BA (Hons) Interior Architecture

CAREER POTENTIAL: The world of the built environment is at a critical tipping point. After centuries of obsessing with the singular focus of ‘the new’, the shift is at last to the remodelling of what exists, and to the ecological recycling of redundant buildings. This has always been the realm of Interior Architecture. A small percentage of our students have always gone into architectural postgraduate qualifications (after a period in practice), with this distinct degree in Interior architecture as their bedrock. (The course is now currently seeking RIBA validation on top of its current validation.) The majority of students find excellent work in interiors and architectural firms and also in the worlds of exhibition and museum design, furniture, product and theatre design. A few follow the pathways to design journalism, project management, environmental research, design teaching and post grads in design history and theory.

COURSE CONTENT: As the UK’s first accredited Interior Architecture course (in 1989) we regard design as a creative but analytical process developed through a critical response to any challenge set. A passion for poetic assembly is encouraged and our focus is on creating distinctive moods for distinctive cultures - we look at the re-modelling of every aspect of existing buildings, not simply the surface decoration BA (HONS) INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE Campus: Howard Gardens Course Length: Three years full-time

and domestic ‘makeovers’ of ‘Changing Rooms’.

Energy conservation and ecological services design has been a long-standing part of the second year curriculum, balanced by socio-political issues and debates throughout the whole three years.

Year one: An intensive series of conceptual and analytical design exercises in the Winter term is followed by two/three five week design projects to rattle the cage of what is possible. 19th and 20th century design philosophies are explored along with the fundamentals of materials and making. Foundation skills in CAD visualisation, technical hand-drawing and verbal presentation are delivered. Weekly ‘Issues in Contemporary Design’ theory seminars are held in group seminar formats with three essays delivered in the year.

Year two: Two or three major projects are addressed - the first exhibition related, the others allowing students to invent their own programmes for a selected series of real urban buildings. The weekly theory series of video seminars wraps around the delivery of a 3500 word seminar paper and leads to the development of the dissertation outline for Year three. Intense detailing and fabrication knowledge is developed alongside graphic document layout skills. Year three: A 10,000 word dissertation (20% of the degree) is completed with support through one-to-one tutorials; a professional practice exam forms 5% and the remaining 75% is focussed on two studio projects (60% on the major selfchoice project).

ASSESSMENT:

Progress through the course is based on continuous assessment.

UCAS CODES(S): W250 ( Route A), E250 ( Route B)

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: 200-280 UCAS Tariff Points, dependant on portfolio and interview. Advice on portfolio and interview will be provided on application. Alternatively a foundation year in art and design is acceptable.

FURTHER INFORMATION: csad.uwic.ac.uk/ intarchitecture

Programme Leader: Patrick Hannay - pahnnay@uwic.ac.uk