Architecture portfolio_Rakshith Raghu

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Selected Works II 2020-2025

RAKSHITH RAGHU

WORK EXPERIENCE

Oyler Wu Collaborative

Architectural Designer - full time

September 2024 - Current // Los Angeles, USA

Worked primarily on NEOM projects, including Neighborhoods (Stage-1) and Mansions (Stage-3).

Involved in all project phases from Conceptual design. presentation, design development to production.

Morphog enesis

Junior Architect - full time

August 2021 - August 2022 // Bangalore, India

Involved in the Design development of retail and commercial projects such as the Infosys Campus building in Pune, Surat Diamond Bourse and Capitol Towers in Bangalore. Worked extensively on producing Construction drawings using Revit.

CollectiveProject

Design Intern - full time

July 2020 - June 2021 // Bangalore, India

Assisted in design, modeling and construction documentation for residential projects in Bangalore and Hyderabad. Contributed broadly to the Cooketown House and Teja Raju residence.

EDUCATION

SCI_A rc

2022 - 2024 Masters in Architecture (M.Arch 2)

BMS College of Architecture

2016 - 2021 Bachelors in Architecture

ACHIEVEMENTS

Institute of Urban Designers India

2020 / UG Thesis - Dystopia // Honourable Mention

National Award for Excellence in Architectural Thesis, COA India

2020 / UG Thesis - Dystopia // Third Place

Annual NASA Design Competition

2018 // Honourable Mention

SKILLS

Construction Drawing

AutoCAD // Revit

3D Modelling

Rhino // Grasshopper // Maya // Z-brush // Cinema4D // Blender // SketchUP

Visualization

Unreal Engine // Redshift // Twinmotion // Photoshop // Indesign // Illustrator

Model Making and Fabrication

Wood Working // Metal Working // 3D Printing // CNC Milling

intertwined (Spring & Fall 2023)

n exus (Winter 2025)

Indo-futurism (Summer 2024)

Axis (Spring 2024)

block house (Summer & Fall 2020)

t he orbitA l (Fall 2023)

Intertwining pipes forming the exoskeleton of the project.

intertwined

Re-thinking the typology of a Skyscraper

Project Type - Skyscraper

Instructor - Jackilin Bloom (JHB studio)

Consultants -

Matthew Melnyk (Nous Engineering)

Sophie Pennetier (Enclos)

Jamey Lyzun (Arup)

Project Partner - Vandana Taluru, Kelly Dix Van

Location - Downtown, Los Angeles, CA

Date - Spring and Fall 2023

The project reflects on the typology of Office towers and explores alternative ways to address the need for high-density housing in Los Angeles. The focus was to go beyond simply designing a building that serves as an advertisement and instead prioritized creating vibrant civic spaces, safe private spaces, and designing for resilience. The design postulates that the autonomy of the architectural discipline is tied to its physical context and that the responsibility of tall buildings lies in how they serve their inhabitants and meet the ground rather than reaching for the sky.

Software and Technique - Rhino, Blender, Cinema4D, Midjourney, Unreal Engine, AutoCAD.

Program distribution study

333 S Grand Ave, LA, CA 90071

Structural Analysis

Composite structure comprising of I-beams covered in concrete.

Wells Fargo Twin Towers - SOM RCC Core

Contains 22 Elevators along with toilets and services. Occupies 25% of floor area.

Comprises of 54 and 45 floors with an area of 22,000 sqf each.

The aim of the project was to design a vertical community to accommodate people’s conflicting desires to enjoy the cultural advantages of an urban centre, without sacrificing the private home identity and garden space associated with suburbia. The result would be a distinct village-like community on each floor, with interior streets. A central mechanical core would serve these homes and gardens, while shops, offices, and other facilities on the ground and middle floors would provide for the residents’ needs.

Urban skyscrapers are normally made up of identical, stacked, boxlike units, ‘Intertwined’ would allow flexibility and individual choice. The wide variety of house styles, gardens, hedges, and fences described in this intricate section and renderings provide a sense of the personal identity and human connection that are generally erased by the austere and repetitive elements of architectural formalism.

Living

Offices

Co-working space

Retail Plaza

Public Spaces

Retail Core

Services

Restaurants

Study model
Study model

massing and technology

chun K

Integration of Live-work with Public spaces

Until the first half of the 20th century, some parts of Los Angeles contained very high levels of groundwater that residents could use as a water source. As the city developed, water usage increased at an exponential rate, eventually running the groundwater dry. Today, the majority of L.A.’s drinking water comes from the Mono Basin and Owens Valley to Los Angeles. At some point, due to the ever-increasing need for water, importing water is not sustainable.

With this in mind, an in-house water treatment plant was designed to convert Grey water generated in the building and those of our neighbors into clean water for reuse. During this process, we incorporated Microbial fuel cell technology also called the MFCs was incorporated to generate electricity from the Grey water.

A microbial fuel cell is a device that generates electrical energy from the metabolic activity of microorganisms such as bacteria. The process starts with the microorganisms breaking down organic matter through their metabolic processes, resulting in the release of electrons and protons. In more technical terms, the electrons generated during the metabolic process of microorganisms travel from the anode to the cathode through an external circuit, creating a flow of electricity. In the cathode compartment, the electrons react with a terminal electron acceptor, such as oxygen, forming water or other compounds.

Microbial Fuel Cell system (MFC)

design develoPment

RCC Core

The existing core is modified to withstand the new load of the project by increasing the wall thickness.

Photovoltaics

Solar panel locations derived from the solar radiation study. Peak power generation - 475kW.

Structure

The building contains six transfer slabs to displace the column grid as necessary.

Active Systems

HVAC system strategy with locations for the mechanical rooms.

Schematic Section

tyPical wall section

CURTIAN
CURTIAN

CUSTOM CAP FOR MULLION

MULLION

DOUBLE PANE LAMINATED GLASS

WOODEN FLOORING 3/4’’ PLYWOOD SUPPORT BATTENS

L ANGLE FOR CAPPING

REINFORCED CEMENT CONCRETE METAL DECKING

CONCEALED CURTAIN BLINDS SYSTEM

STEEL L-BRACKET

BOLTS

STEEL I-SECTION (PRIMARY STRUCTURE)

STEEL STUD

SUSPENSION HANGER WIRE

MAIN TEE (ALUMINUM SUPPORT SYSTEM)

1/4’’ GYPSUM BOARD

Detail 3

CUSTOM CAP FOR MULLION

DOUBLE PANE LAMINATED GLASS MULLION

WOODEN FLOORING

L ANGLE FOR CAPPING

REINFORCED CEMENT CONCRETE METAL DECKING

STEEL L-BRACKET

STEEL I-SECTION (PRIMARY STRUCTURE)

STEEL STUD INSULATION METAL CLIP

3’’ PRECAST CONCRETE PANEL

Detail 1

chunK develoPment

SYSTEMS

1. Composite Metal Deck Slabs
2. Planter Terrace
3. Curved Exterior panels with Rectilinear interior surfaces
4. Precast GFRC panels
5. Curved glass curtain wall system
6. Metal Panels
7. Exposed services pipes held by concrete yokes and brackets
8. Double glazed curtain wall

STAINLESS STEEL HANDRAIL

SOIL INFILL

GRAVEL

ROOF DECKING

COMPOSITE METAL DECK SLAB

PRIMARY STEEL STRUCTURE

STEEL HSS SECTION METAL FLASHING

SUSPENSION HANGING WIRE

MAIN TEE

1/4” GYPSUM CEILING

1/8” METAL PANELS

INSULATION

3/4” PLYWOOD

WOODEN FLOORING

COMPOSITE METAL DECK SLAB

PRIMARY STEEL STRUCTURE

INSULATION

STEEL STUDS

1/8” METAL PANELS

STEEL L-BRACKET

PREFABRICATED 3” GFRC PANEL

Link to Project video and walk through.

Museum entrance defined by the tilt of the cubes.

Project Type - Museum (Compitition)

Office - Oyler Wu Collaborative

Supervisor - Dwayne Oyler, Jenny Wu

Location - Hsinchu City, Taiwan

Date - February 2025

The Museum is designed as a series of three interlinked cubic volumes, subtly tilted and faceted. It features a composition of public spaces that puzzle into the cubic volumes, while overlooking the central courtyard. The required floor area of the project is 15,530 sqm , accommodating galleries, education spaces, museum shops, cafes and restaurants.

Scope of Work - Involved in all stages of the project from schematic design to presentation including 3D modeling, rendering, environmental studies and detailed drawings.

Software and Technique - Rhino, Autocad, Twinmotion, Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator.

Fine Art Museum in Taiwan

massing stratagy

Site & Context

SITE

The project responds to the existing library, composed of four cubes arranged around a central courtyard.

Orientation

Three cubes, each oriented toward the library, park, and street, are arranged around a central courtyard.

Tilt

The cubes are stratigically tilted inwards to create a sense of enclosure to the courtyard.

Circulation

The tilts create slits in-between the cubes that form the circulation of the building which is further accentuated.

Ground floor Plan

Inspired by Hsinchu’s unique blend of cultural heritage and technological spirit, the museum’s architecture draws from the geometric language of the neighbouring library, shaping its spaces through a series of cubes.

These cubes are interlinked by a multistoried figure that mostly houses public spaces on every floor of the museum. Each detail of the museum embodies the spirit of connectionfrom meandering pathways that echo the intertwined narratives of history and progress to subtle transitions between solid and void that evoke wonder and curiosity. Visitors become part of a broader story: a community brought together through art, drawing wisdom from the past while looking boldly toward the future.

Orthographic render of the Interventions.

indo-futurism

Project Type - Urban Intervention (Thesis)

Advisor - William Virgil, John Cooper

Location - Bangalore, India

Date - Summer 2024

Indian architecture is a rich tapestry of diverse styles, deeply rooted in culture and expressed through intricate patterns, vivid colours, and ornate details. In contrast, post-colonial India has experienced a shift towards minimalism and Westerninfluenced aesthetics, prioritizing functionality over highresolution architecture that once glorified India.

This thesis aims to (Un)build the prevailing post-colonial narrative by re-introducing ancient design language into the current landscape of contemporary India. This fusion of styles is made possible by blending heritage with cutting-edge technology.

Software and Technique - Rhino, Z-brush, Cinema4D, CNCmilling and 3D printing

the art of rangoli

Part Site plan

Rangoli is an ancient Indian folk art that involves creating colorful patterns on the floor or ground. It’s a traditional way to welcome blessings and celebrate auspicious occasions. The designs are often made of powders, flowers, or chalks and are intended to be ephemeral, lasting a short time before fading away.

Rangoli patterns were studied and interpolated to make it three dimensional. These 3D patterns were further fused with mechanical elements to improve its structural qualities.

tyPologies

The towers are held together by a combination of 3D-printed terracotta structures and steel components. The form of it is derived by interpolating Rangoli patterns into three dimensional forms. This pattern is then reinforced with structural elements and strategically multiplied in order to increase rigidity and strength.

At this scale the patterns transcend into something greater than mere ornaments. They have unique tactile and interactive spatial qualities that is hard to replicate with conventional architecture.

1. High Rise Office towers

Indian temples are renowned for their intricate carvings and motifs that adorn every facade. These carvings typically depict various deities, mythological tales, music, emblems, and floral ornaments. While the stories portrayed may not be directly relevant to contemporary times, the magnificent aesthetic qualities of these elements are certainly worth preserving. Formally, the temple stands above the ground on stilts amidst a dense residential neighbourhood.

Windcatchers function by capturing cooler breezes at higher elevations and direct them into the building. They typically consist of a tower with one or more openings facing the prevailing wind direction. As the wind enters these openings, it is funneled down into the interior spaces, creating airflow and cooling the floors below. In addition to cooling, windcatchers can also help remove warm air by creating a chimney effect.

Adopting them in residential towers will reduce the reliance on energy-intensive HVAC systems and lower energy costs considerably. They align with India’s traditional architecture and offer an ecofriendly and energy-efficient solution to combact the warm climate of India.

2. Temple
3. Windcatcher Residences

The site is located in Bangalore - the Silicon City of India. It is characterised by a densely populated residential neighbourhood, a tech park - a typology that has emerged throughout the city in the past few years and a public park.

The public park is designed to have multiple levels and is intervened with scaled-up ornamental forms to create interactive and playful spaces.

Physical puzzle in its assembled form.

Project Type - Maritime museum and Hotel

Instructor - Jenny Wu ( Oyler Wu Collaborative )

Project Partner - Riya Venkatesh

Location - Keelung City, Taiwan

Date - Spring 2024

The project develops from the idea of a puzzling object, inspiring a series of formal translations and driving the architectural discourse. The puzzle’s inherent qualities rely on discovering intriguing postures through rotational axes and pivots. Various elements within the puzzle challenge conventional interpretations of their spatial reach and functional role within the overall assembly. Embedded within the schism of the rectilinear puzzle lies an intricate network of interconnected components, traversing hidden conduits and intersecting disparate pieces.

Software and Technique - Rhino, Midjourney, Cinema4D, Illustrator, CNC milling, 3D printing.

Exploring Form and Connections

Puzzle assembly

Base
Footing
Pivot Base
Socket
Plug
Minor Pivot
Column
Key
Lock
Scissors
Front Insert
Major Pivot

massing

The massing was a result of the ‘heterogeneity’ and a ‘flexible posture’ of the original puzzle. Drawing inspiration from the puzzle geometry and movement, the intent was to deconstruct and transform it through various moves such as pivoting, rotating, subtracting and adding of individual pieces. The resulting building volumes were strategically placed on the site, with the original ‘key elements’ serving as focal points. In order to maintain the spatial relationships from the initial puzzle, the transformed building volumes were seamlessly integrated with a new designed topography.

The project was further developed into a sectional model that illustrates the manner in which the residual puzzling elements translate into the building scale. Moments of pivot and lock allow for programs to nestle into each other while creating precarious moments of surprise allowing the building to create a unique central atrium which is highlighted in copper.

Basement
Lobby
Amphitheater
Exhibition space 05. Connection to Ship
Restaurant & Atrium
Auditorium
Hotel

Physical model

A number of panels are curved strategically to create openings for natural ventilation.

Facade detail
Sectional model

Post-completion photo of the project.

b loc K house

Project Type - Private Residence (Completed)

Office - CollectiveProject

Supervisor - Cyrus Patel (CollectiveProject)

Location - Bangalore, India

Date - Summer & Fall 2020

The Block House is a private residence for a family of four, tucked in the corner of a residential neighbourhood in Bangalore. The design of the four-bedroom house was driven primarily by the specificities of the family’s lifestyle with a central atrium that provides visual connections across all floors of the home. The project reuses debris material from the existing building on the site to create mud-concrete blocks for the new construction which adds a secondary narrative to the already personal story of the home.

Scope of work - Involved in designing and creating construction drawings for wall sections, elevations, flooring and shuttering layouts, as well as interior details.

Software and Technique - Rhino, AutoCAD, Illustrator, Photoshop.

Residential project in Cooke Town
Ground floor plan
First floor plan
Second floor plan

building section

The ground floor was cast in exposed concrete with an open floor plan, and on the upper levels, the debris blocks used for the wall construction are left exposed. At the centre, a sculptural staircase is washed with light from above with strategically placed skylights at multiple levels. Large planters at every level obscure the building from passers-by, and the roof is covered with solar panels exceeding the building requirement for power generation.

ALIGN L-ANGLE BOTTOM W/ TOP OF 31st COURSE.

ALIGN L-ANGLE BOTTOM W/ TOP OF 17th COURSE.

15mmGROOVE TO BE PROVIDED BTW EXPOSED CONCRETE SLAB AND FIRST BLOCK

ALIGN L-ANGLE BOTTOM W/ TOP OF 31st COURSE.
Pictures of the fabrication process

Project Type - Academic

Instructor - Dwayne Oyler (Oyler Wu Collaborative)

Project Partners - Raunak Ch audhary, Vandana Taluru

Location - Los Angeles, CA

Date - Fall 2023

The Orbital was an investigation into the future of Architectural detail. Beginning with the question, “What is an architectural detail today?” The project considers a range of critical positions on the issues and tests its outcome through the design and fabrication of a doorknob detail.

Crafted for the Tamadia Office building by Shigeru Ban Architects, the doorknob is meticulously designed to effortlessly blend visual simplicity with a synchronized symphony of technical elements and complex joineries in sequential sync with one another.

Software and Technique - Rhino, AutoCAD, Illustrator, CNCmilling, 3D printing, Electroplating, Wood Working.

Detail as Structural autonomy

construction details and oPeration

2” thk Birch plywood door.

7x0.7x0.7” copper lock with casing for magnets.

2” thk Birch plywood door.

0.5x0.5x0.5” neodymium rare - earth magnets.

7x0.7x0.7” copper lock with casing for magnets.

0.15” thk copper track and casing to house the turning mechanism.

0.5x0.5x0.5” neodymium rare - earth magnets.

0.15” thk copper track and casing to house the turning mechanism.

0.15” thk copper plate with grooves to facilitate the movement of the rollers.

0.75” dia POM plastic roller.

0.15” thk copper plate with grooves to facilitate the movement of the rollers.

4.7” dia circular copper plate with door handle.

0.75” dia POM plastic roller.

0.4” thk plywood covering.

4.7” dia circular copper plate with door handle.

0.4” thk plywood covering.

Locking mechanism with 0.5x0.5x0.5” neodymium rare - earth magnet.

0.15” thk copper plate with grooves to facilitate the movement of the rollers.

Locking mechanism with 0.5x0.5x0.5” neodymium rare - earth magnet.

0.15” thk copper track and casing to house the turning mechanism.

0.15” thk copper plate with grooves to facilitate the movement of the rollers.

4.7” dia copper plate with composite door handle.

0.15” thk copper track and casing to house the turning mechanism.

2” thk Birch plywood door.

0.4” thk plywood covering.

4.7” dia copper plate with composite door handle.

2” thk Birch plywood door.

0.4” thk plywood covering.

0” 2” 4” 10”
0” 2” 4” 10”

digital to Physical

p e l a . .

+1 (213) 712 3602 rakshith5535@gmail.com linkedin.com/in/rakshith-raghu-8517601a6 120 W Wilson Ave, Glendale, CA 91203

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