Ishita Kansal | SPA Bhopal | CV + Portfolio 2023

P O R T F O L I O Ishita Kansal School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal

Hello, it’s nice to see you!

This is my journey through the world of architecture.

Architecture lives and breathes through the ages. Each element narrates countless stories. As a young student of architecture, I strive to understand how architecture affects the people and their culture, and how it helps build the legacy of a community. I want to design for different people. I want to be able to create unique experiences and hope to one day tell my own stories through my design.

Welcome to a glimpse of me!

SKILLS

January 31, 2002

Ghaziabad|Bhopal

CONTACT 16-A Royal, Shipra Suncity, Indirapuram, Ghaziabad (201014) ishitakansal3112@gmail.com +91 77019 40073

Architectural ModelMaking 3D Modelling Small Illustrations Content Writing Drafting AutoCAD

3D Modelling SketchUp Rhinoceros

BIM Revit

Visualisation Enscape V-Ray Lumion

Ishita Kansal ishita.kansal

EDUCATION 2020 - Present | Bachelor of Architecture School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal 2006 - 2020 | Secondary Education Amity International School, Noida

LANGUAGES Hindi - Native English - Fluent

Leadership Communication Team Work Management

Graphics Adobe Photoshop Adobe Illustrator Adobe InDesign SketchBook

Others MS Office Figma

HOBBIES AND INTERESTS Reading Writing - Coordinator (Literature Society) Football - Nationals Painting Guitar - Trinity College London (Grade 3) Photography

PROJECTS 2020

Juice Bar Design | 2nd Semester

2021

Vernacular Residence Design | 3rd Semester Assisted Living for People with Autism Design | 4th Semester

2022

Cricket Stadium Design | 5th Semester Convention Center Design | 6th Semester 3BHK Appartment Building - Working Drawing Pavilion Design Local Area Planning - Banganga, Bhopal

2023

Luxury Hotel Design (Ongoing) | 7th Semester

COMPETITIONS 2021

OAN Grants Programme | NASA India

2022

Louis I Kahn Tophy | NASA India Utopia Dystopia | 120 Hours Essay Competition | Berkley Prize ANDC Trophy | NASA India

2023

Cradle to Grave | 120 Hours Tiny House | Volume Zero

WORKSHOPS 2022

Parametric Architecture - Rhino + Grasshopper | Design Intervention A Guide to Digital Art | Udemy A Guide to Architectural Writing

2023

Photoshop + Illustrator | The Arch Art Bamboo Hands-on Workshop | SPA Bhopal Steel Hands-on Workshop | SPA Bhopal

EXPERIENCE 2020 - Present

Beyond Meds Foundation Chief Content Officer

2021 - Present

Team Kalawani 1/5 Member

2022 - Present

India Lost and Found Narrator

June 2023

Design Edge Intern

Chapter 1

AROMA CAFE Cafe + Bakery | Nainital Individual

TARANG Vacation Home | Gokarna Individual

KALAWANI Skill Development Center | Ghaziabad Team of 5

SANSKRITI BHAWAN Convention Center | Bhopal Individual

AROMA CAFE Cafe + Bakery | Nainital

01 Project:

To design a cafe for a boat club, located on the beautiful walkay along the lake.

Typology: Cafe Individual Softwares: Autocad, SketchUp, Lumion, V-Ray, Photoshop One of the first projects that I designed in my journey in architecture was a juice bar. This cafe follows the idea of that first project.

As children, when asked to draw any building, we have all made the classic design of a pentagonal front with pitched roofs, set amidst rolling hills and a babbling brooke. The pattern for this project evolves from that first thought we have of buildings.

Set along a lakefront walkway, the glass facade and the greenhouse addition create the perfect atmosphere, taking advantage of the sun in the cold setting of the mountains. Mezzanine seating offers a view of the whole establishment.

The cafe also features a small garden of local flowers found in the region. A mix of glass, cross laminated timber and concrete make up this structure.

A cup of coffee, a cozy book, nature, and you.

7

Form evolved from a basic structure imagined as children

Addition of greenhouse for catching maximum sun in cool climate

Local flower garden to promote biodiversity of the region

Located on lakefront walkway, taking advantage of tourism and view

CONCEPT MAPPING 8

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

MEZZANINE FLOOR PLAN

1 - Entrance 2 - Counter 3 - Seating 4 - Green House

5 - Kitchen 6 - Storage 7 - Washrooms 8 - Mezzanine

Concrete Roof

Glass

CLT Rafters

Mezzanine Seating

Tension Wire Railing

Staircase Louvred Partition

Local Flower Garden

CLT Frame Lakefront Walkway

EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC VIEW

Tarang

Vacation Home | Gokarna

02 Project:

To design a holiday residence for a family

Typology: Vacation Home

Individual Softwares: Autocad, SketchUp, Lumion, V-Ray, Photoshop Next, we ventured into the world of Vernacular Architecture of India. Exploring different materials and styles all over the country was the aim of this studio. The idea was to create a haven for a retired couple and their kids, where they can explore life beyond the urban realm.

“The essence of craft revived with meaning and context is our identity for a contemporary living. The vision for this residence has an underlying concept to celebrate the art, crafts and indigenous knowledge relating to the tribal heritage of this area. Transcendence of art and crafts through local techniques, colors, skills, textures and genesis of these ideas and concepts will give a new dialogue that can be presented to the world.”

This presented the perfect oppurtunity to design a vacation home with a blend of vernacular elements with contemporary styles. My love for courtyards, decks and open spaces led to me choosing a beach residence.

15

Towards the beach

PLAN 1 - Entrance Lobby 4 - Guest Room 7 - Bedrooms 10 - Games Room

2 - Formal Sitting 5 - Courtyard 8 - Dining - Living 11 - Main Deck

3 - Library 6 - Side Deck 9 - Kitchen 12 - Pool

Stage 1: Select suitable site for a vacation home, with a good view

Stage 2: Place a block mass on site according to the contours

Stage 3: Design the home in a way that takes advantage of the contours and the view

SITE EVOLUTION DIAGRAM 17

The major construction material consists of the vernacular material for Gokarna plastered walls, timber rafters with Mangalore tiles for the roof. Elements like courtyards, ornately carved wooden door and pillars add a touch of the culture of Gokarna.

Mud Plaster Walls

Mangalore Tiles

Carved Timber Doors

Heavy Timber Pillars

Coupled with elements like clerestory lights, single ridge pitched roofs, multiple decks and a pool, this vacation home is a blend of contemporary and vernacular. Nestled in the lap of nature, the intent was to create a haven for the family.

18

View of the kitchen

View of the bedroom

19

+7500 +6500

+4850 +4100 +3300

+750 0 LVL

-2100

Poolside

2000mm wide

Pool - 5ft.

(16000 x 6000)

Poolside

2000mm wide

Main Deck

(13500 x 3000)

Game Room (3000 x 6000)

LONGITUDIN

Dining - Living (8000 x 6500)

NAL SECTION

Courtyard with 1500 mm Corridor (8000 x 8000)

Formal Sitting

(6000 x 3000)

Entrance Lobby

(4000 x 1500)

03 Project:

To identify a need/challenge in a community and design a creative and implementable solution Typology: Skill Development Centre (Live Project) Team of 5 Softwares: Autocad, SketchUp, Enscape, Photoshop This project is an initiative under the OAN Grants Program, 2021, in collaboration with NASA India (National Association of Students of Architecture), Centre for the Living City, Urban Design Collective and Beyond Meds Foundation (an NGO working in Ghaziabad, UP).

The project aims at setting up a Skill Development Centre for women in Kanawani, an urban slum in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad. It provides an opportunity to the females of the community to come together and create something meaningful while nurturing skills through interpersonal teaching and guidance. The design intervention includes a crèche facility as well. The proposal follows through till the marketing stage, helping the women acquire raw materials and establish a network of clientele to support their families and instill in them a sense of self esteem.

This project has provided me an insight into the real world and the practical aspects of architecture through community engagement and the on-field work.

25

26

Interacting with the community revealed a plethora of innate talents among them. What they saw as something insignificant and inconsequential, formed the very basis of this proposal - an opportunity to tap their vast potential for economic and social prosperity.

Local market to sell

Market for raw material

Weekly market to sell

The proposal follows through to the marketing stage, helping them acquire raw material and then set up shop. Both, online platforms and actual markets are being utilised for selling the products.

27

Our project embodies the concept of REUSE, in terms of raw materials for skill development and construction. Discarded bricks available on site, glass bottles in the wall, silli tukdi for the roof, and a second hand door have been incorporated.

28

Our project embodies the concept of REUSE, in terms of raw materials for skill development The has been divided intobricks threeavailable distinct areas which can be used forwall, different purposes: andsite construction.

Discarded on site, glass bottles in the silli tukdi for the Closed An existing room, along with the construction of a new one, create the workspace roof, and a second hand door have been incorporated.

Semi Open - The overhang extending from the roof of the new room to socialise and work Open - A creche facility, in the form of a kids’ play area is at the other end

The skill development centre is accommodated in two rooms, an existing one which was repaired, and a new room constructed adjacent to it. The space right outside the new room gives an alternative of working outdoors, depending on the skill being taught, and its space requirements. The outdoor space invites the kids to play while the mothers work, allowing the women to work while keeping an eye on their children at the same time.

29

30

Site condition initially with unused bricks and debris

Construction phase showing corbelled window and jali design

Interior finishing of the structure after construction

Murals painted on the outer walls by the community to provide a sense of identity

Interpersonal teaching among the girls

Interpersonal teaching among the girls

and

guiding

and

guiding

Cost Estimation Category

Construction Material

Description

Price

Quantity

Total Cost

Cement

₹ 360 per 50kg bag

25 bags

₹ 9,000

Badarpur (Sand)

₹ 55 per sq. foot

60 sq. ft.

₹ 3,300

Rori (Coarse Agg.)

₹ 55 per sq. foot

90 sq. ft.

₹ 4,950

Tetrapack Sheets (Roof)

₹ 2100 per 3’ x 10’ sheet

8 sheets

₹ 16,800

Steel

₹ 50/sq. ft.

380 sq. ft.

₹ 19,000

₹ 1500 per fan

2

₹ 425 per Tubelight

3

₹ 500 per switch board

3

₹ 350 per stool

8

₹ 1500 per table

3

Mistri

₹ 650 per day

12

₹ 7,800

Labour

₹ 500 per day

12

₹ 6,000

Misc. Charges (20%)

₹ 15,985

TOTAL

₹ 95,910

Electrical Appliances Post construction Furniture

Manpower

₹ 5,775

₹ 7,300

The product catalogue curated by us showcases the products proudly made by the women and girls working at Kalawani. Each item is handcrafted with care and immense skill.

SCAN ME! Impact The structure thus created provides a safe, multifunctional space for the women and children of the community to explore and learn. Forming a hub of developmental activities, this can act as a headquarters for further social work for the betterment of the people. The center presents an opportunity for the women to learn not just skills to help them earn, but marketable skills too. This will help in a holistic development of the women.

31

Sanskriti Bhawan Convention Center | Bhopal

04 Project:

To design a convention complex for the city of Bhopal with various facilities Typology: Convention Centre Individual Softwares: Autocad, SketchUp, V-Ray, Lumion, Photoshop As the complexity and scale of both, the projects and the user groups increased, the final project that I would like to share is a Convention Center.

A Convention Center represents an amalgamation of activities - from business to social, from political to informal, from public to personal. A hub for art, culture and community, convention centres can be icons for the city, a landmark, and even an identity.

Convention centers include a plethora of spaces which need to coexist and function smoothly. Services and facilities provided cater to a wide range of people. Clear circulation and a capacity to host multiple events, this center demonstrates my understanding of the different facets of a designing a complex.

This project explores an infusion of open and closed volumes that present the users with meaningful spaces to interact, build connections and socialise.

33

SITE PLAN 1 - Convention Centre 2 - Auditorium 3 - Hotel 4 - Amphitheatre

5 - Central Plaza 6 - Access to Site 7 - Parking

35

Stage 1: Place block mass on site

Stage 2: Divide semi public and public block, add courtyards

Stage 3: Arrange spaces meaningfully around courtyards

Stage 4: Add elements like jali, skylight, windows and achieve final form

FORM DEVELOPMENT DIAGRAM 36

6

2

5

3

7

8

1 4

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

1 - Entrance Lobby 2 - Seminar Rooms 4 - Exhibition Area 5 - Restaurant 7 - Admin Area 8 - Storage 10 - Library 11 - Terrace

3 - Coffee Kiosk 6 - Kitchen 9 - Meeting Rooms 12 - Relaxation Room

5

9 7 10 11

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

11

12

8

Chapter 2

LAP - BANGANGA Activity mapping

WRITING Poetry | Berkely Prize

ILLUSTRATIONS Animal themed digital illustrations

PHOTOGRAPHY Photographs of a wide range of subjects

01

LOCAL AREA PLANNING

LAP, or Local Area Planning, is a bottom-up approach to urban planning to address unplanned urban development. By combining neighbourhood-level data with stakeholder participation, a local area plan promotes a more realistic and cohesive development alternative.

Banganga Slum is a neighbourhood located in the North TT Nagar area of Bhopal District, Madhya Pradesh, India. It is situated in the western part of Bhopal city.

The origin of the name ‘Banganga’ comes from a small natural water source which can be still seen near the Jharneshwar Mandir.

The slum has been studied for its morphological characteristics, with a focus on understanding how social factors can be integrated into urban planning for sustainable development.

My group primarily focused on the acitivity mapping of different times of the day to identify the active and inactive zoones of the settlements, which was further used to propose interventions in favour of the residents of Banganga.

42

43

02 Daedalus I gaze at the sheer blue above me And there I see A figure, soaring, floating, flying.

Down comes a flutter Of deep longing, and of hunger.

So light, so agile Yet so heavy, so ungiving.

And suddenly I gasp and I claw And I fight.

I treasure each little bundle of hope drifting toward me.

I sew and I mend I knit and I weld.

I fuse and I bind I clip and entwine.

Each one, meticulously weaved Until I hold All that I had In front of me.

I curl and I unfurl my wings of faith As I leap from my cliff Of forgotten memories, burnt wishes and aching dreams.

I gaze at the sheer blue around me As I’m breaking free.

- October 12, 2022

44

WRITING

Berkeley 2022-23 “What are the major issues and the best design responses in your local community for the special needs of your senior citizens?”

I see my baba as he climbs the steps to the bank building - slowly, leaning heavily, supported by the handrail. I look at him and realize I am not the only one who has aged in the past 20 years. I could now see it in the lines of his face, the way he walked, the tiredness in his limbs, the years in the wise eyes behind his glasses. He is no longer the spry man who played pakdam pakdai with me.

The number of senior citizens in India is approximately 138 million, and this number is only growing. There are various dimensions to the issues they face, the most evident being the physiological aspect.

As a community, we have different ways to address their inhibitions. Majority of these measures which include architectural additions like ramps, grab bars, hand rails, nonskid strips, and home elevators, often prove effective in assisting the elderly. While most aid Wtheir physical well-being, we wonder, is that enough for them? Are those the only problems they face?

Sadguna

Anandam

To view the complete proposal scan the QR code.

SCAN ME!

45

03

46

ILLUSTRATIONS

Machiavelli (Luca 2021)

Octopus Invasion

Can We Be Friends?

A Sky Full of Rays

04

PHOTOGRAPHY

47

ishitakansal3112@gmail.com +91 77019 40073 Ishita Kansal ishita.kansal