My name is Khyati Danak and I’m currently a fourth year architecture student at the University of Waterloo. I’m interested in looking at how we can create meaningful architecture that is representative of people, places and time, as well as finding innovative and creative solutions through the intersection between technology and architecture.
I believe in spaces curating our personal stories and vice versa, and hope to bring this narrative into design. In my free time I love music, photography as well as making videos of my life; anything really which pushes my own creative bounds. I look forward to expanding my skill set, taking on new challenges and bringing my own insight and personal experience to your design firm.
The following are curated works from my time in Architecture School.
e: kdanak@uwaterloo.ca
t: 647-571-3109
LinkedIn: Khyati Danak
Curriculum Vitae
Education
September 2020 - August 2025
September 2016 - June 2020
Experience
Jan 2024 - August 2024
June. 2023 - August. 2023
University of Waterloo – Honors Bachelor of Architectural Studies, Co-op
Turner Fenton Secondary School - International Baccalaureate Diploma, OSSD
FAAS
Architecture - Junior Designer
• Production of graphic layouts and design drawings such as plans, sections, and renderings which were utilized in competition entries and RFP packages
• Analyzed and applied bylaw and AHS requirements within the schematic design process and feasibility study packages for affordable mixed-use and sub-town developments.
• Production of several development permit drawing sets, including relevant area calculations, shadow studies, boulevard sections and neighbourhood impact documentation.
212box Architecture PC. - Architectural Intern
• Directed and lead collaboration efforts between Consultants and Architectural Team during site visits throughout the construction and design process
• Produced working construction drawings, design packages and pricing sets for client and city approval through Autocad, Rhino and Bluebeam.
• Produced schematic rendering for storefront & interior layout of retail spaces for client approval and marketing using Sketchup and Enscape.
Sept. 2022 - Dec. 2022
January 2022 - May 2022
Community
Sept. 2020 - Sept.2022
Ward99 Architects Inc. - Architectural Intern
• Produced working construction drawings including documents for tender, such as floor plans, details and elevations that adhered to AODA Standards and Building Code.
• Issued Contract Admin documentation such as CC0, and SI documents
• Completed site measurements & documentation during site visits to aid within the design process
• Produced RFP and VOR documents as well as project bid design drawings
• Developed Instagram grid posts surrounding different social issues, ensuring it was digestible and visually appealing to online audiences.
• Worked collaboratively to brainstorm ideas for the 1st and 2nd issue of a youth magazine, pitching and producing the theme and visual graphic language of the magazine; which was launched to a community of over 1500 youth and garnered over 40 submissions
September 2021
Publications
University of Waterloo - Architecture Orientation Leader
• Lead a group of freshmen and helped bridge the gap between high school and university.
September 2024 Mace, C., Danak, K., Jacobson, M., & Correa, D. (2024). Aspen Leaves as a Model for Triboelectric Wind Energy Harvesting Facades. In Proceedings of ECAADe 2024, Vol. 2, pp. 597-606. eCAADe, University of Cyprus.
Distinctions
University of Waterloo - Excellent Academic Standing September
Skills
Digital
Rhino 8
Grasshopper
Adobe Suite (Ps,Ai,Id)
Revit
AutoCad
Sketch-Up
Enscape
Luminon
VRAY Bluebeam
Analogue
Hand-Drafting
Model Making
Sketching
Other
Laser-Cutting
3D Printing (PLA/TPU/Clay)
WoodShop Tools
Microsoft Office Suite
Contents.
Landscape Redevelopment
01// Greenhouse Village Mixed Use Master Planning & Housing
02// Symbiosis Affordable Housing
03// Changing Apertures
05// Fluxuate Material & Technical Exploration
04// Shared Spaces Institutional Research Centre
06// Personal Works
balconies provide private outdoor space for tenants, as well as activate the elevation with activity. provides important safety benefits of ‘eyes on the street’ to the ground level.
building core connects the residences with roof top amenities and ground floor services.
aspirational and entry level units are mixed through-out the section of the building with aspirational units predominant in the upper levels and entry level units in the lower levels.
ground floor program is a mix of high street commercial and local services.
affordable prefabricated 1.5m wide modular panels for ease of assembly and variety of human scaled architectural expression.
CLT wall panel and floor
01
Greenhouse Village.
Landscape Redevelopment
Course: Design Studio 2B
Supervisor: Lola Sheppard
Programs used: Rhino 7, Illustrator, Photoshop
The Greenhouse Village is a land redevelopment proposal located in Hamilton Ontario. The project aims to turn 20,000 square meters of land which sits on top of the Kenilworth Reservoir, into a series of community-run greenhouses, outdoor gardens as well as a host to food related programs targeted at youth and the community located within the lower region of the escarpment.
The project’s spatial planning is formed as a direct response to the toxic soil which is present on the site; adopting a Phytoremediation strategy. The site strategy is also inspired by OMA’s Parc du Ville, Field Conditions by Stan Allen as well as Micheal Heizener’s Double Negative.
The project proposes an introduction to a microcosm within society which imposes social interaction through spaces of gathering created between pockets of program; which then relies on reciprocity within a community and emphasizes the connection between nature and man.
The project generates its form using the reservoirs structural column grid as a base, layered with the location of toxic soil which was derived from an assessment report conducted by Conestoga-Rovers & Associates to then determine the formation of soil piles which guide the rest of the program and circulation on site.
Sectional
Projected Future Conditions of Site Axonometric
The following diagrams show the site changing overtime.
The aim is that these angular forms deter human interaction with the contaminated soil. The array of phyto-plants begins to decontaminate the soil while providing a pleasant atmosphere for the greenhouse and garden programming.
Ideally after the soil has become uncontaminated, the phytoplants will be removed and replaced with sod, while the angular shape of the soil will be transformed into rolling hills, which can then be occupied by users of the site for recreational use; essentially forming park spaces.
Proposed Site Axonometric
community garden for fresh locally grown produce on demand.
employment opportunities for locals grocers and restaurants at grade.
integration feedback loop between aspirational and lower income segments of the community.
promoting social integration with shared rooftop amenity space for building residents.
arcades at ground level provide shading and protection from the rain in Surrey, activating outdoor spaces all year round.
set back commercial level provides human scaled urban street experience and transition between interior and exterior.
balconies provide private outdoor space for tenants, as well as activate the elevation with activity. provides important safety benefits of ‘eyes on the street’ to the ground level.
building core connects the residences with roof top amenities and ground floor services.
ground program is a high commercial and services.
aspirational and entry level units are mixed through-out the section of the building with aspirational units predominant in the upper levels and entry level units in the lower levels.
ground floor program mix of high street commercial and local services.
CLT wall panel and floor assembly for low carbon, sustainable, high energy efficiency.
affordable prefabricated 1.5m wide modular panels for ease of assembly and variety of human scaled architectural expression.
Symbiosis focuses on the importance of social mix strategies amongst a larger urban context to ensure that no neighborhood becomes isolated but instead a representation of all cultures, backgrounds and needs.
Throughout the design process it became increasingly important to understanding how the overall massing could be achieved to create interesting yet approachable forms. Hence a grid structure was then adopted to create feasible, constructible design that could easily be replicated but remain from appearing monotonous.
Massing Iterations
At the core of affordable and sustainable housing, the overall urban fabric becomes a determinant of quality of life. Within Symbiosis the urban strategy was intented to create pockets of programming which becomes integral to the needs of a diverse community.
03
Changing Apertures.
Material Exploration
Course: Material Syntax
Supervisor: David Correa
Programs used: Rhino 7, Clay 3d Printer
In Collaboration with: Aashka Shah & Hannah Wonnacott
Changing Apertures aims to explore how infill techniques and tool path programming can result in unique brick shapes. Unlike other 3d printing technologies, 3d clay printers do not have the ability to retract filament. The thesis of the exploration therefore became to understand and design a tool path through iterative design processes.
Tool Path Design
This primary Iteration revealed the difficulty of printing curved surfaces. Structural support was therefore needed to ensure stability.
This secondary iteration utilizes the idea of a ornamental infill as a structural method to provide stability while providing a unique timeless aesthetic.
The tertiary iteration follows the previous principal of an ornamental structural infill but adapts in form to adjust and be inserted into a classical brick assembly.
In conjunction with the previous iteration, the triangle shaped brick was devised to slot into the previously established system.
The Tall Brick Square Openings Brick
L-Shaped Brick
Triangle Shaped Brick
Each row of bricks is attached where the L-shaped pieces remain on the periphery and the triangle shaped pieces come together. As the wall is assembled from top to bottom, the apertures of each piece becoming larger, creating differing visual porosities.
The [successful experience of an individual urban resident] is predicated on if it promotes exchange, generates lots of activity or presents a positive, culturally meaningful experience and even human happiness” - Montgomery, 2013
Shared Spaces is an affordable housing complex in Cambridge Ontario. The development of the site is responsive to the future transit oriented development strategies as well as responds to an increase in need for affordable housing. The project addresses the challenges of providing ample personal space within individual units while fostering a sense of community within and between floors.
The general co-housing tower spans six floors and consists of 1-2 bedroom units that share communal spaces like gardens, workshops, and lounges. This design incorporates a central core and a 6x6 unit layout, enabling easy modification and expansion for future growth and higher density. Each floor is thoughtfully categorized to foster interconnectivity. These community facilities provide a seamless visual connection to the courtyard and surrounding green areas, influencing the floor plate cuts to form outdoor balconies and terraces, thus deriving the final form of the building.
Model Photos:
Site Model Made in Collaboration with: Sophia Chalk, Isabella Radusinovic, & Hannah Wonnacott
Featured are site model photos, where the light beige portion represents the 500 meter radius of proposed redevelopment. White buildings show new proposed interventions, while the black building is the building of focused development.
Site Model
Site Model
of green spaces up from public and communal program areas
Typical Residential Floor Plate Levels 5/6
Typical Residential Floor Plate Level 1
Extension
FLOOR 6 - TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL
FLOOR 5 - TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL
FLOOR 4 - WORKSHOP/SKILL-BUILDING PROGRAM
FLOOR 3 - LOUNGE RELATED PROGRAMMING
FLOOR 2 - WORKING SPACES
FLOOR 1 - GARDENING RELATED PROGRAMING
Operable Windows for Ventillation
from central courtyards to outdoor terraces which relate to areas within the building cores.
In Collaboration with: Carlotta Mace & Morgan Jacobson
Biological references have served as the basis to improve existing wind harvesting technologies. While the current applications of wind turbines and electromechanical systems focus on rotational elements; Fluxuate focuses on torsional galloping inspired by the Trembling Aspen (Populus Tremuloides). The project aims to utilize triboelectricity as a means of harvesting energy through a proposed adaptive panelized facade system.
Set in Toronto, the project proposes to utilize wind tunneling effects the city often experiences due to the nature of a high-rise built environment. Beginning by studying the folded petiole of the aspen leaf, this anatomy drives the design and 3-D functional model which aims to replicate the trembling motion of the leaves. This was then coupled with a proof-of-concept model which then evaluated the potential of energy harvesting through a series of diodes, connecting the system to a power an LED.
Within the context of a 9 story research center, Fluxuate combines institutional lab, study, learning and showcase programming through the buildings form which then also reflects the function of obtaining the most optimal wind speeds around the building through voids.
From the above analysis of the venation pattern of the folded-petiole, It was deduced that this structure allows for the distinctive fluttering that occurs in Trembling Aspens. Compared to torisonal galloping, this analysis provided the basis for the design of the 3-D printed Stem.
Prototype 1.0 Panel Front & Back Elevation
Prototype 1.1 Panel Front & Back Elevation
Tocreateanimproved PinnedConnection
PanelIteration2utlizes aclipplacedwithin theframe.Aswellto increasetheamountof interactionstooptimize theoutputofelectricity, the directioninteraction was changedtothey axis,andimplementsa counterweighttohelp withmovement.
