Divya Manek | Portfolio

Divya Manek B.Arch 2014 | MLA-2021

Divya Manek (she. her, hers)

B.Arch | IGBC-AP MLA Candidate 2021

EDUCATION The Pennsylvania State University, USA (Candidate Dec 2021) Master of Landscape Architecture Certificate in GeoDesign Jadavpur University, India Bachelor of Architecture (2014)

AFFILIATIONS American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Student Member Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Accredited Professional Council of Architecture, India (CoA) Registered Architect Indian Institute of Architects (IIA) Member

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Architect | Pace Consultants Kolkata, India | 2014-2019 Architecture » HIDCO Snehodiya, 2019 | West Bengal, India Senior Citizen Living (Design competition winning entry) Design development » The Neotia University, 2015 | West Bengal, India Facade design and CDs | Master planning design development Naval Architecture » M.V. The Auspicious, 2018 | Kolkata, India Banquet hall on cruise vessel | Design development and site coordination Project Management » TCS Gitobitan, 2016 | Kolkata, India Office Building | On-Site supervision and design coordination | Interior design development and construction drawings/details Interior Design » Calcutta Racket Club, 2014 | Kolkata, India Bar and Lounge Construction drawings | Site supervision » Tagore’s Nobel Prize Gallery, 2016 | Bolpur, West Bengal Intern | Shilanyas Design Consultants Ahmedabad, India | June-November 2012 » Architecture | Construction Drawings » Interior Design | Furniture Detail Drawings

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE Teaching Assistant | PennState LArch 365 | Professional Practice | Fall 2019 » Assisted in grading » Maintained canvas page LArch 276 | Human Dimensions in Design Spring 2020 | Spring 2021 » Delivered lecture- From Calcutta to State College » Lead Zoom-class- Landscapes of globalization » Assisted in development of syllabus and practical assignments pre- and post-COVID-19 LArch 365 | Contemporary Trends in Landscape Architecture | Fall 2020 » Facilitated class discussion on Zoom on post-COVID changes in public spaces Graduate Student Online Teaching Certificate | 2020 Pennsylvania State University » Center for Pedagogy in Arts and Design International Intern | Obayashi Corporation Osaka, Japan | Oct. 2018 » Site visits » BIM workshop » Presented internship experience to design team Bioclimatic Earth 2018 Auroville Earth Institute Tamil Nadu, India » Theory, Practice & Design Workshop: Design with earth in varied bioclimatic regions

AWARDS » Leader in Environmental Good; Department Excellence award, Penn State 2020-21 » The Brian Orland Award for Excellence in Geospatial Analysis and Design; Penn State, 2019-20 » Tadao Ando Invitational Scholarship for Short Term Oversees Trainees in Architecture and Arts hosted by Osaka Foundation of International Exchange (OFIX), 2018 » Best-paper Award: “Renewal and Preservation in a Sustainable Global Environment: Indian context” at the Institute for East Asian Architecture and Urbanism, Kyoto Japan, (2018)

LEADERSHIP » Secretary, Graduate Research and Innovative Design; Penn State, 2020-21 » Co-authored and presented a paper on ‘Gariahat redesign for hawkers’ at the Square Symposium organized by KMOMA (Kolkata Museum of Modern Arts), (2014). » University Representative, National Association of Students of Architecture, India | 2010-2012

TECHNICAL SKILLS » » » » » »

Adobe | Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Premiere-Pro Autodesk | Autocad, 3DS Max Sketchup | Vray Lumion ESRI | ArcGISPro, Communty Analyst, Storymaps Rhino | Grasshopper, Meerkat

ACTIVITIES » Music: Indian Classical | Theatre | Water color | Swimming | Hiking |

CONTENTS PROFESSIONAL Senior Living home: competition winning, 2015 Snehodiya by WBHIDCO, Rajarhat, West Bengal M.V. The Auspicious, 2018 | Kolkata, India Banquet hall on cruise vessel on the River Ganges TCS- Gitobitan: Tata Group, India 2017 Office building

ACADEMIC- GRADUATE Re-thinking the Edge Systems Studio | Spring 2020 Re-envisioning Baltimore Community Design Studio | Fall 2019 Design Implementation Grading | Fall 2019 Stormwater Management | Spring 2020 Planting Methods | Fall 2020

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE Ando Program 2018: Osaka Invitational Program for Oversees Trainees in Architecture ACEDGE: Ask me anything- Live webinar Workshop at Kindai University, Osaka, Japan, 2018 Micro Public Space- design time sketch`

ACADEMIC- UNDERGRADUATE Architectural Design Studio 8th Semester: 2013 Emotional Perception: Solid & space Undergraduate Design ThesisArchitectural Design 2013-2014 Academy of Music in Guwahati, Assam, India

Sunrise at Westin Awaji by Tadao Ando, Photo by author- Hyogo, Japan 2018

TCS project winding down, Photo by author- TCS, Kolkata 2016 | Pace Consultants

PROFESSIONAL WORK @PACE CONSULTANTS

Snehodiya- Senior Citizens Living Professional: For Pace Consultants (2015) Competition winning entry for West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBHIDCO) Project: A senior citizen’s residence in the midst of the satellite town Rajarhat, West Bengal.

Built up area- 10,500 sqm.

Reflection: “The multi-level terraces and courtyards were appreciated by the client and buyers alike which made me realize that if the emotions and needs of people are considered, it is quite easy to create a simple and good design.”

Sectional Perspective

Sectional Perspective We were asked to create a residence that elderly citizens can call home. The challenge was to do that in limited space in the midst of a busy city. The grand G+10 senior living centre is concieved around our age old courtyard planning but modified into a vertical multi level solution.

M.V. The Auspicious Professional: For Pace Consultants (2017) Client: Vivada Inland Waterways Ltd.

Project: Cruise vessel for social gathering and celebration on the River Ganges.

Capacity- Banquet hall for 800pax The owners purchased an old oil-tanker to convert to a party vessel.

Our design is conceptualized on the Irish mythological island, Tír na nÓg, which is depicted as a paradise and supernatural realm of everlasting youth, beauty, health, abundance and joy.

“I was on the design team for developing the form and coordinating with Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, in addition to other consultants to prepare working drawings.”

Reflection: “It was a different world and I taught myself a basic introduction to Naval Architecture and learned the challenges, advantages and technicalities of working on a cruise vessel.”

Design development stages

The vessel before renovation

Photograph after completion

Construction photographs The challenge was the transformation of an old oil tanker to a beautiful floating banquet hall, which had to be done in collaboration with a team of naval architects and marine engineers. We achieved a modern and trendy cruise vessel that will soon become a benchmark of grandeur in the Ganges.

TCS Gitobitan: Tata Group Professional: For Pace Consultants (2016) Project: Online Examination centre for TATA Consultancy Services Ltd. (TCS) 3980 seating capacity Total Built-up Area- 20,000 sqm.

“I was deputed on site as a part of the project management team. My responsibilities included conducting vendor meetings, client reporting, processing vendor bills for payment, preparing work orders, changing existing orders & checking materials procurement and quantities.”

Reflection: “I was introduced to Project Management, a critical aspect of the design profession that tackles the plethora of issues that have to be taken to consideration for the smooth execution of a building.”

The office building is situated in the midst of the IT hub surrounded by tall buildings. To incorporate a break from the expanse of concrete, the front of the building was designed with sprawling green mounds and the entrance podium was projected over a shallow water body.

Initial landscape layout

As-built landscape layout

The aim was to bring a softness to the view when looking out even on the upper floors.

Close to completion, the client made a decision to remove the green expanse and break down the water body to reduce maintenance.

The expanse in front of the office is now devoid of any green-scape.

Department of Landscape Architecture Photo by author- Stuckeman Family Building, 2019

ACADEMIC WORK GRADUATE

RETHINKING THE EDGE Systems Studio, Spring 2020

Stephen Mainzer, Travis Flohr, Lacey Goldberg

Proposal to relocate the 200,000 New Jersey residents displaced by sea-level rise to central Pennsylvania.

CAR TOWN

The car-town consists of single-family homes of varying sizes, a main street retail complex and as the name suggests is low in density and relies heavily on the dependency of cars.

HALF-&-HALF The half-&-half consisting of town-homes, offices, commercial complexes, offers a balance of the two towns and caters to people who would like to enjoy a partial suburban ambience while being in proximity to city activities.

CROWD TOWN The crowd town is packed with multi-storied apartments, mixed used office buildings, an industrial complex, retail stores and is the densest town proposed for people who prefer a city life where walking alone could suffice daily needs.

URBAN TRANSECT

The planning strategies are aimed at prioritizing the preservation of forest, agricultural and natural land during the relocation process. By allocating 90% of the new development to medium and high-density towns, we can accommodate

200,000 climate refugees in 14% of the watershed. Since the existing development in the Spring Creek Watershed is around 30%, this ensures that more than 50% of the agricultural lands and natural habitats are preserved.

AERIAL OF THE GREEN BUFFER AND TOWN EDGES

Baltimore Woods Community Design Studio Travis Flohr, Mark Miller, Dan Li

My project investigated the potential of urban trees and farming in vacant and abandoned plots to create closed loop economic incubator producing green building construction materials and recycling urban wood in Baltimore.

DEMOGRAPHICS HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS: 7%

61+

22% POPULATION 4,351 25-60:

67%

Area: 49.3 acre Vacant plots: 25 acre COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Rent Owned 55% 45% Median Home Value: 22.8% of National Average

Citizen Control

18-24:

09%

Partnership Consultation

<18: Arnstein’s ladder of citizen participation. 12%

Shadow Analysis

Grading Design Implementation-I, Fall 2019 Wu Hong, Steven Mainzer, Dan Li

Grading plan for multiple structures, walls, parking, screening and access

Stormwater Management Design Implementation-II, Spring 2020 Stuart Echols, Wu Hong Development of a site plan suitable for construction that demonstrates understanding of both grading and storm-water management using bio-retention systems.

Planting Methods Design Implementation-III, Fall 2020 Ken Tamminga, Travis Flohr

Planting Schedule

(7)CS

(7)CS

(19)IS

(27)IS

(43)AS (1)RC

(57)EV

(150)EV (1)AC

(25)AI (70)AS

(1)CC

Key Quantity Scientific Name HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS

Common Name

AI

Swamp milkweed

SP#5

Asclepias purpurascens

Purple milkweed

SP#4

24-36" O.C.

Aurinia saxatilis

Basket of gold

SP#4

CV

100

Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam'

Moonbeam whorled tickseed

SP#4

12" O.C. 18-24" O.C.

IS

48

Iberis sempervirens

Candytuft

SP#3

12-15" O.C.

LC

206

Lobelia cardinalis

Cardinal flower

SP#4

12-24" O.C.

RH

207

Rudbeckia hirta

Black-eyed susan

SP#2

SC

1100 87

Sanguinaria canadensis

Bloodroot

SP#2

6" O.C.

Trillium sulcatum

Southern red trillium

SP#2

12" O.C.

Vernonia novaboracensis

New York ironweed

74

(15)CS

16 VV GRAMINOID

(70)RH

EV

317

53 PP SHRUB (430)SC

(3)VV (4)RC

(670)SC

24-36" O.C.

84 113

VNo

(1)RC

Remarks

AP

(87)TS

(4)VV

Condition

Asclepias incarnata

AS

TS

(2)RC

Size

47

SP#4

8" O.C.

12-18" O.C.

Veronicastrum virginicum Culver’s root

SP#4

18-24" O.C.

Elymus virginicus

Virginia wildrye

SP#4

18-24" O.C.

Poa palustris

Fowl bluegrass

SP#4

18-24" O.C.

CS

29

Cornus sericea

Red-osier dogwood

24" hgt.

#5 cont.

3-4' O.C.

RC

10

Rhododendron calendulaceum

Flame azalea

18" hgt.

SP#3

18-24" O.C.

VNu

4

Viburnum nudum 'Bulk'

Brandywine viburnum

24" hgt.

#5 cont.

4-5' O.C.

TREES

(1)CC (123)LC (18)EV

(1)AC

(2)RC

(97)RH

(6)VV

Acer griseum

AG

1

B&B

3

Paperbark maple Amelanchier canadensis Serviceberry

1.5" cal.

AC

1.5" cal.

B&B

CC

3

Cercis canadensis

1.75" cal.

B&B

Eastern redbud

(4)VNu Asclepias incarnata Asclepias purpurascens

Rudbeckia hirta

SEATING PLAZA

(40)RH

(70)EV

#10 container class

Sanguinaria canadensis Trillium sulcatum

Aurinia saxatilis

Vernonia novaboracensis

Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam'

Elymus virginicus

Iberis sempervirens

Poa palustris

Lobelia cardinalis

(1)CC

LA

PLA ME

Fa

(1)AG

MO 9-

(23)AI (53)PP (3)VV (83)LC

DIV

(22)EV

1

Planting Plan- Mixed Bed

Scale: 1/4" = 1'-0"

(84)AP

(1)AC

(100)CV

(74)VNo

Tec Plan and

LP1

SHE

Plant Palette & Bloom-time Phenology Plant Class

Scientific Name

Common Name

Prarie meadow Key pollinator

Key

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEPT

OCT

NOV

DEC

Tall

FACU FACU

Short

Graminoids

Prarie Meadow

FACU

FACU

FACU FACU

Tall

FACU FACU FAC

Forbs

FACU UPL FACU

Short

FACU FACU FACU FAC

Andropogon gerardi Chasmanthium latifolium Sorghastrum nutans Bouteloua curtipendula Schizachyrium scoparium Asclepias syriaca Chamerion angustifolium Dodecatheon meadia Heliopsis helianthoides Liatris spicata Monarda fistulosa Sporobolus heterolepis Solidago multiradiata Apocynum cannabinum Lupinus perennis Rudbeckia hirta Solidago canadensis Sisyrinchium montanum

Big bluestem Northern sea oats Indian grass Sideoats gramma Little bluestem Common milkweed Fireweed Shooting star Ox eye sunflower Blazing star Wild bergamot Prairie Dropseed Rocky mountain goldenrod Indian hemp Sundial lupine Black-eyed Susan Canada goldenrod Common blue-eyed grass

Ag Cla Sn Bc Ss As Ca Dm Hh Ls Mf Sh Smu Aca1 Lp Rh Sc Smo

Aca1

Sn

Cla

Ss

Bc

Ag

As

Smu

Ca

Bc

Ls

Hh

Sc

Sh

Dm

Smo

Hh

Lp

Mesic meadow

Mesic Meadow Elymus canadensis UPL Elymus hystrix FACU Geranium maculatum FAC Koeleria macrantha Asclepias tuberosa UPL Eurybia macrophylla FACU Erigeron annuus FAC Lilium canadense Symphyotrichum laeve FACU Tradescantia virginiana

Forbs

Graminoids

FACU

Canada wildrye Bottlebrush grass Wild geranium Prarie june grass Butterfly weed Large-leaf wood aster Daisy fleabane Canada lily Smooth aster Virginia spiderwort

Ec Eh Gm Km At Em Ea Lc Sl Tv

Ec

Eh

Gm

Km

At

Ea

Em

Lc

Sl

Tv

FAC FACW

Lower

Graminoids

Upper

Rain Meadow FACW

FACW FACW FAC FACW

Upper

FACU FAC FACW FAC FACU

Forbs

FACW

Lower

FACW FACW FACW FACW FACW FACW

Cinna arundinacea Elymus glaucus Buckl.

Deschampsia cespitosa Elymus riparius Elymus virginicus Koeleria macrantha Poa palustris Asclepias purpurascens Coreopsis tinctoria Helianthus angustifolius Lobelia spicata Salvia lyrata Anemone canadensis Actaea pachypoda Chelone lyonii Lobelia siphilitica Osmunda cinnamomea Symphyotrichum novae-angliae Vernonia noveboracensis

Woodreed Blue wild rye Tufted hair grass Riverbank wild rye Virginia wild rye Prarie june grass Fowl blue grass Purple milkweed Golden tickseed Swamp sunflower Pale-spike lobelia Lyre leaf sage Canada anemone White baneberry Pink turtlehead Great blue lobelia Cinnamon fern New England aster New York ironweed

Ca Eg Dc Er Ev Km Pp Apu Ct Ha Lsp Sl Aca2 Apa Cly Lsi Oc Sn Vn

Rain meadow

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEPT

OCT

NOV

Ca

Dc

Eg

Er

Ev

Apu

Aca2

Apa

Cly

Ct

Ha

Lsi

Lsp

Oc

Sl

DEC

Sn

Vn

Pp

Meeting the Vice Governor, Osaka Prefectural Government Japan 2018

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Invita

Short Term Arts host

“...an intensive, memorable month with internships, trainings, tour

TADAO ANDO ational Scholarship

m Oversees Trainees in Architecture and ted by Osaka Foundation of International Exchange (OFIX), 2018

rs, workshops and home-stays~DM”

“I hosted a live webinar about the program and application process.”

Ando Program 2018- is an annual training program in architecture funded by Pritzker Prize laureate Tadao Ando awarded to 8 young architects from South-East Asia.

The program encompasses internships at Japanese Construction

Companies, training from the Osaka Prefectural Government, workshop with architectural students of Kindai University, Osaka paper presentation with Professor Gunter Nitschke, Kyoto, visits to buildings designed by Ando in Kansai region and is complete with a visit to the legendary Ando Sensei.

Micro-Public-Space Academic: Workshop in Kindai University, Osaka, Japan 2018 Supervisor: Tohru Horiguchi, Dept. of Architecture, Kindai University.

Project: To propose our own micro-public-space for an imaginary “KINDAI International Street Book Festival”

“Micro-public Space” is a concept proposed by the Japanese architect “Atelier Bowwow” for discussing new public space.

It can be understood as a small scale architectural space constructed by history, culture, environment (climatic condition), and more importantly together with the behavior of people engaged, thus is a social space for the community and also is a media that promotes communication.

We walked along a selected street and picked our own spots for our proposals.

I selected a triangular plot of green in front of a restaurant for the proposed micro-public space. It is adjacent to the main road to Kindai University from Kintesu Nagase Station.

The spot is significant since five roads converge on this spot.

It is currently used to park bicycles and two-wheelers. The spot can be easily vacated for a temporary intervention for the book festival.

Learning Blocks

The next challenge was to understand the unique factor in this book festival- 'international'

We have to consider the different nationalities, languages and cultural variety that the book festival will witness.

I aimed to relect the unity of diversity.

Language plays a key role in the shaping of culture. I used the smallest fraction of language: alphabets; as symbols to try to encompass the different cultures in one micro-public space.

I visualised a vivid installation of wooden blocks 450mm x 450mm x 450mm in size.

The blocks are painted in bright colours with carvings of different alphabets of different languages on them.

Stacked high or left single, they can form interesting and unique solid forms.

Bookshelves are designed in the same size blocks kept at a few strategic places.

3D Side View

3D Projection on rear wall

A small break out space designed ideally for small groups or even individuals.

This space enclosed openess which encourages reading and interaction. Simplicity and ease of installing is key.

Lamps of washi paper are placed scattered in the design.

A 3D-projected slide could run in the background for a dynamic environment and to make it more attractive to passers-by.

3D Front View

ACADEMIC WORK UNDER-GRADUATE

Scaled physical model Final Undergraduate design project | 2014

Emotional Perception: Solid & space Academic: Architectural Design Studio | 2013

Instructor: Prof. Shubhrajit Das Project: To design a solid and a space which evokes emotions reflecting the message conveyed by a selected movie.

‘Mona Lisa Smile, 2003 drama film: “Inspire people to question tradition!”

spatial representation

The space is unconventional with undulations and physical barriers barring the easy flow of the space towards the light.

By the models is depicted a space flowing toward a bright

light at the center. The space therefore gives the feeling of moving toward the inspiration through unfamiliar and maybe even undesirable paths.

The lower portion is a piece of waste paper damaged and discarded that nobody would think about using or looking at.

The bright colored spiral at the center is rising from the waste and is attractive and positive.

The combined solid questions the traditional assumption that burnt and damaged is negative. solid representation

Why cant we think of it as useful and positive?

Academy of Music, Guwahati, India Academic: Undergraduate Thesis, 2014 Advisor: Shivashish Bose Music has inspired me right from my childhood.

My exposure to architecture has led to a desire to link the two forms of art.

Sound and space form a critical couple in our everyday environment: NO SOUND EXISTS OUTSIDE OF SPACE, AND NO SPACE IS EVER TRULY SILENT.

Master Plan

Academy of Music

The entire music campus is connected by one continuous element- the walkway.

The three hills are retained in its natural state and enclosed by the walkway.

It connects all the different spaces along with numerous connections in between the various blocks.

The buildings follow a simple geometry and massing and curves are dictated automatically by the natural topography of the site.

Faculty Lounge

I call it form follows contours!

View of Hostel from North

View of Hostel from East

Open Air Theatre

Physical Model: Scale- 1:200 The unique topography and complex contours had created a challenge to work on this site. As difficult as it was to visualize the spaces and design the campus, I realized it would not be an easier to explain it via 2D drawings or smaller models.

I hence decided to make a large model 1800mmx1800mm in size.

Academic Block

It proved successful since the final thesis defence took place around my model rather than the sheets.

Materials: Corksheet, OHP sheet, Ivory sheet & ridged gourd and twigs for trees

1:200 scale physical model

“M

Me @ The Telegraph High-School Fest | Kolkata, 2005

Music is all around us... All we have to do is listen!”

(August Rush, 2007)

DIVYA MANEK +1-971-348-9231 divyamanek@psu.edu State College | PA | USA