Nelisha Mehta Portfolio - Architecture

I’m a senior studying Bachelor of Architecture degree in the American University in Dubai. My diligence,
keenness to learn, ability to work in teams and adapt to different environments are my strengths. During
my five years pursuing B.Arch., I have attained necessary background to function competitively in the
market. Through my past projects I have demonstrated my professionalism, reliability and initiative. During
these projects, I had the opportunity to get my designs challenged and critiqued my work at every stage
to bring out the best in them. My analytical skills, team spirit and commitment to excellence enables me
to contribute to every project effectively. My leadership trait stands out clearly through all of the nonacademic
activities I have undertaken. One of the most notable opportunities to hone this trait was being
a member of American Institute of Architectural Students (AIAS) at AUD for two years. In the latter year,
I held the position of VOS (Virtual Open Studio) Officer in the AIAS-AUD ‘20-21 team. During this period, I
actively participated in various competitions and organized events on behalf of the university team.

Commercial Architecture:
The Link - Co-working Office Proposal
Residential Architecture:
Tetris 2.0 - A Low Income Housing Proposal
Public Space Architecture:
Limen - A Wetland Rehabilitation Project
Facade Design:
Horizon - Facade Redesign Proposal
Multidisciplinary Architecture:
Pixel - Architecture + Gastronomy Project - Winner of “1st Position for Best Cake Design” and
“Originality and Concept” at archEatable 2020
Competition Projects:
Aarakh - Babel Tower Reimagined Proposal
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The Link is a commercial and office space located in the bustling
commercial space in Bur Dubai along the Dubai Creek. The
foot traffic from the promenade along the Creek can enjoy the
commercial space on the ground level while the rest of the five
levels are for office staff and visitors only. The first level of the
project is home to the key design element, a large terrace, that
horizontally links the 5 typologies of buildings and offers outdoor
green spaces overlooking the Creek and the promenade below.
The project was designed to follow all the Universal, Dubai
Municipality, Fire and Life Safety as well as Al Sa’fat codes in
conceptual, detailed design and construction documentation
stages.
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*All marked drawings were created by a team of 3 students

*All marked drawings were created by a team of 3 students
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*All marked drawings were created by a team of 3 students

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*All marked drawings were created by a team of 3 students

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Tetris 2.0 is located in the old, bustling residential community of
Bur Dubai, where most residents are families that come from a
low-income background. The design of Tetris 2.0 is inspired by the
2-dimensional retro video game of Tetris. The low-income housing
apartments in the residential building takes the form of three
types of 3-dimensional Tetris geometries. These geometries are
composed in a strategic manner providing modular apartments
for each type of apartment. Each modular type of apartment is
a duplex with a private balcony and an entrance that faces the
central courtyard. The landscape follows the concept of Tetris.
In order to provide efficient housing solutions to low income
group, a sustainable approach to design was selected. These
strategies include selection of local materials, water conservation
strategies, and passive cooling design and solutions.
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‘Limen’ is a Latin - origin word meaning thresholds. The project
imitates the ideology of wetlands which in turn follows the
concept of thresholds. Thresholds are transitional spaces that
have several meanings on the basis of the perceptive in which the
term is being defined. These meanings have been interpreted in
four ways - physical, visual, spatial and ecological interpretations.
Situatedon the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary (RAKWS) in
the northern region of the emirate of Dubai, at the end of the
14km long Dubai Creek and beginning of the Dubai Canal. It is
embedded within the heart of the urban fabric of the city of
Dubai. It was designated as a ‘Ramsar Wetland’ and a protected,
reserved area in 2007. It is classified as a marine/coastal and
partial man-made wetland. In addition, the wetland is home to
more than 450 species of fauna and 47 species of flora. During
the winter season, it sustains 67 species of waterbirds and acts
as a transit destination for migratory birds of the East African -
West Flyway, including the pink flamingoes.
Scan below QR Code for full thesis project.
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The Horizon is a dormitory residential project located in American
University in Dubai. The South façade faces the roundabout of
Al Falak Street and Al Majjarrah Street and the details of the
façade design have been carefully studied through 2D and 3D
wall sections, elevations and physical models. The ground floor
of the façade is differentiated from the other levels in terms of
materiality to highlight the difference in access and programs
between the levels. The South façade of the semi-private ground
floor is materialized with finishes of a reinforced concrete wall
and double-glazed windows. While the other levels are cladded
with wooden louvers and wooden shutters over double-glazed
dormitory windows. Wood was chosen as a cladding material
as it would be good in absorbing the sounds coming from the
streets and provide more quiet spaces for students to focus.
These windows are openable to allow for natural light and
ventilation into the rooms. A galvanized black aluminum railing
in placed in front of the windows to create a false balcony space
for the dorm students.
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Pixel is a unique cake that has won the ‘1st place for Best Cake’
and was also the winner of the ‘Originality and Concept’ for
archEatable 2020. The concept behind the dessert was inspired
by the combination of three ideas - pixels, torus and erosion.
The torus is divided into pixels that have eroded over time. The
pixels are subtracted and added in different locations on the
torus surface. The dish is formed by 28 chocolate segments from
7 modular pieces. Each of the 7 pieces have a unique eroded
surface pattern. The plate is integrated within the edible pieces,
helping the dessert levitate from the ground. I was able to create
the design using Grasshopper and Rhinoceros. Scan QR code
(left) for full collaboration video.
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‘Aarakh’ translates to roots in Arabic. The competition brief to
reimagine the Babel tower in Iraq. My team of 3 students chose
to reimagine the Babel tower in 2019 AD during the tumultuous
circumstances in the country. The proposal for Aarakh is to build
a sustainable underground library that would help the citizens
of the country to find a tranquil, safe location to reconnect with
their roots and attain education. The reversed tower unites
people of all colors, religion races and ages to create a sense of
hope and comfort as opposed to the destruction and loss above
the ground, which was similar to the destruction of the tower in
the past. The form of the tower is inspired from the outlines of
the helix ramps on the Tower of Babel, which are transformed
into spheres and platforms. The tower encompasses of kinetic
floors, solar chimney for better ventilation, pollution vacuum
cleaners for cleansing the emitted gassed air as well as native
vegetation that requires less irrigation and sunlight. The
materials include the ETFE, a 100% recycled plastic material,
embedded with solar panels. The bermed architecture of the
tower provides natural protection from the extreme climate
changes and helps withstand major damages to property and
life during earthquakes, a recurring natural disaster in Iraq.
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