Saving Superman was co-taught by Jonathan Bell, Elizabeth Debs and Liliane Wong, faculty from RISD’s Department of Interior Architecture. Architects by training, they each hold a special interest in heritage and the future of preservation and reuse.
Shreya Anand
MA, Rhode Island School of DesignBArch, Sushant School of Art and Architecture
Shreya is an Architect from India with a particular interest in Interior Architecture. Her belief is that interior spaces should have a sense of continuity from the exterior by having their own individual expression.
Michele Katora
MA, Rhode Island School of DesignBArch, Maywood University
Michele received her five-year professional degree in Architecture with a citation in honors, while also completing a minor in Philosophy. She is particularly interested in exploring how the focus of design through the transformation of space is experienced.
Ankit Mandawewala
MA, Rhode Island School of DesignBArch, Krvia
Ankit began his architectural career in India where he completed his Bachelor of Architecture degree. He then worked with a multidisciplinary firm specializing in adaptive reuse and also as a freelance furniture designer for two years.
Yiren Mao
MA, Rhode Island School of Design BArch and BE, Zhijiang University
Seeking authenticity in architecture, Mao chose to further her studies at the Rhode Island School of Design. There she has learned to respect existing structures and materials, and to handle the context with delicate investigation and consideration. Also, she has practiced to support her arguments with strong theoretical support and visual language.
Nameera Najib
MA, Rhode Island School of DesignBArch, NBU Lahore Pakistan
The intersection of traditional crafts, environment, and contemporary use inspired Nameera to pursue a MA in Adaptive Reuse at the RISD. This program exposed her to valuable ideas, critiques, and relationships. The Superman building brings interesting complexities of form, while being an iconic landmark for the city which has been her home for ten months.
Rashmi Ravishankar
MA, Rhode Island School of DesignBArch, BMS School of Architecture
Rashmi’s design experience lies in the incorporation of green spaces and the use of eco-friendly materials. She has always been interested in understanding the implications of conservation and bringing about a change in society through architecture. The hunger for in-depth knowledge on this subject inspired her to pursue her M.A. in Adaptive Reuse at RISD.
Hongjia Zhou
MA, Rhode Island School of DesignBArch, Central Academy of Fine Arts
After graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture degree in China, Hongjia worked for Will Alsop for several years where she focused on adaptive reuse and interior design projects. She came to the Rhode Island School of Design for graduate studies to develop greater expertise in adaptive reuse.
