Undergraduate

BA (Hons) Interior Design Environment Architectures

What is the most efficient way of utilising space inside a building? Which kind of floor plan allows for the best interpersonal communication? How can a space be aesthetically pleasing yet considerate to the environment? These are just some of the questions answered in IDEAs – your pathway to a career in interior architecture.

Interior architects design the inside spaces in which we live, work or play. They explore the design of and intervention in existing spaces, the creation of new built environments and the design of virtual spaces for representation and interaction.

This course will teach you the theory and skills used to develop stimulating environments that are as creative as they are functional. Covering a wide range of project briefs and types of inhabitant, you will learn to coordinate the design and construction of building interiors as diverse as commercial and retail spaces, housing developments, leisure facilities, schools, gallery exhibitions and more.

The notion of architectural design is evolving and converging in a fast-moving world where designers need to be comfortable with uncertainty and complexity.

As an IDEAs student, you will be encouraged to think outside of the traditional boundaries of architecture and begin to challenge the many factors that shape our environment. You will engage with design in a fresh and brave way, engaging with real-world problems and finding solutions that combine the use of light, colour, texture and other elements to achieve various effects in spatial design.

You will graduate with the skills and confidence to work in the field of interior architecture design and its allied professions.

Level 1

Introduces you to the key theories and skills used in designing and developing sustainable environments, regeneration projects and urban design. You will cover the history of architecture and interior design; understanding structures; working with materials; using traditional and computer-aided design; representing and communicating ideas in 2D and 3D.

Level 2

Focuses on extending your skills through projects that simulate working in an architectural design practice.

You will be challenged by specialist briefs that introduce the commercial, cultural, and environmental factors faced by today’s professionals.

You will work on solo and group projects, including collaborations with colleagues from other disciplines.

Curriculum areas may include: urban environment design and its impact; regulatory frameworks; introducing new builds; reinterpreting and reworking existing buildings; gaining a deeper knowledge of the design process and the role of market forces.

Level 3

Prepares you for work in an architectural design practice. You will build on the practical and theoretical elements that you mastered in Levels 1 and 2 though self-initiated projects and specialist guidance from your tutors. You will also be encouraged to enter national and international design competitions and create a professional portfolio.

In addition, each Level contains units in Contextual Studies, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, and Personal and Professional Development to give you a rounded education that prepares you for professional life.

Assessment

You will be assessed through the completion of practical and written work including essays, analysis, individual and group presentations, critical self and peer-evaluation, practical and technical tests, and the completion of individual and team projects.

Learning and Support

You will learn through a mixture of problem-based learning, design studio tutoring and traditional teaching.

Our innovative approach to learning puts architecture into a wider professional context that places technology and the environment alongside client needs. You will be guided by professionally qualified and experienced teaching staff and visiting speakers from industry.

Career Opportunities

As an IDEAs graduate, you could be involved in the design, rehabilitation and extension of existing buildings, the creation of new built environments or the design of interactive virtual spaces. There are many different interior architectural specialities and you could find yourself involved in urban consultancy, workplace design, housing research, retail planning or community development.

To find out more on jobs in this field visit I can.

Progression

Successful completion of this course can lead to the postgraduate degree in architecture, MA Architecture.

Download the full course programme specifications (PDF).

• • Pre-degree

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