Course summary

The Foundation course provides an opportunity to explore the exciting world of contemporary design through various scales and develop creative solutions, encapsulating Landscape Architecture, Architecture, Interior Architecture and Design, and Product and Furniture Design. It provides a supported learning environment to explore conceptual ideas through to detailed design, mapping and modelling and is assessed through mini design-focussed projects and a specialised final project in a chosen field. The course is ideally suited to students who need to develop their design, drawing, technical and presentations skills before entering a BA course or for those who have not yet decided which specific design discipline or career to pursue. Our BA (Hons) Product and Furniture design course focuses on the design and development of creative, contemporary and innovative products and furniture, considering user centred design, social context and commercial understanding. You will be encouraged to explore materials, techniques and processes in relation to scales of manufacture, from one-off bespoke design to design for standardised mass production. This course is the ideal choice if you're interested in a career as a designer, maker, and developer of products and furniture. You will examine the process of designing and developing functional and desirable products and furniture, examining how social and cultural factors influence design decisions. You will develop knowledge and understanding of design in response to collaborative, professional, commercial and economic considerations. By working on live projects, you will explore how businesses operate at a commercial, technological, ethical and sustainable level. Alongside research and design development skills, you will also increase your practical knowledge through extensive hands-on exploration. Engaging with making from the outset enables you to fully realise design concepts and create convincing models and prototypes. Underpinned with strong contemporary design thinking, you will explore the breadth of scales of manufacture across product and furniture design to be able to position yourself within a global industry. We also boast valuable international opportunities. In the past, students on this course have collaborated with international packaging company Tri-Wall, working together for an exhibition in Hong Kong.

Course details