He also holds a Masters degree from the Interior Architecture Department at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). During his thesis studies he explored the ideas of sampling architectural fragments to generate new spaces within existing structures.

Later on Victor worked with Francesca Russo Architect who focuses on the restoration of Historic Broadway Theatres in New York City. During this time the firm received a New York Landmarks Conservancy Award for the restoration of the Belasco Theatre.

Simultaneously, he was part of the team of professors at RISD's Interior Architecture Department where he guided students within the field of representation to explore drawing as a means of communicating the physical process of design and construction. Today he shares his passion for design and teaching as he joins the tam of educators at Raffles International College.

Kirsten Cook
Interior Design Lecturer

Kirsten Cook holds a Bachelors of Arts in Interior and Textile Design from the University of Michigan, School of Art and Architecture and a Masters of Business Administration from Emory University, Goizueta Business School.

Her expertise is in crafting creative interior spaces and product surfaces while enhancing client success through design thinking, teaching and translation. She is expert in human-centric design methods which she successfully applies to diverse academic and business propositions.

Kirsten possesses real-world experience as an entrepreneur; conceiving and building her own design practice from scratch. Her knowledge of professional interior design practices is superlative with experience in residential and commercial markets: corporate, hospitality and municipal. Her projects include Sara Lee Branded Apparel Corporate Headquarters, North Carolina, USA (650,000 square feet and $30 million USD budget) and Sanderling Inn, North Carolina, USA

As a color, material and surface product designer, Kirsten’s expertise includes heavy manufacturing experience, providing vast knowledge of raw materials and processing. She has spent a 20+ year career translating concrete applications of color and finish, helping design products for such companies as Herman Miller, Milliken & Company, American, United and Delta Airlines.

Kirsten’s publications include research in Interiors Magazine and as editor-in-chief of Elements design issues and news, a quarterly publication reporting on the impact of design on global contemporary culture.

Before joining Raffles, Hong Kong; Kirsten resided in Laguna Beach California, where she shared her professional experiences with students at Chaffey College, School of Visual, Performing Arts in Rancho Cucamonga California, teaching a variety interior design courses and collaborating as industry advisor with many US university design and business intern programs.

"I am energized by every aspect of the academics and business of design, educating the next generation leaders from the unique perspective of interior design thinking."

Gary Chow
Interior Design Lecturer

Gary first obtained his diploma in Building Engineering Technology from the British Columbia Institute of Technology. He then went to Los Angeles and pursued his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc).

During his studies in the US, he spent a few months in Japan as an exchange student, and also participated in the First Architectural Biennale Rotterdam. Upon graduation, he worked on various local US and overseas residential and commercial projects, as well as stadiums, sports arenas and airports.

In 2006, he moved back to Hong Kong and has worked for developer and architectural firms on local and mainland China projects, and earned his Master of Design (Design Strategies) from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

He has also taken classes in RISD and Art Center College of Design in Pasadena to explore more dimensions in the realm of design.