Vaibhav
Panchal
Architectural Portfolio
Masters of Advanced Architecture Design
Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture.
Recent Learnings
Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture | Fall 2024
This research explores form-finding in bending-active structures, through robotic manipulation of spring steel meshes at a sculptural scale. Our system consists of interwoven metal wires forming a deformable mesh, where robotic control enables manipulation of the structure's vertices.
Rather than fighting against material elasticity, this approach harnesses the natural bending behavior of the wires to discover novel geometric configurations. The fabrication process combines robotic control with strategic constraint placement, allowing for systematic exploration of forms that would be difficult to achieve through manual manipulation alone.
In this course, we explored a critical question: What role does architecture play in rethinking the use of waste streams as material resources?
With humanity now producing synthetic materials that outweigh all living biomass on Earth, the urgency to reconsider our material culture has never been more pressing. Inspired by 19th-century practices of material reuse, we focused on integrating waste streams into a new narrative of ecological design.
This semesters studio project 'From City to Forest" transforms an urban site into an immersive platform addressing migratory songbird decline.
Through storytelling, interactive design, and actionable solutions, it demonstrates how architecture fosters ecological empathy and societal change. I learned to integrate science, art, and advocacy, redefining architecture as a medium for education and coexistence.
What's Next?
Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture | Spring 2025
Shaping Daylight Through Simulation and Virtual Reality
In this course, we explore the quantities and qualities of light. We will study how we can design with and for light while understanding the paradox of lighting design — that it is both science and art. Digital design and simulation tools will be augmented with virtual reality (VR) to extend quantitative measurements of lighting to include qualitative aspects of light such as its influence on occupants’ subjective impressions of a space, wellbeing and comfort.
Instructor : Prof. Azadeh Sawyer
Materiality & Construction Systems
This course introduces students to contemporary methods of construction and draws attention to the materialization of architectural intent. It foregrounds the historical, technological and conceptual basis of construction systems to understand the building as a process and cultural artifact.
Instructor : Prof. Joel McCullough
Frozen Music - Rhythm & Harmony in Architecture: San Francisco Symphony Experimental Theater
Theaters and performing arts buildings are among the most complex typologies, consequently they provide an excellent and challenging subject for the study of advanced and comprehensive architectural design. In this studio, students design a new flexible venue to host a variety of different musical and multimedia performances.
Instructor : Prof. Hal Hayes