90% of all human activity happens inside buildings.
The contemporary discourse of spatial design is undergoing unprecedented change. Exploring the dynamic field of architectural interiors ranging in scale from domestic spaces to interior urbanism, the School of Interiors nurtures students to become the next generation of design innovators. Our curriculum develops critical thinkers who pursue diverse career pathways. Students are taught to challenge and reimagine the built environment by promoting design excellence through an awareness of the social, cognitive, and performative potentials of spatial design. Internships, design-build activities, and speculative community-based projects engage students with emerging issues in the field. Students participate in faculty-led field research trips within the United States and overseas.
Housed within a Research-1 university, our faculty participate in research, teaching, and professional practices that bridge the disciplines of environmental design, interior design, architecture, preservation, adaptive reuse, healthcare, lighting design, furniture design, exhibition design, digital fabrication, and emerging technologies. The interdisciplinary and multi-scalar composition of their work offers students a broad and globally-connected perspective on contemporary design practice. Our faculty foster close relationships with academic associations, design societies, professional designers, industry partners, and manufacturers. The School of Interiors faculty, students, and graduates have been recognized with countless national and international design awards.
While focused on architectural interiors, our curriculum explores the ways in which the 21st century interiors discipline connects to architecture, landscape architecture, urbanism, preservation, product design, social sciences, and the arts. In short, the School of Interiors helps students navigate an expanded field by identifying opportunities, visualizing ideas, and turning speculations into actionable design solutions.
The School of Interiors advocates for the study of interiors as a complex, sensorial, intersectional, and equitable way of experiencing the world.
