portfolio of work

1989-2012

Amit Upadhye, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

2010-12 Currently working for Aedas, Singapore Pte, Ltd.

Suntec City remodel, mixed use

development with convention

center, office towers and retail

podium. USD300m remodel

project, original design by I M Pei +

Tsao and Mckown, NY and DP

Architects, Singapore

2007-09 Essence of the Desert house, Scottsdale, Arizona

Amit Upadhye, Architect

AIA Home Tour, 2010

The south-western desert makes vivid impressions in the mind. One that strongly remains, are the boulders and

the shadows in the wilderness. During one of my hiking trips near Pinnacle Peak, Arizona, I noticed that these

boulders create micro climates around themselves and life thrives in the shadow of these boulders. They act as

heat sinks and as thermal masses. The Native Americans were aware of this phenomenon, often building homes

in the shadows of such boulders. One can find many such examples in the Marble Canyon, Arizona. I am

inspired by such observations that help me create meaningful architecture, rooted in the Sonoran desert. While

designing, image of such boulders flooded my mind. Also, some of my travel sketches to Chaco Canyon in New

Mexico came to my mind.

2007-09

The master bedroom loggia has gorgeous views of the

McDowell Mountains to the East. The sensual curtain softens

the harsh masonry block and extends the space outward,

disintegrating the corner into a fluid line of inside-outside. The

pour-stone cast lets the sun penetrate into the house at sharp

7.00 AM on their marriage anniversary. Thus, there is a longing

for the sun and the mountains in the architectural expression.

2007-09

The cast in place concrete apron wall mutates

to climb the house to meet the masonry in a

unique joinery and give birth to the master

bath three sided butt glazed slot window that

wants to disappear in the sky.

2007-09 The master bathroom 3 sided butt

glazed slot glows in the night against

the starry Arizona sky. The fabric scrim

softens the corner and gives privacy

and shade to the evening patio behind.

2007-09

The living room faces north framing the mountain views beyond. The

floors are integrally colored polished and sealed concrete. The

exposed concrete masonry wall sits on the concrete apron wall that

runs at 2’-8” throughout the project. The dark concrete floors act as

background and floats the furniture on it like a painting. The window

wall system has full overlay of glass from outside.

The cabinet mass rises from the

ground like stalagmite in a cavern

to reach for the stalactite, like the

Kartchner Caverns of Arizona. The

cabinets become linen closets at

the upper hallway level to serve

the bedrooms.

2007-09 http://www.azcentral.com/photo/Style/CoolHomes/1331

1/331305

Full page coverage under COOL HOMES section of AZ Republic, news paper

2009 Outstanding Kitchen Design regional award by SUBZERO-WOLF 2008-2009

The Kitchen is connected to the second floor spaces such as library, hallway, kids bedrooms and the master

bedroom through the double height void . The north facade gets 20’x20’ full height glazing with operable bottom

half that connects the kitchen to the backyard, swimming pool and the mountains beyond.

2007-09 Bars and Bridges house, Paradise valley, Arizona

Amit Upadhye, Architect

The 1.6 acre site in Paradise Valley has very interesting yet challenging natural features that make this project

what it is. We were drawn to the wash as a natural response to the site locating the public and the private ‘bars’

on the two opposite banks of the wash with a bridge connecting the ‘bars’ forming courtyard space across the

wash. The walls facing the wash became transparent with a fabric canopy connected both the ‘bars’ as a web.

The elliptical oculus in the fabric web spotlights different trees in the wash at different times. The upper floor

became a big studio open space with formal dining, living and kitchen. The living room has breath taking views of

the McDowell Mountains and Four Peaks at the horizon to the east.

2007-09 ‘The Wall’ house, Scottsdale, Arizona

Amit Upadhye, Architect

We were approached by the clients to remodel their existing southwestern suburban dwelling to a modern home

in Scottsdale, Arizona. The old neighborhood is pretty flat but offers view to the McDowell Mountains to the east

and the Camelback Mountain to the southwest. In response to bring in the natural north light and yet maintaining

the privacy from the road ‘the wall’ plays a major role. The wall forms a compound and opens up a very private

world behind. The entry is inconspicuous as one walks through the shady trees into a relatively small opening in

the wall which leads to a cozy entry courtyard open to sky. The monumental openings in the wall at upper height

flood the cozy inner spaces with north light.

The master suite on the upper floor captures views to the east and the southwest.

2008-09 Summers residence remodel, Phoenix, Arizona

Amit Upadhye, Architect

AIA Home Tour, 2011

Situated on the south side of

the Camelback Mountain in the

Arcadia district of Phoenix, lies

this compact sustainable

residential addition project. This

original house is ranch style,

1800 sq.ft single storey, built in

the 1950s out of nicely

proportioned concrete masonry

unit and shingle roof with a

carport.

The clients approached us with

a need to add a master

bathroom, patio and enclosing

the carport and making the

house more sustainable by

harvesting the natural rain

water, desert landscaping and

using solar energy.

2008-09 The garage mass has been broken down by introducing

polished glass inserts on the west wall. The skylight glass roof

overhangs above and keeps water away from masonry.

2008-09

FLAMINGO DANCER:

The deck offers a great place to have a drink in the evening watching the

setting sunlight hues on the Camelback Mountain. The spiral stair is like a

twirling flamingo dancer. The parapet walls of the deck also receive the clear

polished glass inserts to express the rejoicing nature of the space. 2008-09

The low window brings daylight to the bench

inside during the day. Intensity of the bench

changes as the sun traverses the sky.

Work bench gets skylight and glass inserts in

the masonry wall facing West that shoot

daggers of golden light in the evening.

The new patio bears on the existing solid grouted masonry walls with galvanized steel columns and also anchors

into the existing masonry fireplace chimney. This averted the need for new footings. The plane of the patio floats

above the low roof height creating clerestory that allows hot air to freely escape making space for the cool

breeze. The plasma TV is mounted on the new steel columns with a sliding stainless steel enclosure.

The fabric scrim blocks the view of the HVAC roof top units and diverts one’s

attention to the Camelback Mountain to the right . The ‘TREX’ deck provides

cool walk surface with low albedo. The rain collector roof below collects and

harvest all the rain for landscaping. 2008-09

The Bathroom cuboid

contains another cuboid of

shower with full height glass

enclosure and a translucent

laminated glass bench. This

bench changes its intensity

as the sun moves in the sky

from east to west. As the sun

sets in the west the solar

powered lights bring the

bench to life again throughout

the night. Next day morning

the sun takes over again.

This way the bench pulsates

and never looks the same

reminding of the presence of

the sun out there. The cuboid

also contains new laundry

room and the water close

leaving the rest for vanity,

shower and space for future

bathtub.

2008-09

2010

COOL HOMES, AZ Republic new paper 2010

http://www.azcentral.com/photo/Style/CoolHomes/15592/391140

Top 10 homes 2011

http://www.azcentral.com/style/hfe/decor/articles/2011/12/30/20111230top-10-home-

design-trends-wowed-us-2011.html?page=4

2005-07 Bornstein residence, Scottsdale, Arizona for

The Construction Zone, ltd.

2005-07

2005-07

AUTOWERKS

Tempe, Arizona.

Auto detailing+showroom and

administration offices for

The Construction Zone, ltd, phoenix

2005-07 Udinotti Art Gallery, Paradise valley, Arizona for

The Construction Zone, ltd, Phoenix

2005-07 The Construction Zone’s Office, Phoenix, Arizona for

The Construction Zone, ltd, Phoenix

2002-04 Tempe Center for Arts, Tempe, Arizona for

joint venture of Barton Myers +ARCHITEKTON, Tempe, AZ

2002-04

2002-04

2002-04

2000-02 Houses at Sagaponac, lot #39, Southampton, NY for

Marwan Al-Sayed Architects, phoenix.

Master planned by Richard Meier and Coco Brown, NY

www.housesatsagaponac.com

2000-02

1997-98 Yanni house, New Jersey for

Kramer Woodard Architects, Albuquerque, NM

1997-98

1993-97 Esplanade – Theaters on the Bay, Singapore for

(James Stirling)Michael Wilford + DP Architects.

1993-97

1993-97

1989-92 Ravi Mathia Auditorium, Indian Inst. Of Management, Ahmedabad, for

Anant Raje Architect, Ahmedabad, India

Indian Institute of Management(IIM) Ahmedabad, India by Louis I Kahn

competitions Architectural competitions by Amit Upadhye

2009 Regional Outstanding Kitchen Design Award by

SUBZERO-WOLF 2008-2009

2004

IMAGINATION CUBE competition by AIA, phoenix. 48’X48’X48’ Cube. Brick as a

predominant building material.

Kahn once asked the brick, “what do you want to be?” and the brick said, “I want to be

an arch”. For the last 30 years the brick has been quiet. Here it was asked the again,

“what is it’s desire?” and the brick said, “I have been too heavy for centuries and now I

want to fly in the sky”.

2002 World Trade Center Memorial, international design competition.

CONCEPT:

“If existence is beginning-less, endless and timeless then, could there be any beginning

and end with in it?”

2002

Phoenix light rail power substation design

competition. AIA Arizona Chapter.

The concept was to abstract the flower growing

out of sidewalk crevice into Power Substation.

1st Prize by AIA, AZ chapter

1997

Davids Island, Long Island – Honors graduate studio at University of New Mexico,

Albuquerque. Winning entry for International design competition floated by New Rochelle

Castle Gallery, New Rochelle, NY.

1st Prize won by six graduate students, Spring 1997

1st Prize awarded by ASLA 1997, NM chapter

1997

furniture Selected furniture designs by Amit Upadhye. 2002-2009

2002-04

paper clip lounge chair jewelry boxes

tissue paper storage

US Patent#D539, 581 S tealight holder - wenge

coffee table made of purple heart

“Our panel felt that your design was innovative, functional, and most importantly aesthetically pleasing not only from a design

perspective, but also to someone who has minimal knowledge about product design.”

Finalist, KONTAKT MAGAZINE, International Furniture Design Competition 2008

Travel sketches in India and United States in different media such as watercolor, pastels and markers