Interior designer, graphic artist, and painter Rafael Alvarez was born in the Dominican Republic and graduated the University National Pedro Henrizquez Urena with a degree in fine arts and architecture, and later was an artist-in-residence, art director, and instructor at Altos de Chavon School of Design in Santo Domingo, an affiliate of New York’s Parsons School of Design. His artwork has been exhibited and published internationally. Alvarez collaborated with Adam D. Tihany for more than 12 years on many projects including Le Cirque restaurants, Spago restaurants, Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York, and the Aleph Hotel in Rome. Alvarez opened his own design company, Rafael Alvarez Design, in 2004, and creates Alvarez + Brock Design with Brannen Brock.