niyanta gopal

2006-2010

Architectural Portfoliothe university of kansas

Niyanta Gopal

niyantag@gmail.com

7350 N. Hanley Rd.St. Louis, MO 63042

Troost re:learn Center

Troost re:learn CenterKansas City Opera HouseExploring AsiaPadang NyiruLawrence Arts Center ExtensionLines Define SpaceNorth Lawrence Recycling CenterExtracting Surface and Line

Year 4. Spring

The Troost Area is a very run down area of Kansas City has no education for adults, who are the ones that need it the most. This project consists of a place that promotes community advancement through adult learning and re:learning of new work skills. This will be done through mind learning and hand learning classes. These will touch on home life, work life, as well as sustainability being a part of daily life. All of this comes together to form a complete community center and adult learning center to help bring the people of Troost back on their feet and make this an active community once again. This project’s success will be measured in its ability to combine these mind and hand learning classrooms, along with open community space and outdoor spaces to create a safe yet aesthetically pleasing building that will breathe new life into the Troost area.

The existing CVS Pharmacy

Community Spaces: Lobby, Kitchen, Meeting Hall

Classroom Spaces: Mind, Hand Learning

Courtyard Space

Future Development: Recycle Center/ReStore

Troost re:learn Center

A

B

C

D

E E E

EE

F

F

A: LobbyB: Community Kitchen

C: Community HallD: Reception/Administration

E: Hands-On ClassroomsF: Mechanical Room

G: LoungeH: Mind Classroom

I: Reading Room

N

G

F

F

H H H H

HH

I

lateral section longitudinal section

Level 1 Level 2

Troost re:learn CenterKansas City Opera HouseExploring AsiaPadang NyiruLawrence Arts Center ExtensionLines Define SpaceNorth Lawrence Recycling CenterExtracting Surface and Line

Year 4. Spring

The program for this adult re:learn center consists of:

Community Spaces -Community Kitchen -Community Meeting Hall -Reading Room -Lounge Space -Central Courtyard

Classroom Spaces -6 Mind Learning Classrooms -6 Hand Learning Classrooms -Exterior Work Space

Administrative Spaces -2 Offices -Faculty Lounge

Kansas City Opera House

Troost re:learn CenterKansas City Opera HouseExploring AsiaPadang NyiruLawrence Arts Center ExtensionLines Define SpaceNorth Lawrence Recycling CenterExtracting Surface and Line

Year 4. Fall.

The Lyric Theater stands as a landmark in Kansas City; therefore, when creating a design scheme for the new Kansas City Opera House we wanted to create an evident connection with the existing Lyric Theater. This relationship was created through the steel and glass spine that runs adjacent to both buildings. The spine set up a direct connection between the lobbies of both buildings. The spine, and the placement of the building, helped to form two distinct plazas on the site, one at the south-east corner, and the other at the north-west corner. The spine was mirrored to enclose the front plaza, drawing the community inward. The lightness of the double skin glass façade on new Opera House not only contrasts with the heavy masonry façade of the Lyric but also filters the amount of sunlight that enters the building. The building consists of a generous lobby space for this 1,200 seat auditorium, as well as a private VIP restaurant and lounge. Along with this, there are several rehearsal spaces for the performers and a dance studio on the third floor that overlooks the cityscape. All of these elements come together to form a new cultural landmark for the Downtown Kansas City area.

Kansas City Opera House

The Basement 1 Level consists of many of the basic functions needed to run the Opera House. It houses an underground parking structure, with a private entrance for the performers. This level also contains several dressing rooms, as well as practice rooms for the performers. A generous amount of storage space is provided. The large mechanical space is also located at this level. The pit elevator operates between this level and the ground level of the stage.

The ground floor of the Opera House directly connects to the Lyric Opera House and leads directly into the bar area. The ground level of the opera house contains the main house seating. A large stage is housed, as well as backstage areas containing a few dressing rooms and prop storage area.

Balcony 1 level has a very simple set up. It just contains access to the balcony seating, and a private entrance to the VIP lounge at the north end. Balcony 2 is set up in the same way, with the dance studio resting at the north end.

South East

North West

Year 3. Winter.

Over winter break in 2008-2009, a trip to Asia had been organized by Kapila Silva and Jae Chang. We were able to visit South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore. During this trip, we visited and learned about much of the traditional architecture of those areas, as well as the modern architecture. The integration of the traditional styles into modern architecture is really what set apart the structures of these locations. The images on the far left are both traditional architecture of South Koera. The images in the center are modern architecture of Malaysia implementing traditional styles. And on the right are two images of modern architecture in Singapore.

Troost re:learn Center Kansas City Opera House

Exploring AsiaPadang Nyiru

Lawrence Arts Center ExtensionLines Define Space

North Lawrence Recycling CenterExtracting Surface and Line

Year 3. Spring.

While visiting Malaysia, we spent quite a bit of time in the city of Melaka, which had recently been named a World Heritage CIty. The core zone of the city is quite intimate, and everything is in walking distance. The city has a deep and rich history drawing from several cultures, including the Dutch, Indians, Chinese, Middle Eastern, etc. and has people from all of these areas living in harmony.

Troost re:learn Center Kansas City Opera HouseExploring AsiaPadang NyiruLawrence Arts Center ExtensionLines Define SpaceNorth Lawrence Recycling CenterExtracting Surface and Line

A A

B

A: Stores /Parking Garage

B: Vendor Space / Art Gallery Shop

C: Outdoor Amphitheater

C C

BB

Ground Floor Plan Upper Floor Plan

Padang Nyiru

Year 3. Spring.

For the project, I chose to work with a large open site of a parking lot located along the riverfront and one of the major streets. Because the site was so large, and in such a prime location, I chose to create a multi-functioning site that acts as a primary node for the city. The site included an automated parking garage which sits on top of several shops, a local art gallery shop above an open space for street vendors, and an outdoor amphitheater for daily musical performances. All of the spaces were created to be flexible to change uses as the community felt needed to be.

Troost re:learn Center Kansas City Opera HouseExploring AsiaPadang NyiruLawrence Arts Center ExtensionLines Define SpaceNorth Lawrence Recycling CenterExtracting Surface and Line

Lawrence Arts Center Extension

Second Floor Plan

Ground Floor Plan

Basement Floor Plan

Year 3. Fall.

This extension to the Lawrence Arts Center was intended to house a larger gallery, and several other spaces to further the facilities and practice spaces for the performing and physical arts. The design scheme was to mimic the linearity of the existing Arts Center, while allowing light to highlight important areas, or nodes of interest. The nodes would bring natural light into the building and people would be drawn to the most important spaces.

Kansas City Opera HouseExploring AsiaPadang Nyiru

Lawrence Arts Center ExtensionLines Define Space

North Lawrence Recycling CenterExtracting Surface and Line

Year 1. Fall.

The ultimate purpose of this project was to move from two-dimensional drawing to three-dimensional objects and experiment with light and shadow. The first part of this project consisted of several drawings depicting the movement of a pair of scissors. From that we were to pick twelve arbitrary lines, and from those lines we were to represent it in a unique way using skewers and foamcore. The next step was to experiment bringing this project into an enclosed box while allowing light and shadow to enter. The design slowly evolved over many models to create what is seen in the four images above. The upper two images are shots of what is enclosed within the box seen below.

Kansas City Opera HouseExploring AsiaPadang NyiruLawrence Arts Center ExtensionLines Define Space North Lawrence Recycling CenterExtracting Surface and Line

Year 2. Spring.

This straightforward, yet complex project of creating a recycling center was the turning point in my architectural education. This was the first project where structure was introduced. The objective was to create a recycling center in north Lawrence. Two models were created for this project, one of the entire recycling center, and the second of a detailed bay. The project went into great detail of understanding how the recycling works, what structure best suits its needs, and how this all fits together to create a recycling center that functions well.

Kansas City Opera HouseExploring AsiaPadang Nyiru

Lawrence Arts Center Extension Lines Define Space

North Lawrence Recycling CenterExtracting Surface and Line

Year 2. Spring.

This project allowed us to take a step back from getting too pulled in and consumed by the ability to work on the computer, and really understand the structure of the building. There were no digital images created for this project, everything was hand drawn. Several studies were done involving circulation, lighting, and various layouts of the center. This project helped expand my knowledge of structural and enclosure systems through a simple yet efficient design.

Kansas City Opera HouseExploring AsiaPadang NyiruLawrence Arts Center ExtensionLines Define SpaceNorth Lawrence Recycling CenterExtracting Surface and Line

Kansas City Opera HouseExploring AsiaPadang Nyiru

Lawrence Arts Center Extension Lines Define Space

North Lawrence Recycling CenterExtracting Surface and Line

Year 1. Fall.

The purpose of this exercise was to not only train the hand to draw, but train the eye to unveil the various surfaces and lines that are visible in a single twig. A greater understanding of the level of details and detailing hierarchies in hand drawn media were obtained.

7350 N. Hanley Rd. St. Louis, MO 63042Niyanta Gopal314.706.0582 niyantag@gmail.com

Unviersity of KansasSchool of Architecture: 5 Year Masters in Architecture Program

2006-present (completion in May 2011)

Washington University in St. LouisSummer Workshop: Architecture Discovery Program

July 2005

Rosati-Kain High SchoolSt. Louis, Missouri

2002-2006

Education:Microsoft Office: Word, Exel, Powerpoint

Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, InDesign, DreamWeaver

Google Sketch-Up ProSketch-Up Renditioner PlugIns

PodiumIDX

AutoCAD

3dsMax

Revit

Software:

Study Abroad: AsiaSouth Korea: Seoul, Daegu, folk villages

Malaysia: Johor Bahru, Kuala Lampur, MelakaSingapore

Winter 2009

IndiaNew Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, and various rural areas

Winter 1996, Winter 2002, Summer 2007

South AfricaJohannesburg, Durban, Cape Town

Winter 2004

World Travel:Health and Wellness Program at KU

5th Year Capstone Studio OptionFall 2010 - Spring 2010

Women in Design at KU2008-present

South Asian Student Association at KUVice President and Co-founder

2007-present

Dances of India, St. Louis1995-present

Activities:

Feeler Scheer Architectsvia. Health and Wellness Program at KU

Marketing, 3d Rendering, Production DocumentsFall 2010

Sathyan Home RemodelingSchematic Design & Construction Documents with

Ganesh Sathyan. Associate Principal. The Lawrence Group St. LouisSummer 2009, Summer-Fall 2010

Work Experience:

Post Occupancy Evaluation: DePaul Emergency Departmentvia. Health and Wellness Program at KU

and The Lawrence Group ArchitectsSummer 2010

Research: