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