About Me!
I’m Nirmal Kumar Kumarasamy, a Master of Advanced Architectural Design (MAAD) student at Carnegie Mellon University. I’m passionate about creating spaces that blend aesthetics and functionality while solving real-world challenges. I enjoy exploring innovative forms and rethinking how people interact with spaces. With a focus on efficiency, I develop workflows that save time and allow for diverse design iterations. I’m always eager to push the boundaries of architecture by experimenting with materials, forms, and advanced technologies. Learning from others and tackling challenges in design keeps me inspired and motivated to deliver meaningful solutions.
CV Link:
Nirmal Kumar_2025Contact:
nkumaras@andrew.cmu.eduSkills
Design & Visualization: Concept Design, Design Development, Detail Design Development, Parametric Design, Façade Design, Space Planning, Photorealistic Rendering, Physical Modelling
Fabrication & Prototyping: 3D Printing, CNC Fabrication, Laser Cutting
Software: Rhino, Revit, Sketchup, Grasshopper, Python, AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign),Google Suite, QGIS, Twin Motion, Lumion, Rhino V-Ray
Technical Skills: Fabrication Drawings, Computational Workflows, Documentation & Reporting
Earthy
Matters
Carnegie Mellon University
Shaping Environments
Fall ‘24
Instructor - Joshua Bard and Vina Wei
The ability to print non-planar surfaces with robotic precision redefines approaches to flexible and adaptive design in architecture and manufacturing. The use of clay as a sustainable and customizable medium opens new avenues for material innovation, allowing for intricate and precise forms that are challenging to achieve through conventional methods.
This approach could lead to opportunities in industries such as architecture and manufacturing, where bespoke molds, facades, and other highly customized designs are valued. By refining robotic clay printing within a single automated setup, the process streamlines production and increases efficiency, demonstrating the potential for real-world applications in material behavior, precision control, and structural stability.
Additionally, the exploration of reusable molds, such as kinetic sand formworks, contributes to sustainability efforts by reducing material waste.
Opportunities for Future Exploration:
Adaptive Printing Strategies: Develop more sophisticated robotic control algorithms that can adapt the printing path and extrusion parameters in real-time based on the scanned surface geometry. This could improve print quality and enable more complex overhangs and cantilever.
Parametric Formwork Generatnio: Develop algorithms that can generate complex, parametric formwork designs based on specific architectural or artistic requirements. This could allow for the creation of intricate, organic shapes that would be difficult to achieve with traditional methods.
Multi-Material Printing: Investigate the potential for printing with multiple clay types or other materials on the same non-planar surface. This could lead to interesting composite structures with varying properties across different sections
Material Properties: Study how the properties of the clay (such as viscosity, drying time, and shrinkage) interact with the kinetic sand formwork. This could inform the development of specialized clay mixtures optimized for non-planar printing
Agro
Form
Carnegie Mellon University
Shaping Environments
Fall ‘24
Instructor - Dana Cupkova
As our prototype took shape, a new vision began to emerge—one where materials and life merge seamlessly. The fibrous structures of coconut and jute form vertical, tree-like arches, providing a flexible yet stable framework. These structures support banana peel skin panels, which feather outward to create dynamic, living facades. These skin pockets were further imagined to hold embedded seeds, which decompose over time, giving way to plants that grow, replace, and renew the structure. The coconut and jute fibers continue to provide lasting stability, while the growing plants contribute to biodiversity, enhancing the environment. What began as a solution to reduce waste and carbon emissions has evolved into a self-sustaining system—materials that regenerate naturally, creating a continuous cycle of growth, renewal, and balance with nature. This integration of materials and plants defines AgroFORM, where architecture itself takes shape as a living organism, blurring the lines between the the built and natural world.
Fragmented Land and Lives
Carnegie Mellon University
ASOS - I - Compoundologies
Fall ‘24
Instructor - Tommy Yang
Chiang Mai, Thailand
responds to the challenges of urbanization by reconnecting people with traditional ways of living and building. Rooted in the cultural and ecological context of Chiang Mai, the design integrates sustainable practices with vernacular architecture to foster community resilience.
“Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the transmission of fire.”
- Gustav Mahler
Fostering Community Engagement
The compound goes beyond being a mere residential and agricultural space; it is a community hub. Its design encourages shared activities like farming, fishing, and building, nurturing relationships among residents. This community-driven approach counters the isolation often associated with urbanization, fostering a sense of belonging and mutual support. Furthermore, the shared responsibility for managing the compound’s resources instills a collective awareness of sustainability.
Edible
Pavilion
NUDES
Status: Built
Client: CSMVS
Location:
Mumbai, India
Year: 2022
Team: Nuru Karim, Nirmal Kumar, Aditya Jain
The Edible Pavilion is more than a physical space; it’s a blueprint for sustainable living. By nurturing an early connection between children and the environment, it paves the way for a generation that values and preserves our planet’s resources.The structure is a harmonious blend of aesthetics and environmental responsibility. Crafted from renewable sources, primarily wood that can be grown and harvested multiple times, the pavilion embodies the essence of eco-friendly design.
The Outdoor Room
NUDES
Status:
Competition
Organiser: Museum of Architecture
Location: Kew Gardens, London, United Kingdom
Year:
2022
Team: Nuru Karim, Nirmal Kumar, Aditya Jain
The “Outdoor Room” is an inside-outside experience that can be accessed by all age groups and aims at creating a sense of “place” and “recreation” for the visitors. Horizontal platforms are defined for access, seating, reading, and meditation. “The Outdoor Room” treehouse aims to celebrate life and blur the boundaries between figure-ground, house-landscape, and humans-nature.
Mahati
Wellness Centre
NUDES
Status: Concept Design
Client: Confidential
Location:
Ujjain, India
Year: 2022
Team: Nuru Karim, Nirmal Kumar
Mahati Wellness Centre is a harmonious blend of modern design and spiritual inspiration.
Nestled within a modular earth-berm structure, the site plan is a reflection of Shiva’s third eye, creating a serene environment for holistic well-being.
Radiance Groove
NUDES
Status: Competition
Organiser: Mumbai Light Festival
Location:
Mumbai, India
Year: 2022
Team: Nuru Karim, Nirmal Kumar
Radiance Groove epitomizes design sophistication, seamlessly fusing the richness of timber with luminous allure.
A dynamic vertical movement enchants observers, creating a rhythmic interplay of light and shadow that adds a layer of intrigue to the structure.
The central, subtle glow transforms the pavilion into a living entity, erasing boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces.
More than architecture, it is an immersive experience where nature meets innovation—a narrative of luminous elegance and timeless beauty, where each moment unfolds a new chapter in the dance of light and timber.
Jamsu
Bridge
NUDES
Status :
Competition
Organiser : Seoul Metropolitan Government
Location :
Seoul, South Korea
Year : 2023
Team : Nuru Karim, Nirmal Kumar, Atul Hanchnale
The Jamsu Bridge pedestrianisation project aspires to become a beacon of sustainable urban development, fostering connectivity, community engagement, and harmony with nature. By transforming a functional structure into an inclusive, multi-faceted landmark, this endeavour aligns with the principles of social well-being, environmental stewardship, and cultural enrichment that define the future of urban spaces in South Korea.
The proposed pedestrianisation of the Jamsu Bridge presents an exciting opportunity to transform an existing urban infrastructure into an iconic landmark that embodies both innovative design and sustainable technologies. This project aims to redefine the bridge's role from a mere transport corridor to a vibrant, multi-functional space that fosters
community engagement, recreation, and sensory connection with the Han River.
By pedestrianising the Jamsu Bridge, we aim to restore a tangible
connection between people and the river that holds deep cultural
significance. The project recognises the bridge as a symbolic
thread that weaves together the past, present, and future of South
Korea's urban fabric.