Aditya birla yuva ratna suppliment

Birla White

Yuva Ratna Aw a r d s 2 0 0 9

Birla White

Yuva Ratna Aw a r d s 2 0 0 9 To all the ignited designer minds, Let me begin with a sincere thank you to all, who are now part of the Birla White Yuva Ratna Awards family, for an outstanding portray of designs in varied themes from 2004–2008.

2009 saw the Birla White Yuva Ratna Awards take a giant leap in our sui generis initiative by reaching out to many foreign students from member SAARC countries, going international for first time ever!

The number and type of entries received stand testimony to the renewed format, which was very well received and appreciated by both, the students and faculty of various colleges of architecture. The overwhelming participation by foreign university students set high standards for the competition. Also, the idea influx helped improve design understanding among peers and put the students at par with international trends.

Themed around the use of Birla White products and initiatives, the award aims to be catalytic in providing an opportunity to aspiring architects and designers to unleash their potential. The competition brief for 2009 was ‘Global Knowledge Centre’ and ‘Knowledge Media Centre;’ in which participants were expected to showcase their intellectual understanding of housing ‘knowledge’ in a centre of excellence. This book includes published drawings of top National and Zonal winners across categories. It is an attempt to bring forth the enthusiasm and creative geniuses of young minds, who are brimming with ideas that take on a life of their own. See how!

Involve and evolve, D R Dhariwal President, Birla White

CONTENTS Page

Winners in GKC Category

2

National Winner, First Prize

4

National Winner, Second Prize

6

National Winner, Third Prize

8

National Winner, Third Prize

10

National Winner, Fourth Prize

Winners in KMC Category 12

National Winner, First Prize

14

National Winner, Second Prize

16

National Winner, Third Prize

Top Winners in Zonal Category 18

North Zone, First Prize in GKC Category

20

West Zone, First Prize in GKC Category

22

South Zone, First Prize in GKC Category

24

Central Zone, First Prize in GKC Category

26

List of National and Zonal winners across categories

National Winner 1st Prize Category

Global Knowledge Centre Concept:

The project was idealised as an orchestrated voyage towards attaining peace of mind and as a resultant experience of a deeper understanding of nature. Presented as integration of 5 sanctuaries where 5 different facets of mind manifest, the design is based on concept of a ‘pathway,’ where the mind can experience and is transformed through exposure to nature.

From the Sanctuary of Pause to the Sanctuary of Solitude, it is a tracked pathway where one will leave their footprints behind. Crossing a fifth water body on barge, one transcends into the Sanctuary of Transcendence at the other end.

Design Intervention

The dynamic movement of contours was disciplined by the main axis, which transfers the water bodies into single units. Centring on this axis, the sinusoidal movements divide the scheme into sub-sanctuaries, a series of enclosures, allowing one to absorb the entire setting of the design. A geometric form was purposely employed to give order to the whole semicircular structure, while straight walkways maintain a rigid control and prevent diffusing spaces into landscapes. In order to keep the mind clear and uncluttered, interior elements were kept to the minimum. This creates an ambience conducive to admire nature. The language used throughout is the celebration of a simple style and minimalist design approach.

Modern civilisation is the era of technological miracles giving birth to various interventions. Man has become more and more materialistic in his attitudes and values; he needs to pause this rat race and change pace to attain spiritual values and peace of mind. This is essential to achieve a daily routine that connects with the natural world and its rejuvenating forces and to seek the ways to reconnect with our roots.

The Global Knowledge Centre project was foreseen as a place where one could experience the essence of nature, resulting in a deeper understanding of it.

Project The project called for a sanctuary that returns our body, mind and soul home and a place to meet individuals who share an intimate sense of belonging to nature. The proposed project, while being capable of evolving these qualities would also be unique. It would display the different facets of peace of mind categorised under different sub-categories: • • • • •

Sanctuary of Pause and Distinction Sanctuary of Rest and Recreation Sanctuary of Connectivity and Absorption Sanctuary of Solitude and Expansion Sanctuary of Transcendence and Self-Observation

Ms. Gayani Lakshika Hewage

Landscaping

Department of Architecture, University of Moratuwa - Sri Lanka

The pathway through the sanctuary is a live experience through the vegetation within the eco-system. From entry to the main, semicircular structure, it displays a variety of vegetation grouped under 4 categories: Ground Cover, High Ground Cover, Hedge Plants and Trees, where the entire journey within the sanctuary will make a gradual transformation. It will give visitors an ultimate forest experience as they enter the canopy walkway.

Finishes

The finishes would be a gradual change from rough to smooth: polished cement rendering floors, cement mixed with titanium dioxide along with fair-faced concrete walls. The colour is kept monochrome by using natural colours of materials, so as to prevent the visitor from being distracted.

Jury Comments

Construction Technology Adopted

The structure is composed of steel, reducing the bulk of the building, and completed with walls of precast concrete panels. It is comparatively advantageous in terms of sustainability. The entire building has a greenroof, which facilitates the habitat in expressing an earth bound quality.

Context Location:

The jury appreciated the participant’s sensitivity and approach towards the design brief and the site, wherein an attempt was made to take the brief a little ahead in its spirit and not stay confined to the programmatic requirements of the competition.

A southern part of the Colombo district, about 6 miles from the city of Colombo.

Neighbourhood

Building Performance • • •

A significant feature is the linear commercial development along the ColomboMorana Main Road; otherwise it consists of low-dense scattered built fabric occupied by middle-income residential communities.

Passive building with low energy usage Onsite waste water treatment Utilisation of a hybrid system of natural and artificial energy

Aesthetics of the place

Though the site is located adjoining a lousy road, the setting creates a serene environment free from noise.

Vegetation • • •

It is along an open water course Marshland areas dominated by grass Freshwater swamp forest areas

Topography

Variation of slope makes the site is a highland compared to the surrounding marshland.

Site The site is located in the south of Boralesgamuwa junction, one of the most important urban wetland present being threatened by human intervention. The site is a linear stretch connecting 5 water bodies.

Climatic Data 1 Rainfall

The site lies in the west zone and consequently the precipitation throughout the year is high.

Annual average rainfall 2,800mm

2 Temperature

Coolest temperatures are during the monsoon.

Lowest air temp. 22.8 degree Celsius in January Mean temp. 31.5 degree Celsius in April

3 Wind

March to October: from southwest December to January: from northeast

An attempt to create the spaces with a feel of timelessness, discovering the whole built environment through layers of existence and integrating favourably with the surrounding landscape are some of the key features the jury appreciated. There is consistency right from conception to final presentation, which is quite remarkable. The jury commends the outstanding quality and genre of the presentation.

The award is a great platform for young architects to express their creativity in putting to use a very flexible & malleable material in GRC. - Ar. Kapil S. Bhalla, Studio For Environment & Architecture, Mumbai

National Winner 1st Prize Category

Knowledge Media Centre

• Located at the southwestern lake shore of the Umiam Lake, Shillong, Meghalay • Meghalay at macro level - small state, hilly strip in northeast India - Meghalay literally means ‘Abode of Clouds’ • Site at micro level -Umiam Lake, 16km from the city of Shillong - On the Guwahati–Shillong Highway -103km from the chaotic city of Guwahati

Towards north • The design derives from the appreciation of nature’s beauty • If you happen to collect petals of different flowers, you will find that each of them is distinct and have their own patterns.

• What happens when these petals make a composition?

Is the beauty of each petal still retained distinctively? Or do completely new beauties arise from them, like the formation of water from the mixture of hydrogen and oxygen.

• The two fins run through the two axes, this in principle, is the building’s design orientation.

The built environment has been designed in such a way that it does not destroy the existing landscape and prevents the soil erosion by strengthening the terrain through • hard landscaping, built environment • soft landscaping , reforestation

Mr. Richard Sadokpam

Towards northeast

School of Planning and Architecture, J N T U – Andhra Pradesh

Longitude 91:52:23E Latitude 25:34:32N Altitude 1491m above sea level.

Climate Sub-tropical climate, with warm summers and cold winters Max.temp range 23.6°C–16.7°C in summer 14.4°C–5.3°C in winter

Jury Comments The jury found this winning entry very sensitive to the scale of both, the programme as well as the setting. The presentation was appreciated because of its 3D views and hand drawn sketches.

By air - Umros Airport, 30mins from Sillong -Guwahati Airport, direct flights from Kolkatta, Delhi, Bangkok etc.

By Railway – Guwahati railway station, 103kms from shillong.

By Road – Meghalay Transport Corporation - BUSES Assam State Transport Corporation - BUSES

• The site forms a perfect canvas for a cheerful room with the entire mountainous and ethereal landscape reflected in the waters of the lake.

• The site is located 103km away from the urban chaos of the large urban conglomerate, Guwahati • Directly accessible from the highway • A peaceful site, the right option for a Global Knowledge Centre where research will be conducted with a residential program

• An important character of the design, they are installed using GRC. They have sharp pointed edges shooting up to the sky, reflecting that the right path to knowledge/education is an undefined paradigm.

• Strong visual statement of ‘Geometric symbolism’ • Functional symbiosis - Compelling later developments to be lake friendly - Avoiding water pollution

1) Wind Energy: As Shillong gets northwesterly winds, windmills can be set up since the site faces the northeast and is at a higher altitude.

2)Rain Water Harvesting: • Meghalaya is wettest place in the world. It receives the highest amount of annual rainfall in the world.

3) Solar energy: • Solar panels can be set up. Water geysers can be run by the energy thus developed. Solar water heaters can also be effective.

Birla GRC: It has been used in the fins and can also be used in the murals.

Textura: It has been used in most of the exterior open surfaces, besides being used in mini theatres and auditoriums, as sound absorbent surfaces Levelplast: used in most of the interior wall surfaces.

• Introducing aesthetic materials in such places would create ‘benchmarks’ in the life style and built environment of these places.

• Application of such materials in fresh places like the northeastern states would be like ‘old wine in new bottle’.

• Ramps are provided for every level difference in ratio of 1:50 • Handrails and railings are installed wherever necessary • A lift is provided for vertical transports.

However, better representation of concepts and context needs attention. A literal interpretation, in the form of petals, can be avoided. Tangible aspects of the design idea and appropriateness of material application can be further explored.

The competition encourages students of architecture at every level in every school on a national level, to compete on a variety of subjects. In turn, it is a learning process for them apart fom routine syllabus.

- Ar. Nitin Killawala Nitin Killawala & Associates, Mumbai

west Zone Winner 1st Prize Category

Global Knowledge Centre

Mr. Manjeet R. Dugesar

St. Francis Institute Of Art & Design, Mumbai - Maharashtra

Jury Comments This design stands on two important piers, future and imagination. But is also uniquely tied together by the thin thread of the past.

The structure is modern in its presentation, appearance and mode of function. It hints towards the future, which is yet to be discovered and therefore holds a promising change. Choice of materials and over all design composition makes it a futuristic design.

Students should experiment free-hand with presentation techniques.

Birla White Yuva Ratna Awards competition is going through a very genuine evolution and has been attempting many improvements for the last couple of years. This year the competition was focussed on identifying and encouraging the creative understanding and ability to design over mere design presentation.

- Mr. Srinivas Murthy G. Founder, Chief Executive and Architect of SMG Design Inc., Delhi

List of Birla White Yuva Ratna Awards-2009 Winners National Global Knowledge Centre • 1st Ms. Gayani Lakshika Hewage, Department of Architecture, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka • 2nd Mr. Pathirana Kumarage Daminda Prasad, Department of Architecture, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka • 3rd Mr. Arvind R. School Of Planning And Architecture - Anna University, Tamil Nadu • 3rd Ms. Nidhi Vinay, Dayanand Sagar College Of Engineering, Karnataka • 4th Mr. Mukul Sharma, IIT, Roorkee, UP

Knowledge Media Centre • 1st Mr. Richard Sadokpam, School Of Planning And Architecture,

J N T U, AP • 2nd Mr. V Girish, Aayojan school of Architecture, Rajsthan • 3rd Mr. Ankit Singh, IIT, Roorkee, UP

North Zone Global Knowledge Centre • 1st Mr. Aditya Vallabh, School of Planning & Architechture, Delhi • 2nd Mr. Akshay Sharma, Aayojan School of Architecture, Rajasthan • 3rd Ms. Vandana Chauhan, Aayojan School of Architecture, Rajasthan • 4th Ms. Sachi Bajaj, Aayojan School of Architecture, Rajasthan • 5th Ms. Sonal N Alwaya, Aayojan School of Architecture, Rajasthan

Knowledge Media Centre • 1st Mr. Jay Prakash, Malaviya National Institute Of Technology, Rajasthan • 2nd Mr. Yash Mittal, Malaviya National Institute Of Technology, Rajasthan • 3rd Mr. Hitesh Shrishimal Ashokkumar, Malaviya National Institute Of Technology, Rajasthan • 4th Mr. Pushpendra Kumar, Malaviya National Institute Of Technology, Rajasthan

West Zone Global Knowledge Centre • 1st Mr. Manjeet R. Dugesar, St. Francis Institute Of Art & Design,

Maharashtra • 2nd Mr. Manohar Jangid, St. Francis Institute Of Art & Design,

Maharashtra • 3rd Mr. Akshay B. Makeshwar, Priyadarshini Institute Of Architecture & Design Studies, Maharashtra • 4th Mr. Dipesh Chauhan, St. Francis Institute Of Art & Design,

Maharashtra • 5th Mr. Vaghela Vishal B, St. Francis Institute Of Art & Design,

Maharashtra

Knowledge Media Centre • 1st Mr. Ashish .J. Athawale, Marathwada Mitra Mandals College Of Architecture, Maharashtra • 2nd Mr. Sameer Dilip Andre, Marathwada Mitra Mandals College Of Architecture, Maharashtra • 3rd Mr. Akshay B. Makeshwar, Priyadarshini Institute Of Architecture & Design Studies, Maharashtra • 4th Mr. Suchet Pradeep Babaria, Priyadarshini Institute Of Architecture & Design Studies, Maharashtra

east Zone Global Knowledge Centre • 1st Ms. Binita Mahato, Bengal Engineering & Science University

(Department of Architecture), Kolkata • 2nd Ms. Riti Samanta, Bengal Engineering & Science University

(Department of Architecture), Kolkata • 3rd Mr. Arpan Das Gupta, Department of Architecture,

Jadavpur University, Kolkata • 4th Mr. Sourav Banerjea, Ajay Binay Institute Of Technology, Orissa • 5th Mr. Ajit Singh, Department of Architecture, National Institute of Technology, Bihar

Knowledge Media Centre • 1st Mr. Sourav Banerjea, Ajay Binay Institute Of Technology, Orissa • 2nd Ms. Ananya Dash, Ajay Binay Institute Of Technology, Orissa • 3rd Ms. Ananya Dash, Ajay Binay Institute Of Technology, Orissa • 4th Ms. Bipsa Pattnaik, Ajay Binay Institute Of Technology, Orissa

South Zone Global Knowledge Centre • 1st Mr. R. Sakthi Bhuvaneswari, Measi Academy Of Architecture, Tamil Nadu • 2nd Mr. Mohmmed Mushab, Kls Gogte Institute Of Technology, Belgum, Karnataka • 3rd Mr. Mohana, Adhiyamaan Engineering College, Hosour • 4th Mr. Vinay Mohan, Satyabhama Institute of Science & Technology, Tamil Nadu • 5th Mr. Rajeev G Malagi, B M S College of engineering, Karnataka

Knowledge Media Centre • 1st Mr. Vignesh, Satyabhama Institute of Science & Technology, Tamil Nadu • 2nd Ms. Vandana Prakash, Dayanand Sagar College Of Engineering,

Karnataka • 3rd Mr. Syed Muballigh Hamid, C S I Institute Of Technology, AP • 4th Ms. Sivapriya Peddakotla, C S I Institute Of Technology, AP

Central Zone Global Knowledge Centre • 1st Mr. Piyush Jalan, IIT, Roorkee, UP • 2nd Mr. Shafiq Ur Rahaman, Zakir Hussain College Of Engineering And Technology (Architecture Department), UP • 3rd Mr. Sunil Sharma, Madhav Institute Of Technology & Science

(Architecture Department), MP • 4th Ms. Tanushree Sharma, Institute Of Architecture And Town Planning, Bundelkhand University, UP • 5th Mr. Abhinay Sharma, National Institute of Technology, UP

Knowledge Media Centre • 1st Mr. Abhijeet Sharma, IIT, Roorkee, UP • 2nd Mr. Nithish Joseph Monson, IIT, Roorkee, UP • 3rd Mr. Mohit, Sunder deep College of Architecture, UP • 4th Ms. Aarati Saxena, IIT, Roorkee, UP