MA Spatial and Environmental Design

In this module you will learn to advance your Research Through Design module and take a directional approach to your personal design brief.
You will develop your reflective practice and reach insights and analytical conclusions in your chosen field of study as outlined in your Personal and Professional Development Journal (PDJ).
You will synthesise the learning from semesters 1 and 2 to create a Major Design Project and Thesis. These will evidence an analysis of advanced academic research, debates, and exploratory practice in the production of theories that demonstrate real world discipline specific value within an industry context.
You will be expected to take an increasingly autonomous approach to your studies at this stage in developing, embedding and clarifying personally developed research themes theories and experiences that will be realised through either;
Option 1: a focussed major design project (Component A) and written report (Component B) that will embed reflection as part of the design process
or
Option 2: a design thesis detailing your engagement with your PDJ and reflection on your learning.
Your thesis will evidence your advanced design practice and written communication of theories and concepts appropriate at Masters level and relevant to both your chosen pathway (as described below) and more specifically your PDJ.

On completion you will have the skills and abilities to make a positive impact in the design industry, and the knowledge and experience to be able to make purposeful contribution to the world.

The DE7029 Adaptive Environmental Design module ¬¬gives you the opportunity to explore holistic definitions of environmental design. The module locates the spatial interior as the core of environmental design activity. It places the human at the centre of the relationship between space and place and encourages you to extend the spatial context from the interior through the architecture and out into an external situation. By taking a broad and holistic approach to the adaption of habitation and human environments, the module questions the nature of the human environment and asks you to consider how spaces of the future will need to be considered and adapted for future habitation. The module coheres to a strong sustainability aspect and explores the nature of adaptability and mobility within the spatial environment.

The module encourages the application of individual personal strategies and approaches to the environment and spatial design in its broadest contexts. You will build on your previous intellectual curiosity and creative experience and develop a purposeful and masterly design project(s) with clear direction from environmental philosophy and psychology. You will produce a portfolio of work that includes analysis of spatial case studies that investigate how adaptive spaces can be used to affect the spatial experience, proximity, sensorial condition, environmental wellness and habitation of space and place. You will explore and evaluate progressive strategic and environmental experiences and applications that articulate an adaptive and sustainable design process relevant to your concept. Your portfolio will include documents that define a research question, develop an outline spatial manifesto, feasibility abstract and a design brief which will establish the parameters/ agendas of your environmental design proposal. The module includes impute from designers from a range of traditional creative disciplines (Interior, Product, Graphic, Fashion design) but also includes architects, landscape designers, environmental creatives, theatre and performance designers and interaction designers.

You will learn from staff with research and commercial experience from the different Spatial and Environment Design industries, Architecture, Design Communication, Fashion, Design for Industry, Digital and Interaction Design, Service Design, Design Management and Design Thinking. This will introduce you to a multidisciplinary approach to emerging strategies and approaches that help you explore new ways of thinking and alternative practices that allow the involvement of a broad spectrum of professional and creative practices.

DE7030 Spatial Futures module (40 Credits) provides the creative platform for you to develop a subject specialist (Environmental Design) resolution from which you proposed in the DE7029 Adaptive Environmental Design module (40 credits in a previous teaching block). The module questions and addresses the development of spatial and environmental design through active experimentation of spatial assembly through a future narrative of space. This new spatial context will reconstruct the physical and digital boundaries between humans to the built environment. This will be through physical and multimedia applications of space. The use of digital technology will open and blend the environmental conditions synchronizing multimodal applications. The module will introduce and apply digital environments within the physical spatial environment investigating the impact and influence of augmented, virtual and mixed reality impact environmental psychology, human factors, science, cognitive ergonomics and ecological psychology on the narrative(s) of spatial practice, culture and design. This will be explored through a synthesis of 3-dimensional concepts and applies new experimental digital applications, materials and processes propelling innovative solutions for future environmental (internal and external) spatial design solutions. You will be encouraged to explore the boundaries of the existing spatial environment and consider future planet-orientated environments for living, working and leisure that actively condition a sustainable and carbon-capture/ carbon-neutral design process.



The module encourages the integration of other disciplines, practices and processes that would include interior, product, architecture, landscape, graphic, fashion and performance design. The module further positions and advances your ideas for your DE7003 Project/Thesis (60 credits) in the final teaching block. This will integrate the traditional design process of research, design development, technical, and summative concept proposals and future-facing representations and visualizations of spatial and environmental concepts through Creative Technologies including 2D, 3D, digital, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed-Reality (MR) communication. You will communicate and present concepts, ideas or conclusions using a variety of methods to specialist and non-specialist audiences using appropriate media. You will learn from a range of academic and research staff and design professionals that include spatial, environmental and interior design industries, architecture, design communication, fashion, design for industry, digital and interaction design, service design, design management and design thinking. This multidisciplinary approach to teaching will help you to explore new ways of thinking and enhance the current practices in design.

In this module, you will be equipped with a range of skills essential to developing specific spatial, environmental and interior design research processes and methodologies tailored around your specialist field of enquiry. You will learn concepts and principles of research through two knowledge portfolios; Research methods/ principles and contemporary responsible practice supported and informed by academic staff research specialisms. Complimenting these two portfolios are a range of research-orientated topics which include research identification, research methodology, identifying and retrieving appropriate data and sources and understanding how to evaluate and employ a range of research sources within the spatial, environmental and interior disciplines. You will develop a practical knowledge of advanced design research methods and develop advanced critical approaches through the processes and practices of contemporary design. This module runs in tandem with Responsible Design Practice (DE7032/LD7217) (20 Credits) which will underpin critical contextual knowledge and understanding that you will need to apply to the discipline-specific modules that will run in the following teaching blocks.

Through this module, you will learn about two interrelated fields of design knowledge described above, which you will interpret relative to your own practice and in line with your Personal Development Journal (PDJ). You will apply this knowledge in co-creative studio practice and will reflect on your experience to summarise the utility and limitations of the methods employed. You will appreciate the transferability of both research methods and responsible design practice and will be able to apply your knowledge in different contexts and domains.

During Responsible Design Practice (DE7032/LD7217) (20 Credits) you will have the opportunity to explore and develop an integrated understanding of the critical responsibilities within spatial, environmental and interior design typologies and practices (designed, emergent, agile). By using critical and responsible design approaches, a synthesis of alternative processes and positions of sustainability, carbon neutral and circular design (including the recycling, reuse, sharing and second-hand economies) are established to seek out innovations that reduce the environmental and social impact and enhance the professional practices of the sector.

Through the application of innovative design strategies, you will begin to develop a series of innovative spatial concepts that address the contemporary societal challenges currently facing the design and build environment sectors. These will include: materiality (sourcing and application), design for circularity, behavioural design, spatial-use cultures and the implementation of product life-extension strategies for the built environment (re-use, repair, recondition, closed-loop systems etc.).

You will work collaboratively utilising approaches such as co-creation and participatory design in the development of multi-stakeholder cooperation and a human-centric approach necessary in the principles of responsible design (sustainability, biophilic, ecological). Considering design as a key tool for change, this module aims to embed new knowledge and create informed, progressive change-makers, prepared to disrupt and lead change to human behaviours and examine the assembly and reconstruction of space.

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.
• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.
• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’
• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).
• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.
• Listening skills for lectures.
• Speaking in seminar presentations.
• Presenting your ideas
• Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.
• Effective reading techniques.
• Developing self-reflection skills.
• Discussing ethical issues in research, and analysing results.
• Describing bias and limitations of research.