AV Rashim

Academic Journey and Pedagogy

Rashim’s career in higher education spans leadership and teaching roles at leading design institutions, including the Indian Institute of Art & Design (IIAD), New Delhi and Pearl Academy. Currently serving as Associate Professor of Interiors and Architecture at IIAD, she has contributed extensively to curriculum development, course coordination, and event management, helping shape impactful learning experiences for aspiring designers.

Her pedagogy is rooted in participatory and experiential learning. She integrates Vastu-informed design methodologies, sustainable practices, and cultural narratives into the studio, equipping students with tools to critically examine design challenges. Through projects like the “Pink Toilets” case study on accessibility and the Sunder Nursery project on heritage interpretation and adaptive reuse, Rashim has consistently demonstrated how research and practice can enrich teaching.

She has coordinated final-year capstone projects, curated graduate showcases, and organized industry-academic conclaves, providing platforms where students can present their work and engage directly with professional communities. Her contributions to interdisciplinary collaborations, resource optimization, and departmental budgeting highlight her ability to merge academic vision with institutional efficiency.

Participatory Design Philosophy

At the heart of Rashim’s practice lies her identity as a participatory designer. She views design as a co-creative process—a dialogue between designers, students, communities, and clients. Her work stresses the inclusion of community voices, universal accessibility, and environmental sustainability as fundamental to good design.

In both academic and professional contexts, she promotes methodologies that encourage students to interact with stakeholders, conduct field-based studies, and consider cultural, social, and ecological factors. This approach transforms design from a purely aesthetic exercise into an inclusive and transformative practice, fostering designers who are socially aware and culturally sensitive.

Research and Knowledge Integration

Rashim’s research interests focus on the intersection of traditional knowledge systems and contemporary practice. She has specialized in Vastu-informed design, sustainable materials, and cultural dimensions of spatial planning. With advanced diplomas in Scientific Vastu and training in sustainability frameworks like GRIHA, she integrates indigenous systems of spatial reasoning with modern ecological imperatives.

By embedding research into teaching, she ensures that students engage with themes such as adaptive reuse of heritage spaces, eco-sensitive interiors, and participatory cultural planning. Her work challenges students to think beyond global trends, urging them to recognize the local traditions and environmental contexts that shape meaningful design.

Professional Practice

Alongside academia, Rashim has maintained an active architectural and interior design practice. Her portfolio reflects versatility, spanning residential, commercial, landscape, and institutional projects. She is particularly known for Vastu-based redesigns and culturally sensitive interiors.

Some highlights include:

Vastu-based redesigns for residences and offices in Gurgaon, Jaipur, and Jalandhar.

A 4BHK penthouse renovation in Noida.

Full residential projects in Adarsh Nagar and Model Town, Jalandhar.

Joggers’ and children’s parks for Army cantonments in Shahjahanpur.

Commercial interiors, including a ladies’ salon in Jalandhar and a garment export facility.

Hospitality refurbishments and residential interiors for clients in Kolkata.

Her professional practice demonstrates both technical expertise and cultural empathy, where design solutions address functional needs while also honoring context and tradition.

Leadership and Mentorship

Rashim has consistently demonstrated academic leadership by guiding students, supporting colleagues, and shaping institutional initiatives. She has mentored numerous undergraduate and postgraduate theses, fostering critical inquiry and innovation. Her approach to mentorship emphasizes personalized guidance, empathetic counseling, and career preparation, ensuring students thrive both academically and professionally.

She has also played a significant role in faculty coordination, event conceptualization, and resource planning, bridging administrative leadership with academic excellence. Through graduate showcases, conclaves, and exhibitions, she has built platforms for students to engage with industry leaders, strengthening the connection between academia and practice.

Workshops, Competitions, and Training

Rashim has curated and delivered workshops on Vastu design, interior landscaping, hybrid teaching methods, and experiential learning models. She has successfully led students in national design competitions and collaborative projects, inspiring them to push creative and intellectual boundaries.

Her involvement in training programs, including hybrid and blended education models, demonstrates her adaptability in responding to evolving pedagogical needs, especially in digital and post-pandemic contexts.

Teaching Specialties

Her expertise spans multiple domains, including:

Interior Architecture and Spatial Design

Vastu Shastra and Interior Landscaping

Construction Systems and Technical Detailing

Manual and Digital Representation (AutoCAD, 3DS Max, walkthroughs)

Final Thesis and Design Project Supervision

By combining technical rigor with participatory frameworks, Rashim creates classrooms that are collaborative, research-driven, and socially relevant.

Core Competencies

Academic Leadership: curriculum design, resource optimization, faculty scheduling

Pedagogy: experiential, participatory, and culturally rooted learning models

Research: Vastu methodologies, sustainability, heritage interpretation

Practice: architecture, interior detailing, project management

Mentorship: thesis supervision, career counseling, holistic student guidance

Languages and Communication

Fluent in English, Hindi, and Punjabi, Rashim can connect with diverse communities, students, and collaborators across regional and cultural contexts.

Vision and Impact

Rashim Mahajan envisions design as a transformative, inclusive, and culturally anchored practice. She seeks to balance innovation with tradition, individual creativity with community voices, and modernity with sustainability.

Her impact is evident in the students she mentors, the curricula she shapes, the communities she engages, and the projects she delivers. Through her work as an educator, researcher, and participatory designer, she continues to champion a vision of design education that is inclusive, globally relevant, and locally grounded.

Her journey demonstrates that design, when approached with empathy, collaboration, and cultural awareness, has the power to transform lives and environments. Rashim remains committed to preparing future designers who will engage meaningfully with the complexities of a rapidly evolving world, while staying rooted in traditions that enrich human experience.