ANUSHMA SHRESTHA
Los Angeles
Summary
Dynamic lead transit designer with over 15 years of specialized experience in the architectural planning and design of underground heavy rail stations. Expertise includes station architecture, code compliance, and multidisciplinary coordination, facilitating the successful execution of complex public infrastructure projects from conceptualization to construction. Currently serving as Architectural Lead at WSP, overseeing Sections 1, 2, and 3 of the Westside Purple Line Extension project and driving innovation and excellence in transit design. Committed to enhancing urban mobility through sustainable and efficient transit solutions.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Designer
WSP USA
Los Angeles
- During Advanced Preliminary Engineering, Anushma in close coordination of various engineering disciplines coordinated the production and delivering of station architectural drawings for Request for proposal for Section 1,2 & 3 for design build construction. She and her architecture team consistently produced presentations/graphics /3D renderings that were utilized in the meetings with the client (LACTMA) for critical problem solving. In conjunction with station excavation design, station appendages for emergency exits and air intake/exhaust were reviewed from constructability aspect to determine if there were potential cost and schedule benefit by their reconfiguration. Anushma also led the effort in adapting Metro’s standardized Kit of parts in all seven station entrances; 3D renderings were consistently produced and presented to the client to ensure that the kit of parts fit well within the station infrastructure and surrounding urban fabric. She also worked constantly in developing entrance footprints in coordination with underground utilities, plaza amenities and third-party coordination. Coordination with the building owners for entrances integrated into existing buildings for Wilshire/Westwood station was a critical aspect of PLE project; Anushma ensured state historic preservation office (SHPO) requirements; fire separation, emergency egress path and ADA compliance were met during the integration. Anushma in collaboration with structural engineers, designed a pedestrian bridge that provides direct pedestrian access across Wilshire Boulevard to the station entrance plaza, improving connectivity between the VA campus, transit riders, and surrounding destinations. As a part of Metro’s “first/last-mile” strategy and in an effort to improving bike infrastructure, enclosed high-capacity bicycle parking facility was introduced in station plaza area directly accessible to station entrances, Anushma worked closely with Metro Systemwide Group to integrate enclosed Bicycle parking in the entrance areas.
- Westside Purple Line Extension Advanced Preliminary Engineering, APE (Senior Designer)
Designer
WSP USA
Los Angeles
- Stations and station entrances identified during Draft Environmental Impact Study (DEIS) phase were further developed during Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), Advanced Conceptual Engineering (ACE) and Preliminary Engineering (PE) phase. Anushma was involved in developing standardized modular design of the stations (platform, ancillary and entrance modules) during ACE phase that could be assembled in different configurations depending on location, ridership and urban environment. Conceptual station module design of the stations that she and her team developed was used to prepare station capacity and circulation report that helped move station design forward. When the project advanced into the Preliminary Engineering phase, she helped further develop station modules ensuring that public area and ancillary rooms complied with Metro Design Criteria and local, state and federal regulations. Stations were further refined in consistent collaboration with engineering teams, ensuring alignment with client needs, Anushma participated in numerous meetings with the client and various disciplines that helped finesse the station design. Westside Subway extension is one of the first LACTMA projects that required the project to be delivered in fully integrated BIM models, Anushma was a part of the pioneer team that was trained in Revit and used it extensively for station architecture modeling. She worked in close coordination with electrical, mechanical, and tunnel engineers to deliver this project in a collaborative BIM environment that allowed shared ownership of a coordination model that helped streamline project workflows and minimize errors. Early detection of conflicts within the stations and entrances provided adequate time to find a solution that resulted in improved station layout during Preliminary Engineering. Anushma in collaboration with Johnson Fain also helped Metro develop the Systemwide Station Design “kit-of-parts” to standardize station architecture while still allowing customization for different locations.
- Westside Purple Line Extension FEIS /ACE/PE (Designer)
Part time intern
WSP USA
Los Angeles
- During the Alternative Analysis (AA) study, an urban design process was conducted that included extended data collection and research and the process resulted in an urban design concept report which set forth the guidelines and framework for working with the community and local jurisdictions during subsequent station area planning and design phases of the project. During Draft EIS/EIR Metro Anushma worked with the client and community surrounding each station location to identify and evaluate potential station entrance location. Anushma was involved in various meetings held at metro gateway headquarters and a series of station area advisory group (SAAG) meetings that evaluated station entrance locations.
- Purple Line Extension Environmental phase AA/DEIR/DEIS (Part time intern)
Bus Interface project for Foothill Gold Line Light Rail, Phase 2A
Los Angeles
- The bus interface project involved the planning, design, and construction of bus–rail integration facilities at foothill gold line light rail extension (Pasadena to Azusa) so transit riders can easily transfer between local/regional buses and light rail. Anushma prepared schematic drawings to study the bus connection with Foothill Light Rail project at the various stations along with developing bus shelter designs to coherently match the station design.
Assistant Vice President
WSP USA
Los Angeles
01.2010 - Current
- Architectural Lead- LA Metro Westside Purple Line Extension
- During ESDC phase, WSP is providing engineering support to the contractor and owner including multidisciplinary design and engineering-during-construction support for underground stations, twin-bore tunnels, utility relocations, rail systems, and excavation support systems. Anushma as an architectural lead, reviews contractor’s architectural construction documents, shop drawings and product data to ensure that the design is in compliance with metro rail design criteria, local building codes, fire life safety regulations, accessibility regulations and other applicable local, state and federal codes. She provides technical responses to their request information (RFIs), preparing change notices (CNs) and deviation requests (DDRs). Multitude of complex issues come up consistently on this mega-sized project, her expertise is in preparing code analysis not only for architectural issues, but also on engineering issues that assist the client, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACTMA) in critical decision making. She coordinates with construction management team on various facets of the project including resolving critical issues, which often involves third party property stakeholders. She works closely with third party property owners to solve complex design and construction challenges that range from installing excavation piles next to their building, to coordination between Metro’s easement and existing building interface, to utilities coordination. Tail track tunnel and exit shaft in VA army reserve area were modified to allow for storage and maneuver of hi-rail vehicles, Anushma as a lead designer is overseeing the incorporation of hi rail vehicle turntable and ancillary room modifications. Recently, LACTMA upgraded fare gates as a part of a broader station-hardening and fare-evasion reduction program tied to metro’s TAP fare-collection system and safety initiatives, Anushma led the effort of changing faregate in all seven stations, performing exit calculations to ensure that the new paddle gates meet fire life safety criteria.
- Westside Purple Line Extension Engineering Services During Construction, ESDC (Architectural Lead)
Designer
Jyoti Rath Associates
New Delhi, India
01.2006 - 01.2007
- Anushma was a part of the team that produced design development drawings of a residential community project in Mohali, Chandigarh. During early/mid 2000s corporate sector of New Delhi was scaling its corporate infrastructure following mergers and growth, and multiple companies were building their expansion and upgrading their interior, Anushma produced interior drawings for then growing corporate offices like Tata Consultancy Services, Gurgaon, New Delhi, Fluor Daniel IV Gurgaon, New Delhi and Kotak Mahindra Insurance, Bombay.
- Jyoti Rath Associates Pvt. Ltd. is an architecture, interior design, and planning firm based in the Delhi-NCR region of India. The firm works across Architecture (residential, institutional, healthcare, corporate); Interior design and furniture/product design and landscape design.
Lecturer
Acme Engineering College
Kathmandu, Nepal
01.2004 - 01.2006
- Anushma was an instructor in Arts & Graphics, Design studio-II, Building Construction, Climatology. She participated in different jury panels of design competitions for the students.
- Acme Engineering College is a private engineering college in Kathmandu, Nepal; the architecture program in the college was designed to produce creative and technically capable architects who can work in different areas of the built environment. The college focuses on combining theoretical learning with practical engineering education.
Designer
Space Design Consultant
Kathmandu, Nepal
01.2003 - 01.2004
- Anushma helped developed model for Pacific Flora Japan-2004, International Horticulture Competition that the company participated in; the model won second position. She also worked on creating 3D renderings of various residential projects in Kathmandu, Nepal.
- Space Design Consultant, an architecture design and planning company, helped clients plan, design, coordinate, and deliver projects successfully.
Education
Masters - Transportation Planning
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas01.2009
Bachelor’s - architecture
D.Y. Patil College of Engineering and Technology
Maharastra, India01.2003
Skills
- Digital illustration
- Print design
- Visual storytelling
- Advanced typography
Affiliations
- U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
- National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
Certification
US Green Building
Languages
Hindi
Limited Working
Nepalese
Timeline
Assistant Vice President
WSP USA
01.2010 - Current
Designer
Jyoti Rath Associates
01.2006 - 01.2007
Lecturer
Acme Engineering College
01.2004 - 01.2006
Designer
Space Design Consultant
01.2003 - 01.2004
Senior Designer
WSP USA
Designer
WSP USA
Part time intern
WSP USA
Bus Interface project for Foothill Gold Line Light Rail, Phase 2A
Bachelor’s - architecture
D.Y. Patil College of Engineering and Technology
Masters - Transportation Planning
Texas A&M University