Welcome to AURA
Design Doesn’t Need Permission
AURA — the Academy of Unconventional Research & Art.
We’re not another design school. We’re a rebellion wrapped in a classroom
Our Mission
Unlearn. Create. Disrupt.
At AURA, we believe the best designers are built outside the system.
We create a space where you can question norms, invent your own methods, and design from a place of truth, not templates.
programs
Design Education, Reimagined.
We offer hands-on programs designed to challenge your perspective, expand your thinking, and sharpen your craft.
Visual Identity Lab
– Branding,
– systems
– semiotics
Experimental Typography
– Type as emotion
– Movement
– Rebellion
Interface + Experience Studio
Digital interaction through storytelling
Narrative Design
– Zines,
– Books
– Visual Essays
Design Research Fellowship
Self-directed, mentor-guided exploration
Narrative Design
Turn visuals into essays, books, and zines.
The AURA Approach
We Don’t Do Classrooms. We Do Conversations, Labs, and Chaos
Instead of outdated lectures, you’ll explore real-world briefs, studio projects, live critiques, and deep design research. You’ll work with designers, not instructors. You’ll prototype, fail, and build again.
Every course is designed to trigger thinking before styling — form follows rebellion.
Meet the Ones Who Broke the Rules First.
Our mentors are practitioners, creators, thinkers — not academics reading slides. They come from design studios, underground collectives, research labs, and global platforms. You’ll learn directly from those shaping the future of design, not just observing it.
This Isn’t for Everyone. That’s the Point.
We don’t look for perfect portfolios. We look for fire, curiosity, and originality. Apply with your story, your intent, and your rawest work — or even just your ideas. We’ll help you evolve, refine, and grow through it.
© 2025 AURA – Academy of Unconventional Research & Art