Feedback
In their words…
Dakota 2011
"I am not exaggerating when I say that this was the most valuable experience I have had the opportunity to be a part of to date. I not only grew as a designer and architect student but also as a person."
"Remarkable. I can't really describe it, but it's by far the best experience I've had in relationship to architecture, and it was outside of school!"
"13 people in 2 weeks working collaboratively designing and building 2 structures. Being outside the entire time, in amazing weather, right next to the site. Having involvement in the entire process and learning to be comfortable with the tools was very powerful."
"The fact that I built the structure that I designed gave me incredible insight into relationships between design and construction. RAW helped me bring me back to Earth so while I am designing I will be better equipped to real life scenarios on the job site whether they are good or bad."
"The experience has definitely given me more confidence to pursue the different challenges that architecture has to offer."
"I definitely feel like I know the other side of architecture now, other than just designing. But I also feel like I've learned to be more sustainable as well. The experience made me think a lot about what I really want to do as a designer. I'd like to use my skills to provide design for the other 90%."
"Being able to assess a finished project that I was involved in has helped me to really look at the details of a project and understanding that the parts really do make the whole. I can now look at my work and really ask if it works, rather than assume it does."
Oaxaca 2011
"I genuinely enjoyed this experience. Although we worked hard, it didn't feel like hard work. The work atmosphere was upbeat, creative, and enjoyable–not grueling. I would strongly recommend this program to anyone interested in creative problem solving, building, or designing."
"I would have to say that it was an experience unlike anything I've done before. Having the ability to personally connect with a community, spend time getting to know them and the trust to build on their land, it was such a huge blessing in so many ways. Culturally, personally, physically- it was extremely challenging, but I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to be stretched and pulled to see what comes out of it!"
"The 2011 RAW Oaxaca trip was the perfect break from routine. Every aspect of the cultural setting- the food, language and landscape contributed positively to my experience and the project that was realized flew together. Building on the rim of the valley and under that sun for a whole week was memorable and spectacular. Likewise, the community involved in the building and celebrating made the workshop special."
"I gained a broader understanding of a different culture and a good contrast between my own ways of thinking and theirs. I also learned more about time consideration regarding what a design meant to the person building it. More importantly, I learned to be more flexible in situations that required it, and to go with the flow when needed."
"Its given me more confidence with the idea of working with other designers. It's also very encouraging to feel like as an Interior Architecture student I can help bridge the gap of understanding between some of the different specialties of architecture."
Dakota 2010
"The incredible site, amount of design input students had, and the full range of tools and skills developed. The entire project was an opportunity to learn."
"I really enjoyed learning about the construction process. It was kind of neat to see how we adjusted details a little bit as we were building. I also thought it was great to be building on the land where we were staying. That connection to the every-day rhythms of the place was unique."
"I really enjoyed learning how to use all sorts of new tools and feel confident in the construction process. Also seeing the details of each connection coming together was critically important in expanding my knowledge of how a design becomes reality."
"I was grateful to have learned everything presented at RAW Dakota."
"The RAW studio was the first time I got to experience the constraints of real building influencing a design.""Dealing with the complexities of meeting the ground in a difficult circumstance was very beneficial. Site planning on a very organic site was difficult, but very necessary. If I hadn't been submitted to a group design before, I would say that it was a very good learning experience. I began the program hoping that I would be able to see something I helped design become reality. I ended realizing that design program, site limitations, and other similar aspects somewhat determined the final form of the building themselves. I enjoyed the experience and definitely came out of it much better off. "
Would you recommend a RAW workshop to other students?
"Completely. The rural site is something that most students never encounter in studio, not to mention design-build."
"Absolutely! The workshop was an amazing blend of international experience and design. I felt that the logistics and organization of the entire trip were executed amazingly! The info that Barbara gave us in preparation was very accurate and practically useful. The design/ build process was made meaningful and very educational by Paul and Adam. I appreciated Paul's ability to guide us as we worked without specifically telling us step by step. While I am not a designer, I do love to learn and to build so the insights that both Adam and Paul gave were very valuable to me."
"Yes. I already have. I hope more Auburn students will be there next year."
"Of course! I learned so much. I'm recommending it to my school."
"I would absolutely recommend RAW. The group dynamic is healthy and positive. The collaboration is energizing and the reward of seeing our project unfold and come together every day is inspiring."
Since leaving RAW…
"It's week 2.5 of school and my RAW experience is proving extremely handy. I wouldn't trade that for anything. I can't thank you guys enough! I'm now able to crank out ideas much more quickly and I've learned how to better work in a group. Adam also forced me to sketch and I'm so thankful that he did. It has been a very valuable part of my design process."