This course addresses the need for creative professionals who are equipped with the IT skills, digital fabrication skills, simulation software skills, or the ability to design custom-software development tools to solve unique design problems.

This course addresses the need for creative professionals who are equipped with the IT skills, digital fabrication skills, simulation software skills, or the ability to design custom-software development tools to solve unique design problems. Our multidisciplinary approach will provide students with the knowledge and skills to discover innovative computational methods for use in the creative and design industries. In particular, we will look at form-finding using parametric and generative methods, preparing digital information for further rigorous analysis, and integrating the logic of digital fabrication into the early stages of design.

You will be taught by experts across the subjects of architecture, computer science and engineering, which will give you a distinctly interdisciplinary approach to looking at design.

The ethos of the course is based on the concept of rigorous creativity where algorithmic thinking, systematic parametric design, analytic methods, creative intuition and tectonic sensibilities are integrated into a more innovative design outcome than traditional methods currently allow.

During the course, you will be able to develop and specialise in areas of interest to you through a range of optional modules and your choice of dissertation topic. Topics you may specialise in include algorithmic thinking in parametric design and form-finding, performance-based design and analysis, or design for digital fabrication.

Career prospects

Whilst many of our graduates may choose to undertake a career within architecture or other built environment professions (e.g. engineering and construction, landscape, interior design), the programme provides a large number of transferable skills which will be of benefit across a wide range of professions.

The knowledge and skills gained in computational methods such as 3D modelling, rendering, animation, parametric design, digital fabrication, and building information modelling (BIM) are highly desired by employers from various industries who are seeking experts with IT skills. Examples include: furniture designers, jewellery design firms, graphic design firms, computer game development firms, and even movie and theatre set design firms. These companies regularly need IT skills, digital fabrication skills, simulation software skills, or custom-software development tools to solve unique design problems.