Shain Yoosuf

Architecture

[shainyoosuf]

PROTOTYPE MULTI-UNIT AFFORDABLE HOUSING

The concept envisions the continuity of the road onto the building through stairs and escalators, creating small agoras through a continuous ascend of living units.

The units have a small goathi (open space) to allow a small shed for potential livelihood activities. The prefabricated unit is open to all sides, allowing cross-ventilation, with a brise soleil facade that reduces heat gain to the unit and has misters installed, creating a cooling effect that is experienced throughout the unit.

This terraced residential and civic complex, where housing, landscape and community life spirals together in a continuous helical form, functions as a public street, ecological terrace, marketplace and social platform. Supported by lightweight steel frame and plant terraces, the project creates a breathable, climate-responsive micro-neighborhood that offers a living where nature, culture and daily life rotate in harmony.

Heat-map visualization highlighting circulation intensity and spatial activity within Celestial Salsa, revealing the central agora as the hottest social core.

Heat map generated with prompt - gemini nano banana

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[shainyoosuf]

RESIDENTIAL DWELLINGS

Ground floor site plan:

Linked to the plaza, pavilion, commercial hub, and surrounding circulation paths.

Each unit typology is designed as a prefabricated module. The 2-bedroom Type B units serve as the base component, which can merge to form the larger 4-room Type C configuration.

Type A:

2-bedroom compact, efficient unit following the directional pull of the overall massing.

Type B:

3-bedroom duplex unit that stacks living and study spaces vertically, creating a split-level home that mirrors the project’s layered orbital rhythm.

Type C:

4-bedroom unit with generous shared living areas and outward-facing rooms shaped by the Celestial Salsa geometry.

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[shainyoosuf]

VERTICAL RHYTHM

Part model exploring the layered residential rings of Celestial Salsa. Testing how the dwelling “moons” stack within the constellation.

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DESIGN DEVELOPMENT of Celestial Salsa, translating the constellation concept into a layered vertical system

Massing decisions informed by context and immediate surrounding with key access points and edges.

A few workout sketches mapping the residential unit layout, testing how the Celestial Salsa geometry shapes living spaces and circulation.

Workout of vertical circulation, and the placement of agoras in harmony with the dwellings.

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[shainyoosuf]

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Early massing studies translating Celestial Salsa into form.

Blue blocks represent the residential “moons,” while yellow volumes represent the agoras, mapping rhythm, spacing, and the project’s constellation-like flow.

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[shainyoosuf]

CELESTIAL SALSA

Within the masterplan’s vision of “a garden every 12 houses,” the Social Star emerges as a cosmic interpretation of communal life in Malé. Celestial Salsa transforms the idea of distributed gardens into a celestial system of orbits, where culture, greenery, and dwelling move in harmony.

The Star

The Star is the cultural core of Celestial Salsa, the theatre auditorium whose gravity anchors the entire constellation. It acts as the brightest force, drawing movement, gathering, and shared expression into its orbit.

The Earths

The Earths are the social and ecological grounds that surround the Star. These garden-planets host communal landscapes, craft terraces, music gardens, learning decks, and green courts. They cultivate daily interaction and root the project in nature and collective life.

The Moons

The Moons are the intimate residential clusters that orbit the Earths. Light, adaptable, and domestic, they create calm living environments closely tied to the gardens and cultural center, completing the rhythm of the constellation.

Spatial parti - Celestial Salsa

Evolution of concept parti - Celestial Salsa - a choreography of a living constellation

As the concept evolved, the Earths transformed into Agoras, active social grounds where workshops, gatherings, and daily interactions take place. They shifted from simple garden-planets to civic and cultural hubs that give Celestial Salsa its communal pulse.

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[shainyoosuf]

MULTI-UNIT AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Positioned between the metro station in Ameeneemagu and the south-edge beach, the site is held in tension by three forces: the recreational edge, the social heart, and the civic core. Celestial Salsa grows from this pull. While the plaza, pavilions, and promenades simply stitch the metro to the shoreline, the concept itself becomes the guiding logic for the multi-unit residential project that emerges from this context.

Set between the metro station and the south-edge beach, the 12-hectare masterplan area (4 ha redevelopment, 8 ha regeneration) sits at the intersection of civic, recreational, and social zones. This rare alignment of forces transforms the site into a dynamic spine of connection, public activity, and renewed urban identity.

When the Celestial Salsa building is placed on site, it absorbs the pull of the recreational edge, social hub, and civic center. Instead of acting as a standalone block, it channels these forces into its circulation and communal spaces. The plaza and promenade connections guide how people enter and move through the building, allowing it to grow naturally from the masterplan. Celestial Salsa becomes an extension of the road itself, where the converging forces create a universe within a universe.

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[feststudio5-26]

In Part 3 students will continue from Part 2, and will be individually defining the nature of a Prototype Multi-Unit Housing block with an Affordable component. The site students will be resolving its programs reflecting the needs of the site, based on their unique interpretations of the site, applying learnings from the dialogues in class and applying the knowledge from relevant other sources of information. This complex multi-storey building will correspond to, and fit within the masterplan developed earlier in groups. The block shall inhibit quality public spaces, relevant commercial spaces, and well-connected system of movement networks in addition to the different types of apartments including the affordable options. Students would be firstly developing an Artwork that can bridge their initial site interpretations into a physical and perceivable complex set of relationships and spaces. Consequently, students would be following a basic process of architecture to develop the building, starting from a phase of Concept development – through Design Development and a Final Design.

[maihhaaa]

Studio Moments - Group 2

Snapshots from our master plan process sketches, models, and late night ideas taking shape. A glimpse into the collective energy behind reimagining Male'.

Part 3 of 3

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MASTER PLAN - DHOLHAS BAHAARU

The final master plan map illustrates the newly introduced programs as well as the rejuvenated functions in both Zone A and Zone B.

The masterplan proposes an intervention inbetween a metro station and the edge. These distinct characters offer the site a unique positioning, to cater to a high passenger traffic, offering a unique selling point in for commercial outlets. The proposed intervention primarily revolves around the idea of communality, where 12 houses have access to public space - three dimensionally. Dholhas - name for the number 12 in dhivehi & bahaaru as in garden.

ZONE B ILLUSTRATIONS

Spherical Access to Nature: The master plan envisions a vertical civic district where every cluster of twelve housing units connects to shared green terraces. In master plan, a green space is allocated between each 4 floors. These elevated gardens bring nature closer to daily life, creating moments of openness and calm within the dense fabric of Malé.

Central Pavilion: Positioned along the main promenade between the mosque and outer edge, connected by greater male' area by a metro station, this layered pavilion hosts exhibition and co-working spaces, acting as a green cultural node within the civic landscape.

1- View towards marine deck 2- View of pavilion and commercial node

Marine Deck: Extending the city into the lagoon, the marine deck forms a new civic edge for the settlement. The deck includes a BBQ area, Futsal court and an amphitheatre connected with the central pavilion and residential blocks through overpasses and green corridors.

Connection to the Edge: A commercial hub comprising of a gallery spaces and a local farmers market, bridges the city’s inner civic spaces to the waterfront edge, creating a fluid transition where public pathways, terraces, and green decks converge into an active urban promenade.

ZONE A ILLUSTRATIONS

A farm garden surrounding the bioswale, creating a rain garden, with the marketplace facing it and people interacting in these spaces.

The integration of farm gardens, open cafés, and small playground pockets.

Green rainwater gutters directing water to the bioswale, alongside green bicycle parking areas.

STREET SECTION

The illustrations depict the proposed road typologies included in the master plan.

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[maihhaaa]

SITE SELECTION

Option 1: Blocks the potential breathing edge of the historical Lonuziyaaraiy kolhu, which was in recent years an open area used for large public gatherings and civic activities. Option 3: Needs to be a zone where urban shock of inbound & outbound vehicles, & people from the bridge needs to be accommodated. Option 2: Compared to option 1 & 3, offers a better pre-dominant single use industrial situation which can easily be relocated & transformed into a residential zoning with connectivity to the south edge of Male'.

SITE CONTEXT

The selected area has a total population of 9,500 people. Through the master plan process, it has been divided into two zones: Zone A (8 hectares) and Zone B (4 hectares).

The proposed redevelopment will focus on Zone B, introducing a mixed-use residential development that includes amenities, commercial spaces, open areas, and essential movement networks.

Zone A, the larger 8-hectare area, will undergo minimal intervention. The focus here will be on rejuvenating the existing organically-developed fabric through population density redistribution and the careful addition of land uses and amenities—while preserving its unique character.

Zone B includes a mix of institutional and community buildings, commercial spaces, open and recreational areas, industrial facilities, and utility and municipal buildings.

RETAIN/ RELOCATION PROGRAM

The plots marked in dark blue on the first map indicate the areas to be removed and rejuvenated. All of these plots contain buildings under four storeys in height and are either in poor condition, entirely commercial, used as storage (godowns), or currently vacant. The population displaced from these areas will be accommodated within the new housing units proposed in Zone B. Similarly, commercial, community, and recreational facilities will be reintegrated into the site as part of the master plan. However, industrial plots will be relocated to the designated industrial area in Malé.

LAND USE ANALYSIS

Educational institutions and mosques are well distributed throughout the area, with their walkability radius covering most of the high-density residential zones. Most of these facilities are also within a reasonable walking distance from Zone B.

EXISTING CHARACTERISTICS

The most noticeable characteristics identified in the selected area are highlighted, along with illustrations of the common types of vegetation found throughout the site.

CIRCULATION AND ROAD TYPOLOGIES

There are four main road typologies within the site. The marked circles indicate key nodes where people commonly gather.

HISTORICAL LAND USE

The timeline illustrates and describes how key landmarks in the area have changed over time.

KEY NODES

The most prominent landmarks within the site are the mosque and the marine deck, which is used for docking fishing boats. As part of the master plan, the dock is proposed to be upgraded and improved.

PROGRAMS OF NEW MASTERPLAN

A metro line running along Ameenee Magu in Malé is proposed, connecting the island to the Greater Malé region through bridges introduced collectively by all groups in the master plan. A metro station is planned adjacent to Zone B. The programs to be reintroduced and newly introduced in Zone B are illustrated in the accompanying sketch.

Part 1 of 3

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[shainyoosuf]

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[anoofii]

Final Male' Block Model (1:3000)

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[alimamohamed-blog]

After male' site analysis, our design studio disbanded to 3 groups & focused on designing a master plan for a 12-hectare area in Malé City, exploring strategies of revitalization, regeneration, and redevelopment. The chosen site of our group, Thaisey Koshi area, on the city’s southern edge, currently hosts civic and industrial uses such as the City Council office and sports courts.

From the total 12 ha, 8 ha were designated for regeneration and 4 ha for redevelopment, transforming the area into a vibrant civic and mixed-use residential hub.

DHOLHAS BAHAARU

Dholhas - name for the number 12 in dhivehi & bahaaru as in garden.

The masterplan proposes an intervention in-between a metro station and the edge. The mosque being the central compass to guide the flow of the site through a promenade.

The proposed intervention primarily revolves around the idea of communality, where 12 houses have access to public space - three dimensionally.

A 3-dimensional realm, the hope for all the troubles of the city

Group 2 team work: @shainyoosuf @raniya-m @maihhaaa @archnash @nahidha33288 @naajy03

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[shainyoosuf]

DHOLHAS BAHAARU

[feststudio5-26]

What if Malé could breathe again? What if its narrow streets could once more belong to people — not cars? This exercise dares to imagine a rebalanced city, where clutter is replaced by clarity, and the island’s lungs are reopened through thoughtful redistribution.

Building on prior research and reflections, students are invited to speculate on a regenerative masterplan that reconnects Malé’s fragmented parts. By merging careful preservation of its organically evolved fabric with a visionary redevelopment of adjacent underused lands, the task challenges teams to propose a future where density, livability, and heritage coexist.

The goal is not to erase the past, but to weave it meaningfully into tomorrow — one that celebrates community, walkability, and a renewed sense of belonging within the city.

[alimamohamed-blog]

Diving into Male’ city analysis, pre-dominant land uses were identified and highlighted as zones. Each zone has unique characters which is influenced by where it’s located and its surrounding context.

Zone 1: Commercial

Zone 2: Institutional

Zone 3 & 7: Water front

Zone 4: Education

Zone 5: Sports

Zone 6: Industrial

Galolhu having the highest concentration of housing and Maafannu having the lowest recreational, parks and open spaces speaks volume of how these two ward are densely packed with limited breathing space for residents - excluding Rasfannu.

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[shainyoosuf]

Male' pre-dominant zones and donut charts to compare land use of each ward

[shainyoosuf]

Land Use Plan Analysis & Breakdown: Greater Malé

As part of the site analysis for Greater Malé, my focus was on studying the existing land use structure of the city. The way space has been occupied, divided, and adapted over time. The process began by obtaining the official CAD base map and land use plan from Male' city council, which was layered with building footprints, plot boundaries, and land use zones. Using color-coded classifications, each parcel was identified and categorized according to its function, residential, commercial, institutional, industrial, recreational, or mixed-use.

The land use breakdown axo map dissects Malé's land use anatomy, mapping how housing, institutions, recreation, and infrastructure coexist within extreme density. Each layer reveals the choreography of access: how far one walks to reach a park, a mosque, a school. How the public realm survives within compression.

The waffle chart translates this condition into proportion, a visual economy of space. 42% of Malé breathes domestic life, while only 11% is reserved for recreation. In a city built on scarcity, every square meter becomes a negotiation between living, moving, and belonging.

The analysis not only mapped existing conditions but also highlighted imbalances. How certain uses overlap, how public amenities are unevenly distributed, and how urban growth continues to consume available voids. This understanding forms the basis for proposing regenerative interventions. Rethinking how land is allocated, shared, and layered to achieve a more balanced and livable Malé. @feststudio6-25

[feststudio5-26]

Greater Male’ Site Analysis

🔻 Group work

Male’ is a unique city with much historical and cultural significance. The city has gone through various stages of rapid transformations - nothing short of impressive. Even with key changes to connection of Male’ with Hulhumale’, and the ongoing ambitious inter-linking of Vilingili, Gulhi falhu, Thilafushi and Giraavaru Falhu with bridges and causeways, Male’ still remains uniquely important. The sheer historical and sentimental values as well as and the weight of its stake to many makes a regenerative attempt a worthwhile one.

The site analysis stage is the foundation of the students' design journey. It is where they carefully observe, document, and interpret the greater Male’ region, its history, culture, density, open spaces, land uses, demographics, and movement patterns. By layering maps, models, and narratives, students sets the groundwork for imagining a more livable, sustainable, and culturally rooted city.

The exercise is expected to help harvest the knowledge and sensitivity needed to design responsibly, guiding to make informed choices for the Exercise to regenerate some selected areas in the Male' land area.