Mohammad Daud Malik
Architecture & Urbanism Professional
London, UK
ARB Part 1 & 2 (in progress, 2025)
Revit • AutoCAD • Adobe Suite • Enscape • Sketchup
Professional Experience
Parental Career Break – London, UK Professional Development | Jan 2024 – Mar 2025
Preparing ARB Part 1 & 2 submission for 2025
Continued technical upskilling and study of UK planning and building control frameworks
EOHMA Architects – UK
Design Assistant (During MA Studies and Freelance Associate) | Jan 2023 – Mar 2024
• 26 Hurst Avenue Extension: Led planning approval drawings, feasibility study, and client options presentation for a private residential extension in Sale, Manchester Community Terrace (14-unit scheme): Contributed to urban housing project in Hulme; handled Revit modelling, feasibility (20% ROI), and planning visuals
Applied UK Building Regulations, Permitted Development (2015), and 45-degree rule in extension proposals
• Produced Revit and Adobe deliverables for planning submissions and client engagement
Founder & Principal – 17archstudio, India
Independent Practice | Jan 2018 – Dec 2022
Founded and led a multidisciplinary architecture and interior design studio delivering 25+ projects across residential, commercial, and retail sectors
Projects included Apartment Acute, Room on the Roof, Yellow Box, and retail outlets for a national brand
• Managed full project lifecycle: concept design, client engagement, budgeting, approvals, and site coordination
• Studio operations were paused post-COVID to pursue postgraduate study and relocate to the UK
AKDA – New Delhi, India
Senior Architect & Project Manager | Sep 2016 – Nov 2018
Delivered multiple residential, commercial, and industrial projects including the award-winning “Tri-Tessellate” factory
• Oversaw design development, detailing, and site execution in coordination with consultants and vendors
• Held senior responsibility for project delivery across all stages prior to founding 17archstudio
Education
MA Architecture and Urbanism – University of Manchester | 2021–2022
• Thesis: Revitalising 1960s Hulme Housing
• Dissertation: Gentrification and Housing Policy in Manchester
B.Arch – School of Architecture and Landscape Design, India | 2011–2016
1960s Social Housing Redevelopment
Redesigning social housing to create inclusive, intergenerational communities with connected urban spaces that foster interaction and belonging.
Hurst Avenue Extension
The project at 26 Hurst Avenue aims to extend and renovate the home, enhancing mobility and adding accommodation to future-proof it for the mother’s needs.
Tri - Tessellate
Tri Tessellate: Led from inception to completion, redefining industrial architecture in Noida with a tessellated façade, sustainable design, and efficient, creative workspaces that merge functionality with aesthetic appeal.
Apartment Acute
Apartment acute transforms an unconventional plot into a refined living space, optimizing functionality and integrating irregular boundaries into a seamless, elegant design.
Room on the Roof
Skylight Loft: A minimalist 2BHK loft conversion that transforms irregular geometry into elegant, light-filled living with warm walnut accents.
Adaptive House
Adaptive House: A mixed-use, four-story development on a 150 sq yd plot, blending a private 2BHK residence with commercial spaces. Flexible, column-free floors adapt to residential or commercial use, with a façade that highlights the residential level.
Community Terrace
Maximizing potential with retirement terrace housing— community-focused design with shared spaces and a 20% profit margin on cost.
Yellow Box
A careful refurbishment of a Delhi apartment, focusing on design, execution, and material selection. Granite and yellow teak sandstone façades withstand summer heat, while preserved wooden windows add a touch of classical charm.
1960s Social Housing Redevelopment
Urban Design - Redevelopment
Location Hulme, Manchester, UK
Type Masters Thesis Project, Manchester
Schooof Architecture, University of Manchester Year 2022
This project focuses on the regeneration of a 1960s social housing block in Hulme, Manchester—an area shaped by industrial heritage, postwar redevelopment, and ongoing gentrification. The 3.7-hectare site, located along Charlton Road and Stretford Road, has long suffered from physical isolation, impermeable layouts, and inactive public edges, contributing to social disconnection within the neighbourhood.
The aim is to create an inclusive, connected community that fosters social cohesion through urban design strategies and diverse housing solutions. The proposal reintroduces permeability by breaking the block along a new east-west axis, creating a central green space that acts as both a pedestrian route and a communal gathering area. Housing typologies are varied to encourage intergenerational living, addressing the demographic shifts and social tensions present in Hulme today.
Challenges included overcoming the block’s impermeable nature, inactive street frontages, and balancing new development with the needs of existing residents. The design responds by enhancing walkability, activating street edges, and integrating shared spaces that encourage informal interaction. Inspired by theories from Jane Jacobs and Christopher Alexander, and precedents such as Peter Barber’s Employment Academy, the proposal blurs boundaries between public and private space to promote less isolated living—particularly relevant in a post-pandemic context.
This project reflects an iterative, research-led process, combining urbanism and architecture to deliver a strategy rooted in context, policy, and community needs. It demonstrates how thoughtful urban interventions can foster inclusivity, resilience, and a renewed sense of place in a transitioning inner-city neighbourhood.
Historic Context: Hulme
Hulme’s evolution reflects Manchester’s broader industrial and social history. Originally a dense, working-class district, its Victorian-era terraced housing was overcrowded and unsanitary, with mortality rates among the highest in the city. By 1923, Hulme’s population density reached 136 residents per acre, nearly four times the city average.
Post-war redevelopment radically transformed the area. Large-scale clearances in the 1930s relocated many residents to estates like Wythenshawe. In the 1960s, modernist planning replaced traditional streets with high-rise council housing, including the Hulme Crescents, inspired by Le Corbusier’s ‘Radiant City’. However, poor design and social isolation led to rapid decline, making Hulme synonymous with urban failure.
The 1990s marked a turning point. The Hulme City Challenge secured £37.5 million in funding, leading to low-rise, mixed-use redevelopment, reinstating traditional street patterns, and prioritising permeability and community infrastructure.
Setting the Tone: Current Context and Project Vision
Today, Hulme faces the complex challenges of gentrification and shifting demographics. Once a working-class district, it now houses two major universities and an expanding student population. Rising property values have created tensions between long-term residents and new arrivals, reflecting broader urban issues of affordability and social cohesion.
This project responds to Hulme’s evolving urban landscape by reimagining affordable housing as a tool to bridge social divides. It builds on Hulme’s legacy of regeneration, aiming to restore urban connectivity, promote inclusivity, and balance contemporary needs with historical continuity.
Hulme Cresents
Demolition of Hulme Cresents
Hulme Park
HulmePark
StretfordRoad
Site Rationale and Strategic Framework
The 3.7-hectare 1960s social housing block on Stretford Road presents a critical opportunity within Hulme’s regeneration context. Unlike the surrounding fine-grained urban fabric, the monolithic block restricts permeability, disconnecting Hulme Park from its neighbourhood. It creates over 200 metres of inactive frontage along Charlton Road, discouraging street life and weakening urban legibility.
Despite its scale, a nearby housing block demonstrates that large social housing schemes can succeed when integrated with walkable streets and active edges. This comparison underpins the project’s strategy: to transform the isolated superblock into a connected, inclusive, and adaptable neighbourhood.
The design framework centres on Breaking the Block, Integrating Green Linkages, and Redefining Housing. Pedestrian movement is prioritised by introducing new links to Charlton Road, Stretford Road, and Hulme Park, guided by Kevin Lynch’s principles of urban legibility. Green corridors and structured open spaces improve wayfinding and visual connections.
Redefining housing typologies along key edges fosters safer, streetfacing environments aligned with Jane Jacobs’ ‘Eyes on the Street’. Christopher Alexander’s theories inform internal spatial hierarchy and public-private transitions, enabling inclusive, intergenerational living.
This approach not only responds to site constraints but also aligns with Hulme’s broader urban vision—enhancing connectivity, social interaction, and long-term livability.
Resting
Chorlton
TowardsUniversityof Manchester
Spatial Context & Inactive Edges
The map highlights how the intervention site is nearly four times the size of its neighbouring blocks, breaking the grain of the urban fabric. Its eastern edge along Charlton Road remains underused and inactive. This scale disparity, combined with poor frontage, reinforces the need to reduce block size and activate edges— improving permeability and aligning with surrounding patterns.
Street Hierarchy & Connectivity
While surrounding blocks have legible single access points, the site features four disconnected entrances and lacks east–west permeability. Existing pedestrian links run north–south but fail to connect to Charlton Road. This analysis underlines the need for clearer, more public east–west routes that open up the block and support neighbourhood integration.
Depth & Integration
Stretford Road, shown in deep orange, is active and well integrated, while Charlton Road appears disconnected, despite linking directly to the city centre. This signals an opportunity to revitalise Charlton Road by activating its edge— encouraging footfall and street presence, in line with Jacobs’ “eyes on the street” principles.
Land Use Distribution
Stretford Road supports a balanced mix of uses, but Charlton Road lacks variety and edge activity. With housing on one side and a blank site edge on the other, the street feels inactive and unsafe. There’s a clear opportunity here to introduce mixed-use frontage and varied housing typologies to foster vibrancy and social safety.
PROPOSED STRATEGIES
The existing block is oversized, impermeable, and disconnected— especially on the eastern edge fronting Charlton Road. Internal paths are concentrated on the west, with no east–west link connecting Charlton Road to Hulme Park. The eastern frontage is inactive, with deteriorating housing and no public access, reinforcing the block’s isolation.
The proposal addresses these constraints by introducing a public green space and pedestrian link through the block, enhancing permeability and reconnecting to key streets and parks. Along Charlton Road, new semi-detached housing matches the height and rhythm of opposite buildings, creating a pleasant and safe pedestrian experience.
This strategy improves walkability, activates underused edges, and aligns with the surrounding urban grain—redefining the block as an open and integrated neighbourhood space.
Existing Charlton Street Section with unused inactive edge on the left and semi Detached housing on the right
Proposed Charlton Street section matching the building heights of the street to create a pleasant street section, and activating the unused edge
NPPF (2023) Social cohesion, place making, community engagement
Manchester Local Plan (Draft 2023)
Places for Everyone (PfE)
Manual for Streets (MfS)
Building for a Healthy Life (2020)
Manchester Residential Quality Guidance
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Housing variety, neighbourhood regeneration, active public realm
Permeability, healthy streets, inclusive growth
Pedestrian priority, street hierarchy, permeability
Active frontages, community spaces, place making
Housing diversity, public realm quality, urban integration
Promotes inclusive public spaces, pedestrian connectivity, and a mixeduse, community-driven master plan.
Provides a range of housing typologies, activates Charlton Road frontage, and creates community spaces to strengthen social ties.
Opens up the block, improves east-west pedestrian routes, and integrates green spaces for recreation and gathering.
Establishes legible routes, prioritises pedestrian access, and balances private, semi-public, and public spaces.
Creates active edges along Charlton Road and Stretford Road, community gathering spaces, and encourages informal social interaction.
Introduces intergenerational and student housing, supports active frontages, and ensures the design is responsive to local urban context and community needs.
The proposed site plan transforms the 1960s housing block into a connected, inclusive neighbourhood. The design addresses the existing impermeability by introducing an east-west pedestrian link, connecting Charlton Road to Hulme Park and opening the block to public use.
A new open green space along Charlton Road anchors this connection, extending deep into the block and improving permeability. This space provides a resting point along the 200-metre Charlton Road stretch, enhancing pedestrian comfort and legibility, drawing on Kevin Lynch’s concept of paths and nodes. It encourages social interaction in line with Jan Gehl’s principles of walkable, human-scaled environments.
Semi-detached intergenerational housing defines the Charlton Road edge, matching the scale of neighbouring homes to create a balanced and active streetscape. Jane Jacobs’ ‘eyes on the street’ theory informs the active frontages, fostering safety and surveillance.
HOUSING DESIGN
Housing Design
The housing strategy fosters social interaction, inclusivity, and less isolated living—responding to post-COVID needs and aligning with Manchester’s Local Plan and Places for Everyone (PfE).
A mix of typologies—intergenerational semidetached homes, student accommodation, and mixed-use apartments—addresses varied demographics. Along Charlton Road, new housing matches street height and rhythm, creating active, walkable edges. Jane Jacobs’ ‘eyes on the street’ supports balconies and front yards for passive surveillance and interaction.
Inspired by Alexander’s privacy gradient, extended backyards link private homes to shared spaces, softening boundaries to encourage neighbourly contact. A central celebration space, referencing Peter Barber’s Employment Academy, provides a social hub for gatherings.
Student and mixed-use buildings activate northern and southern edges, enhancing integration. The design supports Building for a Healthy Life (2020) and Manchester Residential Quality Guidance by prioritising permeability, active frontages, and a cohesive urban fabric.
Chorlton
ENHANCING CONNECTIVITY
The block is reopened with new east-west pathways and green links, connecting Charlton Road, Hulme Park, and Stretford Road. This improves permeability and walkability, aligning with URBED’s Guide to Development for Hulme and the Manual for Streets, addressing historic disconnection and reinforcing urban integration
FOSTERING INCLUSIVITY
Intergenerational housing supports both long-term residents and younger demographics, addressing social friction. Shared spaces—courtyards, extended backyards, and a community celebration area— encourage interaction and cohesion. Influenced by Alexander’s privacy gradient and Peter Barber’s communal housing, the design promotes inclusivity and less isolated living in a post-COVID context.
A SENSE OF PLACE
CREATING
A central green space anchors the plan, breaking the block and providing an east-west public route. Active edges along Charlton Road and Stretford Road, supported by Jacobs’ ‘eyes on the street’, enhance safety and vibrancy, reinforcing Hulme’s identity as an inclusive, connected neighbourhood.
HURST AVENUE
Residential Extension
Location Sale, Manchester, UK
Type Freelance Project for EOHMA Architects
Area 76 sq m
Time line 2024-2025
Client Type Private
This project involved a single-storey rear extension to a semi-detached family home in Sale, Greater Manchester. The client’s brief was to create a private, ground-floor bedroom with improved accessibility for an ageing parent, while maintaining affordability and minimising disruption.
The design addressed spatial efficiency, privacy, and future mobility needs, within the constraints of local planning policy—specifically the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, including the 3-metre extension limit and 45-degree guideline. The north-facing rear garden also informed strategies for daylighting.
Working as a freelance architectural designer under the direction of EOHMA Architects, I was responsible for site analysis, conceptual design, planning drawings, and preparation of submission documents.
Three design options were developed, varying in scale and cost. The client selected a 3-metre rear extension with a new bedroom, expanded office space, and patio connection. The proposal balanced mobility, privacy, and compliance, aligned with RIBA Work Stages 0–3, and deepened my understanding of UK planning processes and user-focused design.
The project is located in a quiet residential area of Sale, Greater Manchester. The neighbourhood comprises post-war semi-detached family homes, arranged along cul-de-sacs that offer privacy and minimal through traffic, making it suitable for long-term family living. The surrounding context features uniform rear gardens and consistent building lines. The houses are traditionally constructed in brick with tiled pitched roofs, influencing the material and aesthetic choices for the proposed extension.
The property benefits from a generous rear garden; however, its north-facing orientation requires careful consideration to maximise natural daylight. This challenge informed key design decisions, including window placement, spatial arrangement, and the potential use of roof lights to enhance interior light levels.
EXISTING CONDITION
The existing property suffers from spatial inefficiencies, with a centrally located staircase dividing the living and kitchen areas, disrupting flow and usability. Underutilised spaces and restrictive furniture layouts further compromise daily functionality. The rear office presents an opportunity for a ground-floor bedroom extension, directly addressing the client’s brief for future-proofing and improved accessibility for ageing parents.
Informed by Christopher Alexander’s Privacy Gradient principle, the proposed design aims to establish a clear zoning hierarchy, enhancing privacy, comfort, and adaptability.
The extension will comply with the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 (Class A), respecting the 45-Degree Rule to protect neighbouring amenity. Accessibility will meet Approved Document M (Category 2), with step-free access and wider circulation. Environmental performance will follow Approved Documents L and F to improve energy efficiency, ventilation, and daylighting.
This analysis sets the foundation for developing three design options, balancing affordability, accessibility, and long-term
Option 1: Small Rear Addition
A compact, 3-metre rear extension offering a cost-effective, minimally disruptive solution. It adds a ground-floor bedroom for accessibility and extends the office space. French doors open onto a new patio, improving garden access from the kitchen. The proposal complies with Permitted Development Rights (Class A) and respects neighbour amenity through adherence to the 45-degree rule.
Key Features: Improved living room layout, private accessible bedroom, and enhanced spatial flow.
Option 2: Reduced Rear Extension
Balancing cost and functionality, this option provides a modest rear extension within the 7-metre boundary rule. It includes a front bedroom for level access, a redesigned kitchen and dining area with skylight and sliding doors, and a revamped office with integrated storage.
Key Features: Flexible family snug, media wall, and improved zoning. It prioritises future mobility while maintaining privacy and affordability.
Option 3: Full-Length Rear Extension
A 2.7-metre full-length extension offering maximum spatial efficiency. It creates an openplan dining area with skylight, a private groundfloor bedroom with study space, and improved storage. A breakfast counter connects the kitchen and dining spaces, while the relocated office and patio enhance zoning and outdoor use.
Key Features: Seamless public-to-private transition, improved accessibility, and adaptability for future needs.
FINAL INTERVENTION
P L A N N I N G
This final intervention reflects the client’s choice of a cost-effective, minimally disruptive 3-metre rear extension. It introduces a ground-floor bedroom and extends the office space, enhancing accessibility and future adaptability for an ageing family member. The proposal complies with the 3-metre extension limit and the 45-degree rule, ensuring neighbour amenity is protected.
A pitched roof with a skylight maximises daylight into the rear spaces, addressing the limitations of the north-facing garden. The layout establishes a clear spatial hierarchy, transitioning from semi-public living areas to private zones. Glazed aluminium doors open onto a new patio, strengthening the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Key features include a private ground-floor bedroom with level thresholds, an extended office with improved natural light, and minor living room adjustments to enhance flow. The sloped roof blends with the existing streetscape, delivering a practical, affordable solution that meets planning regulations and the client’s
TRI - TESSELLATE
Factory Refurbishment
Location NOIDA, Delhi NCR
Type (P, D+W) Professionally completed Project with AKDA
Area 1832 Sq m
Time line 2018
Professional work with AKDA
Tri Tessellate is the refurbishment and vertical extension of an existing two-storey industrial building into a modern, four-storey garment manufacturing facility. As my first solo project after graduation, I was responsible for managing the entire process— from client engagement and brief development to design, execution, and handover. The aim was to expand operational capacity while creating a distinct architectural identity that would enhance the client’s business profile. Key challenges included the absence of existing drawings, strict time and budget constraints, and a westfacing façade requiring careful environmental consideration. Solutions included a lightweight steel structure, a modular tessellated aluminium façade to minimise material waste, and passive strategies for thermal comfort and acoustic control. The project strengthened my skills in project management, technical detailing, regulatory compliance, and contractor coordination, laying a solid foundation for managing future projects of varying scales.
The project comprises the refurbishment and vertical extension of a twostorey industrial building in Noida’s Hosiery Complex to accommodate the client’s expanding garment manufacturing operations. In the absence of existing drawings, a detailed measured survey was carried out, followed by the development of a project brief in consultation with the client. The design focused on increasing manufacturing capacity through two additional floors, while introducing a distinct façade to enhance the building’s visibility within a uniform industrial setting. Environmental performance was addressed by improving daylight and ventilation, particularly on the west-facing façade, where solar gain was carefully mitigated. The revised internal layout included designated office spaces and a custom-designed executive cabin. Compliance with fire safety and building regulations was integral to the design, incorporating an industrial lift, fire alarms, sprinklers, and defined evacuation routes to secure Fire Department NOC approval. To meet time and budget constraints, a lightweight steel frame and dry construction methods were adopted, along with a prefabricated façade system to accelerate on-site installation. Structural feasibility for vertical expansion was established through preliminary assessment, and vendor selection was conducted transparently to ensure quality and ethical standards.
Standard Aluminium Sheet available in the market
Design Language and Façade Strategy
The concept draws on the timeless use of tessellation in architecture, where geometric repetition brings order and rhythm. Referencing both traditional pattern-making and modern modularity, the façade adopts this principle to balance clarity, functionality, and aesthetic intent. The geometric approach creates a unified design language— simple in form, yet layered in effect.
Inspired by garment manufacturing techniques, the façade references fabric cutting patterns where repetition minimises waste. Standard aluminium sheets were divided into identical triangles, rotated and assembled into hexagonal clusters. This modular strategy ensured structural stability, simplified fabrication, and reduced material loss. Select glass panels were inserted based on internal function to optimise daylight, while a ventilated cavity behind the façade helped reduce heat gain.
The façade is supported by a lightweight steel frame, designed for modular assembly and long-term performance. A subtle gradient—from dark blue at the base to sky blue at the top—visually anchors the building while softening its presence against the skyline. The gradient enhances verticality, giving the structure a lighter, more refined appearance in an otherwise dense industrial setting.
Tri Tessellate presents a façade system where form and function work in sync. The design merges cultural reference, structural clarity, and environmental responsiveness—offering a contemporary take on pattern logic within an industrial context.
PLANS AND ELEVATION
Spatial Organisation and Functional Zoning
The internal layout responds directly to the client’s workflow and operational needs. The ground floor houses reception, finishing, and packaging, enabling smooth dispatch logistics. The first floor combines office areas, the director’s cabin, and a client showroom with fabric cutting and steam pressing zones—supporting both production and admin functions. The upper two floors are openplan manufacturing areas, allowing flexible machinery layouts and streamlined operations. This clear vertical zoning separates work modes, improves circulation, and supports health and safety protocols.
Façade Logic and Elevation Design
The elevation drawings express the tessellated façade system, where aluminium and glass triangles form a modular hexagonal grid. A gradient from dark to light tones softens the building’s mass and allows it to dissolve into the sky. Glazing is adjusted by orientation and floor use— reduced on upper west-facing levels to limit heat gain, and increased at lower levels to maximise natural light where needed. The façade’s symmetry and rhythm reflect the functional zoning behind it.
Visual Integration
Rendered and built images highlight the clarity of the façade’s geometry and material palette. The consistent triangular modules and shifting colour tones give the building a refined, recognisable presence within its industrial context. Reflective glass adds to the façade’s visual lightness and enhances its modern character.
Structural and Material Strategy
The tessellated façade is supported by a lightweight aluminium tube frame (50 x 100 mm), designed for modular assembly and consistent alignment. Standard 2400 x 1200 mm aluminium sheets were cut into equal triangles, rotated, and arranged into hexagonal clusters that distribute structural loads evenly while streamlining construction.
The system uses 3mm aluminium and 8mm toughened glass panels, placed to optimise daylight and thermal comfort. A 100mm ventilated cavity reduces heat gain, and diagonal bracing enhances wind resistance. The use of a single pipe profile simplified fabrication and reduced material waste. Dry construction allowed for clean, efficient on-site assembly.
The result is a system that unites structure and form—durable, low-maintenance, and visually distinct. Aluminium’s strength, recyclability, and weather resistance reinforce the project’s longterm performance and sustainability goals.
FINISHED PRODUCT AND USE
Project Outcome and Professional Development
The project fulfilled the client’s goal of creating a distinct identity within an industrial setting. The tessellated aluminium and glass façade, with its subtle gradient, enhances street presence and reflects the client’s brand. Internally, spaces were designed with purpose—the director’s cabin offers a strong, refined presence, while the staff workspace remains clean and acoustically controlled through minimal finishes and aluminium ceiling elements.
Functions are clearly zoned, with manufacturing on upper levels and quieter, client-facing spaces below. Passive design strategies and dry construction improved comfort and reduced energy use. Material efficiency was achieved using recyclable aluminium and standardised components.
As the architect’s first solo project post-graduation, it offered full-cycle experience—from brief development to execution. It strengthened skills in project management, regulatory compliance, technical detailing, and on-site coordination. The experience bridged academic training with realworld delivery, establishing a strong foundation for future projects.
Apartment Acute: Optimising Constraints for Livability
APARTMENT ACUTE
Multi-Family Apartment Building
Location New Delhi, India
Type Privately Completed Residential Project
Project Size 126 sq m
Time line 2020-2021
Client Type Local Developer
Apartment Acute redefines multi-family housing on an irregular six-sided plot within Delhi’s dense urban fabric. Balancing privacy, ventilation, and spatial efficiency, the design offers a climate-responsive and financially viable solution that complies with local building regulations.
Prioritising design over profit, the project carefully zones public and private spaces to maximise usability, while natural light and ventilation are enhanced through thoughtful planning. A minimalist façade, influenced by Modernist and Brutalist principles, reflects both contemporary aesthetics and traditional Indian values.
Apartment Acute navigates zoning laws, height restrictions, and fire safety codes with precision, aligning with Indian regulations and UK best practices. The result is a context-sensitive, sustainable, and enduring residential development.
Narrow street with only one access
This irregular, six-sided corner plot lies within Delhi’s dense urban fabric, where narrow streets and tightly packed buildings challenge access, daylight, and ventilation. Unlike typical rectilinear sites used for multi-family developments, the acute-angled boundary demanded a highly considered spatial response to achieve functional and efficient layouts.
The north-facing frontage helped minimise heat gain, but adjacent buildings to the east and west restricted daylight—particularly on the lower floors—impacting natural ventilation. Adding to the complexity, a large sacred tree near the northern boundary, associated with a nearby temple, reduced the buildable footprint. While the tree provided valuable shade and cooling, it also attracted monkeys, rendering extended balconies impractical and further limiting façade design options.
Vehicular access was constrained by the narrow street frontage, and the absence of dedicated street parking made efficient on-site parking
local congestion.
Floor Plate
Sacred Tree and Temple
2 4 5 6 3
Neighbour’s Building Wall & Plot Boundary
Aligning the front plot boundary with the neighbouring building to maintain a uniform street scape.
Bathroom Block Facing the Tree
Bathrooms are placed on the northern corner, respecting the tree’s location and freeing rectilinear space for habitable areas.
StiltFloor Parking
Elevated Ground Floor for Stilt Parking Provides functional parking space while raising the habitable areas above ground level. Also adding additional 93 Sq. FT on the Typical floors above through purchasable FAR Scheme
Elongated Living Space
Designed to maximize natural light penetration, ensuring bright and comfortable interiors.
Stairwell and Lift Lobby on the Angled Wall Positioned along the acute boundary to optimize space and create two rectilinear zones
Bedrooms Facing the Front and East
Oriented for
and
Reinterpreting Traditional Spatial Logic in Modern Housing
Apartment Acute re imagines traditional spatial hierarchies found in Old Delhi Havelis, adapting them to the constraints of multi-family urban living. The design balances privacy, ventilation, and cultural familiarity through a clear spatial sequence: public spaces transition seamlessly to private areas, with the living room serving as a modern-day courtyard that anchors the home.
North-facing bedrooms maximise daylight, while deep rear balconies shade south-facing rooms, reducing heat gain. Glass partitions between living and guest areas maintain openness without sacrificing privacy. Bathrooms and kitchens are placed along external walls to enhance crossventilation and prevent dampness.
The balconies extend bedroom spaces, offering an open-to-sky experience in dense surroundings. Passive cooling strategies, including 9” thick external walls and a light shaft, minimise heat gain and improve ventilation, reinforcing comfort without reliance on mechanical systems.
Detailed architectural drawings and BIM coordination ensured functionality and efficiency from design to execution. MEP services were fully integrated within the structure, maintaining clean façades and interiors. Weekly site supervision upheld design integrity, while corner bathrooms were optimised for light, ventilation, and spatial efficiency.
Apartment Acute demonstrates how climateresponsive, culturally rooted design can elevate livability and redefine multi-family housing standards within developer-driven markets.
Sunken Slabs
Sunken Slab
Reclaimed bricks from Old Structure
Structural Strategy and Building Performance
Apartment Acute’s structural design balances seismic resilience, efficiency, and long-term durability. The permissible building height of 49’3” was strategically allocated across four residential floors and a stilt parking level. Floor heights were carefully proportioned—8 feet for parking and 9’3” for each residential level—ensuring openness and thermal efficiency while catering to user expectations of spacious interiors.
The structural system uses M20-grade concrete and Fe415 reinforcement bars, complying with Delhi’s Zone 4 seismic regulations. Standardised column, beam, and shuttering dimensions reduced material waste, accelerated construction, and enhanced sustainability. Reclaimed bricks from the demolished structure were reused, minimising environmental impact and maintaining material continuity.
MEP coordination was integrated early through BIM modelling, with sunken slabs housing concealed plumbing and electrical services. This eliminated exposed ducts, resulting in clean, unobstructed interiors and façades, reducing long-term maintenance.
The unconventional trapezoidal staircase, shaped by the site’s acute angles, was meticulously planned for spatial efficiency and fire safety. A light and ventilation shaft adjacent to the stairwell introduced natural daylight and airflow, enhancing safety even during power outages.
By integrating structural efficiency, regulatory compliance, and sustainable practices, Apartment Acute delivers a cost-effective, well-ventilated, and durable residential environment suited to dense urban living.
Brutalism – Exposed structure and material honesty define the facade.
Bauhaus & International Style –Proportional clarity, functional design, and material economy.
Minimalism – Functionality over ornamentation, focusing on clean, efficient design. Interlocking Design – Slot-andgroove geometry ensures seamless material integration.
Vertical
Pink Sand Stone with vertical grains enhancing verticality
form follows function budget material design trends context culture art
Apartment Acute: Balancing Tradition, Modernism, and Context
Apartment Acute reinterprets traditional Indian spatial logic within a modern, developer-driven context. Inspired by courtyard homes, the design transitions from public to private spaces, anchored by a central living area. Balconies reinterpret traditional jharokhas, providing passive surveillance and outdoor space, while embracing Jane Jacobs’ ‘Eyes on the Street’ principle.
The façade draws from Bauhaus rationalism, Brutalist material honesty, and Minimalist restraint, prioritising longevity, passive shading, and structural clarity over superficial ornamentation. Its interlocking stone frame enhances depth, rhythm, and climatic response, inspired by traditional joinery for precision and durability. While modernist in expression, the geometry subtly references traditional Indian architecture, balancing innovation with contextual sensitivity.
The irregular six-sided plot informed circulation, zoning, and structure. A rear light shaft improved ventilation and fire safety, while column-free stilt parking addressed street congestion. BIM coordination and early MEP integration ensured concealed services, reducing visual clutter and maintenance. Sustainable strategies, including reclaimed bricks and standardised shuttering, further enhanced efficiency.
Following the RIBA Plan of Work and referencing UK regulations alongside Delhi codes, Apartment Acute demonstrates that thoughtful, wellcoordinated design can deliver sustainable, high-quality multi-family housing within budget, setting a new standard in Delhi’s speculative builder-floor market.
Apartment
ROOM ON THE ROOF
A PRIVATE URBAN RETREAT
Location New Delhi, India
Type Professionally Completed Design-Build Extension
Project Typology Architecture and Interiors
Area 92.9 sq m
Time line 2020
Room on the Roof is a rooftop extension designed within the constraints of zoning regulations, site access, and structural limitations. The project had to work within a strict footprint, respond to privacy concerns, and ensure thermal comfort in Delhi’s harsh climate.
The design approach focused on maximising efficiency, integrating passive cooling strategies, and using practical construction methods suited to the site conditions. Every decision—from material selection to spatial planning—was made to balance functionality, sustainability, and buildability.
Managing the project from concept to completion reinforced the importance of precision, adaptability, and problem-solving. The process provided key learnings in site-driven design, construction management, and working with vernacular materials in a contemporary context. The result is a practical, wellexecuted living space that meets both functional and environmental needs.
EXISTING SITE CONDITION
The rooftop extension, located in a prestigious Delhi neighbourhood, faced strict zoning and structural limitations. With no direct street access, all materials had to be manually transported via a narrow service staircase, ruling out heavy machinery. Zoning laws allowed only Barsati extensions adjacent to the mumty, matching the footprint below to ensure structural stability. The existing load-bearing walls restricted additional weight, making lightweight construction essential.
Full rooftop exposure increased solar heat gain, requiring passive cooling strategies, while the proximity of neighbouring terraces raised privacy concerns. These site-specific constraints informed a design solution that balanced structural feasibility, thermal comfort, and privacy, while ensuring full compliance with local regulations.
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Final Shape After Subtraction
The northern portion was removed to reduce load, cost, and heat gain, creating a private terrace and a rectilinear form.
Primary Volume Addition
The main built mass introduced on the terrace, following zoning and structural constraints.
2D CONCEPT
Sun Study & Light Optimization Analysis identified optimal southern and eastern light exposure. Skylights and terraces enhance daylight while minimising heat gain.
Existing Service Shaft
Subdivision
& Openings
Further refinement with voids for balconies and openings, improving light, ventilation, and privacy.
Service Shaft & Spatial Flow
Bathrooms positioned around the existing service shaft, reinforcing privacy, functional zoning, and natural flow.
Spatial, Structural, and Environmental Design Strategy
This rooftop extension responds to site constraints, zoning regulations, and structural limitations through optimised massing and climate-adaptive design. Inspired by traditional Delhi havelis, where courtyards regulate light and ventilation, the scheme replaces the courtyard with deep skylights that provide diffused daylight, cross-ventilation, and privacy.
The built form follows a rectilinear footprint for construction efficiency, with the primary mass adhering to zoning laws and a wall-on-wall strategy for load distribution. Subtractions on the northern side reduce structural load, material costs, and heat gain while creating a private terrace. Strategic placement of voids for balconies and skylights enhances natural light, ventilation, and spatial articulation.
Environmental strategies include minimised east-west openings to reduce heat gain and large north-facing windows for glare-free daylight. The 9-inch east and west walls increase thermal mass, while the lighter 4.5-inch north wall optimises space and reduces structural load. Charles Correa’s seasonal design principles inform the layout, ensuring thermal comfort year-round.
Existing Service Shaft
Existing Massing & Service Shaft
The original site condition, showing the open terrace and existing service shaft.
Balconies Ventilation Skylights
Final Volume with Skylights & Balconies
The completed form integrates skylights and terraces, balancing daylight, airflow, and privacy.
Final Layout & Environmental Response
Bedrooms face north & east for thermal comfort, while east-west openings control sunlight and maintain ventilation balance.
CONSTRUCTION AND FINISHED PRODUCT
Crafting Space Through Light, Material, and Vernacular Logic
This rooftop extension adopts a vernacular construction system over RCC, prioritising structural feasibility, environmental performance, and site constraints. The system, 40% lighter than RCC, reduced structural load, enabling construction atop an existing load-bearing bungalow. Locally sourced Delhi Red Sandstone, with its high thermal mass, moderates indoor temperatures—absorbing heat slowly and releasing it gradually—minimising reliance on mechanical cooling. Steel I-beams at 2’ intervals, embedded in 9-inch masonry walls, replaced traditional timber, ensuring stability and reducing material waste.
Skylights integrated into the roofing system provide controlled daylight and cross-ventilation, echoing the role of courtyards in traditional havelis. Their design, inspired by Carlo Scarpa and Louis Kahn, balances material honesty with precise detailing—steel, wood, and light forming a refined spatial composition.
Bathrooms and interiors contrast earthy, tactile materials with clean, contemporary finishes, reinforcing sensory experience as advocated by Juhani Pallasmaa and Steven Holl. Fully openable windows and deep skylights ensure passive cooling and cross-ventilation.
Managing the project from concept to execution deepened insights into vernacular adaptability in modern contexts. Apartment Acute demonstrates how traditional materials and passive strategies can create sustainable, thermally comfortable, and efficient spaces in dense urban environments.
Night Day
ADAPTIVE HOUSE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT
Location Delhi
Project Typology Turnkey Architectural Project
Area 1123 SQ. Ft
Time line Under Construction
Client type Private Owner
Adaptive House is a mixed-use, four-story development designed to maximize adaptability for evolving user needs. The project integrates a 2BHK private residence with commercial spaces, offering a flexible, column-free structure that can be easily converted between residential and commercial use.
The design responds to financial and spatial constraints by utilizing modular construction, allowing cost-effective expansion or reconfiguration. The façade emphasizes differentiation between public and private zones, highlighting the transition from commercial activity to residential comfort.
SITE CONTEXT & CHALLENGES
The Adaptive House is located in a densely built urban fabric characterized by mixed-use development, where commercial and residential functions coexist. The site’s immediate surroundings influence the design approach, spatial planning, and environmental strategies required to ensure comfort, efficiency, and regulatory compliance.
Key observations from the site analysis:
High-density urban environment – Limited setbacks, requiring efficient spatial design.
Mixed-use surroundings – Commercial activity at street level, residential above. Narrow access road – Influences entry design and vehicular movement. Future development planned on adjacent plot – Considerations for privacy and adaptability.
Sun Path Analysis – The west-facing exposure necessitates shading strategies to mitigate heat gain
DESIGN APPROACH – FLEXIBILITY & USER NEEDS
Opening up light Shafts to achieve the floor area as per FAR and also bring in light into the floor space
The Adaptive House is designed to maximize spatial flexibility, financial viability, and regulatory compliance within a dense urban context. The proposal optimizes 100% ground coverage while integrating light shafts for ventilation, ensuring compliance with MPD2021 bye-laws (3.5 FAR, 15m height, 3930 sq.ft. built-up area). A financial feasibility study evaluates different commercial-residential configurations, identifying 3 Commercial + 1 Residential as the optimal model, balancing high rental yield with owner occupancy. The design incorporates modular layouts, step-back massing, and functional zoning, allowing seamless future conversion between residential and commercial use, ensuring long-term adaptability and investment potential. Stage
Final Floor Plate of 983 SQ Ft bringing in light band ventilation deep into the floor
Three separate flexible open spaces for commercial use
Public, Semi-Private and public spaces for residential floor
Plot with only one side Openings.
Plot Size - 1123 Sq Ft
FLOOR PLANS
Spatial Flexibility & Mixed-Use Design
Adaptive House balances commercial viability with residential comfort, using clear vertical zoning to meet the client’s request to maintain their original living level on the second floor, while optimizing rental use on the remaining floors.
Program & Spatial Layout
The stilt level is allocated to parking. The first, third, and fourth floors are open-plan commercial spaces. The second floor functions as a private residential unit, aligned with the client’s
Circulation & Compliance
exposed
Dry wood For
Ceiling Marble Chip Grit Wash
Baked Clay Bricks Black Granite Stone
The facade of Adaptive House is designed to create a distinct identity within the dense urban fabric, balancing commercial visibility, residential privacy, and architectural expression. The design translates the internal spatial organization into an articulated facade, ensuring both functionality and aesthetic integration with the surrounding streetscape.
CONTEXTUAL RESPONSE & EVOLUTION
The design responds to the high-density commercial street by maintaining a clear visual hierarchy. The ground and upper commercial floors are designed for maximum transparency, enhancing retail and office visibility, while the residential floor incorporates privacy elements such as recessed balconies and controlled openings.
The sequence at the top of the page illustrates the gradual transformation from a generic built form to a refined facade composition, ensuring the project remains contextually relevant while introducing a contemporary architectural language.
MATERIAL & ARCHITECTURAL EXPRESSION
The facade is composed of layered elements, using a combination of woodtextured panels, glass, and metal framing to define the commercial and residential zones distinctly. The recessed balcony on the residential level acts as a buffer zone, providing visual relief, shading, and ventilation, while the commercial facade features modular openings that allow for flexibility in signage and branding.
ADAPTIVE LAYOUT & FUTURE FLEXIBILITY
The design ensures long-term adaptability, allowing the floor plate to evolve with potential commercial and residential shifts.
COMMUNITY TERRACE HOUSING
Location Manchester, UK
Project
The pub owner sought to maximize the plot’s potential by introducing a housing solution. Based on a feasibility study and demographic research, I proposed a retirement housing concept tailored to local needs. This evolved into a community terrace housing design, with two rows of homes sharing an elevated backyard to encourage social interaction. To ensure financial viability, we used a development appraisal tool to determine the optimal number of apartment units needed to secure at least a 20% profit on construction costs.
Analysis And Concept
Typical Terrace Housing
Proposed Scheme
Development appraisal tool for calculating The optimal number of units to construct, ensuring a minimum profit margin of 20% on cost
Typical Backyard
Elevated Backyard for social interaction
Ground Floor
First Floor
Yellow Box
Location Delhi, India
Project Typology Residential Restoration
Client type Private Developer
A façade rehabilitation project for a private developer in Delhi, the Yellow Box aimed to transform a dilapidated mid-rise residential block suffering from exposed services, failing finishes, and inconsistent material articulation. The existing structure featured projecting window overhangs and classical timber-framed windows, which were retained as key elements of character. The design strategy focused on massing clarity and functional concealment. Services such as rainwater and waste plumbing were integrated into the façade through recessed vertical bands clad in polished brown granite, offering both visual stability and protection from wear. A locally sourced yellow teak sandstone was selected for its grain, climate durability, and visual warmth— applied through a hybrid system of dry-clamp and chemical-fixed panels with precision-jointed detailing.
The restored façade balances permanence and heritage, blending classical fenestration with a contemporary stone-clad language. It retains the identity of the original architecture while enhancing thermal performance, durability, and public frontage in Delhi’s hot climate. The result is a visually cohesive and materially resilient residential elevation, adapted to long-term urban wear and use.
Existing Wall Profile New Wall Profile
Yellow teak sand stone sourced locally for sustainable use