Interior Architecture and Design

Interior architecture and design occupies the space between architecture and interior design, concerned with the transformation of interior spaces for human use. It is a discipline that goes beyond surface decoration to engage with the structural, spatial, and experiential dimensions of buildings, asking how spaces can be reconfigured, redesigned, or adapted to meet new needs while respecting or challenging their existing character. Interior architects work on everything from the conversion of historic buildings to the design of new retail, hospitality, or workplace environments, combining creative spatial thinking with technical knowledge of construction and materials.

At Nottingham Trent University, this four-year programme develops your creative and technical abilities in tandem. You will develop skills in spatial design, drawing, model making, and computer-aided design, learning to develop and communicate your ideas through multiple representational modes. Technical knowledge of building construction, materials, and the regulatory framework that governs built environment interventions complements the creative studio work.

The programme is studio-based in character, and you will work on a succession of projects that develop your design thinking and your ability to respond creatively and practically to complex design briefs. NTU has strong connections to the design and creative industries in Nottingham and the East Midlands, and the programme reflects the professional context in which interior architecture is practised.

Graduates work in interior architecture and design practices, working on commercial, residential, hospitality, retail, and public sector projects. Roles in architecture firms that have interiors teams, in specialist interior design consultancies, and in the in-house design teams of large property companies, hotel groups, or retail chains are common destinations. Exhibition and museum display design, theatre and set design, and furniture and product design are adjacent fields that some graduates move into.

Some continue to postgraduate study in architecture, interior design, or spatial design, while others develop careers in project management, procurement, or the management of built environment contracts.