Author: Jonathon Spada

“There is no better designer than nature.”

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Color is quite possibly the most strategic tool a designer can use to breathe life into a concept.

And it comes as no surprise to the RCDT that used effectively and responsibly, color can transform an existing space more powerfully than any other single alteration. But it is important to realize that color does not exist as an object in itself; rather color is the relationship between light and an object, producing a condition that is unique and inherent to a specific material. As pure white light from the sun reaches a material’s surface, various light frequencies are either absorbed or reflected causing our visual perception to interpret the surface as a certain color. Thus color is actually a very scientific narrative between light, a surface, and our eyes.

This post could delve very deeply into the science of color and those factors that cause us to perceive what we do, but the scenery of India is far too inspiring to diminish it to wavelengths. Instead I dedicate this post to the basic and simple application of color, what it is, and why it is one of the things that makes India one of the most beautiful places on our earth. Continue reading →

We are the RCDT

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We are a group of adventure seekers, lovers of unusual things, and creators of the useful and the beautiful. In short, we are a collection of design and engineering students collaborating this summer to create renovation and design proposals for several projects under the management of Raxa Collective. And together, we make up the first ever RCDT – Raxa Collective Design Team. 

(from left to right)
Siobhan Powers recently graduated from Cornell University with a degree in environmental engineering and will return for a 1 year master program.

Karen “Chi Chi” Lin is a 5th year architecture student at Cornell University.

Jonathon Dominic Spada is a 2nd year graduate student in interior architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design with a hotel management and facilities design degree from Cornell University.

Rania Mirabueno is a 2nd year graduate student in landscape architecture at Cornell University with an undergraduate dual degree in architecture and music from University of Colorado at Boulder.

The blend of disciplines, skills, talents and personalities bring forth innovative design solutions to several projects under review. The design team is turning out proposals for a renovation and expansion in Fort Cochin, a green field site in Marari Beach, a renovation in Alleppey, and a renovation in Thekkady. Facing sleepless nights, over-consumption of coffee, and the elements in our outdoor studio, these super heroes will stop at nothing to bring good design and environmental friendliness to southern India!

To Munnar And Back – 6 Interns And An Indian Staff Picnic

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The morning of the staff picnic began with a wakeup call at 4:30am to prepare for a prompt 6am departure to Munnar, a beautiful hill station in the Idukki district of Kerala. To the interns, an early morning with a long bus ride meant a great opportunity to catch up on some sleep after several long days of trekking and work. To the staff it meant the party could start even earlier.

The Men of Cardamom County

Within minutes of leaving the Cardamom County parking lot, a small group of the staff was already busy preparing the music list for the day’s journey. Immediately the bus was pouring with energy- Bollywood music incited full volume singing and raucous dancing that was only made more amusing by the jostling motions of the moving bus. It provided not only a humorous and exciting start to the day but also a somehow appropriate cultural soundtrack to the beautiful mountain views, tea plantations, and villages that passed by the bus window on the way to Munnar. Continue reading →