception, offices, seminar rooms and the permanent exhibition spaces.

We propose to accommodate all the functional programmes at varying subterranean levels under the surface of the earth. These spaces are connected to the main exhibition spaces and other spaces through lifts and corridors carved out within the trench cavity. One experiences the trench as they descend into the cavity through the lift cores. Galleries are connected to each other through a series of bridges that cross at various levels within the pit further enhancing the experience of the museum.

Process Diagrams

The proposal breaks the verticality of New York by reversing the process and grows underground generating a void.

A series of radially shifting elevators run around the void to journey down. Corridors carved out of the void act as transition channels.

A series of bridges span across various distances connecting various volumes and accentuating the experience of the void.

Sporadic vertical distribution of volumes with large exhibition spaces on the top and ancillary spaces dispersed below all across the length of the void..

The green conservatory acts as a public space for people to come together and discuss art related issues along with heat generation for the winter.

Replicating the central atrium of the existing Guggenheim, the glass roof illuminates the trench along with providing natural light to the conservatory.

The unassuming presence of the proposal allows for an absence on site which breaks the verticality of the context, opening up towards the central park and allowing for the generation of a public plaza.

The major exhibition spaces are the large volumes closer to the surface with corridors like spaces opening up into the void. The corridors around the void act like pause spaces which act as a break from the exhibits.

The conservatory on the top most level encompasses a variety of micro functions like the offices, bookstore and cafe dispersed amongst the plantation. The conservatory helps to generate heat during winters and also acts as a public space.

The bridges running inside the void as transitional pauses in the void connecting various volumes along with providing a unique experience of the trench.

The Tall Museum Building Typology.

Switch competition Project Level :

Competition project.

Project Type :

Group Project

Project Scale :

6000 sq metres

Date :

June, 2018

Project Supervisor :

Percy Pithawala and Me.

Prize:

Honorable Mention top 10

“In a city of Squares, we are a circle.�

Our proposal allows the software edge of the central park to flow into the site thereby breaking away from the rigidity of Manhattan gridiron planning. We envisaged the museum of the future as an iconic hybrid skyscraper which is organic self-sustainable and flexible. The USA has been the pioneer of the tall office building typology. We intend to generate a new typology which mergers the specialty of the Museum typology along with the verticality of the office building typology. Almost like a synchronous coalition of the Seagram and the existing Guggenheim, a high rise Tower comprising of a neutral grid matrix of over 180 m in height is affected on the site. The proposal only uses half of the footprint and gives back to the city the rest as a thriving public space.The volumes are blob-like structures of wearing organic forms inserted within the structural matrix of the tower.

These set of multi-functional green spaces are interlaced through a contiguous ambulatory providing a welcome respite and connection with the outside along the journey. Unlike the Guggenheim by FLW where the journey and display were one, the proposal strange to generate pauses through these transitional spaces. The temporary galleries and other ancillary functions are accommodated within these blobs which are further interconnected through a series of escalators. The conservatory at the Pinnacle provides scenic Vantage points overlooking the central park. Our attempt has been to generate and all in all experience in the mind of the visitor similar to a walk in the park set in the landscape of Manhattan whilst breaking the grid in the modern context.

Process Diagrams

Plotting the existing grid of New York on site and giving back half the site to the city which acts as a public realm which opens up the site to public art and installations.

The proposal responds to the context by placing the service core facing the rigid urban fabric where services like lift core/staircase core and washrooms are encompassed.

The footprint of the proposal acts as an amphitheater with an underground auditorium.

Breaking the grid, the organic floor-plates contrast the rigidity of the context.

The design encapsulates a possibility of multiple journey through a series of escalators connecting the various volumes along with the circulation core at the back for direct movement.

Varied fragmented organic volumes are dispersed throughout the building which generate exquisite spatial experiences with reflecting the organic edge that is the cetral peark.

Unlike the existing Guggenheim where the journey and the display coexist, the attempt here is to create a disjunction between the two where the circulation allows for a pause.

The blob like volumes are sporadically placed all over the length of the museum.

Instead of a whollistic large volume, the proposal fragments the areas according to function creating a possibility of pause spaces outside the volume.

The proposal also engages with the green, with climbers all over the building, changing colours according to the season morphing the building every couple of months, Also reflecting the organic green edge of the city.

The larger volumes encompass multiple organic floor plates which generate multiple double and triple height volumes which generate engaging display spaces along with spectacular views of the central park.

The plaza is a conscious act of giving back to the city by leaving an unbuilt patch of site.

The plaza becomes a thriving centre for public art and installations where discussions related to art could also be conducted.

The Phoenix arises.

Project Level :

Competition project.

Project Type :

Group Project

Project Scale :

2500 sq metres

Date :

June, 2019

Project Supervisor :

Percy Pithawala and Me.

Prize:

Honorable Mention top 10

Rethinking Notredame “The wound is where the light enters you.” Rumi.

Our proposal attempts to resurrect the Spire like a phoenix arising from the ashes of its destruction. Image of the blazing spire will continue to remain etched in the memories of people for generations. We believe that any act of rebuilding must take into consideration this powerful notion of the presence of the absence. We envisage the emergence of a new spire as a participatory project for the city in a state of perpetual construction activity. A glass cone reminiscent of the original spire caps the void left by it’s absence. Further a system of scaffolding pixellates gradually as it encircles the cone creating a blurred silhouette of the spire visible across the Paris skyline.

A cascade of green integrated with the scaffolding simulates the organic and ephemeral feel of the existing rose window as it allows the light to filter in through the spire.

The aisle spaces in the cruciform configuration at the terrace level chronicles exhibits related to history and evolution of the church in context of the City and it’s cultural identity. Pixelated scaffolds extends from the gable roofs into the interior spaces of aisles to create display systems, furniture assemblies and greens.

A circular void on the axis of original spire is intentionally kept open like a gaping wound allowing visitors to view the innards of the church which have now been left exposed. Thus a resurgent new icon arises like a phoenix from the ashes of the old in all its magnificence and glory thereby reaffirming faith for a bright new life and hope.Elevational and planar comparison between the original spire (pink) and the new extended spire. The pixellating grid houses vines and creepers which generate a rose window like light quality within.

Aerial view showing how the new spire sits in the existing context. Replicating the hazed image of the old spire, the proposal marks itself as a taller and stronger icon in the context of Paris. The aisle acts as a public exhibition space which engages its patrons in melancholy and memory.

The new extended spire and aisle with structure, marking the absence of the original spire left by the fire. The spire is enveloped by scaffolds of three thicknesses and pixellated interior spaces in the aisles.

The scaffolds pixellate, generating a hazy silhouette reminiscent of the original burning spire. The spire is wrapped with greens which allows in light to filter in resembling the rose window and symbolizing resurgence.

The interior layout reflects as fragmented seating spaces which are held by extensions of the pixellated grid of the new spire. The material is chosen with respect to the old aisle and allows for exhibitions and gatherings.

ST(Art) Canvas.

Project Level :

Competition project.

Project Type :

Partnership

Project Scale :

10000 sq metres

Date :

June, 2019

Project Supervisor :

Me and Audarya Bansal

Prize:

Top 25

Bohemian. What does that mean? Why is it relevant to Berlin?

Our proposal tries to answer these questions. Berlin is very well the epicenter of the cultural revolution in so many doctrines. Leaving behind its torrid history, Berlin has grown to be one of the most accommodative cities in the world. Our proposal for the hostel goes beyond the brief for a regular hostel scheme. The proposal is all about breaking barriers, accommodating, and celebrating the context around in an unconventional manner.

The proposal on surface presents itself being on a strong grid, establishing neutral ground. The construction is quite opposite.

The modular system of construction allows for a very organic output in terms of the form. The pixellation that is felt in the units developed according to the needs of the patrons, generated multiple small and large pockets which generate micro and macro public spaces which engage the users. The density of the units being lighter near the ground allows for a densely planted green cover which very close to the bohemian idea of harmony with nature. A series of corridors connects all the levels through various movements where there is no sense of order involved.

The idea of accommodation comes out very strongly in the idea of splitting the grid according to the movement axes in the context which invites everyone to the site. The site Kunsthaus Tacheles is a centre for public art and our proposal intends to buttress the cause of art for all. A series of walls parallel to the movement axes act as public exhibits which the artists from all over the world can paint when they come to stay at the hostel.

Interaction through cultural exchange and accommodation of diversity can be one of the strongest means of questioning existing notions of hostel living. The Art is here for the public and the public is here for the art.

The grid undergoes a reduction marking specific circulation axes from the context, generating vantage points and multiple entries to the site and the hostel. The rest of the ground is also porous allowing for display areas for the artists.

The units are placed sporadically and pixellated throughout the grid with the density reducing as we move towards the ground. The modular units give many permutations and connect and form larger dorm spaces or hangout spaces.

Walls of Different heights have been places throughout the circulation axes which allow for graffiti artists to paint their art and keep the spirit of the site alive. The walls are painted over and over which change the elevations of the proposal.

The corridors make all the units accessible along with connecting the vertical service and movement cores which allows the user to move throughout the proposal. The pathways cut through the contextual axes framing the vantage points.

The walls which are part of the proposal become the canvas for the local artist to express their voice. The walls kept parallel to the movement axis convert the streets into exhibition spaces where the art becomes public.

A prototypical junction render of one of the intersections of the movement axes. The courtyards become interactive spaces where art becomes the center point of conversation. The organic green patches elevate the experience by contradicting the orthogonal rigid grid.

Modular configurations showing various types of unit settings and semi- public gathering places. The users get a choice if they want to live individually, in groups or with strangers. The gathering spaces like bar, cafe, recreation rooms and lounge are also an outcome of the additive modular configurations.

Section showing various levels at which the units are placed. The configuration is more dense at the topmost level allowing for trees to grow and create public spaces below. The grid acts as a structural system for the units and holds the graffiti walls.

Declaration I Dhruv Shah, hereby declare myself the owner of all the drawings (apart from the ones mentioned below ) in this portfolio, as they have been produced by me.

However, a few illustrations have been produced by others and their ownership is mentioned below.

I. The diagrams on page 11 have been evolved with reference to a thesis study on the manikarnika ghat at C.E.P.T university.

II. The model image on page 22 has been made by ‘Singh Modelers.’ III. The diagrams on page 23 have been made by Anuj Desai.

IV. The Auto CAD drawings on page 30,31 have been made by Ujjwal Dawar.

Thank You.

Dhruv Shah DOB - 31.07.1993 Address - C-503 shangrila Apartments,Vadodara,Gujarat, India.

Telephone - +91 9978887623 E.mail - dhruvshah317@gmail.com