portfolio - azhar kotadia

architecturedesign portfolio

azhar kotadiapratt institute

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contents

1. design I . . . . . . . . . . 4

2. technics . . . . . . . . . . 10

3. design II . . . . . . . . . . 14

4. design III . . . . . . . . . . 20

5. representation III . . . . . . . . 26

6. design IV . . . . . . . . . . 30

7. design V . . . . . . . . . . 36

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design I.critic: christoph a. kumpusch

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vv

initial models.

dissecting planes

piercing rhythm

disintegrating edge

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vv transformers+memory

Memory refers to the idea of something that once was. It is a record of information in the form of an image, text, sound or smell. The term memory is often synonymous with the brain, or other such devices of recording information. During the process of recalling memory, one or more details may be lost, or distorted. This is the process I have decided

to work with.

As something moves through time and space, its image is stored in the brain as it is seen with the naked eye. This leads to the brain recording the image as nothing more than its basic shape, as enough time is not given to record these details. As the object moves out of sight, the image of the shape loses details and strength, as the brain tries

recording as fast as it can.

The movement of my transformer models is derived from the transformer sequence that I had chosen where something remains constant while everything around it is in a state of liquid chaos. While the modules move, they follow a certain path of motion. As this happens, the memory of this motion performs the action of my word pairs: Dissecting planes, disintegrating edge and piercing rhythm. The memory of the model itself dissects the previous memories, or disintegrates, or pierces

as it moves through liquid motion.

In the case of my models, the memory of their motion performs the tasks required of them as the movement is recalled by the brain,

while they move through time and space.

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cube concept

The title of my cube is FRENCH HORN. This reference is a result of the winding spiral motion of the French horn. The cube spirals in and out of itself, just like the instrument, and displays a dense accumulation of joints and memory, similar to the dense sound of the instrument.

french horn (poem)

And so there is no use in the edge. A disaster is given to the ones confused. They do not eat who mention cogs and wheels. There was a fit. A whole image and an echo make a way of memorizing. This which is not why there is strength is the remains of a body. There was no crack.

Why is a spring not rounder than its movement, why is a connection made by a multiplication, why is the example which is mentioned not shown to be the same, why is there no adjustment between craziness and insanity. Why is there a choice in measure-ment. Why is there no necessary destruction.

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aerated cube:inhabitants

The inhabitants of my aerated cube reflect the ap-pearance of it. The cube in its aerated form appears to be an open space with a slight hint of enclosure. For the inhab-itants of my cube, I have selected a couple of artists, who

are nudists and treat each other as subjects of nude art.

My light study of the aerated cube shows how the light is dissected as it enters the inhabitable structure, and this dissected light allows the artists to see each other (their subjects) in a different light each time, making their

subject different every time.

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technics.critic: basar girit

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vv chipboard tower

using triangular modulation to achieve structural integrity

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vvspan-cantilever project

Using a 3-dimentional triangular space-truss to add structural integrity.

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vv

blank page.

stair-chair

side-to-side rocking chair sits on two steps.

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design II.critic: adam dayem

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cluster arrangement

preliminary landscape preparation

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unit analysisattachment components/surface component arrangement

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final landscape photos

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staggershiftfinal renderings/design thesis

For my observatory, I wish to use the sunlight filter as a tool to alter the viewer’s perception of time. All the time that the viewer spends in the observatory, the light filter is constantly working towards filtering more light in the morning as opposed to the rest of the day. This happens throughout the year, and continues to happen

regardless of the seasons.

The reason for this is to allow the user to feel the constant passing of time. As the day goes on, the shadows created by the light filter become denser and occur more frequently. As a result, the viewer feels a conscious sense of fleeting time. The shape of the molding profile and the assembly of the landscape emphasize this constant stunted, yet slow movement; hence my neologism:

staggershift.

The shape of the landscape gives the impression of branching. This branching originates in my neologism: winddivide. This accounts for the division of my spaces. The medium spacing gets the most morning light. The large space gets the most afternoon light, since it comes directly overhead. The small space receives the least light in general, making it a space which is mostly dark. As a result, the medium space enhances the perception of time most accurately; the large space acts mostly as an exhibition space, i.e. a place from which to view the entire landscape; and the small space acts more as a personal space, where people may interact with each other without

much interference.

There is one area where the viewers in the small and medium spaces can interact with each other. This area is an opening at the beginning of the cluster connection. The space creates an interesting condition in the landscape, and can be defined by my last neologism:

starcavity.

The main cause for this function of my observatory is to intentionally instill a sense of a beginning and an end to a day, while making them more conscious of their surroundings as they get darker, instilling a sense of awareness in the viewer, as he/she moves through the

observatory.

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final landscape

final landscape with light filter

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design III.critic: evan tribus

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library: assemblage renderings

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metaLIBRARY (midterm):renderings + section

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metaLIBRARY (final):renderings

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metaLIBRARY (final):structure/concept

The metaLIBRARY ‘s primary structure is a 4 piece spiral staircase, intertwining itself. While not only dividing

itself equally into its programs, the staircasing system looks to promote a more active circulation throughout the library.

Rather than have people stop and roost in rooms, there is more of a reason for people to browse through the library. If a person should decide to stop by the private reading ’pods’,

they would not feel the same way, nor would they sit there as long as they would in an average room.

The pods look to act as ‘breaks’ or resting stops, on an otherwise longer journey. The outdoor galleries look to push

the users out into fresh air and get a new perspective on their reading material, while acting as smaller public spaces.

collection

The collection of the library consists of books devoted to the process of knowledge acquisition, or learning, primarily

related to the human brain, and behavior in general. The library looks to enlighten its users about

how they enlighten themselves. This means that they are directly learning about how they are actively learning. It is

therefore programmatically divided into four staircases, each representing a different lobe of the brain, namely: frontal,

parietal, temporal and occipital. These four staircases spiral around each other, creating an active circulation system with

moments of intersections at every ‘level.’

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metaLIBRARY (final):plans

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representation III.critic: ezio blasetti

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initial study:sagrada familia spire (Gaudi)

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final renderingssagrada familia spire structure + cologne cathedral (interior)

rhino+maxwell+v-ray

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blank page.

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design IV.critic: frederic levrat

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kindergarten: assemblage renderings

site strategy

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kindergarten (final):renderings

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kindergarten (final):concept - dynamic/blur

As a child grows, he/she realizes that the pro-cess of learning takes into account not only the mind, but the body as well as the ‘soul’, or human conscious-ness. It requires the unison and coordination of these three elements for us to grow, learn and live. Even though we see these as different parts to our whole, we cannot distinguish the significance of any one element over another.

The lines are blurred.

Similarly, our growth as a human being does not only take place as physical and mental growth, but also spiritual growth. This is not the same as ‘religious’ growth, spiritual growth refers to the symbiotic rela-tionship that humans share with each other and their surroundings, constantly etching into our character the fact that we exist and grow amongst others and that we should be considerate of them and our environment. For this reason, we should be instilled with a sense of flex-ible thought: to be able to consider different points of view before making a choice. This helps us understand that learning is an inevitable product of the human-to-human relationship.

Being the first real exposure to the ‘outside world’, kindergartens play a very important role in shap-ing our preliminary character. The space in which the students learn should reflect these ideals, helping shape the future generations as world citizens.

The programmatic division of spaces for the kindergarten takes place more outside the kindergar-ten than inside, creating an enclosed environment that picks up from its surroundings. The use of external ge-ometries blending internally creates a space that com-bines the comfort of home (play area), the function of occupation (work area) and the social and moral virtues of life (spiritual). This coexistence should suggest sepa-rate spaces that each perform their own tasks, yet aid as transformative (blurred) elements to their surrounding spaces, generating a relationship similar to mind, body and soul.

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kindergarten (final):sections

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blank page.

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design V.critic: donald cromley

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Balc

ony

Doo

r

ELEVATION

LONGITUDINAL SECTION

Entrance

Open Kitchen138 sq. ft Dining Area

Living RoomBedroom A130 sq. ft.

Bedroom B130 sq. ft.

Bathroom52 sq. ft.

Balcony30 sq. ft.

EXTERIOR

263 sq. ft.Wardrobe

War

drob

e

Kitchen Counter

Sofa

PLAN dormitory assemblage:plan+elevation+section

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final dormitory:typical floor plan

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final dormitory:render+section

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final dormitory:render+facade study

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blank page.

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design vi.critic: giuliano fiorenzoli.

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boathouse: assemblage renderings + structure:

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boathouse: final studies + axonometric drawing:

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boathouse: final renderings:

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summer internshipemployer: de-spec

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national museum of afghanistan: proposal final renderings

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bar in bushwick (brooklyn rookery): fireplace + kitchen renderings:

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blank page.

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design vii.critic: frederic levrat

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knowledge city: spectatornet/cognitivenestdesigning a building to strengthen the relationship between the college cam-pus and the community.

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