This portfolio highlights my creative process and critical thinking skills through graduate and professional projects. My work primarily focuses on re-envisioning mixed-use & public spaces as inclusive and transformational sites through human-centred design and adaptation strategies. My design approach is rooted in studying local urban contexts and community needs, primarily influenced by my background in participatory planning.
DESIGN SKILLS
BIM & 3D Modelling
RHINO 3D: Advanced
GRASSHOPPER: Beginner
SKETCHUP: Advanced
AUTODESK REVIT: Intermediate
2D Drafting
AUTOCAD: Advanced
HAND: Intermediate
Graphics & Renderings
PHOTOSHOP: Advanced
ILLUSTRATOR: Advanced
INDESIGN: Advanced
ENSCAPE: Advanced
TWINMOTION: Beginner
Mapping
ESRI ARCGIS: Beginner
Physical Modelling
Hand Modelling: Intermediate
3D Printing: Intermediate
TISHYA RAO
EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
Master of Architecture, First Professional 2020 - 2023
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, PRICE SCHOOL OF POLICY
Certificate in Sustainable Policy & Planning 2022 - 2023
CORNELL UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, ART & PLANNING
B.S in Urban and Regional Studies 2014 - 2019
WORK EXPERIENCE
DYETT & BHATIA
Urban Designer and Planner
HOK + ARUP
Project Management Mentee
UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS NETWORK - YOUTH
Local Pathways Fellow 2023 Mar 2023 - Dec 2023
USC OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY Sustainable Design Guidelines Intern Aug 2022 - May 2023
URBAN DESIGN RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Research Associate Aug 2018 - Apr 2020
PERKINS & WILL Urban Design Intern
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
USC SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
Graduate Research Assistant Jan 2022 - Dec 2022
Graduate Class Assistant Aug 2021 - Dec 2022
& RECOGNITION
ARCHITECTURE FOR COMMUNITIES LA & AIA LOS ANGELES
Honorable Mention, 2023 2x8 Competition (Ongoing)
USC ARCHITECTURE GUILD DESIGN CHARRETTE Best Demonstration for Interdisciplinary Collaboration Award 2023
Sustainability & Resilience Innovation Award 2022
THE MONEY-TRAIN
Rail-to-Table, Mixed Use Retail Masterplan, Placemaking
Software: Rhino 3D, Sketchup, Enscape, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop
While California is the leading agricultural producer in the US, several of the state’s cities continue to face food insecurity and high obseity rates. One such city is Compton, where the issue extends beyond physical access, with quantity, quality and diversity of food in grocery stores is the primary issue in the city.
The Money Train proposes an innovative “rail-totable” model using Los Angeles Metro’s Blue Line, to package and deliver fresh produce to Compton and other communities along the route. The station is connected to a 400,000 sq.ft hydroponic growing facility which doubles as a culture, health and retail hub, in an effort celebrate the city’s ongoing efforts in
combating food insecurity while providing new work opportunities and social spaces to support Compton’s growing arts and activism communities. At its core, this project endeavors to address complex, contemporary challenges and reconnect communities that have been historically fragmented and upended as a result of transit-oriented segregationist policies and practices.
This project, selected to represent USC Graduate Architecture, recieved Honorable Mention at the 2023 2x8 Student Design Competition hosted by Architecture for Communities Los Angeles (ACLA) & AIA Los Angeles.
Flexible rail car and metro station design enhances efficiency and experience for passenger and food workers
Spatial analysis of Physical Accessibility and
of
Sources within
GREEN WALL GREEN PROMENADE
WOOD TRUSS
STEEL TRUSS
Spatial Distribution of Primary Program Elements across Proposed Artesia Metro Station & Mixed-use Hydroponics Facility
Skate & Trampoline Park Minigolf
Community Garden & Food Market
Herb Garden Pop-up Food Trucks
Observation Deck & Plaza Rooftop Brewery Vertical Garden Courtyard
Existing Situation
Phase I: Pervious Paving to allow for water percolation
02
Phase II: Native Landscaping to provide adequate shading
REACTIVATING PATTO CENTRE
Increasing Resiliency and User Experience of Patto as a Cultural and Business
Destination
USC School of Architecture
Graduated Research Assistant
Advisor: Vinayak Bharne
Location: Panaji, Goa, India
Software: Rhino 3D, SketchUp, Enscape, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop
III: Sidewalk Enhancements for easy pedestrian movement
Phase IV: Tactical Activation of parking lot as a pop-up food market
Patto is a Central Business District located to the East of Panaji and houses several commercial buildings such as government and corporate offices, public institutions and hotels. With lack of open space and haphazard construction influenced by private development, Patto requires a cohesive vision to direct future urban development. The first phase attempts to upgrade paving and landscape strategies for a 30,000 sq.ft parking lot to address lack of shading, urban heat island effects and waterlogging issues in the area. Additionally, to build on the site’s pedestrian access to historic neighbourhoods across the creek, accomodating
Phase V: Spatial Re-alignment to allow for more building space
for additional flexible programming such as food festivals and markets aims to transform Patto district into a cultural destination for congregation and social interaction.
Phase II aims to preserve and highlight Patto’s depleting mangrove network caused due to land clearance for development. This is achieved using various edge conditions that allow for controlled interaction with mangrove reserves. An opportunity of intimate public interaction is provided at the mangrove park with a series of low-rise foot-bridges, and doubles as a performance area for local festivals.
Phase
03
RUMRILL CORRIDOR PLAN
Creating a Livable Corridor through creative Land Use Strategies
Dyett & Bhatia
Urban Planner and Designer (Professional Work)
Supervisor: Andrew Hill
Location: San Pablo, CA
Software: Adobe Illustrator, ArcGIS, Aftereffects
A predominantly Latinx area, the southern portion of the Rumrill Corridor is a designated Priority Development Area (PDA). The City of San Pablo was awarded an MTC grant for the preparation of the Rumrill Corridor Plan, which includes land use and policy strategies that will lead to improved environmental conditions, economic opportunities, and housing development sites.
The three Land Use Alternatives represent distinct visions for the PDA based on current trends and opportunities. It focuses on locations where change is forseeable over the next 10-15 years (city-owned site, gateway sites, and other underutilized/
parcels).
The alternatives provide a basis for developing the Draft Plan, which will include preferred strategies selected through community engagement initiatives, as well as supplemental policies for corridor beautification, anti-displacement and workforce development strategies.
All information presented in this portfolio is publically accessible on the City of San Pablo’s official website: https://www.sanpabloca.gov/2863/ Rumrill-Corridor-Plan
Alternative 2: Maker Mixed Use
3: Food and Culture Focus
The Instagram Survey was conducted across 4 weeks as part of San Pablo’s community engagement strategy to creatively engage residents who may not otherwise participate in the process and raise awareness on the Rumrill Corridor Plan. The fun and visually-engaging survey was designed to reach young residents, who make up approximately 70% of the population in the PDA.
Reel 1: Plan Priority
Reel 3: City-owned Site
Reel 2: Live-work Housing
Reel 4: Gateway Sites
04
LAX TERMINAL IMPROVEMENTS
Rethinking User Experience at Los Angeles Int’l Airport
HOK & Arup
Project Management Intern (Professional Work)
Supervisor: Justin Wortman
Collaborators: Kaitelyn Haynes, India Chand, Manan Lakhani, Meng-Jung Ho
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Software: Rhino 3D, Sketchup, Enscape, Twinmotion
Existing situation of Departures Hall at Tom Bradley International Terminal Terminal refresh interventions including backlit ceilings, designated check-in kiosks and baggage drop-off zones, extended passenger corridors, digital signage and defrosted glazing to
05 BOYLE-ING POINT
A Confluence of Health, Food and Art
USC Architecture Guild Design Charrette Award: Sustainable and Resiliency Innovation Award
Mentor: Anthony Wang (Corgan)
Collaborators: Madeleine Crouch and Samantha Shane
“Boyle-ing Point” is a covid testing and vaccination facility designed to transform into a food market and artisan hub during low-peak periods to create a vibrant community resource in Boyle Heights.
With the idea of flexibility and adaptability in mind, the design proposes a ‘kit of parts’ octagonal modular system with an essential structural column and a variety of wall infills. The placement of the infills allows for adequate natural ventilation and daylighting, while blurring the line between the indoor and outdoors.
The module is constructed using wood and cardboard
as an insulating material in the walls and ceiling. Additionally, the structural column doubles as a water collection method, allowing for percolation back into the ground and further pushes the project’s commitment to sustainable design innovation.
The USC Architecture Guild Design Charrette is a juried 5-day design competition that invites students to explore innovative solutions to current issues pertaining to the built environment through interdisciplinary collaboration. This proposal was selected for the Sustainable Design and Resilency Innovation Award out of 20 entries.
“Peak” Pandemic Covid Facility
06
PROJECT DOCUMENTATION
AutoDesk Revit & BIM 360
University of Southern California l Course: Professional Practise - Project Documentation Instructor: Michael Hriack, FAIA and Karen Kensek Collaborator: Manuel Bradley Zavaleta Software: Autodesk Revit and BIM360
07 EMPOWERING INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
Strategic Planning & Community Outreach
Urban Design Research Institute l Research Associate (Professional Work) Supervior: Pankaj Joshi, Omkar Gupta Location: Mumbai, India
Project Context and Indigenous Settlement Locations
Skills: Spatial Analysis, Community Interviews & Workshops, Adobe InDesign Site
