Undergraduate Portfolio - Palak Choksi (CEPT University)

UNDERGRADUATE

ARCHITECTURAL PORTFOLIO SELECTED WORKS (2017-2021)

Palak Choksi CEPT University

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CONTACT E-mail: palak.choksi.barch17@cept.ac.in Mobile no.: +91 9081811662 Place of residence: Surat Currently in

5Th

year of B.Arch, CEPT University, Ahmedbad.

WORKSHOPS Organized and conducted a women empowerment workshop at Surat Science center. (December 2014) RSP: Measure drawing study of a traditional settlement, Chota Oda, Rajasthan. (December 2017) SWS: Parametric surfaces: synthesis, planarisation & installation of double curved envelops. (May 2018) SWS: Ways of seeing structures in architecture: Decoding the works of masters - Candela, Otto & Gaudi.

(December 2018) SWS: Transformation of a city: Singapore. (May 2019)

SKILLS Adobe Suite: Photoshop InDesign Premier Pro 3D Modeling: Lumion SketchUp Rhinoceros 3D BIM/CAD & Algorithmic Design: Revit AutoCAD Grasshopper Machinery: Lasercutting CNC 3D Printing Handmade modelling

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Oneistox: Oritecture with Anok Mitra. (December 2019) Equim: 4 day Parametric design workshop. (May 2020) Archidiaries: Advance computational design workshop.

(June 2020) Equim: AI Urbaized (October 2020) Kaarwan: V-Ray rendering workshop (July 2021) UGREEN: Green Interiors Roadmap (August 2021)

INTERESTS Web Desiging Site Supervision/ Report creation Video Editing Interior design Product design Parametric exploration / Digital Fabrication Travelling Football Photography Reading Music

CONTENTS

The CO.VE, Mumbai | Pg. 4 The studio was based in the context of the upcoming developments on the Eastern waterfront in Mumbai. The project was to create a co-working space that catered to the context around it. This involved understanding the stakeholders and coming up with programs that satisfied their needs. (Online Studio) Gandhi Baug Performance Centre In Surat, Gujarat | Pg. 10 The studio focused on performance spaces and their design. The project could include axillary functions to respond to the context and the performance space being created. We had to select the most appropriate site for the design in our hometown. (Online Studio)

Pavilion For Indian Folk Art At Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad | Pg. 16 The intent of this studio was to study kinetic elements and their working so as to come up with a kinetic pavilion and a program that responded to the selected site. (Partially Online Studio)

Guest House At Pindval, Valsad - Working Drawing | Pg. 20 Our project was to design a guest house on an ongoing site in a NGO run school campus in Pindval so we had to keep cost, climate and relevance to the context in mind while designing.

Play Den: Intervention At Bhadra, Ahmedabad | Pg. 26 The studio intended to enhance the life of a life deprived space keeping in mind all the life forms which use it. I proposed to make a play area for children on a dilapidated plinth in the Bhadra square in Ahmedabad.

Extracurricular | Pg. 28

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01 The Co.Ve (Creative Community) Mixed Use & Co-Working Space AR3033 - Workplace Neighborhoods | Spring 2021, Semester 8, Year 4 Professor: Nimit Killawala | Prateek Banerjee Located in Mazgaon, Mumbai Project Intent: Mazgaon consists of a variety of buildings with different physical and functional characteristics.

However, there is a lack of a unifying element in the area because of which all these distinct spaces are disconnected from each other.

The site is situated in a niche between the railway yard and space 118. It can act as a cultural and commercial cluster by attracting people from the neighborhood and other parts of the city. Presently, the kirti warehouse occupies the site. However, with the shifting of major port activities to navi Mumbai and the planning of the eastern waterfront development, the warehouse is in a state of being derelict.

I believe that redeveloping the space occupied by these buildings would pave the way for creating a space that can provide greater value to the area.

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The institution needs to be accommodating and flexible as multiple stakeholders and users are supposed to occupy the spaces within it. Considering this variety of users and their various uses, the building must have multiple spaces that can be used commonly between all of them and thus increase collaboration and provide dedicated spaces for each user.

The building must strike a fine balance between being a community center and office space. This could be achieved through the hierarchy in spaces and functions vertically and controlled accesses. Creating public plazas and pedestrian pathways on the ground level would connect the building to the street and space 118 and provide for informal exhibitions, performance and gatherings. These open spaces could be interspersed with lawns to create smaller public gardens, double as spill-out spaces for various programs on the ground level.

Conceptual Massing

Programmatic & Timeline Strategy

Opening the block

Generic office block

Bringing in the street

Scaling the built for a public front

Creating an internal street network

Repeating and rotating blocks

Optimal views and terraces

Key Massing Strategy

Terraces: Numerous terraces built through out the building provide spaces of varied scales and privacy for unique functions.

The terraces provide a 360 degree view of the area around the site which include the mazgaon hill, the railway yard and the sea at a distance. As the building goes higher openings on the south facade increase so as to provide a view of the sea.

Facade: The facade of the building folds multiple times in an attempt to increase the surface area on the north in order to increase natural light inside the building.

The multiple folds also help with naturally shaded spaces.

Greenscapes: Along with a garden that functions as spill out spaces for exhibition spaces and the library, greenery is added through out the building on its multiple terraces so as to provide a comfortable and soothing environment.

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The Co.Ve The building consists of an extension to the Space 118 already present on site, a workshop area shared by the product design office, Space 118 and the neighborhood, an amphitheater, artist residences, gym and day care, library and multiple cafes. The building is made up of two distinct buildings, the smaller one housing all the community functions and the on the rear being the office building.

It has 3 entrances to cater to the different groups of people occupying the building, a main pedestrian entry from the street, West entrance from Space 118 along the amphitheater, and a vehicular entry and drop off point from the East. It has two floors of basement parking with provision for hydraulic parking systems.

co-workin spaces

Programmatic Distribution & Circulation Diagram For Ground Level

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.R

AT H

OD

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Section BB’

drop-off point

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Cafe

Exhibition space

Library

Amphitheater

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Key Concepts From Initial Explorations

Circulation and connections to site edges

Interactive spaces and response to site edges

Workshop & Studio

Section EE’

Day Care & Kids’ Zone

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Library

Cafe

Product Design Office

Workshop & Studio

Section AA’

Co-working Spaces

Auditorium

Internal Plaza

Product Design Office

Workshop & Studio

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A

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02 Gandhi Baug Performance Centre Mixed Use & Performance Space AR3018 - City and Performance Spaces | Monsoon 2020, Semester 7, Year 4 Professor: Jayant Gunjaria | Viral Bhavsar Located in Chowk Bazar, Surat Studio Intent: All arts are expression of the drama that human life creates. Art has the ability to transform and present complex intellectual-rational issues in a very accessible manner to general masses, which in turn has profound impact on collective functioning of that society. Performing arts are the mediums that celebrate human drama in the most direct, accessible and vibrant and manner.

Performing arts are about expressions that are experienced by the collective and are primary manifestation of the socio-cultural processes of the given society. Since beginning of the civilizations to modern times, performing arts and rituals are enriching the human existence

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and thought beyond primary concerns of survival and propagation.

It is then vital to understand the role of performing arts in socio-cultural development that is responsible for generating the image and vision of the city. This generates the inquiry about the nature of spaces, which generates, allows and enables the environments where performances can take place. It also looks at how those specific contexts allow certain kinds of performances and in turn how performances and the spaces that host them influence their contexts.

Conceptual Ideation

Urban Vision

Final Design in Urban Context

Site Understanding and Design Concept: Chowk bazaar consists of a variety of buildings with different physical and functional characteristics, however there is a lack of a unifying element in the area because of which all these distinct spaces are disconnected from each other. The site is situated in a key location, at the edge of the old and the new city. It has the potential to act as a gateway between the two parts of the city and attract people from both parts of the city to come and occupy it.

Presently the Rangupvan and the SMC parking sit on the edge of the site towards the Vivekananda circle, one of the major junctions of the city. Rangupvan built in 1960, lacks adequate infrastructure that a good performance space would require. Redeveloping the space occupied by these buildings would pave way for creating a space which can provide greater value to the overall context of the river, public garden and existing historic places.

The performance space should respond to the varied types of performances that occur in the city and hence could have space on the

ground level which could hold small and more informal performances, it can even be a place for people from drama and music societies to meet and experiment. This should be accompanied by a more formal, multi purpose auditorium on the upper level which can be used for drama, music performances as well as seminars. Due to the historic context that the site is set in there could be regularly scheduled performances in the space which could then become a part of the heritage walk. This would help bind the performance space with the context on more than just a physical level.

The garden could be an extension of the performance space on the ground level itself rather than a separate entity. More public activities can be promoted by adding a walkway along the existing retaining wall to connect the performance space with the Fort, this would connect the river with both, the performance space and the fort. Similarly a thoroughfare can be created between the garden and the performance space where the existing bus stop could connect to the pedestrian walkway.

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Site Analysis

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Exploded Axonometric

Auditorium Ceiling

Auditorium Roof Structure

Auditorium Envelope

First Floor Ceiling

First Floor Structure

Stage & Seating

Auditorium Level

Glazing

Ground Floor Structure

Ground Floor And Site

Massing

Site Volume

Making Mass Parallel To Site

Separating Auditorium Mass 13

Gandhi Baug Performance Centre Strength

Opportunity

There exist some pedestrian circulation.

Local buses connect to the area but there are no BRTS stops hence the network is limited to a smaller region.

Increasing infrastructure for pedestrian traffic along public spaces.

Making the bus stops directly accessible from the public spaces such as the fort and Gandhi Baug.

Weakness

Threat

Inadequate amount and quality of pedestrian infrastructure.

The bus stops have very basic infrastructure and are extremely disconnected from thes paces around them.

There is a threat of hawkers taking up spaces on the pedestrian circulation.

Difficulty in controlling access into the public space and increased traffic.

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

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Key Idea Ground Floor Plan at LVL + 3 M LEGEND Main Entrance Toilet - Male Toile - Female Admin Shops Government office Cafe Fright Lift

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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Reorganizing the existing build spaces on site in order to efficiently occupy the space as well as to connect to the garden was the underlying idea behind all concepts in the design.

The Auditorium has a seating capacity of 648 people.

There are 2 large green rooms for 12 people each with a bathroom and change room attached to it, a store room and a freight lift for transporting sets and props at the backstage.

The terrace above the backstage is accessible as is used for services such as space for outdoor AHUs.

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LVL 0.0

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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION 8.

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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

LVL + 1.5M

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

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LVL + 1.2M

Auditorium Layout at LVL + 17 M LEGEND

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Auditorium Stage Side Stage

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Auditorium

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

14000 MM

Auditorium Foyer 6000 MM

Ground Floor 1500 MM Road LVL

Basement 1 -5150 MM

Sight line Section 0 1m

2m

4m

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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

03 Pavilion For Indian Folk Art Kinetic Pavilion AR2021 - Space Kinematics | Spring 2020, Semester 6, Year 3 Professor: Anuj Anjaria | Muntaha Rushnaiwala Located at Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad Studio Intent:

Project Brief:

This studio focused on the transformative potential of architecture and the intricacies of making and detailing through the idea of transforming roofs/walls/facades/floor. Along with architectural qualities/spatial qualities which are primarily derived from its process of making.

Kinetic Pavilion at Gandhi Ashram

Assimilating learning from all studio exercises, the final project required us to design a pavilion with a kinetic element within an existing context which would respond to the existing built spaces as well as climate and user needs.

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Indian folk art is still practice by tribal communities but they don’t get the recognition that most art forms do. The objective of the pavilion is to create a space to display these varied art forms as well as be flexible to accommodate temporary exhibitions, performances and workshops of similar nature.

Process Sketches

Sketch plan of site showing the expanse towards the river, flooring pattern and landscaping elements.

Sketch showing the form of the columns, the column and beam relationship and the placement of the louvers between the beams

Iteration of floor plan of the pavilion and surrounding site

Idea sketches showing the plan and elevation of the pavilion

Idea sketches for location of different Idea sketch of perspective view from parts of the kinetic element, different point inside the pavilion. sections of louvers, location and types Detail of tension cables used to of handle and the movement required reinforce the beam and location of PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION PRODUCED

BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION to move the louvers. louvers between the beams

Selecting the site

Area occupied by the pavilion

Structural grid

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK S

Offsetting columns to free up corners Rotating the Pavilion along the entrance axis

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Section

Kinetic mechanism details

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Plan

Bird-eye view of the pavilion

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04 Nirant Guest House AR2011 - From Drawing Board To Construction Sites | Spring 2019, Semester 4, Year 2 Professor: Kartikeya Shodhan Located in Pindwal, Valsad Studio Intent: This studio begun with us observing and documenting our own homes; it’s services, doors, windows, kitchen counters and staircase as well as the ground realities on site with on construction site visits with weekly site visits.

During this we documented and understood the innumerable processes and factors which are at play on any ongoing site. Along with this we visited local markets for material procuring which

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made us aware about how different materials are manufactured, stored, transported, etc. All these exercises helped us make more informed decision during the design process.

Left: Final Models Below: Exploded Axonometric showing internal volumes and spaces.

Project Brief: Guest House at Pindval The project was to design a guest house on an ongoing site in a NGO run school campus in Pindval, Sarvoday campus, keeping in mind costing, climate and relevance to the context while designing.

The site had much to offer with the upcoming school building on one side and trees and mountains on the other. The idea behind the design was to provide something that would last long without any major problems, would be easy to construct and maintain by the locals and provide at least basic amenities and a good experience for the guests who come to stay there.

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05 Play Den Intervention 1005H - Living Places | Monsoon 2018, Semester 3, Year 2 Professor: Puneet Mehrotra | Juzar Lanewala Located in Bhadra, Ahmedabad Studio Intent: There are places, the organization of which make you feel more alive and freer. And there are places, the organization of which deprives you of any feeling of life. The studio unit focused on transforming life-depriving places into lifeenhancing ones. Places that come about as a result of a shared existence. Where different life forms partake of each other, help each other.

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The Studio, through the works of Christopher Alexander, began by locating and studying the characteristics of lively spaces. These were then used to propose an intervention at a life deprived place identified by us.

Section

Roof Plan

Project Brief: Playground at Bhadra, The project idea originated from my trips to Bhadra, where I saw children playing on the street and an empty, dilapidated plinth in the middle of the Bhadra Plaza. The project aimed to make a fun and lively place for the children to play in safely, an oasis in the middle of the urban desert that is Bhadra.

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06 Extracurricular August 2020 - Government Initiative Cycle 4 Change Challenge: Took part in first phase handlebar analysis, proposed contests and handled social media as part of the Cycle 4 Change team Surat under Mr. Sunil Jain, Surat’s first bicycle mayor.

December 2018 - SWS Ways of seeing structures in architecture: Making a hyperbolic paraboloid using bamboo sticks, PoP bandages and cement. Designed by me and fabricated in a group of 5.

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December 2019 - Oneistox Oritecture with Anok Mitra: Learning and exploring origami art and how it can be applied to architecture. Individually created parts were connected to created the final outcomes in groups.

May 2018 - SWS Parametric surfaces: Exploration and fabrication of double curved surfaces using Rhino and Grasshopper, individually and group installation (white).

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Capturing art architecture:

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1. CEPT library East facade.

2. Patwa ki hawali in Jaisalmer.

3. View of the south lawns from an opening in the CEPT library.

4. CEPT library external view. Capturing the play of light and shadows caused by the shamiyana during high noon.

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5. Details at Marina Barrage in Singapore.

6. Staircase at CEPT Library, Ahmedbad.

7. An art installation at Sanskar Kendra, Ahmedabad.

8. The canals of Venice.

9. Fallingwater by Frank Llyod Wright.

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