Architecture and Interior Design Portfolio_Sehaj Kaur Brar

With a strong belief in the design instinct developed over the course of my academic and professional years of learning and practice, I envision myself contributing to the international design diaspora through acquired managerial knowledge enabling sustainable design oriented businesses.

CONTENTS

PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL

A study on technology addiction and catering to the need of a rehabilitation centre for yound adults

UNDERGRADUATE THESIS, SUSHANT SCHOOL OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE

02. A URBAN INTERVENTION IN Overcoming the challenges of gentrification by providing a platform to craftsmen through an Artisan’s Bazaar

02. B SETTLEMENT STUDY IN BHUJ, GUJARAT SEMESTER 4, SUSHANT SCHOOL OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE

03. THE HIVE COWORKING Office Interiors, Bangalore MYVN Architecture Status: Built

04. MEDIAMONKS OFFICE Architecture and Interiors, Filmcity Noida Studio Bipolar Status: Built

05. Outhouse of a luxury residence Architecture and Interiors, Ludhiana Punjab Studio Bipolar Status: Ongoing

THE VERGE: BEYOND DIGITAL BOUNDARIES

A study on technology addiction and catering to the need of a rehabilition centre for young adults and working professionals

Location- DLF Cybercity, DLF Phase 2, Sector 24, Gurgaon

Area- 2,18,500 sq.ft.

Thesis Guide- Mr. Micheal Karrassowich

Project Role- Individual Project Design (Study, research, narrative, concept, design and drawings by author)

A modern day hortus conclusus; a space which seeks to understand the landscape it denies, explain the world it excludes, bring in the nature it fears, and summarise all this in an architectural composition. Is physical social isolation leading to psychological incapability of the average human ultimately leading to the increase in need of rehabilitation centres for technology addiction in the near future?

The purpose of this research is to identify the consequences of extreme use of technology and therefore providing rehabilitation to such individuals in the metropolitan hub of Gurgaon.

This project caters to the need of the youth trapped in digital social rituals, with inadequate social skills. To create a space conducive for them to recover from the inherent technology addiction through spaces that encourage social interactio and provides opportunities to the young adults to harbour other interests and hobbies for digital detox.

View of the inhouse rehabilitation residence

The site chosen for creating a wellness centre for technology addiction is in Cyber City, Gurgaon falls under the National Capital Region Delhi (NCR), India.

Spread across 2 lakh square feet with the metro line running along the periphery, a six lane expressway connecting Gurgaon to Delhi and multiple walk over bridges for pedestrian movement, this site provides the opportunity to spread awareness on tech addiction to over 2,50,000 working professionals employed at Cyber City.

Massing Exploration

The site chosen for creating a wellness centre for technology addiction is in Cyber City, Gurgaon falls under the National Capital Region Delhi (NCR), India.

Spread across 2 lakh square feet with the metro line running along the periphery, a six lane expressway connecting Gurgaon to Delhi and multiple walk over bridges for pedestrian movement, this site provides the opportunity to spread awareness on tech addiction to over 2,50,000 working professionals employed at Cyber City, to the daily influx of about 20,000 people in Cyber Hub and many passing by in cars and in the metro.

Site Zoning- Exploring placement of built forms to create micro wind corridors between the built forms, while also creating ‘accidental spaces’

Site Zoning- Placement of built forms which create a conducive microclimate with a water body placed within the wind corridor created by the built masses.

Inferences drawn from the site context include the imposing use of concrete and glass in all of Cyber City. After studying this context, certain derivatives were defined to provide a visual relief to the built environemnt that surrounds it. A distinct form which stands out from the context solves the dual purpose of spreading awareness while also designing with the intent of creating a sustainable micro climate within the site.

The opportunity of utilising the roof as a interactive design element inspired by the ‘nest’ creates privacy for the occupants while also being a distinctive visual element visible from the skyscrapers surrounding the site, piquing interest to those connected to the site visually.

Figure 1- Interactive roof design- To visually create a distinct form visible from neighbouring offices/ apartments

Figure 4- Inspiration of building form from a bird’s nest- to create a sense of being ‘nested’ for it’s occupants while also creating private zones

Figure 6: Translating zoning plan to simpler masses of blocks to study the correlation between built masses

Figure 7: Breaking the masses to create a series of public and private spaces

Figure 8: Shifting floor plates to create terrace and spill out spaces thus creating semi private and semi public spaces

Figure 5- Extrapolation of the form of a nest and plugging public zones- a central pavillion to mark the entrance into the site

Figure 2- Hidden in plain sight- the need for visual privacy of the occupants and to block sound pollution

Figure 3- To create porous volumes by using a space frame structure, distinct from the materiality of glass and concrete of it’s context

Figure 9 : The layering of different design elements merged with the built form

The spatial arrangement of the buildings within the site creates a wind corridor cutting through the site to provide a comfortable micro climate to it’s occupants.

The function of each building has been done as per it’s function and categorisation as public, semipublic, semi- private and private spaces. The residences are tucked away at the far end of the site bifurcated from the rest of the site by a central water body, where as the kindergarten play centre has been placed at the fore front of the site for ease of accessibility from the main road. Workshop/ event spaces for different age groups are placed along the periphery to provide spill out spaces into the centralised landscaped garden.

Figure 10 Ground floor plan

Figure 11: Cross section through workshop spaces

Figure 12: View of the site from the surrounding office buildings

A. URBAN INTERVENTION IN MANDVI, GUJARAT

Overcoming the challenges of gentrification in Mandvi by providing a platform to local craftsmen through an Artisan’s Bazaar

Location- Mandvi, Gujarat

Plot Area- 45000 sq.ft. , Ground coverage- 16900 sq.ft.

Guide- Mr. Shwetabh Sethi, Ms. Amrita Malik

Project Role- Individual Project Design {Study, research, narrative, concept, design and drawings by author)

1. SCALE:

The scale of the built form should not overwhelm the user, to retain the ‘human scale’

With the onset of globalisation, the second and third tier cities in India face the challenge of the decline in use of traditional techniques of construction, indigenous architecture forms and the craftsmanship associated with it. The intent is to revive these traditional methods while introducing modern technology to enhance the skillset of local artisans and to encourage locals to retain the cultural identity of Mandvi.

2. VISUAL:

To retain the traditional building form and typology to sustain the harsh weather conditions of the region

3. MATERIALITY:

To source local materials which are sustainable while also introducing a new material in construction- bamboo and the organic forms achievable through techniques used worldwide

traditional building forms to organic forms to create a balance between the influence of globalisation and indigenous architecture forms of

Evolution

Figure 1-3 :

from

Figure 1 : Traditional building typology in Mandvi built with locally sourced wood

Figure 2 : Exploring organic and futuristic forms through the use of bamboo

Figure 3 : Exploring combination of locally sourced materials such as wood

Functions-

1. Manufacturing and processing of-

a. Wood/ Timber

b. CSEB ( Compressed stabilised earth blocks)

c. ETFE (Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene)

d. Bamboo

2. Storage of raw material and finished goods for each material

3. Exhibition spaces (semi-covered): Displaying the different techniques and exploration of ideas to the passerby

The intent through this urban intervention is to design an Artisan’s Bazaar to spread awareness of the indigenous craftsmanship, provide a professional platform to the local artisans to work while also giving opportunities to reinvent techniques with the latest technology made available to them.

The site chosen for this intervention lies on the primary road that leads to the city bus stand. With many pedestrian and vehicular passer-bys the site provides the opportunity to connect with the commuters on a daily basis.

The series of semi open spaces and the walkways between the built form also act as a space of relief with landscape elements.

The scale of the built-form relates to the scale of built typology that persists in the town to create a sense of relatibility.

Ground floor plan

Mezzanine floor plan Sections through the site

Bird’s eye view of site- retainig the human scale proportion to create an experience to the passrevy through open, semi open and covered spaces

Vehicular and pedestrian mapping through the site

B. SETTLEMENT STUDY/ URBAN INTERVENTION IN BHUJ, GUJARAT

Hunnarshala works towards- how people are empowered to shape their own habitats; how habitat solutions can become more environment friendly, sustainable and disaster safe; and how local artisanal knowledge and skills can deliver high quality products.

Figure 1: Wood workshop building, Khamirshala Ground and First Floor Plan

Figure 2: Section through wood workshop building, Khamirshala

Location- Hunnarshala, Bhuj, Gujarat

Plot Area- 25000 sq.ft.

Guide- Mr. Shwetabh Sethi, Ms. Amrita Malik

Project Role- Individual Project Design {Study, research and drawings by author)

Figure 3: Workshop area, Hunnarshala: Section

Figure 4: Mud roll wooden truss roof of workshop area, Hunnarshala

Figure 5: R.C.C. column stub to MS hollow section joinery

THE HIVE COWORKING OFFICE 03

Office Interiors

Location- Chennai, India

Plot Area- 17445 sq.ft.

Project Role-Intern at MYVN Architecture {Study, research, narrative, concept, design and drawings as collaborative team work)

The approach to the design of this coworking office was to introduce architecture elements specific to southern India to create a space relatable to it’s context. The expanse of almost 18000 sq.ft. includes event spaces, collaborative working spaces apart from open desk seating, cabins, meeting rooms

a cafetaria.

and

Figure 1: View of the entrance event space designed to create collaborative working spaces

The silhouette of the Dravidian style temple was an inspiration to frame the ceiling of the event space. The indigenous pitched roof houses inspired the form of the ceiling in the cabins with an unusual off-centred pitch.

Figure 4: View of the bleachers in bright yellow Figure 5: Under mezzanine space utilised as a break out area splashed in green

Figure 6: View of the cafeteria with abundant natural light with hues of green, blue and yellow

Figure 3: Section through the event space. To maximise the area and to introduce some volumes to bifurcate the expansive floor plates, mezzanine floors were introduced to create a segregation of spaces for areas that require privacy

Figure 2 : Axonometric view of the coworking office space with different interior elements inspired from significant historic monuments of the area that frame the space in the ceiling

Figure 7: Ground floor and mezzanine interior floor plan of one of the three mezzanine floors

Figure 9: View of under mezzanine break out area

Figure 12 View of the cabin interior

Figure 10: Structure details of the MS staircase

Yellow patterened tile

Oak veneer

Olive green paint

Light grey microconcrete

Figure 11: View of the corridor looking towards the mezzanine floor

Figure 8: Material board for furniture in the break out area on the lower and upper level

MEDIAMONKS OFFICE, FILM CITY, NOIDA

Architecture and Interiors

Location- Filmcity, Noida, Delhi NCR

Plot Area- 130680 sq.ft., Porta Cabin Built up area- 20000 sq.ft. Project Role- Project and Team Lead at Studio Bipolar

Figure 1: View of the centralised break out area and Conference Room

Mediamonks is an international digital-first marketing and advertising services company connecting the dots across content, data, digital media and technology services opening up it’s first office in India in Filmcity, Noida. The intent was to blend in the brand identity of the company into the interior palette of shades of grey with highlights of stark orange through feature elements.

Figure 2: Existing portacabin with MS truss and column structure

Figure 3: Built form surrounded by lush greens which are visually blocked out by dry walls

Figure 6: Ground floor plan

Figure 7: Section through the conference room

Figure 4: Replacing dry wall shell with D.G.U.’s (double glazed units) to get in natural light, the view of the greens and block out heat gain

Figure 8: View through the break out area low height partition looking towards the edit bays

Figure 5: Adding a rectangular glass box right in the middle to get in natural light through the skylight for the conference room

Axonometric view of the interiors of the office

Figure 10: View of the pantry

Figure 11: View from inside the conference room

Outhouse of a Luxury Residence

Architecture and Interiors

Location- Ludhiana, Punjab

Plot Area- 32600 sq.ft. ,Ground coverage- 4200 sq.ft. Project Role- Project and Team Lead at Studio Bipolar

As an addition to an existing residence, this outhouse acts as an ancillary building to the main residence for entertaning guests and other recreational activities. The building foot print lies on the far end of the plot hidden from the main rood. On the ground floor there is an expansive indoor pool with indoor and outdoor deck seating. The space is enclosed by sliding double glazed units (D.G.U.) on all floor sides that give the option of connecting with the expanisive landscape garden in the front, blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces. The first floor houses the gym and spa overlooking the garden

Figure 1:Ground floor plan

Figure 2: First floor plan

Figure 3: Exterior view of the outhouse building

The design intent was to create spaces that blur the distinction between indoor and outdoor spaces. To achieve this, a series of spaces were developed that spilled out from the indoors to the outdoors. For accessibility the transition between the indoor and outdoor was given through sliding doors. To provide shelter in the outdoor spaces an external overhang extending 25 feet from the main building was provided.

The indoor pool spills out of the building into the external water feature giving the illusion that the water bodies are connected. Vertical circulation is achieved through a metal staircase and a capsule glass lift , encapsulated by a corten steel screen on three sides.

Figure 4: Exploded axonometric view of the outhouse

Figure 5: View of the entrance into the outhouse building

Section BB’

Section AA’

Figure 6: View of the indoor swimming pool