Saloni Chawla

SALONI CHAWLA

Master of Landscape Architecture Bachelor of Architecture Select Works Design Portfolio University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Saloni Chawla

Honors and Awards

MLA 3rd year, UIUC 205 East Green, Champaign, IL 61820 schawla5@illinois.edu (217)-904-5887

Feb 2017 Teachers ranked as Excellent, Fall 2017 | Teaching Assistant for Site Engineering | Dept of Landscape Architecture | University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Education

Apr 2017 Chapter Initiate and Lifetime Membership of Sigma Lambda Alpha Honor Society | Psi Chapter, CELA

Aug 2015 - Present Masters in Landscape Architecture, 3rd Year | University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign Design Studio, Site Engineering, Professional Practice, History of World Landscapes, Cultural Heritage Seminar, Woody Landscapes, Watershed Ecology and

Management, Foundations of Business, Hindu Pilgrimage Power and Place, Research Study on Water as Sacred, Currently working on my thesis on Reclamation

of a Religious heritage Pilgrimage in Varanasi, India called Panchkroshi Yatra Aug 2009 - June 2014 Bachelor of Architecture | Uttar Pradesh Technical University, India

Design Studio, Structures, Construction and Materials, Architecture Drawing, Arts and Graphics, Building Economics, Professional Practice, History of

Architecture, Surveying and Leveling, Interior Design, Legislation Development, Acoustics and design, Building Service, Architecture design Thesis on the Design of a Rehabilitation Center

Professional Experience Spring 2018

Graduate Teaching Assistant with Prof Katherine Kraszewska | University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign History of World Landscapes: grading and monitoring discussions with grad students on weekly readings

Fall 2017 Graduate Teaching Assistant with Prof Paul Littleton | University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Site Engineering: desk critiques, discussions, lecture, grading tests May 2017 - Jul 2017

Jan 2017 - May 2017

Landscape Architecture Intern, Upland Design, Plainfield IL Construction drawings, playground design, planting design.........

Aug 2016 - Dec 2016

Graduate Teaching Assistant with Prof Katherine Kraszewska | University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Site Engineering: desk critiques, discussions, lecture, grading tests

Jan 2016 - Present

South Asian Studies Library Assistant, International and Area Studies Library | University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Graphic Design for Event Posters, Business Card, Informational Brochures

Jul 2014 - Jul 2015

Junior Architect, Srishti Architects, Varanasi, India Power point Presentation on cultural riverfront, preparation and drafting design proposals of high-rise apartments, landscape design proposal of housing project, working drawings of nursing home

Feb 2013 - Nov 2013

Undergraduate Architecture Intern, Udbhav Associates, Lucknow, India Interior drawings of an office, working drawings of a housing project

Graduate Research Assistant with Prof Amita Sinha | University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Research and extensive mapping on Ayodhya and its cultural landscapes, India

Jul 2012 - Nov 2012 Undergraduate Architecture Intern, Urban Architecture Works, Delhi, India

Assisted in presentations for design competition of Indian Institute of Management, Udaipur, Interior design of an office building, Working drawings of ramps of an office building

Dec 2017

FAA Scholarship for tuition | iMBA specialization; Innovation: From Creativity to Entrepreneurship

Dec 2017

Wadsworth Internship Scholarship for Professional Internship | Landscape Intern at Upland Design, Plainfield, IL

Apr 2017 Graduate Certificate of Merit | 2017 ASLA STUDENT AWARD | ASLA Illinois Chapter Mar 2017

Ryerson Travel Fellowship | 2017 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

Feb 2017 Teachers ranked as Excellent, Fall 2016 | Teaching Assistant for Site Engineering | Dept of Landscape Architecture | University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Lectures and Presentations Spring 2018

Lecture on Cultural Landscapes of India | History of World Landscapes, Department of Landscape Architecture | University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Spring 2018 Presentation on Pilgrimage of Panchkroshi Yatra in India | Hindu Pilgrimage, Power and Place, Department of Religion | University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Fall 2017 Presentation on Reclamation of Cultural Religious Landscapes of Varanasi | Brown Bag Lecture Series, Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies |

University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Fall 2017 Lecture on site remediation of a Manufactured Gas Plant in Champaign | Site Engineering, Department of Landscape Architecture | University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Fall 2016 Guest Lecturer for Indian Medicinal Plants | Planting Design, Department of Landscape Architecture University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Workshops

Fall 2017 Workshop on Topo + Projection Exhibit | MLA Chicago Studio III, Department of Landscape Architecture | University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Spring 2016 Design Chatrette, Teaching, Research + Extension, Team Member, Team OLIN | Department of Landscape Architecture | University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Professional Service

Fall 2017 Student Representative, Fine and Applied Arts Dean Search Committee | University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Fall 2015 Student Volunteer, ASLA Annual Expo | American Society of Landscape Architects | Chicago, 2015

Skills

Graphic Design, Auto cad, Rhinoceros, GIS, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe After Effects, Google SketchUp, Revit, Microsoft Office, Model Making

Languages

Hindi, English, Punjabi

Design + Research Reclamation of Panchkroshi Yatra 1-8 Landscape Architecture Thesis: Reclamation of a religious cultural Pilgrimage site in India

Edu-Walk: Bridging Work, Community and Environment Landscape Architecture Design: Urban Design and re-envisioning of an

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Industrial District in Chicago

Panchganga: A landscape of Music and Inter Faith dialogue Landscape Architecture Design: Re-design of a riverfront in India

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The Environment Gallery 21-24 Landscape Architecture Design: Landscape design of a campus museum site Research Mapping the Sacred Land of Ayodhya Research Assistantship: Mapping of religious and sacred sites in an Indian town

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Professional work environment is a step ahead from what we learn academically, and we test our theory and practical knowledge into the field. The idea of envisioning a new regenerative nature of landscape which is grounded in logic-based design approach which is reflected in all my designs. I strongly believe in design solutions rooted in well informed research and follow them in all my designs. Secondly a multidisciplinary approach is important when working with various scales from a small urban park to a regional ecology and issues which is similar to my interests.

My study and research are aimed towards understanding the complex relationships between landscape and people. For a successful balanced relationship, we need to focus on the psychological responses of people and the natural processes at work that together shape any landscape. I value the role of landscape as a matrix binding the social, cultural and ecological ideology and its thoughtful interpretation and application as my responsibility towards a sustainable future course. My work is influenced by my upbringing, my education in India and it has helped in strengthening my belief about the oneness with the larger order that stems from the inherent cultural values and beliefs. While my education in the US has given me the opportunity to experiment and research leading towards building an intellect to interpret and investigate the complex inter-dependent relationship between nature and culture, my work experience has prepared me for practical implementation of designs we create and building up an ethical relationship with clients on the basis of professional service and their expectations.

I wish to be exposed to the methodology of research work that is carried out at various levels. I would be interested in being part of a design team and be involved in design. I will appreciate if given a chance to do site visits and learn from the field. With my undergrad in Bachelor of Architecture, a year’s experience in an architecture firm along with my software skills and summer internship experience in a Landscape Architecture firm in U.S. will allow me to contribute towards making renderings, presentation works, working drawings, etc. I also can study people and identify their strengths and interests which can help in leading a team forward.

Journeys of Faith: Walks in Sacred Landscapes Ryerson Travel Fellowship: Travel to Spain and Greece to study pilgrimages

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Professional Compilation of Work at Upland Design Summer Internship 2017: Site Design, Construction Drawings

Sacred Spaces: Art and Science of traditional Hindu Architecture Entry level Architect: Site Design, Construction Drawings, 3D Views of High-rise

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Residential Buildings

Workshops Landform Design and Analysis of Contours Landscape Architecture Studio Workshop: 3D CNC Modelling, Use of Adobe

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Suite to create projections on surface as contours

Landscapes in a Diorama 54-55 Landscape Architecture Design: Diorama of the vision of future of Landscape Architecture

Design + Research

Tracing the Way: Reclamation of Pilgrimage of Panchkroshi Yatra LA 599 | MLA Thesis | Prof D. Fairchild Ruggles | Prof Aneesha Dharwadkar | Prof Jessica Birkenholtz Spring 2018

Sacred landscapes in India play a pivotal role in the celebration of religious traditions and the mythological stories associated with them. Individual plants are worshipped, but more significantly the spatial design of the site around the religious centers invokes spirituality in the worshippers and pilgrims.

Circumambulatory pilgrimage ends at the same point where it started, thus forming an endless loop. The goal is usually to attain moksha, salvation which is the highest aim of the ascetic renouncer. However, with rapid urbanization, these cultural heritage landscapes have been vulnerable due to growth of settlements and changes in the land use pattern.

In this project, I study the landscapes of the pilgrimage of Panchkroshi Yatra, a 25-mile-long circumambulatory route around the city of Varanasi. It refers to a mandala, a sacred circle whose design symbolizes Varanasi, the cosmic center of Hinduism. Although ideally mandala is a true circle, in this region, it translates as the extent of the physical geography of the city of Varanasi. It starts at Manikarnika Ghat, on the popular stepped banks of river Ganga and after the visit to a total of 108 shrines of Hindu gods and goddesses, ends at the same place. Pilgrims undertake the pilgrimage in five days, once every three years, halting each night on the five main temple destinations respectively. Over the years, urbanization has expanded and the pilgrimage route has become a palimpsest of urban residential, commercial zones, state and national highways with some of the temples still standing on their original locations. The project addresses a sustainable approach towards cultural heritage conservation through the development of a tree and plant lined continuous walking route connecting all the shrines. The village and community engagement program for the maintenance of water, trees, food and amenities for the pilgrims cultivates the healthy exchange of resources and generate sustainable environment enjoyed by local as well as pilgrim community. Way-finding legibility, rest portals, sanitation, etc. are the core elements of this program.

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Rituals and Practices of Pilgrims during Pilgrimage Route overlaying with National and State Highways

Meditating together

Cooking together

Resting at Destination temple sites

Open Space Typologies of Destination Sites

Architectural Vocabulary of Destination Sites

Singing religious songs

Bathing in holy river

Walking in groups Worshipping the shrines

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Mandala: Ideal vs Actual Circumambulation

Design of Tree grate in the form of Mandala equipped with Solar lights

Planting Design Master Plan

Event Cycle of pilgrimage

Cassia Fistula (Amaltas) Delonix Regia (Gulmohar) Azadirachta Indica (Neem) Saraca Asoca (Ashoka) Magnolia Champaca (Champa) Bougainvillea Glabra (Bougainvillea)

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Route Design

Site Design: Kardameshwar

Route through Farm fields Farm fields provide good flexibility of space along the road for designing a paved pathway for pilgrims to walk on. It is raised by 6 inches and is designed in a way so as to suggest directionality to the pilgrims. It is lines with Cassia Fistula trees that have Mandala shaped tree grate around the trunk.

Route through Urban Area The urban areas are densely developed with little scope of a full fledged walking pathway. A narrower pathway helps move pilgrims walk forward on the route lined with small hedges of bougainvillea along it. The design blends well with the surrounding urban context accomodating the route design and continuing the legibility of the walking route.

Entry to the Temple Site The entrance to each destination temple site provides a transition with visual landscape elements as sort of an announcement of the arrival in the mirco sacred zone of the pilgrimage. Continuing the tree lined pathways lit up with solar lights in Mandala shaped tree grates, these sites are also marked with reinforced bamboo poles equipped with solar lights at the top. These poles also facilitate performance of tying the holy thread around them by pilgrims as a way of making a wish to the gods and goddesses.

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CTA Rail Station

Filteration Zone

Eco/Recreational Corridor

Art/Recreational Zone Light Industries + Office, Creative Space Markets

High Tech + Heaby Industries

Processing + Distribution

Urban Farm +Green House

Research & Design

Distribution + Warehouses

Industrial Core

Incubators

Environmental Education & Community Center

Mixed-used Zone

Edu-Walk: Bridging Work, Community and Environment LA 537 Chicago Studio | Fall 2017 | Prof Conor O’Shea

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The Central Manufacturing District is an industrial site full of opportunities, while suffering from manyissues includingseclusion, vacant buildings, water pollution, storm water overflow,and aesthetically unpleasant environment. Taking a people-oriented approach, weaddress these issuesto revitalize this industrial site ecologically, economically, and socially. We propose learningas a tool to strengthen the bond between people and the industrial site, which results in community engagement and job creation. The learning process includes both formal education(indoor/outdoor classrooms)to support innovation and trainingfor industries,as well asa broader dynamic experience of learningthat comes with siteexplorationand engagementwith the surroundings. We have three zonesof intervention: eco-industrial zone, mixed-usezone, and eco-recreationalcorridor. They are functionally interconnected through symbiosis of materials, energy, and ideas, leading toa cohesive co-existence of work, community and environment.

The eco-industrial zone is an orderly system of manufacturing, research, and workforce training. The mixed-use zone celebrates the community’s diversity and creativity through a food hub, urban farming, local food markets, and incubators. The eco-recreational corridor is thecentral attraction of our sitealong the bubbly creek making physical and functional connections between the other two zones. It incorporates a water treatment system that adds ecological and educationalvalues to the site. The featured boardwalk connects the south and north ends of the sitewhile adding multiple east-west connections, engaging people with the river and the environment. Through these connections established by the boardwalk, the site is transformed from a monotonous industry-dominated workplace to a dynamic urban eco-system with a lively social character, diminishing the barriersbetween industries and people through

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Neighborhood Facilities

Industrial Core

Industrial Core

Community Gardening

Urban Farming

Food Hub

1. North Entrance

1 Innovation

Eco-Industrial

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2. Filtration Zone 9

3 3. Art Center

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4. South Entrance

Educational Program The site is designed with an educational program as its core system. The program ties together different zones in the site and provides ease of accessibility. Education is formal as well as informal in the form of training, community activities, employment, site exploration and so for th. Educational aspect brings people and a healthy social environment to this industrial site which is devoid of a lively atmosphere in its current state. Types of education being addressed are manufacturing and processing, research/innovation, training, water treatment, phytoremediation, community gardening, urban farming, commercial markets, art, distribution, storage and wholesale. The strategies used for education are community engagement, art, research/training, industry/processing, water management/bioremediation.

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Boardwalk Viewshed Experience and Seasonal Activities

Water Remediation System Healthy Aquatic Habitat

Boardwalk Experience: Enclosure

Boardwalk Experience: Rainfall

Boardwalk Experience: Openness

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Boardwalk Experience: Winter

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Panchganga: A landscape of Music and Inter Faith dialogue

Panchganga: A landscape of Music and Inter-faith Dialogue LA 438 Design Workshop Studio II| Spring 2016 | Prof Amita Sinha Panchganga, as the name suggests in Hindi, means the confluence of five forms of Ganga at one place. Panchganga Ghat is one of the eighty four ghats along the edge of River Ganga that consist of series of steps leading to the embankment. It marks the confluence of the holy rivers namely Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Kirna and Dhutpapa, and is a confluence of Hindu-Islamic cultures. Across the magnificent Dharhara Mosque angled to the edge of the ghat, is the Bindu Madhav Temple, a popular temple of Lord Vishnu among the Hindus. The Muslim Saint Kabir, the famous poet met his Hindu teacher Saint Ramananda at this Ghat in the fifteenth century. It is also associated with the late Ustaad Bismillah Khan, the famous Shehnai player who used to practice here in Balaji palace in mid-twentieth century. The design grammar of the ghat is an interesting mix of various architectural elements. It ranges from many kinds of temple spires to domes and minarets of the mosque. A sequence of typical cube like aedicules is situated in the tiers at the edge of the steps that mostly function as temples with a few being used as storage spaces. The other built elements are octagonal platforms, bastions, and colonnades. The spatial grammar of the ghat is characterized by varying volumes of spaces. At the edge of the steps, the ghat seems to be more open. The open spaces narrow down and become compact as one moves up towards the streets from the ghats through the dramatically steep steps. The unique feature of the ghat are bamboo poles in high density used for holding oil lamps during the celebration of full moon known as Kartik Poornima.

The water level, rise every year during the monsoons that submerges about half the ghat into the river. The design approach is to facilitate flexible use of spaces and structures. The changing rooms for those bathing in the Ganga are made of bamboo panels that are hinged together and can be folded to open up the space to be used as semi covered sitting area. The panels are supported by bamboo poles at the four corners. These poles have photovoltaic cells and can be used for night lighting of the ghat.

The cube like deployable structures also uses bamboo as their basic material and can be folded and transported from one place to another. These structures when expanded give enough room (2.5 m by 2.5m) to a performer to sit and perform as well as to the vendors for selling tea and snacks. This frame can be covered on all sides by burlap or a water-proof material.

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Design Grammar: A confluence of Hindu and Muslim architectural style along with typical architecture elements of ghats

Design Grammer

Domical Temple Aedicule

Octagonal Platform Bastion

Hazaara

Portal

Temple Spire

Jharokha

Waste

Waste Mapping and Management

Temple Spire

Portal

Mosque roof

Colonnade

Architectural Grammer

Jharokha

Spatial Grammer Plastic Container Inside

Design Grammer: A confluence of Hindu and Muslim architectural style along with typical architectural elements of ghats

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Madhubani Art Design on Outer Cover Trash Bin Design by Saloni Nahar(GCL) 18

Deployable Structures made of Bamboo as Changing rooms

Deployable Structures made of Bamboo for Performances

Deployable Structures made of Bamboo for Tea stalls

Water tank for bathing

Site Plan Bamboo poles with solar lights for night lighting

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Site plan describes how the heritage buildings and temples are situated on the ghat and how they are connected with a heritage trail. It is so developed to create a walking experience on the ghat through the trail. The entry plaza, haat and the kund area have deployable structures used for activities and performances and foster community practies. The aedicules at the edge of the ghat carry structures for changing rooms on top of them. The stairways highlight exhibit spaces on the walls of buildings. The green areas on the ghat are developed on the roof of Balaji Palace that can be used for recreation, music performances as well as for viewing the Ganga aarti. The silt garden is developed where large amounts of silt are deposited currently. The garden has lotuses, lilies and Nymphodus Krishnakesara that enhance the place. Site plan is developed more along the river rather than in more depth in the interiors of the ghat as the ghat has more popular accessibility from the adjacent ghats such as Jatar gat and Gaay ghat as compared to the streets from the interiors.

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Environment Gallery LA 336 Design Workshop Studio I| Fall 2015 | Prof MaryPat McGuire The site for this project is the space around Krannert Art Museum in the campus of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. the concept behind the design of this Environment Gallery is inspired by the strong grassroots of Prairie in Midwest America. As this is a praire land, I decided to bring various types of prarie together in the form of bands or galleries and create spaces with varying experiences when one moves through the site on either North-South axis or East-West axis.

The prairie bands range from dry to wet prairie with suitable soil conditions in the bands. There is a narrow open space between any two bands that allow movement for the visitors. These narrow spaces open into wide stops at intervals. The specific grasses used in these bands are Bluejoint grass, Switch grass, Prairie Dropseed, Little Bluestem, Sideoats Grama.Varying soils used for these grasses are Hill Prairie, Dolomite Prairie, Gravel Prairie, Sand Prairie and Black Prairie. Seasonal variations in the grasses enrich walking experience through them even more.

Gallery acts like an environmental exhibit of prairie helping visitors understand and observe natural growth process of these grasses.

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Research

Ayodhya Basemap Research Assistantship| Spring 2017 | Prof Amita Sinha For my research assistantship in Spring 2017 with Prof Amita Sinha, I had to map religiously and politically important landmarks in the city of Ayodhya, India. Ayodhya, also known as Saketa, is an ancient city of India, believed to be the birthplace of Rama and setting of the epic Ramayana. Owing to the belief as the birthplace of Rama, Ayodhya (Awadh) has been regarded as one of the seven most important pilgrimage sites (Saptapuri) for Hindus. It is believed that the birth spot of Rama was marked by a temple, which was demolished by the orders of the Mughal emperor Babur and a mosque erected in its place. The Ayodhya dispute concerns the activism by the Hindu groups to rebuild a Rama's temple at the site.

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My job was to create a basemap of Ayodhya, marking culturally and religiously important centers and road network of the city. Landmarks were identified with the aid of Hans Baker's book on Ayodhya, google earth and pictures of such places with their geographical data, taken by Prof Amita Sinha on one of her visits to Ayodhya. It was observed that city has a citadel with palace and the most important buildings on the top and other buildings located at the lower elevations. The most significant location is the disputed site that is claimed by Hindus to be birthplace of Lord Rama that had a temple. Muslims claim that mosque on the site wasn't built after demolition of temple but it was the original site for it. This political dispute has been into picture for quite a few years now and that site has neither been granted for a new temple to be built nor a mosque.

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Journeys of Faith: Walks in Sacred Landscape Ryerson Travel Fellowship| Summer 2017

1. Camino de Santiago, Spain My thesis is Masters of Landscape architecture program is about a Hindu pilgrimage in Varanasi, India, one of the holiest cities of Hinduism.

Critical to the project is an understanding of the ideologies of these pilgrims who walk on the circumambulatory route around Varanasi visiting 108 Hindu shrines for five days and complete the journey with grounded faith. What drives these pilgrims to walk on the long journeys and how does their motivation help them find their way and complete their pilgrimage? My work on this local Indian pilgrimage site has sparked a deeper interest in further understanding pilgrimage on a larger scale in other religions as well.

While exploring some of the most important pilgrimages of the world, the one that intrigued me the most is El Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain with a network of routes from all over Europe. It is one of the most popular Christian pilgrimages and attracts pilgrims from all over the world. While a lot of people do it ritualistically for the forgiveness of their sins, it also makes the pace of life slower by getting away from materialistic pleasures of world and indulging in raw, naturalistic landscapes, less intervened by humans.

The Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James) is a large network of ancient pilgrim routes stretching across Europe and coming together at the tomb of St. James (Santiago in Spanish) in Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain. Along the route, I discovered history of pilgrimage, unique landscapes along the route, Spanish culture through its medieval towns and villages, understanding of people of the pilgrimage, impact on my inner self after completing the pilgrimage. I walked on the pilgrimage for 7 days starting from Sarria, Spain to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

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Journeys of Faith: Walks in Sacred Landscape Ryerson Travel Fellowship| Summer 2017

2. Footsteps of St. Paul Apostle, Greece Apostle Paul is a remarkable personality for the Christian religion. He spread the word of Christianity more than anybody else and for this reason he was named "Equal-to-the-Apostles" and “Apostle of the Nations”. “The Route that Apostle Paul Followed in Greece" passes through all places where the Apostle preached. Pilgrims today want to follow the sacred route by St. Paul establishing his ideologies and preaching’s still existent in the world. Not only religious pilgrims, this route also attracts history lovers as by walking on this pilgrimage, they travel back in time and enrich their desire of experiencing ancient Greek culture.

This pilgrimage offered me several advantages. I have always had deep interest to learn Greek culture and its glimpses and this pilgrimage was a a delightful opportunity to achieve that. Greeks have been quite popular for their landscapes and site designs. These sites are marvels of landscape architecture but what is interesting to know is that they have preserved their cultural value well even after being progressive in the current urban context. Greek architecture ruins and important sites of pilgrimage exist well with the modern urban design of the city. The juxtaposition offers a peek in the past while being in the present and presents an understanding of evolution of Greek culture, architecture and landscapes over time.

This pilgrimage was not particularly walking pilgrimage primarily as the sites were far with distances covered either by train, bus or car. I also realized that pilgrims come in groups like a tour in specific months of the year and this wasn't a popular time due to extreme hot weather so I did not get a chance to mingle with fellow pilgrims like I could in Spain where pilgrims walk almost the entire year.

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Professional

Lockport Playground Summer Internship 2017| Upland Design | Landscape Architecture Intern The team at Upland Design consisted of 2 Principal Landscape Architects, two other Landscape Architects and Project Managers and an Office Assistant, other than me. It is a small but quite powerful team, working not only in Plainfield and nearby areas but quite a good range in Illinois.

Their mission is to creat great otdoor spaces that would engage communities. They create these outdoor spaces with passion, intelligence and sensitivity. Upland Design was established in 1998 by Michelle A. Kelly.

The currciculum of my Summer Internship at Upland Design was crafted by whole team diligently to create a comprehensive learning experience for me. Major part of my work was to assist or create Construction drawings of various ongoing and a few new projects. The other tasks ranged from Conceptual drawings, a few renderings, 3d modelling, assisting in preparing Bid documents, site visits, Client meetings, etc.

The site belongs to the city of Lockport. The objective was to create a fun playground for children with play equipments and a creative Poured-inplace rubber surface that activates the space for children and make it more lively. After working through a number of conceptual sketches on it, I came up with space theme with each equipment occupying either a space of a planet or a star. As this theme particularly interests young kids quite a lot, the Clients approved the design as well and then I further worked on the Construction drawings and details for the site. It was a wonderful learning experience to be able to work on this project right from the beginning to the stage of bidding.

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Construction Drawings 11

Existing pipe

8' O.C. Nom.

8"

11 2" MONTAGE PLUS Rail TM

(See Cross- Section Below)

51 2"

7 2.0

Drain Cleanout-PIP 3 Total RIM 654.65

2

Post 21 2"

Standard Height 6' Fence SEE PLANS

Confirm pipe location in field

3

4"

x 16ga

1

18ga Picket

Signboard Design Concepts

GATE / FENCE NOTES: 1. PEDESTRIAN GATE: MONTAGE PLUS MAJESTIC 3-RAIL GENESIS GATE, 6' HEIGHT, 5' OPENING 2. ORNAMENTAL FENCE: MONTAGE PLUS MAJESTIC 3-RAIL GENESIS PANEL, 4' HEIGHT 3. GATES AND FENCES PROVIDED BY AMERISTAR AS REPRESENTED BY PEERLESS FENCE PH: 630-584-7710, OR APPROVED EQUAL 4. FENCE AND GATES TO BE FACTORY FINISHED WITH BLACK POWDERCOAT. 5. FOOTING TO FINISHED FLUSH WITH ADJACENT PAVING. BROOM FINISH TOP OF FOOTING. 6. GATE AND FENCE SHALL BE GROUNDED PER NEC 7. STAKE LOCATION FOR OWNER APPROVAL PRIOR TO DIGGING HOLES.

Bracket Options

0.5%

TOP OF FOOTING, SLOPE TO DRAIN.

Top of PIP to meet Concrete Flush 6 2.0

2" Nom.

31516" TYPICAL 3

NOTES: 1.) Post size depends on fence height and wind loads.

See MONTAGE PLUS TM specifications for post sizing chart.

Playground Underdrainage Slope 1% min.

3500 PSI CONCRETE FOOTING,TYPICAL

2 FENCE FOOTING 2.0

COMPACTED SUBGRADE

RAKING DIRECTIONAL ARROW Welded panel can be raked 30" over 8' with arrow pointing down grade.

1' DIA. MIN.

MONTAGE PLUS TM RAIL 17 16"

2 PROFUSION WELDING PROCESS No exposed welds, Good Neighbor profile - Same appearance on both sides MONTAGE PLUS TMRAIL Specially formed high strength architectural shape.

Fence Footing

E-COAT COATING SYSTEM

LINE BOULEVARD BRACKET

UNIVERSAL BOULEVARD BRACKET

681

Existing Spot Elevation Proposed Spot Elevation 2%

North

INDEX OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

Proposed Contour Line

TM 11 2" MONTAGE PLUS Rail

(See Cross- Section on Panel Drawing)

Post size varies with Height

(See MONTAGE PLUS

SCALE: 1" = 10'-0" 0

5'

10'

30'

BX114

BX112/117

3

BX111

Values shown are nominal and not to be used for installation purposes. See product specification for installation requirements.

Top of Curb (TC) Top of Pavement (TP)

1

Match Existing Elevation (ME)

6' Ornamental Fence

315 16" TYP. 31516" TYP.

3 POURED IN PLACE SURFACING TO BE FLUSH WITH CURB 1 2" CHAMFER 1" RADIUS ON TOP EDGES, LIGHT BROOM OR RUBBED FINISH ON ALL EXPOSED SURFACES. FINISHED GRADE IS AT TOP OF CURB UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

Curb at Playground

Top of Footings to be flush with top of Concrete paving

2 FENCE FOOTING 2.0

Pedestrian Gate

The Village of Plainfield had an ongoing project of creating designs for the signage at various locations in the village. My role was to create Conceptual ideas and their rendered drawings of interesting aesthetically pleasing signages. I did work on a few options and came up with these designs. It was still in the working stage and final design was yet to be finalised by the Plainfield Park District.

I worked on this project for a brief period. The site belongs to the village of Arlington Heights, IL. My Principal Landscape Architect asked me to create design proposals for the signboard in front of a Police Station, of which, Upland Design was working on Landscape proposals. I came up with a few options keeping in mind the aesthetics of existing Signboards of the Village and then combining them with a few contemporary ideas to create interesting designs.

POURED-IN-PLACE RUBBER SURFACE WEAR COURSE, TYP. PLAYGROUND SURFACING, SEE PLANS. 6 OZ NON-WOVEN GEOTEXTILE FABRIC, OVERLAP EDGES 12" MIN.

FINISH GRADE TO BE LEVEL WITH ADJACENT CURB OR PAVING. POURED-IN-PLACE RUBBER SURFACE IMPACT ATTENUATION LAYER. MEET ASTM F-1292 FOR CRITICAL FALL HEIGHT. SEE PLAN

#4 REBAR TOP AND BOTTOM, CONTINUOUS, 2" CLEAR, OVERLAP 12" MINIMUM AT SPLICES. DOWEL AT EXPANSION JOINTS.

COMPACTED SUBGRADE

Park Planning and Landscape Architecture 24042 Lockport St, Plainfield, Illinois 60544 815-254-0091 www.uplanddesign.com

Compacted Subgrade

Detex Hardware Notes: 1. Stainless Steel Finish 2. Keyed on Outside of Gate

Construction Limits

NOTES: 1. CONTRACTION JOINTS TO 10' O.C. MAXIMUM 2. EXPANSION JOINTS TO BE 25' O.C. MAXIMUM

ltd

x 18ga. Picket

ADA Accessible Latch/Detex Exit bar(PanicHardware) Submit for approval.

Top of Rim Elevation (RIM)

COMPACTED CA-6 OR GRANULAR BASE

4"

Weld on Box Hinge 2" Nom.

Pipe Invert Elevation (INV)

6"

PROJECT TEAM

Post-Sizing chart)

Gate Upright 13 4" x 14 ga.

Acrylic Topcoat

20'

TM

Mounting Plate Standard Height 6'

Epoxy Primer

Drainage Flow Direction

4

51 2"

Uniform Zinc Coating (Hot Dip)

Grading and Utility Plan Existing Contour Line

Gap between outside edge of Post and building to be between 12" and 343"

FLAT MOUNT BRACKET

Zinc Phosphate Coating

681

2" (Hinge Clearance)

4'-6"

118"

Base Material

Note: Pipe to be 4" Perforated SDR 26

LEGEND

2" (Latch Clearance)

PROJECT

Lockport Community Center Playground 921 S. State Street Lockport, Illinois 60441

TM

11 2"

BUILDING EXPANSION

1911 S. Lawrence Avenue Lockport, Illinois 60441 Phone: 815-838-1183

SLOPE SUBGRADE TOWARDS UNDERDRAINS

5

6 OZ NON-WOVEN GEOTEXTILE FABRIC, OVERLAP EDGES 12" MIN.

IDOT CA-7 OR PEA GRAVEL, DEPTH VARIES PER PLANS

COMPACTED SUBGRADE

NOTE: OUTSIDE OF PLAY AREA, PIPE SHALL BE SOLID SDR 26 AND NO GRAVEL TRENCH NEEDED

Grading Plan 45 DEGREE ELBOW EXTENSION & CAP (RIGID PVC) 4" PIPE - SEE DETAIL

COMPACTED SUBGRADE

4" MIN.

NOTE: SEE DRAWINGS FOR COLOR MIX AND PATTERN

Poured-in-Place Surfacing

SHEET TITLE

PERFORATED PIPE, SDR 26, 2 ROWS OF PERFORATIONS; 1% MIN SLOPE

IDOT CA-7, COMPACT IN 3" LIFTS

NOTE: SEE PLAYGROUND UNDERDRAINAGE DETAIL FOR SUBGRADE SLOPE REQUIREMENTS

PVC CAP FRAME AND COVER PER SPECIFICATIONS

6

4" MIN.

SHEET NUMBER

7

Drain Cleanout - PIP

DRAW / REVISION

2.0

Project Number 581 © Copyright 2017 Upland Design Ltd. W:\581-Lockport-CommunityCenter-Playground\30-CD-files

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PLOT: UPLAND 2017

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Construction Drawings

Site Visits

R4 '-6 "

R55 '

R4'-6"

R5'-6"

R5

Village of Orland Park Orland Park , Illinois 60462 Phone: 708-403-6150

'-5

"

PROJECT

6"

'

SF

R5

R10'-5" "

'-2

R6'

SF

13951 LaGrange Road Orland Park, IL 60462

SF

R3

SF

Orland Park Nature Center

SF

R7'-3"

9"

R8'-

3 Dense Yew

SF

4 Little Lime Hydrangea 6 Walther Funcke Yarrow 11 Nodding Wild Onion

R20'-10"

R15'-1"

3 Dense Yew

SF

CLEANOUT EL=684.50

ltd Park Planning and Landscape Architecture 564 W Randolph St, Chicago, Illinois 60661 24042 Lockport St, Plainfield, Illinois 60544 815-254-0091 www.uplanddesign.com

SF

R22'-7"

R6'-8"

SF

5" R7'-

R21

'-11

"

CIVIL ENGINEER Engineering Resource Associates 3S701 West Avenue,Suite 150 Warrenville, Illinois 60555 Phone: 630-393-3060

3 Dense Yew

"

SF

4'-8

R1 R3

'

SF

R3'

PROJECT TEAM

SF

SF

SF

16"

4" SHEET TITLE

Plaza Enlargement Landscape Plan

SF

SF

4"

DRAW / REVISION SF

NO

TF

North

39

6.1

SHEET NUMBER

SF

MATCHLINE

SCALE: 1" = 10'-0" 0

5'

10'

20'

30'

OR

CO

NS

TR

UC

TIO

Project Number 490 © Copyright 2017 Upland Design Ltd. W:\490-orlandpark_naturecenter\30-cd-files PLOT: UPLAND 2013

N

40

Sacred Spaces: Art and Science of traditional Hindu Architecture Professional Work| 2014-15 | Srishti Architects Vastu shastra is a traditional Hindu system of architecture which literally translates to "science of architecture." These are texts found on the Indian subcontinent that describe principles of design, layout, measurements, ground preparation, space arrangement and spatial geometry. Vastu Shastras incorporate traditional Hindu and in some cases Buddhist beliefs. The designs are intended to integrate architecture with nature, the relative functions of various parts of the structure, and ancient beliefs utilizing geometric patterns (yantra), symmetry and directional alignments.

Vastu Shastra are the textual part of Vastu Vidya, the latter being the broader knowledge about architecture and design theories from ancient India.

Vastu Vidya knowledge is a collection of ideas and concepts, with or without the support of layout diagrams, that are not rigid. Rather, these ideas and concepts are models for the organization of space and form within a building or collection of buildings, based on their functions in relation to each other, their usage and to the overall fabric of the Vastu. Ancient Vastu Shastra principles include those for the design of Mandir (Hindu temples), and the principles for the design and layout of houses, towns, cities, gardens, roads, water works, shops and other public areas.

This site required the apartments to be designed as per the principles of Vastu Shastra, aligning rooms and spaces following the specific directions and orientation. Vastu Purusha Mandala depicts human body and aligns human organs with spaces in a house. Its main concept is to establish harmony and prosperity in a house as it exists in a human body. Site consists of 2,3 and 4 bedroom apartments and a clubhouse with underground parking.

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Workshops

Landform Analysis and Design LA 537 Chicago Studio | Fall 2017 | Prof Conor O’Shea This workshop was organized by Prof Conor O'Shea assisted by Teaching Assistant Kuhn Lee and his colleague Chris Bennett. Objective of this workshop is to understand natural processes on the contours and their impact. This was achieved by combining CNC router milling of foam boards and creating animations of natural and environmental processes through Adobe Suite. The animation was then projected on the foam boards to create dynamics of the processes and a more realisitic output.

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The form of the surface that I designed in Rhino was an experiment, an imagination of the contours to have created narrow organic canyons in the surface. I then tried to examine contour change, effect of increase in surface water level, sun shadow pattern, etc. It was an interesting workshop with various designs and videos that students created. The exercise was a good blend of digital and model making skills that serves as a skilled way of presenting design, even in future.

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Contours

Rising Surface Water Level

Section

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Landscapes in a Diorama LA 438 Design Workshop Studio II | Figuring Future Nature | Spring 2017 | Prof David Hays A mass of debris,consisting mostly of plastic accumulated over two centuries,floats in the Great Ocean Gyre of the Pacific, itsupper surface densely vegetated. In the mid-twenty-first century, vast quantities of manmade materials washed away from land due to poor waste management and failed efforts at coast stabilization. As loose, floatingmaterialsagglomerated and densified, migrating birds found refuge there. Their seed-laden guano became the basis for soil formation and plant growth. Mangrove thrived, contributing significantly to the integrity of the growing mass.

Beneath the ocean surface, exposed plastic becameideal habitat for jellyfish, which flourish and cloud the surrounding water.Glimpsedfrom afar, the curiousisland appeals to explorers from the flooded realm,who approach cautiously in searchof new opportunity.

The project statement above describes the theme concisely. I envisioned impact of plastics in future nature and how it can become a huge concern as well as threat to our environment and habitat. For the diorama, I created a surface that looks like ocean. I then worked on a mass as an island of all the accumulated degraded plastic waste in the ocean that even has mangroves grown over it. With the peripheral white texture around the island, I demonstrated thriving jellyfish on that island and its increasing population. The projector created ripples and waves on water surface. The cardboad tube through the huge cardboard surface, when looked through, created an illusion of boat in the ocean approaching towards this plastic mass thats still far away. For ocean breeze, I used a tiny but powerful table fan which was a successful attempt as per the experiences of viewers.

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Thank you schawla5@illinois.edu 217.904.5887