Creating atmospheres, generating experiences, ensuring responsible use of existing buildings? Catering not for large scale, but for details, temporary structures? Utilising space itself from the inside out as a playground of design? Even if we usually talk about enclosed spaces: the possibilities of interior architecture are practically unlimited, their effects manifest. Interior architecture makes up our immediate environment and has a direct impact on our behaviour. Engage with “inner values” – become an interior designer and learn how to create the perfect setting for any situation! 

Space as a meeting place

Interior designers work with buildings of all types and sizes, designing people’s relationship to space in them, to the objects contained in them and to their materiality. The spheres of interior design are many and diverse, the boundaries to other disciplines fluid. The focus, however, is always on combining artistic design with technical expertise – and it is always about space. Everything we do takes places in space: space is a meeting place for human interactions. Considering that today we spend 90% of our time in enclosed spaces, it is becoming more and more important to design these spaces in the best possible way. Which is a major challenge, not least because our work-worlds and life-worlds are changing rapidly, becoming increasingly complex all the while – there is thus a growing demand for innovative interior designers with solid training. The NDU is currently the only university in Austria which offers a dedicated course of studies in interior design.
 

The course

Interior design is all about planning interiors, sets of rooms, and furnishings in terms of design, technical fittings, and economic aspects. The boundaries to architecture and product design are fluid. The course therefore examines spatial concepts in existing buildings and temporary structures, light and property design. The curriculum includes visualisation and CAD, structural adaptation, and building materials, light design, but also art and cultural science, business and law. At the end of the bachelor’s course students develop an individual design project of their own.
 

NDU advantages: practical relevance and focus on real-life business situations

The combination of scientific training and practical experience form the core of the course at the NDU. Scientific study conveys a comprehensive understanding of contemporary theory and practice, enabling you to develop solutions to given problems on your own and to head interdisciplinary teams. Handling practical design tasks develops your technical expertise and individual creativity: this leads to your personal forms of expression and to a sound understanding of how different spaces are connected of and their design.
In order to tackle the complex challenges of the profession more effectively, during the course you will work on real-life projects consisting of actual jobs from the industry: instead of “dry runs”, you will develop real solutions that are carried out and used by the client. The aim is to raise your awareness of the needs of the industry during your academic training, at the same time making sure that the solutions developed are aesthetically and ecologically sustainable. During the course you will be supervised by teachers with a wealth of practical experience and renowned visiting lecturers; you will thus be embedded in a valuable professional network from the outset.
 

Profession and career opportunities

The applications are many and diverse: residential, work, catering, hotel trade, sales, leisure, etc. As tomorrow’s interior designers, you will design offices, bars and hotel lobbies, take care of shop design, and fascinate visitors with innovative trade fair architecture. Career and development opportunities include design, interior design, and architectural firms, production companies (e.g. manufacturers of furniture, trade fair and sales systems), retail and sales, the cultural sector (stage and exhibition design), and, of course, freelance creative work.