RISD Interior Architecture Students Reimagine Providence Children’s Museum

Students in a RISD Interior Architecture course are using comics and modeling as a way of imagining, communicating, and constructing exhibition environments inspired by the Providence Children’s Museum. Taught by Hannah Liongoren MDes 17, the course challenges students to consider how spatial design shapes the way people experience their surroundings.

“In architecture, comics have been used historically as a methodology for exploring experimental architecture and speculative design,” Liongoren says. “Reading these comics, you’re following the story of characters going through a space and experiencing what the designer created for a specific purpose.”

Rather than treating an exhibit as a static container for information, students are investigating how children learn through objects, play, movement, interaction, and spatial discovery. Across three projects, they are developing their own children’s museum concepts through drawing, research, and model-making. 

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For the first project, students worked in teams and visited a space of their choosing—from farmers markets and museums to retail stores—and then translated their observations into comics. “They were all drawing by hand, which was awesome,” Liongoren recalls. “I asked them what they noticed while observing and how they could tell a story in this form. There’s a variety of ways they approached storytelling.” 

Students presented their comics in a mid-semester crit alongside their second project, an exhibit for kids that drew from their observations of an existing exhibit, in which they imagined an alternative spatial and narrative design. “You have to think like a child when designing for children and think about how kids will use things,” says Emma Davis MDes 27. “I think safety is a big consideration as is the role of the imagination. When we went to the Children’s Museum, we saw that everyday tasks can be magical for kids.” 

Gerald Sastra MDes 27 took a whimsical approach to his design, presenting his ideas in a foldout poster featuring Estrella, the large, woman-shaped chair beloved by Providence Children’s Museum visitors. His proposal reimagined an existing outdoor space with vibrant colors, gears, and flowers, incorporating hands-on activities and a stage for various programming. He also envisioned a jewelry-making station that paid homage to the original function of the building that now houses the museum.

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“The space feels homey and welcoming, which is great,” said guest critic Will Macfarlane. “The ability for these kinetic sculptures to withstand constant use over time is key.”

Shirley Yu MDes 27 focused on redesigning an indoor waterworks exhibit with the goal of engaging children with different approaches to play: explorers, observers, storytellers, and builders. Her proposal emphasized the importance of balancing play and education while keeping science at the forefront. When asked what objects or tools might encourage imaginative play, Yu suggested stones or blocks that children could use to redirect the water. Liongoren encouraged her to consider practical challenges, including water spilling onto the floor and the potential for visitors to slip.

Other students proposed new outdoor spaces and classic children’s play areas with activities like rope knotting and building with blocks. As the group heads into the final weeks of the semester, they’ll author a larger exhibition guided by the principles they developed in the first two projects. The class will also visit Vartan Gregorian Elementary School, where students will play-test a critical component of their exhibit by prototyping it at full scale for fourth-graders. “There’s nothing like having your audience play-test your work,” Liongoren explains, “so you can see any quirks.” 

“The course is human-centered,” she adds. “Interior Architecture focuses on how people circulate through a space. It’s part of our job as designers to be empathetic and anticipate how people will respond to the spaces we design.” 

Kaylee Pugliese
October 30, 2026