2024 / Nisha Bhathella Design Portfolio / University of Waterloo
I’m Nisha, a fourth-year student at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture. I am currently on a semester abroad in Rome. Originally from Vancouver BC, I have worked across North America and Europe contributing to projects from architecture to activism and ranging greatly in scale. This portfolio highlights my academic and professional experiences, representing my broad interests in systems for affordable housing, urban planning, making models and graphic design. Don’t hesitate to reach out, and thank you so much for reading.
Prepared presentation drawings and diagrams for an under-construction charter school project. Responsible for project asset archiving and assisted in event planning and coordintation, preparing RFPs, and social media strategy.
Student Activist + Researcher / Canadian Pavilion, Venice Biennale
September - November 2023 | Venice, IT
Designed campaigns to promote equitable affordable housing in Halifax and Montreal through collaboration with local teams of architects and activists.
Architectural Assistant / 5th studio urbanism + architecture
May - August 2023 | London, UK
Collaborated on a 1:1000 masterplan model and energy infrastructure research report for an industrial redevelopment masterplan project. Responsible for concept design diagrams for Oxford college renovation.
Intern / EHDD Architecture
September - December 2022 | San Francisco, CA
Responsible for facade design and site planning studies for new residential building and rebuild of existing residences at the UC Santa Cruz Kresge College. Prepared materials for CSU Stanislaus design charettes, and assisted with graphic design on the AIA Headquarters.
Student Intern / Parkin Architects Western Ltd.
January - April 2022 | Vancouver, BC (remote)
Responsible for scored elements for hospital project pursuit & assisted with BIM tasks in construction documentation phase for hospital addition.
Kitchen Assistant / Atira Women’s Resource Society
June - August 2021 | Surrey, BC
Assisted in kitchen and ingredient coordination, preparation, cleaning and serving daily meals.
24 October 2024
Letter of Recommendation – Nisha Bhathella
To Whom It May Concern:
Since 2007, GLUCK+ has hosted University of Waterloo School of Architecture Co-op work terms
Our office provides an environment where students may participate in a range of experience on projects where architects both design and manage construction onsite From January until July 2024, Nisha Bhathella joined our PR Marketing team focused on public communications and architectural visual storytelling.
During her tenure, Nisha produced design awards submissions garnering project awards, architectural presentation graphics, assisted with events (from planning to hosting and documenting), and designed visual content for social media She also worked to organize visual assets across our firm portfolio of projects in preparation for the launch of a new website
From the start, she demonstrated initiative and was a strong contributor to the team effort. Tech savvy and organized, Nisha was thorough and executed tasks with attention to detail. She is adept at utilizing 3D modeling and illustration software to produce beautiful drawings, as well as applying her talents to produce audio and video materials for presentations. Dependable and well-liked, she was proactive in applying her skills set to each task, as well as seeking opportunities to add more tools as her responsibilities grew. She also asks good questions of the architectural discipline and her voice enriched discussions.
Sincerely,
Bethia Liu Associate, Director of Strategy & Projects
: Nisha Bhathella
Nisha was an intern in our San Francisco office for her fall semester in 2022. During her time here, she worked on the following:
- San Francisco State University - User profile research
- AIA Headquarters - Frit pattern studies
But mostly, she worked on the UC Santa Cruz Kresge Renovation Project where she assisted with a variety of both design and documentation efforts including:
- Site design vision development
- Façade design
- Fenestration studies
- Program and design research
- Revit documentation
- Client presentation graphics and renderings
Nisha has been a great addition to have on the team. She is methodical and thorough with her work and presents her ideas well. Her design thinking is thoughtful, well-articulated and defensible, meaning she can take you through the genesis and evolution of her design to arrive at her final position. And equally importantly, she takes feedback very well.
My colleagues have often expressed surprise when they realize that Nisha is still in school, as her skills belie her academic experience. She is proficient in Revit as well as a host of Adobe and other modelling and rendering programs. She is a quick study, able to take minimal direction and work off of it, inferring next steps and requiring much less supervision than most interns or junior designers with more experience than she does.
The Kresge project was a particularly fast-paced project and Nisha really showed her dedication and motivation to support the team with her flexibility and drive to ensure a great result. She takes ownership in her work outputs which is a wonderful work ethic to see.
I am sure Nisha’s talents and skills will only continue to grow and I would highly recommend her for any future architecture position. She will exceed your expectations in every way.
For any question, please feel free to reach me: s.sanchez@ehdd.com 415.214.7226
SiJing Sanchez Senior Associate
R
surplus properties for affordable housing!
As a part of the Surplus Properties of Architects Against Housing Alienation (AAHA) demand team at the Canadian Pavilion of the Venice Biennale, we were tasked to promote the use of surplus government-owned properties in Halifax for affordable housing.
This project was divided into three parts: a research-based guidebook which shortlisted eight surplus properties based on cultural significance and potential for development. This informed the design of eight posters and a design competition our group launched with the platform ArchHive which asked participants to select one site and develop a design proposal for affordable housing. Projects were reviewed by a diverse panel of judges, and winning entries were exhibited at Dalhousie University’s Architecture building. Also included in the exhibit were posters designed by our group which visualized the guidebook’s analysis and will be put up across the city near their corresponding sites.
fall 2023 - canadian pavilion @ venice biennale
in collaboration with youngjin kim and abeer ali
[my role in these posters included developing the diagrams for each property in the guidebook, views, text, layout and colour-grading for the posters, email correspondence and exhibition material preparation for the design competition and subsequent exhibition]
Memorial Library & Grafton Park
TAV / MAV
$0 / $5,348,100
This site has an integral connection to the history of the City of Halifax. During its foundation, the site lay outside the walls of the town and was largely used for activities for people who were not wanted in the center. In the context of Poor Workshops and Poorhouses, the Memorial Library site served as a pauper’s grave for the many destitute people in the Victorian era. These people were often buried in coffins they made themselves.
With the help of a grant negotiated by the province, the site was turned into Grafton Park. The grant defined the property as a public space and became a permanent lease to the City of Halifax. This land use was seen as an emblem of respect for the dead who lay buried under the park and the street, a fact which juxtaposes the subsequent construction of the new Memorial Library in which many graves were desecrated. As of 2014, the library has closed, and the building remains vacant. There is an ongoing joint development plan between the Halifax Regional Municipality and Dalhousie University, the details of which are unavailable now.
grave for 100 years Turned from a cemetary to Grafton Park
The area surrounding the library is full of mixed-use buildings which benefit from its central location. The area within a 5-minute walking radius also harbors a variety of housing and green spaces in between. Keeping this in mind, our suggestion maintains a contextually conscious height
the neighbouring 6-story building, while maintaining an
the building to its surroundings.
The design competition asked participants to choose one of the eight sites outlined in the guidebook to develop a vision for affordable and mixed-income housing. Entries were reviewed by a panel of judges from across the world and disciplines. The top ten winning entries were exhibited at Dalhouse University School of Architecture in Halifax.
next: posters will be put up around the city!
next stop, preston!
Nestled between the Speed River and Cambridge’s largest park, the historic townscape of Preston provides the perfect backdrop for the new ION station. The proposed MTSA plan highlights what Preston was, and looks forward to what it can become—an equitable transit-oriented neighbourhood with housing, community amenities and public realm that enhances residents’ living experience.
winter 2023 - urban design studio in collaboration with audrey chen, michael salib, daisy zhang
[my role in this project including collaborating to develop the project concept, and massing typologies, green network arrangement, and density calculations. I was responsible for the base files to create the following drawings and developing the housing typology layouts] skills: rhino, illustrator
PROPOSED MASSING Low-rise
TOWNHOUSE
COMMUNITY STACKED
KING ST STACKED
CHURCH STACKED*
HIGH RISE
Typologies reference existing buildings in Preston to preserve the openness residents enjoy, while dramatically increasing density in line with the MTSA guidelines for the Preston ION station area. They appeal to a broad range of current and prospective residents, from family-oriented townhouses, mid-rise stacked typologies for intergenerational living, and higher-rise apartment buildings with 1-3 bedroom apartments for student commuters and working professionals.
CENTRALPARK
THEWATERFRONT
THEJUNCTION
CENTRAL PARK
New developments directly adjacent to the historic street and Central Park do not exceed 3-4 stories to maintain the quaint small town charm.
THE WATERFRONT THE JUNCTION
The area directly adjacent to the ION station has the highest density, and includes public spaces including a waterfront market, ice rink, and boat dock.
Existing institutions like the library and lawn bowling form the junction of new mixed use developments, and a community center.
HISTORIC HAMILTON STREET CORRIDOR
Townhouse setbacks, and planted buffers between pedestrians and vehicles improves safety and maintains the openness of the historic Hamilton Street corridor.
Widened sidewalks, planted curbs, bike lanes improve non-vehicular pedestrian experience through Street mixed use corridor.
CORRIDOR
curbs, and added non-vehicular mobility and the main King
EAGLE STREET ION CORRIDOR
Large planted buffers of the Eagle Street ION corridor further improve pedestrian safety, and harken back to greenery of the historic street.
DUKE STREET
WILLIAM STREET
Preston’s Community Center and Seniors Residence combines affordable housing for the retired aging community stacked above recreation facilities. By integrating these typologies, this project aims to promote a dignified aging population through activity, intergenerational relationships, and agency over one’s space to increase quality of life. The building is located two blocks from the ION station, one block from the main commercial street, and continues the housing courtyard around the historic lawn bowling club, proposed playground and skate park. This site is also adjacent to the proposed green corridor, providing seniors convenient access to necessities including groceries, pharmacies and healthcare facilities, as well as public green space and the library. Above the community center sits the residential block, designed for seniors to age in place, which has informed the approach to unit design and maximizing the user agency.
winter 2023 - urban design studio in collaboration with daisy zhang and ellie kingsley
[my role included collaborating on the overall concept, massing, and program of the building. I was responsible for developing the first and second floor plans, and designing and fabricating the unit model] skills: rhino, enscape, illustrator, photoshop, laser-cutting, model-making
Independent Residential Units
Supportive Residential Units
Offices, Counseling & Multipurpose
Community Living Room & Recreation
Community Living Room & Pool
Storage & Mechanical
LEVEL 5 - 8
LEVEL 3
Flexible partitions allow user agency to seniors to organize their space to fit mobility and preferential needs. This idea of flexibility is carried to the balconies as well which have movable panels to allow multi-seasonal use.
1 BEDROOM UNIT
2 BEDROOM UNIT
Palliative Care
Unit adaptability for changing seniors needs
Sliding Panel System as Flexible Module Divider
Fixed Kitchen Component
Double Handles for User Ease
Wall Cabinets Adjust in Height
Rearrange Panels to Accomodate
Functional Needs
Fixed ‘Wet’ Bathroom Component
Counter Grab Bar for User Support
Base Cabinets Adjust in Height
Increased Grout SA to Improve Traction
Assistive Grab Bars
36”
1:50 unit model with movable partitions
sir john soane museum
The Soane Museum is the previous residence of Sir John Soane, including his vast, hoarder-like collections of artifacts and works. This study aimed to not only recreate a sectional model of this historic piece of architecture but to explore it in the context of the era in which it was curated. This recreation consisted of both digital and analog processes including 3d printing, laser cutting, clay modeling, painting, and model assembly. Key concepts such as scenography, light, and colour were considered carefully, using a regency-inspired, pastel palette to express subtitles in the lighting, and the arrangement of artifacts to frame icons such as the cast statue of Apollo Belvedere, and the bust of Soane himself.
summer 2022 - regency-era cultural history case study in collaboration with : ellie kingsley and daisy zhang
[my role in this project including sourcing and modeling 3d printed components, colour-matchng paint to lighting conditions and painting the model walls and furniture, and collaborating on the model assembly]
skills: rhino3d, model making, 3d printing, laser cutting
3d printed sculptures
clay artifacts
painted laser cut furniture
post-brick
Post brick is a brownfield redevelopment of an abandoned brickworks factory in Hamilton, Ontario. This project leverages its industrial history to propose an urban ecology center and spontaneous garden spaces. Taking inspiration from the printmaking process of intaglio, which removes matter to allow for ink to seep, the landscape strategy of this project strategically removes pieces of the existing cracked concrete to allow for ruderal and spontaneous growth (typically known as weeds). Allowing the site to repopulate on its own accord exposes hydrological and geological patterns on the site of water flow, sediment history of the Niagara escarpment, and seed movement. Further, it allows toxic soils from industrial equipment and brick firing processes to remediate slowly and creates a paradigm shift that promotes the maintenance over the control of public green space. summer 2022 - landscape design studio
EXISTING GROUND CONDITIONS
Utilizing site photos and satellite map imagery, an estimation of current ruderal plants were identified on site according to landscape design principles of ground cover, shrubs, and trees. This revealled patterns of water movement in relation to topography, and the existing built structures.
Site and ecosystem axonometrics showing the potential for ruderal species if they are maintained and principles of landscape design are applied. Site axonometric shows the relics of the abandoned Brickworks site and demonstrates the guided remediation process of the soil, utilizing plants that already grow on-site and species native to the Southern Ontario climate.
MEADOW
indian grass
switchgrass
new york ironweed
spotted joe pye
tall coreopsis
anise hysop
golden alexander
METROPOLITAN TRELLIS
siberian elm
white & yellow sweet clover
hedge bindweed
virginia waterleaf
coltsfoot
SPONTANEOUS FOREST
norway maple
black walnut
oxeye daisy
hawkweed oxtongue
wild carrot
dandilion
39 staples corner site model
Staples Corner is labeled a strategic industrial region in London, however, with the introduction of a rail station recently built, the area has been opened up to speculative planning. The aim of this 1:1000 site model is to serve as a design tool for bridging existing and proposed massings, which includes multiple removable options for site iterations specified by the client.
summer 2023 - architectural assistant / 5th studio
project architect: beth lambert
[my role in this model included collaborating with a senior designer to fabricate all elements and assemble the model. skills: woodworking, foam cutting, material assembly]
skills: foam cutting, woodworking, contour cutting, model assembly
st. hughs college courtyard
The St. Hugh’s College Junior Common Room at Oxford University is currently a haphazard space used daily by students to study and unwind between classes. Currently the space consists of a plexiglass addition, surrounded by unused brick balconies which restrict access and light into the courtyard. Through the clearing of obstructive balconies, and relocation of the common room to an under-utilized space, the courtyard can be reinhabited as a garden and outdoor patio space for a variety of activities ranging from social to independant study.
This project was in the design development phase, imagining the the potential uses for the space with the client.
summer 2023 - architectural assistant / 5th studio - oxford, uk
overseen by nicola blake (architect)
(my role in these diagrams included: attending a site visit and design meetings with the client to discuss the goals of the renovation, ongoing design and feedback meetings on the concept for the diagram, construction of the diagrams - hand drawn in pencil, scanned, and digitally coloured)
