MFA, Welcome

Educational Complex, by Mike Kelley, at MoMA PS1.

Educational Complex, by Mike Kelley, at MoMA PS1.

We do not claim to be experts on education in the fine arts, but we do know one person who went to RISD who added a huge amount of value to several Raxa Collective initiatives, and we would welcome him (and other members of the design team he was part of) back in a heartbeat.  For now, we can just share these thoughts by a more well-informed person (beware the four-letter words and strong opinion):

In her excellent essay, now out in Modern Painters, artist Coco Fusco pulls back the curtains on the risky business and chancy racket of the Master of Fine Arts degree. Fusco deftly addresses, among other things, how M.F.A. programs are “discursive battlefields.” Continue reading

The Universe is a Circle; Except When It Isn’t

Collaboration is dear to our hearts, whether it be interpersonal, international or intercollegiate, not to mention intercorporate to coin a phrase.  I couldn’t help but recall our posts on Elif Bilgin and Sush Krishnamoorthy when I came upon this video and read the bio of Shixie (Xiangjun Shi), the creative force behind it. Kudos to Brown University and RISD for having such an impactful program!

When I left home for college in the US, I was fortunate to be selected for the very first class of a new Dual Degree program, presented by Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design. WIthout predecessors, and in trusting embrace of Brown’s open curriculum, I was pretty much able to design my own education. Continue reading

We are the RCDT

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!