Ra煤l D铆az is an Architect and Principal at RNT architects and has been a Contributing Faculty member at Newschool of Architecture and Design for over 25 years teaching Design Studios. He is currently teaching second year in the Graduate Program. He鈥檚 also served as a studio critic and visiting instructor for CalPoly San Luis Obispo, Woodbury University, Design Institute of San Diego, and The City College of New York and Pratt Institute. He previously taught at City University of New York.
Over his Architectural career, Ra煤l has led and contributed to notable and award-winning projects throughout the Southern California and New York City:
The historic reconstruction of the Balboa Park Botanical Building, Pergola, and Grounds
The County of San Diego鈥檚 Borrego Springs Library
Sage Creek High School for Carlsbad Unified School District
The new Humanities Building and Student Services Building at Fullerton College
Currently, Ra煤l is serving as Principal-in-Charge on the new Oak Park Library for the City of San Diego (under construction), The new Palm Desert Library (in Design) and the campus modernization, including 4 new buildings at Gompers Preparatory Academy for San Diego Unified School District, which completed construction this year.
In addition to his roles in practice and academia, Ra煤l also served as a member on the City of Carlsbad Historic Preservation Committee, whose initiatives have helped accomplish Carlsbad Village and Village Barrio Design Guidelines.
Raised within an Indigenous community, Neshaaw Osuna-Sutton is an undergraduate student pursuing his Bachelor of Architecture at NewSchool of Architecture & Design. His path to architecture began quietly, through a simple curiosity about design. Looking at the facade of his local library, he began questioning its form and discovered there was an entire field dedicated to understanding and shaping the built environment.
That curiosity led Neshaaw to begin his architectural education at San Diego Mesa College, where his professors helped him see not only a future in architecture, but the impact he could have through it. He especially credits Professor Jose Parral with showing him how he could use architecture to positively influence the community he grew up in. That mentorship helped shape Neshaaw鈥檚 vision of one day starting his own firm, developing a practice focused on single family residential homes, and eventually expanding his design philosophies to other parts of the United States.
Community was the driving force in how he was raised. He grew up in a culture where respecting elders was a priority. At community gatherings, when it was time to eat, elders were served first. That principle shaped the way he now thinks about architecture and urban space. The buildings and environments a designer creates have an impact on the people who inhabit them. For Neshaaw, serving the people he designs for is not simply a choice that comes with becoming an architect. It is something that has been ingrained in his identity from day one.
Choosing architecture also meant embracing uncertainty. Neshaaw describes the transition as changing his life to orient himself toward the role of an architect, from his routines and hobbies to his role within his community and becoming comfortable talking to new people. Through networking, branching outside of his familiar crowd, and making new connections, he eventually found himself at NewSchool of Architecture & Design.
At NewSchool, Neshaaw has continued to grow his curiosity, strengthen his craft, and surround himself with others who share his passion. The confidence he gained through classmates, mentors, and his community also pushed him toward another challenge: becoming more involved in student life.
After recognizing a need for greater student engagement and representation on campus, Neshaaw wanted to help create change. Today, he serves as Vice President of Student Council, where he strives to be a true voice for his fellow students while also carrying a strong voice for his own Indigenous identity.
As Neshaaw continues his journey in architecture, community remains at the heart of what he hopes to accomplish. His goal is not simply to design buildings, but to understand the people who will experience them, honor the community that shaped him, and use architecture as a way to create a positive impact for those he serves.
We love our partnership with AIGA San Diego Tijuana, a collaboration built on our shared dedication to the local design community. By joining forces, we are expanding the ways we support emerging creatives and bringing new, dynamic opportunities directly to our campus.
At the heart of this partnership is a shared commitment to student-focused programming. Together with AIGA, we are actively developing meaningful events and activities designed to showcase the incredible work of our design students. These initiatives provide a vital platform for our emerging designers to connect with industry leaders, share their unique perspectives, and elevate their craft.
One of the most exciting early milestones of this collaboration was the San Diego Pride Day Parade float. Working alongside AIGA San Diego Tijuana, we channeled our collective creativity to build an unforgettable experience that celebrated inclusion, community, and the power of design. It was an incredibly proud moment for our students and faculty to see our vibrant float representing NewSchool in front of more than 250,000 spectators along the parade route.
This shared success is just the beginning of what we can achieve together. We are deeply grateful for AIGA’s continued support and collaboration, and we look forward to launching our next joint project to further empower our vibrant, cross-border creative community.
NewSchool of Architecture & Design is thrilled to announce that our esteemed faculty member, Dario Miticocchio, will be a featured speaker at the 2026 IDC & Education Symposium. Hosted by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), this premier event will take place in Pasadena, CA, from August 18th to August 21st, 2026.
Rethinking the Social Impact of Design
Dario will lead a provocative and timely discussion during the Professional and Education Symposium, challenging the current trajectory of the design industry. His session will dive deep into the following theme:
As Design grows and stretches to encompass more and more activities and disciplines, the social impact of Design becomes more and more confused, and often overlooked. The world needs another wave of Radical Design; the current idea of good design being 鈥榠nvisible鈥� is sneaky and dangerous.
During his presentation, Dario will explore how iconic designs of the past fueled lively cultural discourse鈥攐ften by being polarizing or provocative. In contrast, today’s design discipline frequently pushes towards flatness and compliance, leading to social results that are not always positive. When designers rely on a 鈥渄on’t make me think鈥� mentality, automatisms win, causing awareness and mindfulness to decline. Dario will challenge attendees to rethink this approach and ask whether it is time to correct the course and bring radical mindfulness back to the forefront.
糖心原创 Dario Miticocchio
Originally trained as an architect, Dario refers to himself as a 鈥淒esign Nomad,鈥� continuously exploring new facets of the discipline. With a vibrant career that includes collaborating with masters like Makio Hasuike and Stefano Giovannoni, Dario brings decades of expertise in delivering iconic and award-winning designs across architecture, products, and user experiences. At NewSchool, his restless curiosity helps foster a stimulating academic environment as he continues to shape our cutting-edge design programs.
Join the Conversation in Pasadena
We encourage all our students, alumni, and design enthusiasts to attend the 2026 IDC & Education Symposium to support Dario and engage in these vital conversations shaping the future of our field.
For more information about the symposium, the full agenda, and registration details, please visit the .
This panel video showcases Dario鈥檚 extensive background and design philosophy, offering excellent background context before you attend his upcoming session.
From an unexpected introduction to NewSchool to becoming a licensed architect, educator, and design professional, Tommy Hernandez (B.Arch, 2020) has built a career rooted in mentorship, lifelong learning, and service to the architectural community.
Tommy’s journey to NewSchool began by chance while delivering a catering order to a campus open house. Inspired by the architectural models and student work on display, he knew he had found the place where he would pursue his childhood dream of becoming an architect.
After graduating as Valedictorian from NewSchool of Architecture & Design with a Bachelor of Architecture and minors in Construction Management and Neuroscience for Architecture, Tommy immediately joined the faculty, teaching Environmental Systems I & II while launching his career with De Bartolo & Rimanic Design Studies (DBRDS). At DBRDS, Tommy has contributed to multifamily residential, hospitality, mixed-use, and religious projects as a Design Coordinator.
As he balanced teaching with professional practice, Tommy gained valuable field experience while preparing for the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) Architectural Registration Examinations (ARE). This combination allowed him to bring current industry practices and real-world project experience directly into the classroom, helping prepare students not only for academic success but also for practice and licensure.
Reflecting on his time at NewSchool, Tommy credits mentors Alan Rosenblum and Daniela Deutsch with shaping his approach to design through curiosity, critical thinking, and purposeful problem-solving. He also credits his involvement with NewSchool鈥檚 American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) chapter with helping shape his professional network and leadership skills. During his tenure as AIAS Chapter President, he received both the Chapter Honor Award and the Chapter President Honor Award in 2019, while forging lasting connections that continue to shape his career.
Outside of practice and teaching, Tommy has remained active in the profession through leadership roles with the Balboa Park Committee of 100, the NewSchool Foundation, and the San Diego Architectural Foundation (SDAF), where he served as Membership Committee Chair and co-chair of the Orchids & Onions program. He currently serves as Faculty Advisor for NewSchool’s AIAS chapter, continuing his commitment to mentoring future architects.
Beyond architecture, Tommy also enjoys graphic design and currently creates designs for ThaRiches, a Los Angeles-based clothing designer whose line was featured during Bad Bunny’s 2026 halftime performance.
Tommy became a licensed architect in the State of California in July 2026, achieving a goal he had pursued since childhood.
Looking back on his own journey, Tommy offers this advice to current students:
“Architecture school is not just about learning how to design buildings鈥攊t’s about learning how to observe, think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems.”
Here at NewSchool, our students continually inspire us with their drive, creativity, and unique perspectives. Today, we are thrilled to spotlight Uyen Le, a Graphic Design student from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, who is mastering the art of visual storytelling.
The Power of Visual Communication
For Uyen, graphic design is about much more than just aesthetics鈥攊t is about deep, resonant communication. “I am always curious about the meaning behind the visuals,” she explains. Her ultimate goal is to craft visual systems that deliver powerful messages, helping audiences grasp complex ideas “faster than a thousand words.”
The NewSchool Advantage
When asked what makes earning her degree special, Uyen points to the clarity and career-readiness built into the curriculum. The structured program gives her a clear understanding of her educational path and how each step directly benefits her future career.
A major highlight of her time on campus has been the faculty. Uyen values the variety of instructors who bring real-world industry experience directly into the classroom. By demonstrating industry standards, expectations, and diverse workflows, these instructors are preparing students for the professional world. Furthermore, the regular inclusion of guest experts helps students experience professional critique, understand how graphic design intersects with other disciplines, and build their professional networks.
Real-World Studio Experience
Uyen鈥檚 favorite鈥攁nd most challenging鈥攁ssignment so far has been the IKO project in Comprehensive Studio I, taught by Mrs. Deny Ehrlich.
“The goal of the class is to give students real-world studio experience, where creatives work on their individuals鈥� projects but also help their peers whenever they get stuck in the process,” Uyen shares.
Under Mrs. Ehrlich’s motivation and guidance, Uyen learned how to seamlessly combine visuals and branding for highly effective presentations. While the design work was a major component, Uyen notes that the collaborative, supportive experience of the class itself is what makes it her most memorable moment so far.
Looking Ahead: Future Creative Director
After graduation, Uyen has her sights set on leadership. She aims to become a Creative Director, bringing amazing projects to life and ensuring that her clients’ most meaningful messages are perfectly expressed to their target audiences.
Words of Wisdom for Incoming Students
For new students just beginning their creative journeys, Uyen offers four excellent pieces of advice:
Seek guidance:聽Help is always available when you ask the right person.
Keep growing:聽Your skills shouldn鈥檛 stop developing just because an assignment ends.
Build your body of work:聽A strong portfolio starts with good, finished projects.
Master the message:聽Good designers are good communicators.
We are incredibly proud to have Uyen in our creative community and cannot wait to see the amazing projects she will undoubtedly bring to life in the future!
Talking to Allan Manzano did not feel like a regular interview; it felt like a real conversation with someone who has been through adversity in life and came out wanting to give back. Allan is from southeast San Diego. He is a graphic designer by trade, but he is also a creative person who mentors others and someone who remains humble and never forgets where he came from.
Growing up in southeast San Diego in the 鈥�80s and 鈥�90s, Allan saw a lot of street life including gang activity and just about everything in between. But he also saw art. And he learned early on how to bring street life and art together. Yet art wasn鈥檛 just something that Allan liked鈥� it was how he came to understand the world around him. His cousin first introduced him to drawing by sketching He-Man and Voltron characters, and from there, Allan never stopped creating.
Yet, he聽didn鈥檛聽always feel seen in the design聽world.聽As聽a聽person聽of聽color,聽Allan聽felt聽he聽had聽to聽code-switch for years,聽dress a certain聽way聽and聽put on the button-down shirt聽and聽鈥�talk proper,鈥澛爅ust to聽play the part聽and聽fit in. But deep down, he knew that was聽not聽really him. 鈥�I became numb,鈥� he said,聽鈥�and聽I kind of lost my identity.鈥澛犅�
It was聽not聽until聽after聽many聽years聽in聽the聽industry聽and getting聽laid聽off聽that Allan聽dealt聽with burnout聽and聽decided聽to聽start聽using聽his聽voice.聽鈥�It鈥檚聽not聽about聽what聽you聽do,聽it鈥檚聽about what you talk about, what your ideas are. Just remember,聽you鈥檙e聽a designer second.聽You鈥檙e a human first.鈥澛�
Currently, Allan runs his own design company in the same area where he grew up. He also teaches and mentors young artists, and he is helping to build the next generation of designers. For him, design is about more than logos or layouts. It is about representation and about giving kids from neighborhoods like his, a reason to believe that they can make it. Allan does this by empowering them to believe that their creativity matters. He shared that his biggest challenge is no longer his design work, but getting parents in the community to see the value of art and design for the next generation of children.
鈥�There鈥檚 a lot of talent out here,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut some people still don鈥檛 take it seriously. They鈥檇 rather their kid be a nurse or engineer, not a designer.鈥� This is why stories like this matter. We did not visit Allan鈥檚 studio simply to interview him and then write this article to make our professor sound special. Instead, we did the interview to highlight that mentors like Allan exist, designers who are willing to help students like us learn and mature. We hope there are other designers like Allan out there, ones who have made it through all the noise, stayed true to themselves, and who are willing to help others do the same.
If there is one thing to take away from Allan鈥檚 story, it is this: do not quit on your gift. Even when it feels like no one else understands it. Even when the path gets difficult. Stay the course. And once you figure it out鈥� reach back and help someone else do the same. Design can change lives, and Allan Manzano is helping change ours.
from left to right: NewSchool of Architecture & Design students, Katherine Hayler-Jones and Noah Ragas, faculty, Allan Manzano, student, Mahammed Bassie Kamara
Allan Manzano currently teaches design courses at NewSchool of Architecture & Design.
Arya Jain is a soon-to-be graduate of NewSchool of Architecture & Design’s Graphic Design & Interactive Media program. Originally from India, Arya moved to San Diego to pursue higher education and was drawn to NewSchool’s creative environment and interdisciplinary approach. He wanted the opportunity to explore multiple interests rather than focus on a single discipline, combining design, technology, storytelling, and creative problem solving throughout his academic experience.
During his time at NewSchool, Arya developed a passion for graphic design while also expanding his interests into filmmaking, photography, branding, motion graphics, music, storytelling, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. He enjoyed the freedom to work across creative mediums and discovered that some of his strongest ideas emerged when different disciplines intersected.
Among the projects he is most proud of are Koffee Korners, a coffee brand inspired by his love of coffee and the sense of community found in coffee culture; Billionaire, a fashion and lifestyle magazine that allowed him to combine editorial design with luxury branding; M膩y膩 Rasa, a fragrance brand that explored storytelling through visual identity and sensory experience; Cue, a social media application designed to help people build meaningful connections through shared interests; and Pacified, a short film project that brought together his interests in cinematography, storytelling, and visual communication.
Beyond the classroom, Arya served as a Student Ambassador Lead, where he helped represent the NewSchool community and supported prospective students throughout their admissions journey. One of his proudest accomplishments was being selected as a student commencement speaker, an opportunity that allowed him to reflect on his educational journey and share it with his graduating class.
When reflecting on his NewSchool experience, Arya considers one of his greatest takeaways to be the confidence to pursue multiple creative paths. His education taught him that design is not limited to a single medium and that creativity can thrive across disciplines when approached with curiosity and purpose.
Looking ahead, Arya hopes to continue building a career that blends design, filmmaking, photography, and creative direction. Whether through branding, visual storytelling, cinematography, or emerging technologies, he aims to create work that connects with audiences, sparks emotion, and leaves a lasting impact.
Designing Tomorrow: How San Diego鈥檚 NewSchool Architects are Redefining Education
If you鈥檝e ever walked into a traditional classroom and felt like the cinderblock walls and fluorescent lights were actively draining your creativity, you aren鈥檛 alone. Education is evolving rapidly, but the physical spaces where students learn have largely remained stuck in the past.
That is, until now.
In a fascinating piece published today in the San Diego Union-Tribune titled , we get a front-row seat to what the next generation of learning environments will look like. And at the center of this architectural revolution are the brilliant, rising minds from San Diego鈥檚 own NewSchool of Architecture & Design.
The NewSchool Advantage: More Than Just Blueprints
It鈥檚 no surprise that students and alumni from NewSchool are leading the charge on this. Located right in the heart of East Village, NewSchool has long been known as an “idea factory” that pushes its students beyond traditional design. They aren’t just taught to draw blueprints; they are trained to solve complex urban, social, and environmental issues through spatial design.
By focusing heavily on human-centric architecture and urban revitalization, NewSchool equips its future architects to ask the right questions: How does this space make a student feel? How does it interact with the surrounding community? How can it adapt over the next 50 years?
A Glimpse into the “School of the Future”
According to the concepts highlighted in the article, the NewSchool visionaries are throwing out the old playbook. Here is what we can expect from these futuristic learning hubs:
Hyper-Adaptability:聽Gone are the days of rows of rigid desks. The designs emphasize modular spaces with moveable walls and multi-purpose zones. A room that serves as a quiet reading nook in the morning can easily transition into a collaborative maker-space by the afternoon.
Neuro-Inclusive Design:聽Recognizing that every brain learns differently, these upcoming architects are prioritizing sensory-friendly zones. This means incorporating natural lighting, acoustic dampening materials, and visually calming palettes to help reduce cognitive overload and support neurodivergent students.
Seamless Indoor-Outdoor Flow: Taking full advantage of San Diego鈥檚 climate, the boundary between the classroom and nature is blurred. Outdoor learning terraces and integrated green spaces aren’t just for recess鈥攖hey are active extensions of the academic environment designed to boost mental health and focus.
Deep Community Integration: Instead of fortress-like campuses closed off from the neighborhood, the designs conceptualize schools as active community hubs. Shared spaces, like auditoriums and community gardens, invite the public in, making the school a vibrant, integral part of the local civic fabric.
Building What Matters
The architectural paradigms of the 20th century were built for industrial efficiency; the designs of the future must be built for human flourishing. The Union-Tribune piece proves that San Diego is fostering the exact kind of talent needed to make this shift. By empowering its students to rethink the very foundation of where we learn, the NewSchool of Architecture & Design isn’t just predicting the future of education鈥攖hey are actively building it.
Read the full inspiration behind this post at the San Diego Union-Tribune: .
At NewSchool of Architecture & Design, great design begins with curiosity, vision, and the courage to imagine something better. Those qualities are what make architecture more than buildings and spaces. They are what shape communities, experiences, and the future itself.
This year, NewSchool is proud to celebrate Master of Architecture graduate Phoenix Robledo as the recipient of the prestigious AIA Medal for Academic Excellence.
Presented annually by , the award recognizes top graduating architecture students whose work and design thinking demonstrate exceptional promise in shaping the built environment. The honor reflects not only academic achievement, but also the creativity, innovation, and leadership that define the next generation of architects.
For Phoenix, the recognition represents years of dedication, exploration, and commitment to the craft of architecture. Throughout the Master of Architecture program, Phoenix demonstrated a passion for thoughtful design and a forward-thinking approach to the ways architecture can influence how people live, connect, and experience the world around them.
As the architectural industry continues to evolve in response to environmental and social challenges, emerging designers play an increasingly important role in creating spaces that are both functional and deeply human. The AIA Medal for Academic Excellence celebrates students who are prepared to meet that responsibility with vision and purpose.
NewSchool is honored to recognize Phoenix Robledo for this incredible accomplishment and looks forward to witnessing the impact their work will have on the future of architecture and design.
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