Viral Shah Digital Portfolio 2013

VIRAL SHAH Portfolio* Viral Shah

The IDEA HUB (for Google): New Oxford Street, London

This design thesis integrates two building typologies; a media centre for Internetbased companies and a public programme dealing with temporary cultural events.

In response to the ‘Tech City’ government initiative, the Idea Hub is an incubator for Internet Start-ups. It is a place where individuals are encouraged to collaborate and share ideas through the occurrence of serendipity.

The proposal deals with the phenomenon of focus and distraction, as it is an incredibly relevant and valuable commodity for Internet and Tech companies. This is addressed through shifting visual connections both within and outside the building, which is driven by movement of visitors. It is facilitated through the provision of floating boxes hosting specific functions amongst folded/twisted surfaces.

The Sorting Office (existing building on site) was originally built for the process of moving physical information but now plays host to a number of cultural events covering Music, Art, Exhibition, Fashion and Private Events that occur in clusters of temporary activity – the building may remain empty for some time.

The Idea Hub separates the events into specific spaces (floating boxes), which are suspended within a forest of columns at the heart of the building. This ‘heart’ is essentially the buildings core where vertical circulation occurs but through the concentration of functions offers an interpretation of Google’s own tried-and-tested ‘Breakout Spaces’ to increase the chance of unplanned meetings and potential new ideas.

[Final Year Final Project at Westminster University]

IDEA HUB

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INSTALLATION BOX

BREAKOUT SPACE

temporary events

google offices

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BREAKOUT SPACE central working cafe

START-UP DESK SPACE google offices

BREAKOUT SPACE google offices

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LEARNING SPACE social working

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The TCM (Epi)centre of Light: Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine The urban proposal aims to be an archetype for Traditional Chinese Medicine in the major cities of China. Split into three zones, the Diagnosis & Treatment, Knowledge and Market spaces constitute the (Epi) Centre, each with a unique visitor experience through the syntax of light manipulation.

As an extension of the street, the typology coils into the building where private spaces break off the main loop or ‘internal street’.

Combining the public nature of a market, specialising in traditional Chinese herbs and medicines, a medical centre, which aims to provide diagnosis and treatment, and a knowledge space, creates the opportunity for a contrasting typology to be developed.

The contrast of lighting in the three environments will be achieved by using the combination of devices and geometry that forms part of the architectural language used throughout the building to create a visual relationship between the main functions of the project.

The project aims to address the position of TCM in the contemporary context of modern China. Being a type of medicine, with a rich history, the relevance of Traditional medicine has a historical cultural relationship with China, but the treatments, today, for major illnesses rest mostly within conventional medicine (evidence based practice). The project aims to become an epicentre for knowledge, learning, market and practice for the city of Guangzhou.

[Fourth Year Final Project at Westminster University]

The TCM (Epi)centre

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Thinktank Platform: Think:Debate:Disseminate This project is proposed as a universal platform for idea making, discussion and dissemination of information. I decided to set a political scenario to push the project forward as a platform for politicians to bring decisions out of the walls of Parliament and into the streetscape of London.

The installation features components that form the shell of the structure, which can be taken down, used as a seat, table or presentation board. Once they are finished with, the user is able to slide a coloured panel (green: for, red: against) to transform the structure into a device that informs passers by about the general consensus on a governmental proposal.

[Fifth Year Mid-term Project at Westminster University]

Thinktank Platform

Digital Flora: Urban Agriculture Bridge proposes a contemporary interpretation of the historical inhabitable bridge in Paris, France, through investigation of the Baroque influence associated with architectural anamorphosis. An interest in organic growth was manifest throughout the project forming an individual brief of agricultural programme stitched into the urban Parisian context.

The bridge replenishes the existing Pont des Invalides infrastructure, currently within the Champs-Élysées area - with an agricultural typology influenced by the near-by Grand and Petit Palais (both of which celebrate the Baroque architectural style). The primary programme of sustainable food growth and market is enhanced with secondary programmes improving the link between the River Seine and the City through a juxtaposition of organic movement against Paris’ otherwise linear street axial pattern.

[Third Year Final Project at Oxford Brookes University] Nominated for the Leslie Jones Memorial Prize (RIBA) for the most progress in building construction 2010

Digital Flora

Initial Sketches

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Plan at Bridge Level

Section of Agripod

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Plan 1:100 Agripod 1. Entrance 2. Honeycomb Planters 3. Tomato Vine Planter 4. Plant Room containing hydroponic and water treatment equipment and nutrient/rain water tanks 5. Staircase to mezzanine level 6. Spaceframe Materplan 6. Stairs from street level to harbour level 7. Harbour level food and flower market

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Market 8 Permanent market stalls available for rent 9. Collapsible, temporary market stalls that are assembled during weekends 10. Tables, seating for diners Floating Restaurants 11. Ramp to floating restaurant dock level 12. Floating restaurant dock 13. Floating restaurant

Section 1:50 Agripod 1. Bridge walkway 2. Reinforced Cast Conrete (with Soffit framework) cantilever support 3. Entrance 4. Green Wall 5. Honeycomb Planters 6. Wooden Canopy Support 7. Wooden Canopy Support Connection to main structure 8. Cantilever streel secondary supports 9. River bed Foundation Block (cast concrete) 10. Pile Foundations 11. Food Deilivery boats for near-by restaurants 12.. Plant Room containing Honeycomb system equipment and storage cylinders for rainwater collection 13. Steel staircase with beech handrail 14. Steel Space Frame 15. Mezanine level 16. Top Level - Rooftop garden with blueberry bushes 17. PVC canopy with woven PV panels.

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Exploded Axonometric of Agripod

Photovoltaic Panels PV Flexibles can be integrated into the membrane of the fabric of the canopy structure to produce electricity for agricultural use within the Agripod. The electricity produced by the cells will be used to power the water treatment, pump and lighting services.

PVC Canopy Membrane PVC coated polyester is a fabric material that can be pulled taught using tensile cables. The top coat is typically a very smooth and shiny application so that cleaning is facilitated, and means that dirt gets washed off the surface by rainwater (which is collected and treated for use within the Agripod for the hydroponic feeding equipment).

Wooden Canopy Support The main architectural feature of the Agripod is the canopy support that grows through the building like a tree. This element consists of wooden (treated beech) cylindrical elements that are connected via steel nodes (and attached using bolts), creating a self supporting structure that floats above the main agricultural space.

Glulam Main Frame Glued-Laminated wood is a type of manufactured wood that combines the strength of multiple layers of material and aesthetic beauty into a structurally-able solution. The glulam frame work spans the length and width of the Agripod, where secondary frame structures and attached to it.

The framework consists of 3 main ‘spinal’ elements that form organic curves, one of the benefits of glulam beams. The beams are lighter than steel and a more sustainable solution..

The entire span of the beam is not plausible to transport, thus during manufacture, the elements would be made in sections and attached using steel plates that partially run within the endings creating a seamless joint with the appearance of one piece.

Wooden Cladding The treated beech wooden cladding is affixed to the secondary glulam frame, it is a lightweight solution for the buildings skin of which weight is an important issue due to the cantilever support.

Glulam Frame The gllam frame is a secondary structural element that attaches to the Glulam Main Frame using steel plates and bolts. Similar to the function of ribs, the frame provides a rigid lattice that cladding can be affixed to.

Steel Space Frame The steel frame, like the glulam frame provides self supporting rigidity to the Agripod module. Because of the properties of the space frame, columns or extra supports are not required, freeing up valuable space within the building for Agricultural and environmental benefit (Solar gain - no sunlight blockers).

Mezzanine The mezzanine level increases the internal floor area to create more space for growth via the honeycomb planters. A similar system of adaptable growth scenarios is present on this level, like the ground floor. The floor is made from grate steel, that allows like to pass through to the Honeycomb planters below.

Honeycomb Planter System

Exploded Axonometric - Agripod

Internal View of Agripod

The Honeycomb Planters provide a medium for agricultural growth using hydroponic technology, that utilises a nutrient rich liquid as apposed to a soil based medium.

Underneath the ground floor, there are a series of primary and secondary pipes in a grid formation that have this hydroponic liquid flowing through, pumped by the equipment within the Plant Room.

Geometrical Glazed Facade Green Wall The green wall on the front facade of the structure (facing towards the walkway) provides vertical space for flower growth. The unit consists of a grid system of steel planters (with removable growth medium for plants), a steel structure that the planters are bolted to and finally the glulam framed facade.

Cast (in-situe) Concrete Cantilever Support This element consists of on site cast reinforced concrete. The benefits of creating a single piece is strength because there are no points of weakness that would otherwise be created by joints.

The geometrical facade creates a beautiful element on the exterior, and an interesting source of light on the interior (casting geometric shadows). The glazing consists of double panel glass units that are attached to the PVC framework. The use of double glazed units ensures warmth is retained during the winter months where plants would otherwise not survive outside the Agripod.

Sacred Sound Space: The Pulque Drink Ceremony was a group collaborated project situated in Kew Gardens, London. Within a team of three members, my role was computer and physical based modelling throughout the project, forming the aesthetic of the architecture through digital experimentation.

The programme is based around a drink produced by the Agave Century Plant of which a visitor to the building would be taken through a series of spaces arriving at the final ‘Consumption Space’ where the drink is purchased and consumed.

A main aspect that formed the architecture was acoustic performance in terms of channelling, dispersing and concentrating sound through the use of geometrical forms.

[Third Year Project]

Sacred Sound Space: The Pulque Drink Ceremony

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Technical Analysis using RealFlow

Axonoetric of Consumption Space

Rendered View of Visitor Entrance

White Carbon Graphite External Timber Cladding Waterproof Lining Insulation Internal Timber Cladding Wind Tunnel This allows for air to pass throught the outer layer triggering the instrument blades to spin

The layered roof system allows the instrument to be played effectively within the space. The layers provide space for air to circulate triggering the movement of the instrument

Wind Turbine The wind blades rotate causing strings to be struck by the instruments plucking arms

Building Instrument Strings/Pluckers This is where the strings are struck by the pluckers creating sounds

Glulam Space Frame This frame is the main structural element within the building. It holds the fluid shape while also being aesthetically beautiful. Exposing the framework relates to the Japanese tea house roofs where complex structure is exposed underneath.

Acoustic Reflectors These acoustic reflectors allow sound waves to be rerfected into the space from the outside such as birds singing or the sound of the water running into the pond.

Timber Floor Panels The floor is initially stepped upwards from the waiting space, and then downwards towards the lake, creating a beautiful vista as soon as the visitor arrives at apex of the floor,

Timber Frame Glazing The glazed wall provides a divide within the consumption area so that the space can be enojyed throughout all the seasons. It provides unobstructed views of the landscape, whilst creating an enclosed and semi-enclosed space for visitors.

Dadar Flower Market: Market and Housing Development was my second year major project situated within Mumbai, India. The brief held a strict guideline foundation around sustainable architecture, and required 13 different stakeholders to be considered whilst designing with and around the Dadar Market site.

The project required master planning, which aided the architectural programming, creating adaptable apartment blocks and market/house units with bespoke mechanical doors opening up the whole ground floor facade for market purpose. In consideration with the climate, sun shading was a major part of the architectural typology.

[Second Year Final Semester Project] Nominated for Best Overall Performance in Architecture 2009

Dadar Flower Market

Model in Context

Plan at all Levels

Key Retail Unit Residential Unit Waste Collection Area Taxi Driver Rest Area NGO Unit Elevator Sheltered Tables for Pavement Sellers Private Roof Garden

Third Floor

Master Plan

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Key Retail Unit Residential Unit Waste Collection Area Taxi Driver Rest Area NGO Unit Elevator Sheltered Tables for Pavement Sellers Private Roof Garden

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Fourth Floor

Apartment Facade and Plans

Kinetic Retail Facade Development

Pavilion: Homelessness Awareness in Oxford was a semster-long project that finished with a pavilion build by a team of 27 second year students. I was assigned photographer and constructor by my peers with regard to the skills I hold.

The building took 2 weeks with a budget of just ÂŁ120 that was raised through sponsorship. The pavilion gained local media interest and remained on site (within the Oxford Brookes main campus) for 1 month until disassembly where the wood was recycled.

[Second Year First Semester Project]

Pavilion:

Homelessness Awareness in Oxford

Form Follows Paranoia: An investigation into the impact of terrorism on the design of future cities is a research based dissertation that explores issues of urbanism, politics and society and myriad effects on architecture itself. Following the attack in NewYork, 2001, the reverberations and consequential amendments to architecture within the Ground Zero site and beyond (particularly within Western cities) is one of fortification. Through this dissertation I have aimed to research and present the changes and potential problems that architecture solves but also creates.

I was interested in this subject because it had not been covered to this depth before as a dissertation subject and the topic, terrorism, which is an incredibly relevant issue of now, is one which requires a lot of consideration - A challenge that I pursued.

The dissertation received one of the highest grades in the final year of my BA (hons) architecture degree.

Writing

Koolhaas Modernism: 4 + 2 Houses This dissertation is organised around the examination and dissection of four villas, created by Rem Koolhaas between 1988 and 1998: The Patiovilla, Villa Dall’Ava, Dutch House (also known as the House in the Forest) and the Maison á Bordeaux.These villas are primarily cross referenced with elements extracted from the Tugendhat House by Mies van der Rohe and the Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier, to highlight their presence in Koolhaas’s work.

Prompted by a certain degree of suspicion prior to my detailed reading of the work, this research aims to approach Koolhaas’s architecture by means of formal analysis. Koolhaas’s projects seem to have a schizophrenic-slot machine quality to them, borrowing elements, constantly disestablishing, and rarely repeating.

Due to the proximate criticism with every building, which has and continues to elude his work, there is a difficulty to establish why the buildings are as they are.

The dominant aim of the paper was to understand the way that Koolhaas used Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier’s heavily theorised ideals and spatial characteristics, as a palette to create his own architecture. I intend to see Koolhaas working within the same disciplinary tradition as Mies and Le Corbusier, only at a different moment in time. In doing this, my own understanding of how Koolhaas creates architecture that teases and questions ideas will be made more clear, and allow me to utilise his appropriation of Mies and Le Corbusier in the same way as he did, as a series of techniques for self-planning.

Writing

The International Museum of Volcanoes: Architectural Competition This competiton run by Arquideas, required a context inspired building and program to be created and presented as an A1 board to a panel of judges in Spain. The location, amongst the Timanfaya area on the island of Lanzarote, is an incredible landscape and so required a justified concept.

The proposal sits on the slopes of the Montana Rajada, forming an end point to the visitor’s journey through the Timanfaya National Park and overlooking the entire beauty of the surround landscape, from the sea to the west, the lava fields to the north and the volcanoes to the east.

A1 Presentation Board

The museums program is organised into 5 different pieces - objects that reflect the broken landscape of the context and that each focus on a specific function of the building: Meet, Debate, Learn, Exhibit and Reflect. The central space in-between these objects becomes a place for interaction, and for people to engage not only with each other, but to experience the building itself and the stunning landscape that it sits on.

The materiality of the building is kept very pure and simple so as to enhance the contrast between the manmade object and the extraordinary forms and shapes created by the nature around it.

International Museum of Volcanoes

Viral Shah Photography I have pursued photography as a passion for five years, earning commissions, exhibiting and selling my photography to a global audience. I am a traditionalist when it comes to photography, I do not and will not ever manipulate my photographs using digital software. I feel that photography and‘digital’photography are two separate art forms. I believe that a photograph is best in its first instance, the moment when the shutter button is pressed and nothing else; a moment is captured and would otherwise be changed if the photograph was manipulated.

Through my web site, where I receive up to 1000 visits a month around the world, I have managed to gain recognition and have visitors request prints of my work.

I have also held several exhibitions in galleries, restaurants and cafes in and around Huddersfield, Yorkshire where I displayed selected works ranging from personal favorites to a narrative through my travels in India, named Viral Shah: Selected Works in both instances.

This hobby has driven me to travel and see the world, including cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, Sydney, New York, Reyjavik and Mumbai.

Photography

www.ViralShahPhotography.com My website that i created using Macromedia Dreamweaver which i manage and update regularly.

Fine Art: Art is one of my most significant passions. It has helped me grow as an individual and open doors into other fields that i have grown to love. I have achieved one of the top grades in Fine Art in the country during my A-Levels and have gained some commisioned work that i do in my spare time.

Now that i have finished my Architectural degree, i have the experience and confidence to have my art influence my architecture more significantly, in order to drive my design forward into new terrertories i haven’t been within.

Fine Art

Fluidity Heavily influenced by Frances Bacon, one of my favourite artists, i created this composition aiming to investigate surreal movement in painting.

Roots of the City A graphic design project i did in my spare time

Vee Inc. Clothing is a business that I started during my A-Levels. I have sold clothing in Australia, North America, Canada and the UK through my website and have had several clothing shops stock and sell my products. It has been a huge success in terms of completely selling out of batches of 25 T-shirts per design. I started the company under the vision of creating strictly limited edition products that are uniquely individual and use organic cotton and materials.

During my degree I had been regularly creating new designs and products ideas in my spare time. However, I have not had time during the past three years, to manufacture these products. I hope that during my free time from work this year, I will pursue Vee Inc. once again.

Vee Inc. Clothing

www.Vee-Inc.com My website that i created using Macromedia Dreamweaver and Macromedia Flash (for the Vee Inc animation at the top of the pages) which i also manage and upate on a regular basis.

Meet at the Equator is a a charity platform that my sister and I collaborated on, aiming to bring clean water to vulnerable people amongst the countries that sit along the line of the equator.

We raised over £3000, to put towards ceramic water filters which we brought to Kenya in 2011. Creating‘clean water networks’throughout the places we visited we created clean water access points for up to 20,000 people.

We are in the process of making the Charity registered and our next trip is currently being planned. [www.MeetattheEquator.com]

Meet at the Equator