RACHITHA ONKAR-PORTFOLIO-2024 by rachithaonkar

PORTFOLiO

Rachitha Onkar

Education:

FA 2022 – Current

Master in Landscape Architecture

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

2016 - 2021

Bachelor in Architecture.

S J B School of Architecture, India

Design Practice

SEPT - CURRENT Graduate Research Assistant

Department of Landscape Architecture

JUNE - AUG 2024 Landscape Architecture Intern

Upland Design

2021 – 2022 Junior Architect

Nilam Nethram Designers, India

Softwares:

Autodesk: AutoCAD, Revit

Adobe Suite: Acrobat, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator

Geographical Information Systems

Rhinoceros 3D, Plugins: Grasshopper

Lumion 3D, Enscape

SketchUp 3D

Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook

1. Flowing connection: Leverage in Surplus of Water in an event of flood

Urbana-Champaign,Illinois, USA

LA 533: Planning and Design Studio

2. Placemaking: Enhancing Visual Connectivity to Landmark Gateway Arch

St Louis, Missouri, USA

LA 534: Design Workshop

3. D.C.F.L : A Campus Landscape

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Completed Project. Firm Work

4. Upland Design: Internship Work

Chicago,Illinois, USA

5. Acoustic Design for Deaf in Landscape Architecture : A Concept

Urbana-Champaign,Illinois, USA

FA 550: deaf* in and around art and communication.

6. Storm Water Project : Weaver Park

Urbana-Champaign,Illinois, USA

LA 342: Site Engineering (Group Project)

7. Other Work : Volunteering and Art

1. FLOWiNG CONNECTiONS

This projects aims to leverage the surplus of water on site by implementing various strategies for water collection and identifying potential locations for these initiatives. The primary objective in the site design is to utilize the gathered water and develop a landscape that not only mitigates impact of 100 year flood which has a 30% chance of annual flooding, but also enhances the recreational aspects of the surroundings. The boneyard creeks falls within the regulatory flood zone, posing a flood risk during heavy rainfall events.

Urbana Champaign,Illinois

TYPOLOGY OF PLOTS

IMPERV IOUS PERV IOUS

RUNOFF AND RAINFALL COLLECTED ANNUALLY ON SITE IN CU.FT

The Annual Rainfall and Runoff rates on site were estimated using the EPA’s National Stormwater Calculator (SWC) which uses green infrastructure as low impact development controls where the rates are estimated for the next 5 years. The calculations are based on the water retention frequency on site over the years and the potential water storage capacity of the site.

LOOP SYSTEM CONCEPT

According to FEMA, typical uses of rainwater include landscape irrigation, wash applications, ornamental pond and fountain filling, cooling tower make-up water, and toilet and urinal flushing. With additional filtration and disinfection, harvested rainwater can also be treated to potable standards to supplement municipal potable water supplies to facilities.

WATER COLLECTION STRATEGIES:

Streets affected by Topographic Wetness Index

Floodway Streets

The surface runoff around the creek is circulated through the narrow channels placed at the height of the base flood elevation.

5. RUNOFF NEAR THE CREEK

4. ROOFS OF THE BUS STOPS

COLLECTION

FILTRATION

GRASSES AND SEDGES

TREES AND SHRUBS

WATER PLAY

FEATHERING

KEY PLAN

FEATHERING OF PLANTING ACROSS THE CREEK

Nyssa sylvatica

Full infiltration permeable pavers Betula nigra

Sambucus cerulea Lindera benzoin

Physocarpus opulifolius Amorpha fruticosa

Taxodium distichium Thuja occidentalis Acer rubra

Lonicera tatarica

Tall shrubs Small shrubs and ground cover

Tall trees and shrubs

Pedestrian Path Road

Creek

Water overflow 3’ above Existing ground level

Creek Cycle Path

Swale

Tall trees

ENLARGED PLAN: FiLTRATION ZONE

Water play area at the water play zone. The water is filtered to portable standards and the perspective shows people physically interacting with water and the additional water being used for irrigating the surrounding community gardens.

This project deals with Continuous Productive Urban Landscape (CPUL). The site is in Gate District of St.Louis. The landmark of St. Louis is the gateway arch designed by Finnish Architect Euro Saarinen. This CPUL deals with providing the residents of the gate district the visual connectivity to the St. Louis downtown which involves the Gateway Arch. The site is located at the higher topography and offers stunning view from the site into the downtown. The productivity of this space is defined by the visual connectivity that changes through the journey of the user taking the path of the CPUL.

St Louis , Missouri

SiTE PLAN

The CPUL is strategically chosen depending on the connection to the residential zones,to bring the people out from their homes to navigating themselves through urban farms and farm street for an evening snack all the while enjoying glimpses of the skyline.

Ground plane along the direction of vision Direction of best point of vision

Ground plan raised at a slope of 4 percent Seating at the edge,directly at line of vision

Kid’s play area

Outdoor exercise area

Deck overlooking Gateway Arch

Slope down to community center Community Center

Perspective view showing the deck which offers the visual connectivity from the site in Gateway District to the St Louis Gateway Arch. The ground plane is gradually elevated and then widens out to offer a retreat and value the skyline of St.Louis.

This project is a campus landscape for Deeksha Centre for Learning PU College (DCFL), located in India. The goal is to create shaded outdoor seating spaces, along the pathway and near the volleyball courts.

This is a firmwork and I worked on renderings for the design proposal and the details for seating, paving layout and a planting layout for trees. I also oversaw the execution of brick benches and laying of pavers.

Bangalore, Karnataka, India

04. UPLAND DESIGN INTERNSHIP WORK

N SACRAMENTO BOULEVARD

Location/History Summary

N. Sacramento Boulevard is located in the Humboldt Park and West Town community area. The buildings along the boulevard consist of commercial and industrial. There are 3 driving lanes in each direction (including service drives). No bike lane is present. A kiosk at Augusta Boulevard describes Humboldt Park. The center drive transitions from service drives at the south to only central drive north of the metra tracks.

Park

LEGEND

Length: 0.63 miles

Beginning: N. Sacramento Boulevard (Sacramento Square)

End: W. Augusta Boulevard (Humboldt Park)

Boulevard Type: Center Drive with Service Roads

Irwin Park Community Input Meeting. We proposed playground and park options and asked the users to vote. This is better understand and design to the requirements of the public.

Site Visit

To create a punch list, where in I verified the planting plan and the planting quantity.

Humboldt

05. ACOUSTIC DESIGN FOR DEAF

Question: In what ways does acoustics play a role in designing outdoor spaces for deaf?

DESIGN PARAMETERS

1. TREES

Sound source or noise

Goal: Propose a schematic design intervention of a street which accommodates the acoustic needs of the deaf

The loudness of the noise need to be reduced to enable deaf people to have uninterrupted conversations. These sketches suggest tree and shrub forms that can be integrated into design. The trees or shrubs need to have dense foliage, reduce visual axis to the sound source and capable of obsorbing a considerable amount of sound

2. TOPOGRAPHY

The noise travelling on a flat ground, reaches the ears of a person. This is not ideal

Using berms to reduce sound

3. SURFACE MATERIALS

Using berms to reduce sound

Using barriers like retaining wall

These sketches suggest design approches that obstruct vision to the sound source using topography to create shadow zones (shaded in grey). Shadow zones are region with eliminated unwanted sounds.

Hard materials like concrete and gravel scatters sound and can create echoes and cause discomfort for people depending on hearing aids. So, it is important to have surfaces porous in nature to absorb sound.