ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO by Sanjana Sundaramurthy

P O R T F O L I

SANJANA SUNDARAMURTHY STUDENT ARCHITECT

Hello,

I am Sanjana Sundaramurthy an architecture graduate.

In this portfolio, I have selected a few projects that reflect my personal experience and learnings as a student of architecture and it is a previlege to share the same with you.

Personally, I believe that Architecture as a profession has the ability to actively create positive transformation on the people, space and planet. Through my years at Architecture school, I have realised that design is conscious effort to do something new and better every step of the way. As a student I have been able to explore design as a subject and realised that it helps me keep in sync with the urge to create something new. If given the opportunity I would love to join your team and give it my best.

ACADEMIC

BACKGROUND

NAME AGE PLACE CONTACT

EMAIL

2004- 2019

Sanjana Sundaramurthy 23

Tamil Nadu, India +91 90255 06042 sanjanas0801@gmail.com

D.A.V PUBLIC SCHOOL

TAMIL NADU, INDIA

PRIMARY - HIGHER EDUCATION

2019- 2024

MEASI ACADEMY OF ARCHITECTURE

TAMIL NADU, INDIA

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE

2023 5 MONTHS

THE PURPLE INK STUDIO

ACADEMIC INTERNSHIP

2023

INTERIOR DESIGN

COURSE IN INTERIOR DESIGN BY UPSKILLIST

EXPERIENCE

2022

BLACKOUT DESIGN FEST

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING WORKSHOP BY NEXT GENERATION 3D PRINTERS PVT. LTD.

2020

#CREATEWITHCUBIQLE

COURSE IN GRAPHIC DESIGN BY CUBIQLE STUDIOS

SKILLS

ADOBE SUIT

PHOTOSHOP INDESIGN

ILLUSTRATOR LIGHTROOM

MODELING SKETCHUP RENDER LUMION VRAY ENSCAPE

OTHER AUTOCAD OFFICE

COMPETITIONS

2023

TINY LIBRARY

RE THINK AND REIMAGINE THE IDEA OF LIBRARY BY VOLUME ZERO COMPETITIONS

2022

TRANSPARENCE 17.0

LIGHT IS RIGHT BY SAINT GOBAIN AND ETOS EMPOWERS

2022

THE TINY HOUSE

LESS HOUSE MORE HOME BY VOLUME ZERO COMPETITIONS

REMINISCENCE OF A HOME

Re-imaging life at the end. a hospice for neurological disorders

VARNNAM

Re - thinking the spatial requirements of a child’s learning environment

LIVING BOX

A compact social group housing for a dense urban context

DISSOLVING BOUNDARIES

A little library bridging the divide between people

THE CREATIVE COMMUNE

Revitalising a new age design and architecture campus

SELECTED EXTRAS

Captures - Architectural photography

REMINISCENCE OF A HOME

Re - imaging life at the end. a hospice for neurological disorders

PROJECT BACKGROUND

ABSTRACT

“Where we die is a key part of how we die. Actually, I would question whether there is one way that you are supposed to act around death and if there’s not, I’d ask you to think about what a good death is. What you think architecture that supports a good death might be like?”

- Ar. Allison Killing of Killing architects

“THE HOSPICE”

developing the master plan

Consisting of two realms, the masterplan of the hospice is modelled along a diagonal axis leading towards views on either sides and a concentric pattern of blocks which gives way for greater safety and comfort of scale.

“THE VILLAGE”

an island for communal living

Located at the rear end of the site, “the village” is the main patient accomodation zone with a centre for critical care and a centre for respite care. Zoned and oriented to make maximum use of the spectacular views surrounding the site, the village opens to views of both the beach and the Huddleston gardens.

The diagonal axis of the village zone maximises wind direction and positive views. In the middle of the village is a central marketplace with support amenities like supermarket, salon and coffee shop which becomes a place for daily activites and gathering.

“A

CORNER OF CONGREGATION”

A light filled tree court with built in seating activates the intersections between the patient accomodation rooms by creating a common space to gather and interact.

“BUILDING A HOME THAT IS FAMILIAR”

Each housing unit is an abstraction of traditional housing and settlement native to our community. Fundamental design elements like the frontyard, the thinnai, the backyard and so on are abstracted and scaled to suit each housing cluster in order to create a familiar environment for the patients. While the fundamental idea here is to replicate a living similar to that in a traditional settlement native to our community, the design elements and architectural features are contemporary. This creates a sense of comfort and safety through recognisability and a sense of exploration through variety.

FLOOR PLAN - GROUND FLOOR centre for respite care

01 - entrance foyer [200 sqm.]

01a - tree court [60 sqm.]

02 - private housing unit [85 sqm.]

03 - library [500 sqm.]

04 - ramp

05 - water feature

06 - green pocket

“A HIERARCHY THAT GIVES AUTONOMY”

Each house opens into a small interactive corridor with seating and landscaping that brings four houses into a cluster.

Two clusters connected by an entrance foyer and tree court creates a larger communal house. The hierarchy of a house> a entry > a street gives patients autonomy over how they want to socialise with others.

It is this autonomy that gives the patients both a sense of independence as well as comfort and safety.

“THE VEETHI OF DAILY LIFE”

The double loaded corridor running in between the patient accomodation rooms is an active place for a journey of sensory explorations.

“THE

VEETHI OF DAILY LIFE”

The green deck becomes a round the clock healing garde that breaks the volume of patient rooms out into the surroundings.

“SENSE AND

SPACE” The kinesthetics of hospice

VARNNAM

Re - thinking the spatial requirements of a child’s learning environment

PROJECT BACKGROUND

LOCATION : Alapuzha, Kerala, India

YEAR : Academic work 2020

TYPOLOGY : Institutional

AREA : 9000 sqm

ABSTRACT

“The children themselves are essential – their games, movement, vision, and scale. Children’s spontaneity, disorganisation, unpredictability, purity, curiosity, and optimism impact the design.”

- Architetura director David Kraus

Children spend a considerable duration of their formative years in a school, and hence built environment is key in shaping their developmental approach. As a school is rightly called a student’s “second home”, home must be a place of comfort, growth, safety, and empowerment.

The idea behind this project is to focus on a design that can extend a child’s learning environment beyond a space, its rigid structure and formal environment by breaking down the space by itself based on three aspects : diversity, flexibility and sociability.

Activity nook projects out from the semi open space and frames spectacular views from around the site

Semi open activity space oriented towards views of nature from around the site

Locally available natural mud block (perforated) as a secondary skin for semi open spaces provides a sheild against harsh sun and winds

Light well visually connects the upper and lower levels of the classrooms

Sand pit becomes a small scale anchor point for a group of classrooms to gather and interact

Deep seating nooks activates the classroom and corridor and creates a continued series of break out spaces

Large aluminium windows with 1m wide cantilever that holds a planter box with creepers - an insulating thermal barrier

“RE

IMAGINING A MODULAR ACADEMIC CLUSTER”

Each academic cluster here is envisioned as a modular composition of different functions that contribute to a holistic learning experience.

Each cluster consists of 6 classrooms distributed over two levels; these levels further share a semi open activity space and an activity nook. The levels are connected through a circular lightwell over a sandpit and a tree court for an open learning experience.

SCRIBBLE BOARD - CONCEPT

“CLASSROOM”

A“NILAM” CENTRAL COURTYARD

“DECENTRALISED LEARNING UNITS”

The modular academic cluster form decentralised learning units around the central courtyard that is built around the existing vegetationa available on site.

These learning units are anchored together by staircases along the courtyard with colourful circular stained glass cutouts that add a touch of playfulness to the vertical circulation.

Other common amenities such as staffrooms, multi purpose hall,

NORTH - SOUTH SECTION

(eng. Colorful) Having much or varied colors

EAST FACADE

A young child’s learning environment can not be just a set of stark walls it has to be curated to pique the interests of its occupants. It should have the ability to excite and energise the children.

Each classroom here is designed with a playful mix of natural lighting, vibrant colors and nooks and crannies that alleviates the space to much more than just a box.

The colors and the quality of natural light expands the horizon of possiblities that a classroom holds in shaping a child’s positive emotions, psychology and creativity.

“A FRAGMENT OF SECTION”

Hallways are kept narrow and short to increase proximity between similar age groups and creates a sense of community for the kids. These hallways further activated and made intresting by creating colourful seating nooks making it a place for interaction and communication.

LIVING BOX

Compact social group housing in an urban context

PROJECT BACKGROUND

LOCATION : Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

YEAR : Volume zero competitions 2023

TYPOLOGY : Residential

AREA : 8000 sqm

ABSTRACT

“With our design, we wanted to show that you can have the spaciousness and nature of the countryside on the tenth floor in the middle of the city. We believe the city should be for everyone, including families with children.”

- Ar. Frans de Witte (partner, MVRDV architects)

The term HOME from the begininng of time has been an intimate entity to all human beings. However man has always been a social animal meaning Housing is as much for a community as it is for an indvidual. All across the globe, millions of people move to cities everyday in hope of a better life. However the urban housing markets are not capable of handling such volumes efficiently.

Rethinking newer and hybrid housing models such as pod houses, smart homes, tiny homes, co

MULTI GENERATION SINGLE

COUPLE FAMILY

ONE SIZE FITS MANY

ONE SIZE FITS ALL

A MODERN ADAPTABLE LIVING SYSTEM

A one size fits many living model that can respond to the need for more diverse ways of living.

STANDARD STRUCTURAL FRAMEWORK

Precats concrete walls

UPVC Glass partition

WORK+LIVE UNIT

4 - 6 USERS PER UNIT

Multifunctional living area

Common work area

Kitchenette + dining area

Deck area

Informal living area + hammock

Two sharing sleeping area

Two sharing sleep + work area

01.COUPLE OR ELDERLY SLEEPING UNIT

04.WORKSTATION + STORAGE UNIT

07.SEATING + STORAGE UNIT

08.SOUTHERN FACADE UNIT

09.NORTHERN FACADE UNIT

10.INTERIOR SOLID WALL PARTITION

11.BIFOLDING GLASS PARTITION

12.SEATING NOOK

4

CO-LIVING UNITS

4 - 6 USERS PER UNIT

Multifunctional

Two

1 - 2 USERS indvidual UNIT

COUPLE UNITS | SINGLE UNITS

Common bathroom

Kitchenette + dining area

Deck area

3 - 4 USERS UNIT

FAMILY UNITS | CO-LIVING UNITS

Multifunctional living area

Common bathroom

Kitchenette + dining area

Deck area

Informal living area + hammock

Kids sleeping area

Private adult sleeping area

4 - 6 USERS UNIT

MULTI GEN UNITS | WORK+LIVE UNITS | CO-LIVING UNITS

Multifunctional living area

Common bathroom

Senior sleeping area

Kitchenette + dining area

Deck area

Informal living area + hammock

Kids sleeping area

Private adult sleeping area

B B A

“WORK+LIVE UNITS”

Private sleeping area with workstations and a bifolding glass partition for additional privacy shared between 4 users.

“MULTI

GENERATIONAL LIVING”

Open plan with a lower leve senior sleeping area, a kitchenette + dining area and a double height deck area.

STANDARD FLOOR PLAN PRIVATE OR SLEEPING LEVEL

STANDARD FLOOR PLAN SEMI PRIVATE OR LIVING LEVEL

4 - 6 USER UNITS

3 - 4 USER UNITS FAMILY LIVING | CO - LIVING

1 - 2 USER UNITS SINGLE LIVING | COUPLE LVING

“A

FABRICATED FACADE”

Various modular facade units consisting of a grid of planters and fenestrations makes an aesthetic composition for the facade.

DISSOLVING BOUNDARIES

A little library bridging the divide between the people of siruvayal

PROJECT BACKGROUND

LOCATION : Siruvayal, Tamil Nadu, India

YEAR : Volume zero competitions 2023

TYPOLOGY : Socio - Cultural

AREA : 300 sqm

ABSTRACT

“There is no architect who doesn’t want to build a library - and I am no different. With so much scrutiny now attached to reading - because of technology and how we approach it as a social activity, that is a very exciting area in architecture.

- Ar.Anabelle Selldorf (Founding principal Selldorf architects)

Rural populations across the globe face a mass exodus of its younger communities owing to the lack of education, health care, employment oportunities among many factors. Despite the strenuous efforts to make knowledge and learning accessible to every last person in this world, knowledge in any form remains inaccessible to a number of communities around the world.While the doors to education might be open to few of these people, they still stand a good many paces away from it.

The new LITTLE LIBRARY will bridge this divide and take the people of these communities a few steps closer to a brighter and shinier tomorrow.Bringing libraries as an educational incubator and social centre to these deprived communities can induce a positive development towards a better tomorrow.

“ELEVATE”

“VOID”

“ENCLOSE”

LEVEL 3 “THE TOWER OF HOPE”

Protruding out of the massing towards the sky, this tower makes the little library taller than all the buildings of the surrounding area. Across the many levels of the tower SOLITARY READING SPACES.

This tower will stand as a symbol of hope and prosperity for the people of the village. Enclosed yet not cut off from its surroundings this becomes a place for isolation and contmplation.

LEVEL 2 “THE ATTIC”

An auxillary semi public level replicates the cozy and warm feeling of an attic and becomes a place for reading and a DIGITAL LIBRARY. A statement spiral staircase juts out of this level leading to a tower.

This level forms an enclosure of a space that can enable solitary and indvidual activities above the mainstream noise.

LEVEL 1

“THE NEW COMMON GROUND”

A human library on the stairs with platforms for people to share their thoughts and experiences leads to a public level with a SECOND - HAND BOOK STORE and a LENDING LIBRARY. Amidst this public level sits an airy, sunbathed and tree filled court which becomes the story telling area.

This level forms a bridge which becomes the new common ground cevoid of any discriminationa between the peole and forms a platform for learning and knowledge sharing.

“THE NEW COMMON GROUND”

Story telling area - Couryard or Muttram; a vernacular architecture element native to the Chettinad region.

“TOWER OF HOPE”

Solitary reading areas;a third place for contemplation and self reflection.

“A FRAGMENT OF SECTION”

Terracotta roof tiles that is a vernacular material and available in abundance in the region is used to create a mesh like skin wall. This facade sysytem creates a play of light and shadows while the materiality resonates the vernacular and local architecture of the surrounding region.

ROOF STRUCTURE

1. Terracotta clay roof tiles

2. 125X100 mm Timber battens

3. 50 mm Thick polystyrene core and fibreboard insulation

4. 100X150 mm cold galvanised steel box section purlin

5. 150X300 mm cold galvanised steel box section rafter

FACADE SYSTEM

1. 75 mm Dia circular steel sections with L angles for slotting

2. Face courses of Terracotta clay tiles slotted onto circular section

3. Horizontal angled course of Terracotta clay tiles

4. Acute course of Terracotta clay tiles

5. Equilateral courses of Terracotta clay tiles

6. Vertical angled course of Teracotta clay tiles

FLOORING STRUCTURE

1. 270 mm Thick precast concrete slab

2. Red oxide floor tiles

MAIN COLUMNS AND BEAMS

1. 250 mm Dia circular steel column

2. 100X250 mm cold galvanised box section primary beams

3. 75X200 mm cold galvanised box section secondary beams

THE CREATIVE COMMUNE

Revitalising a new age design and architecture campus

PROJECT BACKGROUND

LOCATION : Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

YEAR : Academic work 2022

TYPOLOGY : Institutional

AREA : 120000 sqm

ABSTRACT

“Today’s students value thoughtfully-designed campuses that make them feel at home and when architects design campuses with this core value in mind, students feel more connected to the university culture and look forward to going to class each day. This is where effective university campus design has the greatest impact.”

- Ar. James Sink (Design prinicipal, HMC architects)

A campus is an institute that is more than just classrooms and laboratories. It must be a carefully curated combination of elements that come together to create a robust and holistic learning experience.

This project re-thinks the crucial elements of any learning environment and the proposed design makes a campus that will promote a cohesive learning experience. A crucial element of the design ideology here is to create a balance between communal spaces and other functional spaces.

VISUAL AXIS CIRCULATION SPINE

“COMMUNE

- THE MASTERPLAN”

A central stepped quadrangle built along the site contours is the central part of the masterplan. The academic blocks overlook into the quad and is surrounded by pockets of green incorporating existing vegetation. Smaller pockets hardscapes branch out from the centre forming quads for sport, interaction and other activities.

ACADEMIC BLOCK RESIDENTIAL BLOCK

ACADEMIC BLOCK

ACADEMIC BLOCK

1 - Student foyer

- Foyer

- Library Foyer

- LIbrary 5 - Office 6 - Pantry

- Kitchen 8 - Cafeteria 9 - Dining spillover 10 - Courtyard

- Event space

- Forum

- Computer studio

- Toilets

ARTS ACADEMIC BLOCK FLOOR PLAN

6 - Classroom spillover

7 - Roof garden

8 - Literature lab

9 - Seminar room

1 - Multipurpose hall

2 - Communal reading area

3 - Student foyer

4 - Staff room

5 - Classroom

10 - Audio visual lab

11 - Courtyard

12 - Event space

13 - Toilets

ARTS ACADEMIC BLOCK FLOOR PLAN

MULTI PURPOSE SPACE

LIBRARY SPILLOVER

EVENT SPACE

COURTYARD

SECTIONAL PERSPECTIVE - DESIGN ELEMENTS

QUADRANGLE

CAFETERIA

CLASSROOM SPILLOVER GREEN ROOF SPILLOVER

SECTIONAL PERSPECTIVE - DESIGN ELEMENTS

The library is an indvidual entity spread across three levels and is connected by a semi open staircase at one end and a triple volume COMMUNAL READING AREA at the other end.

Large plate glass windows and a secondary brick skin wall creates enough shading and an intresting play of shadows.

AXONOMETRIC DRAWING

Showing vertical circulation paths and modules of the block

LIBRARYMODULE

LITERATURELAB - MODULE

CLASSROOM MODULE

Each classroom module opens out into a spillover space which becomes a place for interaction and keeps the classroom distatnt from its context yet connected. The literature lab also opens into a spillover space over the forum but is scrrened by a brick skin wall creating a contemplative ambience.

“LIBRARY - COMMUNAL READING AREA”

Located at the rear end of the movement sequence in the library, the communal reading area is a triple volume space flooded with abundant natural light via large panes of glass and a secondary skin wall.

“CLASSROOMS - SPILLOVER SPACE”

Deep shaded spillover that become grounds for inreraction and relaxation, extend the learning environment from the classroom to its immediate surroundings and keeps the classroom away from the mainstream noise.

SELECTED EXTRAS - ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY

SELECTED EXTRAS - CAPTURES

Architectural photography