Sruthy Menon Metro Mosaic
A portfolio exploring the intersection of people, place and urban design
note from the editor
Hey there! I’m Sruthy, an architect and urban designer with a passion for place making and sustainability. Whether its crafting vibrant, livable spaces or human centered sustainable buildings, I’m all about creating spaces that people love. Armed with a strong toolkit - wizardry in Adobe Creative Suite, sorcery in Sketch up and Lumion, finesse in Autocad and Revit - I have worked in multi-disciplinary fields of urban design, landscape design, architectural design and graphic design.
I believe that every design starts with understanding people and place - the users and the site. My approach integrates sustainability and practicality. I’m naturally inquisitive and do not hesitate in taking up multiple challenges and meeting pressing deadlines calmly. When I’m not in my studio, I’m usually found at art galleries and beaches convincing people that South Indian filter coffee is the best.
Experience
Freelance Designer
LONDON
JUNE 2024 – PRESENT
Architectural Intern
STUDIO architectureRED, INDIA
JUNE 2021 – DEC 2021
Urban Design Architect
STUDIO architectureRED, INDIA JUNE 2022 – JULY 2023
Education
MA Urban Design
University of Westminster 2023 - 2024
High Merit
Bachelors of Architecture
Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science 2017-2022
CGPA - 9.30/10 Silver Medalist (Second Rank)
Project Title:
Status: Studio Project - University of Westminster
Urban Design Framework Development
CONCEPT 01
02
development SITE
analysis
Location: West Silvertown, London, UK
Project Scope: Urban Master Planning
The site has been studied to have a requirement of a mixed use development in one of the opportunity areas in London
PUBLIC realm design
a) Open Space
b) Street Network
c) Urban Blocks
Block
Bar Blocks
Row Blocks
Tower Block
04PRIVATE realm design
05 codes
DESIGN
FRAMEWORK06 development plan
ThamEscape
Project Title: Urban
Status: Academic Project - University of Westminster
Designing Space For Teens
how does a space become a place?
canal - physical barrier
vehicular and pedestrian
active nodes
passive surveillance
02
VISION
Location: Lisson Grove, London, UK
Project Scope: Place Making
The site hosted a football court, basketball court and play area - a hot spot for teenagers. But why aren’t they there? Lack of Safety, integration of assets, and basic infrastructure to name a few. How do you welcome teens here?
Viewing Deck
03SITE
Destination
Viewing Deck
Open Air Theatre
Playgrounds
Green Pockets
Accessibility Ramp
Status: Professional Project - Studio architectureRED
Project Title: Beach Promenade
A City On the Edge?
SOCIAL
Location: Marina Beach front, Chennai, India
Project Scope: Place Making
THE 8 PLACE STRATEGY - Eight places are envisioned along the entire beach front, deriving their location and character from the existing street network and functions.
The 8 places activate important nodes along the stretch. While each place is treated as layered public space with various activities such as seating, landscape, cafes and play spaces, every place has a distinct function that is predominant, based on the existing context.
strategies 02ECOLOGY
STREET SMART
UNVEILING THE POTENTIAL OF LOW TRAFFIC NEIGHBOURHOODS IN AN INDIAN METROPOLITAN
ABSTRACT
more from the author (dissertation)
The promotion of active travel and the development of pedestrian-friendly urban environments have been gaining momentum as effective strategies to tackle urban congestion and improve air quality, given the adaptation of healthy lifestyles. The lowtraffic neighbourhood approaches have been utilized in developed countries with the view of supporting active travel and lessening motorized traffic. Even so, how such practices are applicable or adopted within developing nations remains relatively unexplored. The present dissertation particularly aims at studying urban practices that encourage active travel, with a focus on Low Traffic Neighbourhoods in developed countries and how they can be implemented in developing countries using Chennai, a prominent South Indian metropolis, as a case study. This research tries to identify socio-economic, cultural, and infrastructural elements which influence the successful adoption and adaptation of active travel initiatives within the diversity of the urban context. It will also help to give valuable insights to policymakers, urban planners, and other major stakeholders in the process of formulating urban development and sustainable transportation strategies.
A Low Traffic Neighbourhood, in simple words, aims at making a space comfortable for those user groups who adopt modes of active travel for commutation rather than vehicular modes. This is achieved by creating safe and comfortable urban elements like pedestrian pathways, cycle tracks, and urban parks, and increasing the amount of time it takes for people to commute using individual vehicles.
Being a developing city, issues related to urban mobility are not exempted in Chennai. Transport usage varies from private cars and motorbikes to public transport and active travel among different socio-economic groups. A drastic increase in vehicle ownership in the recent past has resulted in severe traffic jams in most of the motorways. Contained within these, however, is an opportunity: the potential to integrate the ongoing expansion of the metro rail network with active travel initiatives aimed at enhancing connectivity and accessibility and encouraging more sustainable modes of transportation.
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