Interior Architecture MA

Program Overview

Interior Architecture MA

Overview

Our Interior Architecture MA promotes a speculative approach to spatial design that is rooted in theory and the world of ideas. Those ideas, however, are deployed to confront contemporary questions and challenges. This MA course, therefore, is both conceptual and pragmatic; experimental and rigorous. With a special focus on people and place, the course will encourage you to develop a deep sympathy for the needs and aspirations of the users of a space, as well as a sensitivity towards (and response to) physical and social contexts.

Course Structure

The following modules are indicative of what you study on this course.

Core Modules

• Decoding the Interior (20 credits) This module will present the major developments in Western Architecture from the Enlightenment to present day. It will introduce you to major cultural theories that have influenced architecture, art and design in general. It will also be an introduction to the theory of subjectivity and its relationship to the realm of interiority. The module will help you apply and find appropriate techniques for critical analysis through a series of seminars and workshops.
• Thesis Development (20 credits) This module will prepare you for the subsequent Thesis Project module by introducing research methods relevant to interior architecture. Throughout this module you will critically engage with set theory and practice research areas; formulate individual research topics and questions; analyse literature sources; develop a research plan; and generate an individual research proposal for a suitable design-based or text-based thesis project.
• Technical Study (20 credits) This module complements the Retail Design module, for which students will have designed a proposal for an interior environment. In this module you'll be asked to critically reflect on your design proposition to develop and resolve its technical aspects. As a result, you'll produce a drawing package considering the material, environmental and regulatory imperatives of design for interior environments.
• Case Study (20 credits) This module is committed to the rigorous investigation of a chosen interior environment(s), with particular focus on building typology, designed or otherwise, contemporary or historical and the relationship to/within the architectural setting. The module has been designed to complement the Thesis Project module, and provide a model for a thorough, forensic, in-depth empirical study based on a systematic comparative methodological investigation based on a number of appropriate criteria.
• Thesis Project (60 credits) This module specifically deals with the research, development, synthesis, and conclusion of your chosen area of study for your individual thesis project. It is important to note that the thesis project can take a form – depending on the choice of the individual student -- that is design-based or text-based. The course of study for this module will as a consequence depend on the format and the research methods that each student is evolving for their thesis project.

Option Modules

• Contexts of Sustainable Heritage and Intervention (40 credits) This module will help develop your understanding of heritage sites by exploring contemporary issues, mapping techniques, and resources. It encourages appreciation of both tangible and intangible heritage and fosters critical thinking about preservation and interpretation practices. The module explores representations of diverse traditions and cultures through teamwork and reflective practice; and will provide you with the skills and attributes necessary for cross-sector projects in the workplace.
• Retail Design (40 credits) This module will consider in context how design is utilised as an effective and persuasive tool in the contemporary retail environment. Issues of product marketing, branding, promotion and evaluation of public perception and the power of images will be investigated in a range of focussed design projects. You will be taught how to successfully marry cultural trends necessary for the success of any retail environment, with advanced design skills to materialise their conceptual proposition, which leads to a fully developed piece of design on a given site in London.

Entry Requirements

• A minimum of a lower second class honours degree (2:2) in Architecture, Interior Architecture, Interior Design or a related design discipline.
• We also consider applicants from recognised international pre-Master’s programmes which include a portfolio element.
• We may also consider qualifications in other related subject areas, as well as demonstrable practical experience or knowledge of interior architecture, at the appropriate level.
• Applicants would ideally also be expected to have some relevant experience in interior architecture or design practice.

Portfolio Guidance

The admissions process includes the submission of a design portfolio which demonstrates an applicant's track record in the following:

• Design process (process as the continuous testing of design ideas leading to a logical and robust conclusion, rather than an exercise in shape-making)
• Research and critical thinking skills, leading to ideas-based design
• Technical proficiency, including awareness of material choices, surfaces and fabrication
• Working at a wide range of scales (from a piece of furniture to an urban block)
• Architectural representation using a wide range of media including, but not limited to, CAD (such as hand drawing, sketching, model making, diagramming, prototyping, photography, mixed-media and film)
• People-centred design (acknowledging people as physical bodies with ergonomic needs who occupy space)
• A genuine engagement with, and response to, context and place

Fees and Funding

• UK tuition fee: £9,700 (Price per academic year)
• International tuition fee: £17,500 (Price per academic year)

Teaching and Assessment

• Teaching methods across all our postgraduate courses focus on active student learning through lectures, seminars, workshops, problem-based and blended learning, and where appropriate practical application.
• Learning typically falls into two broad categories:
  • Scheduled hours: examples include lectures, seminars, practical classes, workshops, supervised time in a studio
  • Independent study: non-scheduled time in which students are expected to study independently.

Research Groups

• Our research achieves real-world impact and we are proud to claim a rich and diverse profile of high-quality research and knowledge exchange in a wide range of disciplines.
• Find out more about our research groups related to this course:
  • Architectural Humanities Research Group
  • Interior Educators

Facilities

• Our architecture studios provide unrivalled facilities for study and collaborative learning.
• The Fabrication Laboratory allows students to explore the exciting field of digital fabrication.
• Marylebone Library has a range of books and other resources on Architecture and Interiors.