Architecture & Design Portfolio 2024

Meenu Pillai A r c h i t e c t u r e + D e s i g n Po r t f o l i o Syracuse Architecture, Class of 2024

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Archive Catalog 01 Casita City 03 Collective housing for cultivating and nurturing food in El Barrio, a cultural ly-rich neighborhood in East Harlem, New York, NY 02 Landmark Preservation 07 ACADEMIC

FUN

Landmark Preservation Commission Headquarters in Tribeca, New York, NY

03 PLAYGROUND 11 Community park space designed for play and movement in Parco de Mensola, Florence, IT

04 Creator’s Commune 13 Multi-use, socially-distanced affordable housing units for young creatives in Napa Valley, CA

05 Temporality & Trusses 15

PROFESSIONAL

CULTURE

Onandaga Community Materials Recycling Center in Syracuse, NY

06 A Home for Hindus 19 An analysis and ode to the Ganapati Devasthanam Temple in Flushing, Queens, NY

07 Artistic Tiling 23 Professional design work and curation for tile and stone company, Artistic Tile Inc., based in Secaucus, NJ

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01 Casita City

Located in El Barrio, East Harlem, NY, home to the Puerto Rican community and food enthusiasts, this proposed housing project lands on the corner of Madison Avenue and Tito Puente Way. With a high percentage of cooks and food-oriented jobs in the neighborhood, our user group will offer non-conventional housing allocations to those in the Puerto Rican community and more. Funding this project will be the New York City Community Land Trust, in which the ownership will be balanced in such that the Land Trust will purchase the land, while the users will be able to own their individual units, encouraging homeownership accessibility in the community as well as unity between the residents and the land trust organization.

Formal qualities of the project represent East Harlem’s Casitas, community-driven structures made to facilitate gatherings and remind neighbors of home. The programs will facilitate food-oriented activities such as a kitchen workshop and classroom where users will be taught healthy food growing tactics and cooking as well as a shared kitchen and shared workspaces to create a dynamic, social atmosphere. In addition, the project will include flexible units, consisting of 6-8 modular fixtures, which can house multiple housing types. There is a also a shared kitchen space along with shared laundry in the center of the building, both vertically and horizontally, to provide larger communal utilities.

The form consists of a predominant Puerto Rican architecture style known as the “Casita”, in which the West-facing elevation depicts a Lil Casita and a Big Casita. With entryways to an open-air ground floor garden in the back of the project, a free standing kitchen sits at the base of the building. The project will consist of varying materials, of fish-scaled fiber cement, light cladding on the Lil Casita and kitchen workshop, corrugated polycarbonate for the winter garden (Big Casita) and CLT structural elements.

This project aims to rethink collective housing in a sense of equity through modular living along with communal spaces being the forefront of the color-emphasized spaces. Casita City presents a form of alternative ownership, cohabitative households, and an invitation of fun and playfulness to East Harlem.

NOTES: 4th year, Spring 2023 Studio; Professor Marcos Parga, Partner: Yuxi Dai TOOLS: Rhino 6, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, V-Ray

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Technical Diagrams

Plan Configuration Diagrams

Unit Axon

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Floor Plans

ground floor plan

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second floor plan

typical floor plan

roof floor plan

Physical Model Images - Above

Interior & Exterior Renders - Above

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Landmark Preservation

In proposal for the New York City Landmark Preservation Commission, there are two goals in mind for this project: (1) Recognize the act of preservation as extreme, (2) Give the public a space of agency over the city when they participate the landmarking process. This site is located at 315 and 317 Broadway in Tribeca, Manhattan, New York, where both buildings were kept in the act of preservation. To achieve the first goal, a non-demolition approach was involved in order to keep the structures static as it intensive to those who own the properties. Save for minimal incisions to connect the interior exhibition space, 315 and 317 are kept in their entirety (as seen in the next page).

After this, the structure was doubled and floated above the original preservations. To further the radical respect of the existing structures, the form of the this project includes doubling, mimicking proportions, and floating above, so no changes are directly imposed. For the second goal, the hearing hall was proposed to rest atop the project. Where arrival can only happen through moving throughout the other programs, including exhibition, archives, and materials labs to give a sensibility of a “journey to the top”. The hearing hall provides an immediate viewing of the historic district.

NOTES: 4th year, Fall 2023 Studio; Professor Ivi Diamontopoulou, Partner: Jenna Hammond TOOLS: Rhino 6, Adobe Illustrator

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Front Elevation - Left

Site Analysis: Capturing movement and stylistic influences of this particular intersection of the Tribeca District, this drawing aims to serve as a basis for placing the Landmark Preservation Commission’s Headquarters in its context. The drawing encompasses architectural influences on Tribeca’s infamous facades through unfolded elevations. In conversation with the facades, is the urban landscape of the streets, Broadway and Thomas, two busy intersections. Superimposed on the site context of this drawing is an existing section drawing of 315 and 317 Broadway. The section aims to identify existing materials and structural intentions to use in the new LPC Headqarters.

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Floor Plans: Starting with public exhibitionary spaces below, the building quickly transitions to collaborative and private office spaces, moving all the way up to archives and another public hearing hall, the most importance space.

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Wild Card Drawing: This is an abstracted isometric of the LPC’s Headquarters in action. The drawing aims to break away at the exterior walls of the building to reveal the interior activities of the spaces. Towards the bottom, we see exhibitionary spaces, moving upwards towards office spaces, an outdoor terrace, and material archives. Above these spaces lay the materials labs, and additional terrace, with the public hearing hall atop.

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PLAY GROUND

Playground aims to bring users back to the sensations of human nature with a sense of playfulness and innocence, while also conveying more expressive and thought-provoking activity. The indoors are much rather seen as convenient and comfortable, causing humans to forget about their outdoor surroundings and their elements of evolution. These elements, displayed throughout the numerous spaces of Playground, include movement, observation, stimulation, expression, logic and puzzle, as well as provocativeness.

This project is suitable for all age ranges, but serves to remind users of their childhood and invite physical activity to the Mensola Park. There is a grid-like organization taking place to encourage sequential movement and for users to take their time moving throughout the site.

Pieces of the project represent these elements of evolution through ramped movement in the complex, viewing points, mazelike passageways, along with activity that may seem provocative but are rather expressive and stimulating for users (skateboarding and graffiting). The color chosen to represent the Playground is red in order to stimulate and bring a certain mood to users as the color psychologically proves to evoke a range of emotions (i.e. passion, excitement, anger, vibrant feelings, etc).

NOTES: 4th year, Spring 2022 Elective; Professor Olivia Gori TOOLS: Rhino 6, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop

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Three-dimensional plan of public space

Perspective view of public space in use

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Creator’s Commune

The Creator’s Commune is a collective project, developed to house those specifically working in creative fields and offer an affordable living option for them. This project also takes our current world climate of the pandemic into design thought as the layouts of each of the housing units carefully pertain to integrating social distancing, economical configurations, accessibility, along with home/work flexibility.

These layouts came to be after taking the m4 prototype as precedent, taking time into a dimension of consideration when designing. The units feature folding walls, open-and-shut roofing on terraces, shared-but-separate garden spaces, and so forth.

The unit documents provide insight to the details of flexibility in the spaces as well as housing accomodation options for different parties (1 person, 2 person, or 4 person).

NOTES: 2nd year, Spring 2021 Elective; Professor Abingo Wu TOOLS: Rhino 6, Adobe Illustrator

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Floor Plans: Using the precedent,

4 different floor plans were developed to accomodate for different user experiences - Below

Precedent Analysis: The Uruguayan m4 prototype is

shown above through an exploded axonometric diagram, exploring the 4 dimensions line, plane, space, and time to form a cohesive living configuration. - Above & Below

Unit Axons: The unit isometric drawings present specific

living scenarios, in which different users can be seen utilizing the floor plans to their likings. - Right

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Temporality + Trusses

Focusing on contemporary steel structural systems and concepts of temporality, this project presents a materials recycling center for the Onandaga Community, residing in Syracuse, New York.

The center serves to highlight the processes of material recycling and the end product through the center glass showcase, serving as an exhibitionary space of recycled and upcycled materials between programs of production and programs of administration and public areas.

Emphasizing concepts of structure, circulation flows, and material processes. The center brings together the local residents of Syracuse through its surrounding site of the transpot hub and the central New York Regional Market.

NOTES: 3rd year, Fall 2021 Studio; Professor Terrence Goode TOOLS: Rhino 6, Adobe Illustrator

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Floor Plans: The floor plans depict the lower and upper levels of the Onondaga Community Materials Recycling Center, with more public spaces to the Northeast end of the space, and the private spaces towards the South-facing end of the building, with classroom spaces located on the upper level.

Sectional Perspective: This drawing reinforces the concepts of space depicted in the plans. There is also human activation of the space to portray activity and movement.

Floor plan key: A - material storage & display B - truck docks + material sorting C - material preparation D - lobby E - reception F - administrative offices G - learning & conference rooms H - exhibition hall I - events auditorium J - kitchen K - workyard L - classroom

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Diagrammatic Drawings: The drawings on this page serve to emphasize the importance of structure in this project and how the structure’s use of material works in conjoinment with other materials (i.e. steel ball node, glulam pipe, steel connecter, etc). Additionally, the perpective drawing (top right) portrays where these structural assemblies lie within the form of the project, specifically being the tesselated roofs.

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Exploded Structural Axon - Above Structural Detail Research + Perspective Drawing - Right

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A Home For Hindus

Ganesha, or by the Tamil name Ganapathi, the god of which this potential landmark is dedicated to, is one of the most well-known deities and is known to be the remover of obstacles and prayed to for good luck. He is a patron of arts and sciences and the deva, or deity, of intellect and wisdom.

The Ganesha Temple is extraordinary in the fact that it is the first Hindu temple to be built in the continent of North America, residing in Flushing, Queens, NY. A pitch for its inclusion in the New York City LPC Landmark, this temple is the first Hindu place of worship in America along with its skilled craftsmanship and intricate and ornate detailing, imported from Tamil Nadu, India, in addition to the temple becoming a place of community gathering and engagement.

A home for religious worship, cultural and language education, and immersion in Indian music and dance in a concentrated cultural hub in Flushing, the project asks to be preserved for the generational standing and identity of the Indian population in New York City.

NOTES: 4th Year, Fall 2022 Studio; Professor Ivi Diamontopoulou TOOLS: Rhino 6, Adobe Illustrator

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Exploratory Sketches: My visit to the temple prohibited images

of the idols and shrines, so I took the oppurtunity to sketch the individual pieces of the masonry arranged along the construction of the temple.

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Artistic Tiling

Loyal to the BDNY Tradeshow, Artistic Tile, Inc takes pride in showcasing their best stones, tiles, and their notorious waterjet cut mosaics. The two projects presented consist of assistance in designing the design show booth layout in terms of presentation and color coordination along with designing panels to showcase new products.

The images reflect the architectural models of the booth in preparation for the show along with renders of the company’s products in place. Above the front view of the booth, are images of the Artistic Tile booth come to life at the 2022 BDNY Tradeshow at the Javits Center in New York.

In the second project, are panels designed using the company’s new “Zellige” product. As requested, the layouts include colorful and young creations.

NOTES: Summer 2022 Visual Design & Display Internship; Supervisor, Jill Cohen TOOLS: Rhino 6, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator

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Images of Booth Design Built at 2022 BDNY Tradeshow Event, Javits Center, New York, NY - Above Frontal Perspective of Digital Model (Rhino 6) of Booth with Product Panels included - Below

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42”X90” Panels 42”X90” Panels 42”X90” Panels

WES ANDERSON MOVIE FILTER BOTANICAL GARDEN

HAMPTONS STARBUCKS

TUSCAN GIRLY

BEACH

PINK BOKEH

Mood Board for Colorways - Above Stone Layouts with Company Marble Pairings - Below

BDNY ZELLIAGE PANEL COLORWAYS 1. WES ANDERSON MOVIE FILTER

2. BEACH

3. PINK BOKEH

4. HAMPTONS

Zellige - Terra Cotta Stone Assorted Colors (Left to Right): Rose, Cumin, Cloud, Coriander, Turmeric, Mediterranean Blue, Sand, Pale Blue, Sea Mist, Sumac

OPTION A: NUOVO ANTICO VERDE REALE OPTION B: CALACATTA ROSA

5. TUSCAN GIRLY

OPTION A: ADAMENTEA OPTION B: RAKED WHITE SAND

6. STARBUCKS

OPTION A: ROSA PERLINO OPTION B: ROSA PORTOGALLO

OPTION A: AQUA BLU MARBLE OPTION B: NUOVO ANTICO GRIGIO OPTION C: ROSA PERLINO

7. BOTANICAL GARDEN

8. BOTANICAL GARDEN ii

Project: BDNY Tradeshow Panels An annual show showcasing Artistic Tile Inc.’s best, newest, and brightest, the BDNY Tradeshow gave an opportunity to work with new products, and arrange these products into display panels. The new Terra Cotta Zellige 4”x4” stones were used to create patterns for the compan’y retail booth. As the company looked for something fun and fresh, I worked thorugh creating color palettes via mood-boarding, tile arrangements, and finally settling on panels of playful and bold results.

OPTION A: AQUA BLU MARBLE OPTION B: ROSA PORTOGALLO

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OPTION A: ARABESCATO OPTION B: CALACATTA ROSA

OPTION A: NUOVO ANTICO VERDE REALE OPTION B: ROSA PERLINO

OPTION A: AQUA BLU MARBLE OPTION B: RAKED WHITE SAND

Thank You.

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