Mihir Desai - Portfolio 2024

Mihir Desai Bachelor of Archite cture Master of Cartogra phy

Portfolio 2023 mihir7desai@gmail.co

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Thesis Dissertation

Mapping Research

Planning & Architecture

Art & Illustration

0. Land x Architecture

2. Social Ecology of Shallow Seas

7. COVID-19 Field Hospitals

13. Queering The Interwebs

Bachelor Thesis: Displacing the idea of ‘Land as Property’ towards ‘Land as Ecology’. pg 4

A Report on Impacts of Coastal Reclamation on Artisan Fishing in Worli Fishing Zone. pg 20

Planning and deisgn for temporary pandemic hospitals during the lockdown in India. pg 36

A digital publication on the question of “Is the internet queer?”. pg 50

1. Cartography: A Theory through the Reconciliation of its Epistemic Conflicts

3. Mapping Aarey

8. Conservative Surgery

14. Posters for Activism

A Report on Impacts of Land Use / Land Cover Changes on Catchment Areas and Ecosystems. pg 28

A model for long term Self-Upgradation Social Housing in (Sector 4) Dharavi, Mumbai. pg 38

Citizen Campaigns for public health, public transport and LGBTQA+ communities in India. pg 51

4. Klimt x Schiele

9. Woods Between the Worlds

A Mapping project of paintngs and addresses occupied and by the Viennese Maestros. pg 30

Marathi Language Archive and Pilgrimage Dormitory at Kasba Ganpati, Pune. pg 40

5. Fantastic Beers and Where To Find Them

10. Shillong Study Tour

Master Thesis: Theorizing maps through non-linear principles of historical analysis . pg 16

A Mapping project of spaces occupied and painted by the Viennese Maestros. pg 32

6. Space.Segregation.Discrimination Politics of space in institutes of higher learning. pg 34

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Measure Drawing survey of public buildings in Shillong (Meghalaya, India) pg 42

11. The Festival Factories (A) Re-programing of the Bhau Daji Lad City Museum, Mumbai. (B) India Tourism Center and Theater for Shillong City, Meghalaya. pg 44

12. The Urban Farming Office Architecture Design of Vo Trong Nghia Architects HQ, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. pg 46 3

Volume 1: A Study of Maps The relationship between people - ecosystems is embedded & encrypted into a ‘map’. The process of juxtaposing various Thematic Maps, Land Surveys and Development Plans help us decode values that the State, Market & Citizen Organizations adopt in Cartography to record Landscape.

Land x Architecture

Displacing idea of ‘Land as Property’ towards ‘Land as Ecology’ B.Arch Thesis developed at KRVIA, presented at various schools / forums such as SEA, BRICKS, AOA, Design Jatra, KVDF CEPT and ‘Rising Waters’ Conference by TISS + UPenn Exchange

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Bachelor Dissertation 2016-17 1st Prize, “City and Water’s Edge” International Competition, KRVIA, 2017 KRVIA Gold Medal, KRVIA colloquium, 2018 National Award for Excellence in Thesis, Indian Council of Architecture, 2018 National Gold Medal, NIPPON Young Asia Designer Award (AYDA), 2020

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By studying the relationship between land and built

(1) Study of Maps:

environment, the thesis intends to change the ways in

Uncovering Ecological History of Goregaon, Mumbai

our landscape, to prepare the Island City of Mumbai

(2) City and the Water’s Edge:

which state, market and citizen organizations perceive from rising sea levels and climate change. The thesis, is

Goregaon as a set of Watersheds

and Housing Architecture and is conceptualized in

(3) Sustainable Architecture:

an exploration in Mapping Analysis, Landscape Urbanism three volumes:

Housing Up-gradation of Premnagar Slum

Exploring the role of the Architect as a Cartographer-Archeologist, who historically studies maps to reconstruct landscapes Land x Architecture

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Mindspace Wetlands in Gorgaon Suburbs. We observe that the sites where mangroves have been reclaimed, those areas have decomposed into wetlands and bioswales.

1900’s Tree cover map of Goregaon Villages. We see large expanses of tree groves, mangroves and creek-wetland system. As the demand of land increases, these green patches pose a threat.

2016 Tree cover map of Goregaon Suburb. We see how the tree cover has been fragmented and spaced. The Manroves and Forest covers have also been reduced.

The relationship between people and ecosystems is embedded & encrypted into a ‘map’ by the cartographer through the discipline of geography, hydrology etc.

Volume 1 of the Thesis thus documents how land was acquired by Parsi and Brahmin landlords from the British

Government. These first instances of land ownership

are documented on a map and juxtaposed with natural

The Property Lines shape our experience of Urban Nature

features such as creeks, rivers, streams and ponds. This

The landscape is broken down into private and public properties - each owned and managed by different parties and state bodies with no co-ordination amongst eachother

and housing to take shape in the 1900’s.

helps to understand historically - who owned land - where

major water sources were available to help farms, industry

The thesis tries to experientally map old landscapes. This is done by placing oneself into various locations an old map and then sketching what once sees based on natural features drafted on the map

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Land x Architecture

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Intervention: Premnagar Housing Self-Upgradation as a percolatory fabric interfacing the Wetland’s edge

What kind of Architecture is born out of this new ecosystem?

Slum Upgradation as a section for percolatory monsoon fabric in Mumbai

Can we crossprogramme space as infrastructure for enabling ecologies to connect and flow?

Eco-System Interventions for Creek - Wetland Riparian Edge

Conversion of a dense concretized urban fabric into a porus mat composed of green corridors which face the deconcretized wetland via stepped riparian edges

What kind of urban intervention will allow private and public property services to be in sync with the riparian ecosystem? We look at Premnagar high densoty housing settlement as a site to carry out interventions in stormwater drainage through housing upgradation

Housing in Mumbai along the wetland edge must take account of Storm and Greywater management

In Volume 2 & 3 we have a close look at the Mindspace

ecology, giving rise to questions of how existing form-

which demands a surgical removal of reclamation as an

composed of wetlands and mangroves. The city bears

watershed at the downstream of Goregaon Nullah act of ‘Urban Landscape’ design which shall challenge

the notion of ‘Land as property’ in pursuit of allowing

disconnected swamps and wetlands to re-establish a

witness to the process of re-estuarization when we challenge the notion of land as property.

We explore how each property parcel responds to this

Tide cycles flush into the swamps and wetlands, making

‘map’ of the future city to practice sustainable architecture

of nature in Goregaon. This calls for an alternative city storm water drainage, which can patch into the wetland 8

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The smallest grain of the percolatory fabric is the new housing upgradation module which is has 50% open space to allow water to percolate and act as buffer during major floods. The RCC framed structure is open-ended which allow each resident family to use thier own set of sustainable materials to design ther dwelling units.

space-program can synchronize with the riparian edge

connection with the Malad Creek through the canal.

water a connective tissue binding the fragmented state

Ecologically derived FAR & Setbacks as guidelines to make percolatory fabric

alternative ecosystem, embedding new values into a

and urbanism. The land bearing Premnagar slum is studied to see how self-built housing up-gradation can become a percolatory fabric along the riparian edge.

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What is the relationship between water in the home and water in the city?

What is the imagination of living in a percolatory fabric?

How do we hinge the idea of home to the wetland?

The answer lies in design of Drainage Systems

Living along a Riparian Edge When we think about the sustainable city it becomes important that we think about the non-human element as well. How do we open up the riparian edges of the city such that citizens have access to the rich bio-diversity in urban areas?

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Land x Architecture

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The duct and plinth as a resolution of services which patch into the drainage structure plan informed by the priparian edge and monsoon high-tide line

Architecture of Premnagar:

Slum upgradation as a green percolatory fabric interfacing the riparian edge of wetland.

Crafting a path of water from home to the wetland, through sustainable Building+Landscape services.

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LAND X ARCHITECTURE Premnagar Housing Upgradation A model of the housing upgradation interfacing the wetland via a series of stepped reed-beds. The green interface also becomes a vibrant public space with markets, plinths, ramps and tree groves. The Housing is setback against this vibrant public spine. The housing stromwater drainage is connected to the reedbeds via stormwater diverters and traps whic also become a part of the public spine landscape design

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_ Cc

Cp

+ ∞ Everyone has questioned a map...

But what does the map want to be?

Cartography

A Theory Through the Reconciliation of its Epistemic Conflicts Master Thesis being developed at the MSc Cartography program which analyses object oriented ontology of maps, non-teleologic methods in historical analysis of cartography and comparative philosophical studies of French, German, American and Indian schools to provide a value judgement of map conceptions.

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This thesis historicizes maps through the trend of epistemic

are reconciled and restored into a new epistemology. The

conflicting map conceptions suspended between

are used to theorize potential advancements of

conflicts in cartography. The thesis problematizes

positivist, deconstructivist and hermeneutic approaches

in cartography to theorize maps as time-bound rhetoric

devices which consolidate social constructs of space.

Conflicting arguments around mao conceptions, map

Dissertation (September 2023)

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authority, author interpretation and emprical objectivity

maps conceptions of the such a reconciled epistemeology

cartography pedagogy in context of artificial intellegence.

The thesis also collaborates with the European Center

for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR, Berlin) to validate the new theory through legal advocacy of

communities affected due to agrobusinesses in Paraguay.

Exploring the role of a Jurist who re-interprets rules of map consumption to secure a timeless epistemology of Cartography Cartography

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Remote Sensing and R Studio Spatial Correlation analysis of Leaf Fuel Mouisture Content (LFMC) with Precipitation anamolies and Soil Moisture Lab assignment organized by Prof. Matthias Forkel, Semester 3, MSc Cartography program (TU Dresden)

Feeback Loop of Map Inquiry

Confusion Matrix of Authors Conflicting map and cartography conceptions are classified into a confusion matrix which plots identities (authors) againts thier assumed epistemologies

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The concept of artificial intellegence may allow a theoretical cartographer to complete a feeback loop wherein a map may also take part in the debate of its own conception

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Mid Intertidal Zone: Large expanses of rocky and sandy beds which are suberged under water during the low tide. These submergent beds are seperated and lined with oyster beds.

Lower Intertidal Zone: Rocky outcrops which breakdown into boulder fields with tidal pools at the splash zone of the lowest low tide area of the Haji Ali shore.

Social Ecology of the Shallow Seas

This is a study of the relationship between coastal ecology

The shores and shallow seas are an important habitat,

A Report on Impacts of Coastal Reclamation on Artisan Fishing in Worli Fishing Zone

on it for livelihood. The study adopts a social-ecological

fishing zones comprise of the traditional livelihood

Splash Zone : Part of the intertidal zone which is constantly hit by waves during the hightide. The terrain comprises of rocky rubble along the Haji Ali sea wall and small tidal pools with rock bottoms.

Upper Intertidal Zone: Tidal pools with sandy and rocky bottoms which are formed in the exposed intertidal rockbed. These can be observed during the low tide

Report prepared by Collective for Spatial Alternatives (CSA) with support from Human Rights Law Netwrok (HRLN).

Co-Authored with Shweta Wagh and Hussain Indorewala.

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Research Publication 2019 Curated for Collective Cities Exhibition, Seoul Biennale 2019 Report released at a press conference at Marathi Patrakar Sangh, Mumbai 2019 Report tendered and cited in Mumbai High Court in matter of the Coastal Road Petition Presented at the Design Dialogues forum, AOA College Mumbai, August 2019

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and the practices of coastal communities that depend approach to highlight the interrelationships between the physical, ecological, and social processes that constitute

artisan fishing practice. It aims to understand the impacts of coastal infrastructure projects and land reclamation that is likely to adversely affect the livelihoods of

Mumbai’s fisherfolk. Above are some drawings of the Haji Ali intertidal zone which show the rich bio-diversity and morphology of Mumbai’s coastal areas.

breeding area and nursery for juvenile fish. These active

commons of the artisanal fisher community. The study

aims to understand impacts of coastal infrastructure projects that necessitate reclamation or intensive construction activity that will irreversibly damage the

coastal ecosystem, and thereby dispossess the artisan fisherfolk of their traditional occupations and deprive them of their cultural rights.

Social Ecology of the Shallow Seas

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The following section shows the location of fishing sites and the various fishing practices that were observed in the areas proposed to be reclaimed by the coastal road.

Artisan fishing in the rock intertidal shore involves several different methods to catch, trap and pick crabs, bi-walves, fish etc.

The existence and health of this ecological habitat is crucial to the practice of shallow water artisan fishing, but the Social impact assessment of the Coastal Road Project fails to recognise the dependence of the livelihoods of fisher-folk on

the inter-tidal and shallow waters – areas that the project will directly impact.

Contrary to the notion that there is no fishing in the rocky zone which is proposed to be reclaimed, the CSA report clearly establishes that the intertidal zone is 1) a rich and productive habitat, 2) a nursery for juvenile fish and also 3) an active fishing zone.

Coastal Road Reclamation Profile

Porcelain Crab

Blue Sea Sponge

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Sea Fan Coral

Mud Skipper

Social Ecology of the Shallow Seas

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Seoul Biennale 2019 In 2019, the Seoul Biennale curated “Collective City” where the CSA report was displayed as a part of the Activist Collective track - highlighting the importance of research, legal instruments, mobilization for marginalized communities, which together keep the plurality of the urban space active and engaging.

News Coverage of the Report

6 ft

12 ft

18 ft

24 ft

30 ft

36 ft

42 ft

Eversince its release, the report has been mentioned in following publications / news sources: Times of India, The Hindu, Live Mint, Kalpavriksha, CAT, GroundXero, Live Law, Pudhari, Lokmat. The report shall be made available soon on https://csaweb.org/

Gill Net Bag Net

Artisan fishing involves several different methods of using fishing nets. In the Worli fishing waters, two methods are practiced: the bag-net method, in which the net forms a bag that the fish enter into and get trapped; and the gill-net method, where a number of nets are attached or tied together in which the fish get caught/entangled.

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This map helps us observe the significant reduction and destruction of the intertidal zone due to coastal road reclamation. The loss of intertidal rocky shore along this stretch of South Mumbai, will have adverse impacts on marine bio-diversity of the Worli fishing waters (due to absence of rocky shore for marine animals to feed & breed).

Social Ecology of the Shallow Seas

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Aarey is a hilly landscape of extensive forest cover, natural ecosystems, numerous adivasi settlements, and primary occupations. Since it was established as a government Milk

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Colony in the late 1940s, it has been a predominantly lowintensity development zone, forming a much needed buffer

area to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). Aarey is a part of Mumbai’s ecologically vital hill complex along with the National Park, where streams and tributaries that feed two of

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four major rivers of the city originate: Oshiwara and Mithi. This

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report provides a qualitative-spatial analysis to highlight the

impacts of past and proposed land use / land cover changes in Aarey on its river catchments and ecosystems.

Shrinking of Aarey Milk Colony

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Profile of the Aarey Milk Colony as indicated in the 1964 and 2016 Development Plan of Mumbai. 800 hectares of green zone areas is being diverted for other uses are shown in light grey, while the dark grey areas are lands that have been reserved for the Metro Car Shed and Zoo

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NOTE: This map shows the boundary of Aarey (in pink dotted outline, as per the 1964 Development Plan) overlayed with an elevation map of the study area with contours at 10 meter intervals. The catchment areas and natural drainage basins of the Mithi and Oshiwara rivers (generated through GIS analysis) have been shown indicating the natural drainage channels and stream networks that feed the two rivers. The ridge line that cuts diagonally through Aarey (emphasised by the dotted black line) separates the two basins.

The Vihar and Powai lakes can be seen on the right (deep blue).

LABELS: 1. Tulsi Lake 2. Vihar Lake 3. Powai Lake 4. Ghatkopar Hills 5. Trombay Hills 6. Jogeshwari Hills 7. Mahim Bay 8. Oshiwara Catchment 9. Mithi Catchment

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LEGEND Aarey Milk Colony boundary - 1964 DP Ridge Line Contours at 10m interval DP Reservations Water Bodies Mud Flats/ Mangroves Substantially built/concretized Predominantly Unbuilt or Natural

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Streams

Broad Land Cover with Contours, Streams and Watersheds with Proposed DP Reservations Source: (1) Contours,streams and watersheds extracted from Digital Elevation for study area sourced from USGS EROS Archive: SRTM 1 Arc-Second Global (Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number: /10.5066/F7PR7TFT), Entry ID: SRTM1N18E072V3, Date: 2014 (2) Aarey Milk Colony Boundary extracted from Bombay Municipal Corporation, Development Plan for Greater Mumbai, 1964.(3) DP 2034 Proposed Reservations extracted from Development Plan 2018-34 for Greater Mumbai, MCGM (4) Broad Land Cover layers extracted from Google Earth Satellite.

Mapping Aarey Forest KRVIA Research and Design Cell

Mapping Impacts of Land Use / Land Cover Changes on Catchment Areas and Ecosystems Co-Author for report prepared by KRVIA Design Cell supported by the CODEV Grassroots Urbanism grant - a collaborative research between: Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute for Architecture and Environmental Studies (KRVIA), and University of Quebec Montreal (UQAM).

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Research Publication 2019 Report presented at “Is Mumbai prepared for Climate Crisis?” and “Aarey Ecosystem: Impacting Future of Mumbai” symposiums organized by Aarey Conservation Group at KRVIA and Pragnya Bodhni School respectively

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Social Ecology of the Shallow Seas

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Property Developments around Aarey New Developments and land reservations have resulted in fragmentation of forest cover and loss of contiguity with National Forest.

Aarey Milk Colony boundary (1964 DP) is shown in pink dotted lne

NOTE: This map shows the boundary of Aarey (in pink dotted outline, as per the 1964 Development Plan) overlayed with contours at 10 meter intervals.

The catchment areas and natural drainage basins of the Mithi and Oshiwara rivers (generated through GIS analysis) have been shown indicating the natural drainage basins and stream networks that feed the two rivers. The yellow highlighted area indicates reservations for the Metro Car Shed, Zoo and Housing. The green-blue areas show the flood prone areas of the two rivers. Land use changes in the upper catchmnt areas of the Mithi, that are comparatively steeper, are likely to exacerbate the flooding risks in the floodplains and downstream flood prone areas.

Concretization will increase percentage of surface runoff and and increase in streams energy and possibility of flash floods.

LEGEND Commercial Educational Ammenities Health

Where and what is Aarey Forest?

How do we develop methods to define forest land in the city?

Housing Industrial Use Municipal Services Natural Areas 2

Open Spaces

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Primary Activity Public Offices

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Public Utility and Facilities

Aarey Forest Environments

Residential

A photo documentation of the Aarey Forest (ariel view), buffalo grazing at milk colony and parts of the concretized Oshiwara river

Social Ammenities Transport Water Bodies

DP 2034 KRVIA Research and Design Cell

Source: Bombay Municipal Corporation, Development Plan for Greater Mumbai, 1964

LABELS: 1. Metro Car Shed 2. R&R Housing 3. Zoo LEGEND Aarey Milk Colony boundary - 1964 DP Ridge Lines Lakes Flooding Areas Major streams Minor streams Contours at 10m intervals DP Proposed Reservations

Flood Prone Areas in Catchments KRVIA Research and Design Cell

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Source: (1) Contours, streams and catchments extracted from Digital Elevation for study area sourced from USGS EROS Archive: SRTM 1 Arc-Second Global (Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number: /10.5066/F7PR7TFT), Entry ID: SRTM1N18E072V3, Date: 2014 (2) Aarey Milk Colony Boundary extracted from Bombay Municipal Corporation, Development Plan for Greater Mumbai, 1964.(3) DP 2034 Reservations extracted from Development Plan 2018-34 for Greater Mumbai, MCGM.(4) Flooding Areas extracted from Monograph on Flood Hazard by ENVIS Centre on Human Settlements, SPA-New Delhi.

Social Ecology of the Shallow Seas

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Klimt gustav

Klimt Space - A Travel Trajectory Klimt’s Adress as Map Graph

Klimt Travel Rose Diagram Dancing in Space This map is a trajectory juxtaposition Klimt and Schiele

x Schiele egon

Mapping the Spaces Inbetween

in Vienna. Thier movement intersect, become parallel at

mihir Dhaduti Desai

Schiele

various points before they end towards in1918. This map

becomes an important departure point to analyse how Klimt and Schiele responded / influenced eachother in thier art using the map as a base medium.

Klimt

A Cartographic approach to study the interactions between Klimt & Schiele, locating thier footprints in spatial (maps) and non-spatial (paintings)

The study reframes the chronological time series of painitngs and spaces occupied by Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele to visualise their interactions as a non-linear movement intersecting at various space-times in Vienna and Austria (1862 - 1918)

On a sunny day, it can be observed that sun light brakes down into many small reflections which can be seen on the surface of the cool blue water of Attersee. It can be argued that Klimt draws the inspiration for Emilie Floge’s dresses through such simple phenomenon happening around Lake Attersee. While some details like contours and POI’s of a place are recorded on a map, many softer and essential details of a place such as this are captured by Klimt in his sensous paintings.

Klimt x Schiele

A Mapping project of spaces occupied and painted by the Viennese Maestros

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Mapping Project developed at the MSc Cartography program hosted by TU Munich, TU Wien, TU Dresden, ITC UT

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Academic Work 2022

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Attersee

Attersee Toursit Map: attersee.at

Attersee (Klimt 1902)

Emilie Flöge (Klimt 1902)

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Dear hikers, does the high air of the mountains stray into your dreams? The natural environment not only offers relaxation and sport but also creates freedom in the mind and thoughts. The imagination can take over and then, behind every stone a Stutzen can lie in the sun waiting for you. Or maybe you will find a cave to another world where a Lindworm awaits your journey!

Mountain Myths

There are no limits to the imagination but caution is advised. The danger of losing yourself in the mountains is not to be neglected. In order to stay on the path and not get lost in the mountains, this panaroma map of the Ramsau am Dachstein valley shows you spots where you can find the centuries-old myths told of the region. In case you are lucky and meet a mythical creature, use this map as evidence and color the symbols according to your imagination and create new myths. On your hike, when you meet the four hikers, tell them your new stories, and they will spread them in the Alps.

A panoramic imagination of mythical stories of the Dachstein Valley

The Giglach

From the olden days it is said that the silver mines on

the Giglach in the Schladminger Obertal brought rich mountain blessings. However, the miners who had

Niedere Tauern

gained good fortune and reputation began to become arrogant. They came up with the idea to steal a bull to play catch with. However the bull was old and tired and it was not a game but torture for him. The punishment for this was delivered by a singing bird: “Giglach, close

The Mountain King

the hole, the squires are overdoing it!”

One day a hungry guest came up to the alpine dairy maids,

but they showed no mercy to him. The old man grew gigantic and cried out: “You denied the mountain king a rest! The snow covers you and your pasture and herds”. Dark clouds moved across the sky from all sides in no time at all and it began to

The Lindworm

snow and it never stopped.

It’s believed that a giant lindworm lived in the lake

The Golden Well

basin. But he has not shown himself for decades. People say that he is now in the middle of the Fastenberg, constantly digging. One day he will break through on the Schladminger side!

Once on the Planai, a farmer found a sheep with golden teeth. He thought this sheep probably drank from a “golden fountain” during the summer. He searched and searched for this fountain. How big was his disappointment, when he did not find gold in any fountain.

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Analysing density of Munich Beer selling points to plan a

historical beer walking tour for the Octoberfest Schladming

Fantastic Beers and Where to Find Them

The Black Riders

The Kasworms

Long time ago, in the Ennstal, when evangelical Christians in Austria were threatened, they wanted to flee across the frozen Gosausee. Suddenly the black horsemen of the Imperial Army followed them. However, the ice did not support the riders and they were dragged down. Even today they sometimes appear as small black fish on the surface of the lake.

One of the particularly mysterious things on the alpine pastures are the cheeseworms, which are thick as “roots” and crawl in hundreds or thousands to the huts. If you wanted to know who sent the cheese worm, you roasted it in a pan.

Ramsau Dachstein 2996m

The Milkyway

Mapping the Production, Distribution and Consumption of Munich Beers

Once upon a time, fat meadows covered the Dachstein massif. One day the sky darkened, immense jet-black clouds lay over the peaks, bursting into avalanches. It is said to be the milk in which the shepherds once bathed.

Schildlehen

Behind the iconic Munich Beer beverage lies a history of scientific developments, ownership transfers and market strategies which shapes the city. This interactive maps reads Munich as a Beer City / Project Partner: Eliezer Fajardo

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Academic Work 2021-22 Story Map Link: https://cartographymaster.eu/studentwork/mp22_group7/

The Witch

As beautiful as the Dachstein Mountains are, you should be particularly careful here. Namely from a hidden hut in which a hideous wizard lives. If you hear him cursing, you should leave soon otherwise he can put a spell on you. But if you have a lucky day, you will meet the witch instead! She climbs the Dachstein every day looking for medicinal plants, while the wizard sits at home in a bad mood and scolds.

Jungfrauensteig

The Portal

The magical geological formations on the Jungfrauensteig route invite you to travel to other worlds. A recent myth involves four hikers going through the portal shaped rock pillars and finding themselves on the other side of valley, in Hallstatt!

The Bergstutzen

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Cartography

Created by Jiajun, Poorni, Mihir and Raphaela for the Alpine Cartography School, TU Dresden 2022

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Have you seen a “Bergstutzen” on Dachstein? These are serpent-like beasts that lie like skinny logs in the sunny spots of the mountains.

Why is community building within the campus not a priority?

Women’s housing conditions on the IIM-A campus in Ahmedabad. If the women students felt intruded upon, must the measures taken be those of protection and enclosures or should these be sought in empowerment?

Top Row: Photos from Exhibition at TISS, showing panels, research site model and draft copy of the publication book Middle Right: Event poster design for lecture at SEA College Middle Left: Existing Land Use plan for IIM-Ahemdabad

Barricading of Women’s housing windows

Space.Segregation.Discrimination

A poster exhibition focussing on some of the tales that

we showed one brief story from each of the campuses.

The politics of space in institutes of higher learning

tell us on how different populations in educational

for the “Discrimination, Gender and Sexuality: Telling

Mapping, Illustration and Graphic Design for a research publication focussing on discrimination in spatial planning.

The research was funded by TISS Institute and headed by Chaynika Shah, Shals Mahajan, Chan Arun-Pina Ditilekha Sharma along with project partners Lekha Samant and Chinmay Shidhore.

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campus zoning, planning, and the built environment

campuses are arranged and included within it. This exhibition was accompanied by a draft of the book-inprogress that takes a detailed look at the planning of

five well endowed and well known Indian educational

campuses and raises some questions around design and

Research Publication 2018-20

discrimination.This book is part of a larger work where

Exhibited at ‘Discrimination, Gender and Sexuality’ conference at TISS, Mumbai 2018 Exhibited at ‘SEA CONVERSATIONS’ event at SEA College, supported by UDRI, Mumbai ’18

discrimination in higher education. In this exhibition

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we are trying to understand gender and sexuality based

This exhibition was a part of the work of education team Stories, Making Connections” conference at TISS. This work itself is part of a larger multi-headed, multi-site

research project “Mapping Discrimination based on Nonnormative Genders and Sexualities,” that attempts to

create extensive documentation on discriminations faced by individuals on the basis of non-normative gender or sexuality in different areas of public and private life.

Space.Segregation.Discrimination

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German Hangers are are light weight, modular and can be assembled within a couple of days.

The process starts with fixing of columns to frames and then connected by purlins. The sides and the roof is then braced by cables before getting covered with Ferrari fabric.

Biomedical Records

An important principle of COVID hospital design is to maintain as much distance as possible between infected and non-infected patients. This facility

ICU

is divided into 3 zones based on the level of infection: the diagnosis area, the space with the oxygenated beds and severe cases contained within the ICU.

Oxygenated Ward - Sectional Drawing

Oxygen Cylinders

The air cirulcation of is done through DX units and that of the ICU wards is by the AHU system placed at the far ends. Air is extracted from both wards DX-in units through the reverse AHU units at the extreme ends of the hospital.

This creates a draft of air ensuring circulation.

COVID-19 Field Hospitals

A Design Manual for planning and construction during the Pandemic in India Planning, deisgn and project management of Covid-19 field hospitals in ten different India cities during the pandemic exegency and lockdowns during 2020-21 executed by HOSMAC INDIA PVT. LTD during its 25th year anniversary.

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Professional Work 2020-21 Published in various regional news papers of Gurugram, Barmer, Dariba, Raipur, Bokaro, Deogarh, Kalahandi, Dharwad, Chitradurga and Thoothukudi. This publication is under production work by HOSMAC apprenticeship program until 2024

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Dharavi (Sector 4) Main Road Transcect

Proposed Housing Block

1. Identification of cluster boundaries on basis on smaller alleyways 2. Identification of existing open spaces and widening road networks 3. Increasing footprint of existing open spaces and connecting them via smaller alleys and proposed public amenities

Sectional perspective of the proposed self-upgrated cluster housing redevelopment. The block consists of a large indoor stilt area where livelihood activities are carried out. As we go above the building brakes down into overlooking terraces for outdoor livlihood activities

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Conservative Surgery

A model for Self-Upgradation Social Housing in Dharavi, Mumbai Architecture Design project, Semester 9 (5th Year B.Arch.) KRVIA Project Partners: Lekha Samant and Chinmay Shidhore

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An alternative to the Dharavi Redevelopment plan DCR

understand these not as design problems but as social

housing in a informal settlement is to be looked at as a

in fields such as urban design, sustainability, sociology,

which challenges design questions related to “affordable” typological question of organization of a dwelling unit and set(s) of dwelling units rather than looking at it as a socio-economic question where the “design of the house” itself may perhaps take a back-seat.

Academic Work 2016-17 1st Prize in ‘International Students contest for Housing’ by International Association for Humane Habitat (IAHH) Hosted by Rizvi College, Mumbai 2017

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The role that an architect can play here is that of a

collaborator. A person who can map, analyze and study the various conditions and factors present on site, to

issues. It is important to work with people who belong anthropology, geography, finance and law as well as the locals who have knowledge about the place.

What is housing? / What does it mean to design the conditions that house people?

Conservative Surgery Dharavi

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The Pilgrim’s Dormitory The Dormitory has an inward looking facade, facing the courtyard with a lotus water body. The corridor balconies have soil beds where small trees & bushes can be planted

The old city of Pune is characterized by overlaps in its fabrics that have existed since ages in the presence

of urban topography. The act of traversing through

these overlaps allows one to see the self-balancing relationship of the city and its people, which

builds up micro-narratives. The idea of a portal has been looked as transitions that allow exchange of

experiences within these micro- narratives. It is seen as a doorway from a 21st century insert on site into the richness of over 200 years of Pune’s history.

Wall Section Wall sections of the ArchiveLibrary, Priest’s house and Pilgrim Dormitory shows the interplay of earth, stone, steel, trees and light.

Woods Between the Worlds Marathi Language Archive and Pilgrimage Dormitory at Kasba Ganpati, Pune Architecture Design project, Semester 5 (3rd Year B.Arch.) KRVIA. Project guided by Vandana Ranjit Sinh // Project Partner: Lekha Samant

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Academic Work 2014-15 First Prize in ‘Accommodating the Mélange’ National competition; Pune Biennale, 2015 Presented at HCMC University Annual exhibition, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 2016

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Studio Brief: Architecture becomes the evidence of life built to fulfil aspirations that marks space and time. It becomes a story of people in its space, material, process of construction. This itself marks architecture. By delayering the existing evidences it is possible to conjecture the history of the place. This year’s Study tour attempts to delayer a history of shillong by looking at buildings as artifacts to search clues of forces that shaped it today by means of exploded axonometery and machine drawings. These drawings were hand-drafted by rotring ink on mylar paper, 2100x2100mm

New Museum as a Gateway to the City Garden The new museum spans across and floats over the old museum. The playscape on the top can also be accessed by a set of ferris wheels. Like a vertical conveyor belt, citizens can board cabin at the ground and start the ascend towards the roof, all the while enjoying views of the botanical garden and the city

Presbyterian Church Police Bazar, Soso Tham Road

Shillong Study Tour

The Festival Factory

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Measure Drawing survey of public buildings in Shillong, Meghalaya Building Construction and Technical Drawing Studio, Semester 4 (2nd Year B.Arch.) KRVIA

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Documentation Publication 2013-14 Commendation Award for Central Zone ‘Heritage Awards for excellence in Documentation’ hosted by INTACH in Delhi, 2015 Published in ‘Shillong Study Tour Documentation’, KRVIA Publication Cell.

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Extention and Re-programing of the Bhau Daji Lad City Museum, Mumbai Architecture Design project, Semester 6 (3rd Year B.Arch.) Presented at KRVIA Encounters public forum, 2015

Academic Work 2014-15 Golden Merit Award at Asian Contest for Architectural Rookies (National Stage), 2015 Top 10 at Asian Contest for Architectural Rookies (International Stage), 2015 Curated for ‘Make Shift Mumbai / KRVIA’, State of Architecture Exhibition, 2016 Curated for ‘My Mumbai: My City: My Voice’, Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, 2020 43

What is the critique of Tourism?

Tourism fetishizes people, traditional life and landscapes which leads to culture commodification. The resultant is sold for consumption as images Longitudinal Section Above: Festive season section showing multiple suspended platforms and stages overlooking the urban plaza. The basement contains an indoor stage and the tourism office is located in a steel consturction tower as a plaza backdrop. The canvas roof floats above the plaza with the help of hot air balloons to create a festive atmosphere for tourists and citizens alike. Below: During normal days the canvas roof simply cascades down to create bellows which bring in diffused light to the public plaza

The Festival Factory

India Tourism Center and Outdoor Theater for Shillong City, Meghalaya This project aims at the generation of a festive environment in the midst of Shillong city. By virtue of its public plaza and space frame, the festival factory is a spatial common denominator of the events and urban rituals in Shillong

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Academic Work 2013-14 Project accounted for KRVIA Architecture Design First Rank, 2nd Year B.arch, 2013 Exhibited for KRVIA Annuals Exhibition, Winter 2014

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The Festival Factory

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Farming Facade A wall section showing concept stage deatils of light weight ferrocement plant boxes held in place with steel re-bar tied from beam to beam. A 1m wide green envolope is created arounf the building to create a micro climate buffer.

Urban Farming Office Vo Trong Nghia Architects HQ, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam A project worked upon during my internship at VTN Archietcts, Vietnam. Tasks such as model making, economic feasibility, gardening-farming research, manufacturing visits, working drawing were completed at a conceptual stage and handed over to the office before internship completion. The actual project has been executed as of today.

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Under rapid urbanization, cities in Vietnam have diverged

“Urban Farming Office”, is an effort to change this

lack of green causes various social problems such as

the city and promote safe food production. Located in

far from their origins as sprawling tropical forests. The air pollution due to over-abundance of motorbikes, air pollution, flood and heat island effect. In this context, new generations in urban areas are losing their connection

with nature. Moreover, the country is facing changes as

it moves to a manufacturing based economy, taking its

Bachelor Internship 2015-16 Office Intern team proposal shortlisted as top 3 options for concept stage of the project Source: https://www.vtnarchitects.net/commercial-properties/urban-farming-office

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toll on the environment. Increased droughts, floods and salinization jeopardize food supplies.

situation. The aim of project is to return green space to a newly developed area in Ho Chi Minh City, the office

project demonstrates the possibility of vertical urban farming. Its facade consists of hanged planter boxes

with various local vegetation, allowing them to obtain sufficient sunlight. This green approach will provide safe food and comfortable environment with minimum

energy consumption, contributing to the sustainable future of city.

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Farming Feasibility Studies Various studies were conducted to understand the most economically feasible conbinations of pot size, pot type, plant growth rates, water nutrient pH values, This helps us to plan which plants to grow at a faster rate using minimum investment costs of fertilizer and irrigation

Ferrocement Planter Box Manufacturing Ferrocement manufacturing factories where we the process of cement mix, fabric meshing, formwork making and pouring techniques helped us to custom design the pot.

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The Urban Farming Office

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Sample illustrations and Cover images of the digital publication

“Is the internet queer?

Yes. But sometimes it acts very straight.”

Queering the Interwebs, was a three-day conference in July 2018 on queer desire, risk and pleasure in digital spaces. POV brought together 25 LGBTQI activists, representing 17 orgs from 11 cities across India, for conversations around how queer & trans people can securely navigate the internet for their lives.

“In its earlier avatars, the internet was an open-ended space that offered new kinds of knowledge and ways of being. Crucially, it offered the potential for play. Back then, says Jac sm Kee from APC, the internet was an alternative arena embedded in a real space, where margins could be centres, and where there could be multiplecentres – some messy, some unruly; a space less constrained by norms.”

Queering The Interwebs A digital publication by POV on the question “Is the internet queer?”

Illustration and Graphic Design for Point of View (POV) funded by Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, New York.

Written by Zarah Udwadia. Edited by Richa Kaul Padte. Conceptualised by Bishakha Datta. Project Partner: Lekha S. The POV program on gender, sexuality and technology equips women, trans and queer people to freely & fearlessly

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Professional Practice 2019 Publication download link available on Sex, Gender and Tech website: https://sexgendertech.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Queering-the-Interwebs-2.pdf

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Posters for Activism Public Awarness and Citizen Campaigns Graphic Design, Banners, Illustration, Booklet Design and Pamphlet Writing for various citizen campaigns and public events covering issues ranging from housing, transport, healthcare, environment, human rights activism in Mumbai.

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Volunteerships 2017-20 Organizations worked for include: Aamchi Mumbai Aamchi Best (AMAB), Save our Coast, Jan Swasth Abhiyan (JSA), PUCL, HRLN, Bebak Collevtice, Akshara, KRVIA 51