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