Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
Providence Rhode Island 02903
United States
At the intersection of architecture, conservation, and design, the Department of Interior Architecture (INTAR) at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) takes an innovative approach to the reuse and transformation of existing buildings. The department focuses on both transforming the existing built environment and introducing new experiences into the spaces we inhabit. Interior Architecture at RISD seeks to understand the design of buildings from the inside out.
The department offers two areas of specialization within the broader field, leading to a “Master of Design (MDes) in Interior Studies: Adaptive Reuse” and an “MDes in Interior Studies: Exhibition and Narrative Environments”. Both degrees prepare students for a wide range of professional and creative spatial practices.
The Adaptive Reuse program offers a learning experience suited to designers with backgrounds in architecture and interiors, as well as newcomers to the field. Experienced designers are given opportunities to apply a deep understanding of architectural practice and contextual design to imagine new futures for the existing built environment, while those new to the discipline find the program valuable as a foundation for exploration, experimentation, and critical thinking in real-world contexts.
The Exhibition and Narrative Environments program advances the field of experiential design through explorations of storytelling, spatial composition, and immersive interventions in both formal and informal environments—from museums and galleries to public spaces, retail and brand spaces, digital installations, and more. The program welcomes experienced designers and students with diverse educational backgrounds.
Find out more about the programs on our website and apply here until January 5, 2025. Learn about the upcoming online and in-person Open House events.
MDes Interior Architecture virtual open house, Monday, November 17, 12pm EDT. Registration is open now.
Two-year+ MDes in Interior Studies: Adaptive Reuse
The 75-credit Master of Design (MDes) in Interior Studies: Adaptive Reuse offers a unique design education focused on altering existing structures through interior interventions and the practice of adaptive reuse. The program’s curriculum emphasizes designing within existing contexts while developing strategies that integrate social and environmental responsibility. Adaptive Reuse at RISD promotes a culture and practice that requires structural knowledge, social inquisitiveness, and a great deal of attention to both context and detail to unpack and highlight existing values and introduce new ones. Sustainability forms the foundation of this pedagogical approach, ranging from the reuse of materials and transformation of interiors to the preservation of historical sites. Students engage with design across multiple scales—from the object to the room to the building—while exploring the creative potential of sustainable design.
Two-year+ MDes in Interior Studies: Exhibition and Narrative Environments
The 75-credit Master of Design (MDes) in Interior Studies: Exhibition and Narrative Environments program offers a dynamic course of study focused on creating interior interventions within various narrative contexts—ranging from museums and galleries to educational, cultural, and commercial spaces. Alongside exhibition design, the curriculum explores environmental and immersive interventions such as stage design, retail and brand spaces, public spaces, digital media installations, and fashion runways.
Students have access to additional exhibition-related coursework through electives offered by other RISD departments—such as Graphic Design, Digital + Media, and Theory and History of Art and Design—or by cross-registering at Brown University. The program also benefits from an expanded curriculum supported by the RISD Museum, as well as collaborations with cultural institutions and professional design practices.
Key dates
Graduate application deadline: January 5, 2026 / Graduate financial aid deadline: February 1, 2026. Apply here.
