I honestly don't know anyone at RISD for architecture, but I hear it's lackluster in comparison to other ivies (Though again, you'll be taking studios at Brown, so the experience isn't all RISD).

I do know a couple students in RISD's interior architecture program (which is really prestigious), however, and they love it.

RISD is the bomb, nuff said. You can take academic classes at Brown, not studios

"I do know a couple students in RISD's interior architecture program (which is really prestigious), however, and they love it."

The architecture degree is far more presitigious...at least for undergrad. I remember arch students traveling to the int. arch and I.D. studios to study/write papers, because there was no one there working. Alas, this only supports it being a more "driven" program, or having a better studio culture. In the end RISD's UG program has been around since the early 1900's the Interior program has only been tested for a decade or so; generally the architecture program attracts stronger students.

RISD has a strong program for both graduate and undergrad levels (they are combined). It is nearly IVY league in prestige, but the work is just as strong or in some cases stronger. Columbia. Harvard, Yale, and Princeton..etc all have very different programs so it is difficult to place them on the same level. Personally I've seen crap work coming out of two of those IVY leagues, but then again I saw crap work at RISD. Furthermore, I know a talented individual at RISD that got rejected from Columbia, and a "lackluster" student at RISD that got into Columbia after leaving RISD.?????

RISD is a small program, but not too small so that it lacks diversity in its studio's and resources. Dean L. Widder (currently on sabbatical) has recently challenged the program to publish more student work...and technology is being pushed; so that is no longer the archaic hand drafting school that it once was (a damn good one at that).

finally...just because it is an art school doesnt mean you can just F- around and be "sculptural". Its emphasis is somewhat towards tectonics: learning the craft of building through materials and detailing...Yet you could also take a studio on "scripting", or cast your testicals in plaster and try to defend it as architecture, or do some digital fabrication...if thats your fancy. In the end everyone strives to make powerful architecture using a variety of methods...and usually it is critiqued as such, which the BS getting called out (but not always).

Oh, I stand corrected! =)

i'm just a hater. I think int arch could have a better grad program then undergrad...at least thats how the painting dept. is.

second tk.arch - good description of the school - loved it for all those reasons during my short stay (foreign exchange).