Academics

FORM & SPACE DESIGN: Conceptualising innovative products

What is Form & Space Design all about? 

Form and Space Design is a combination of interior design, product design, packaging design, furniture design, space and exhibition design. These disciplines interact to address a need in the current design world, where creators could manage ideas within a 3D world and be able to visualise concepts on a professional level.

The Open Window regards student employment rates as one of the key indicators when designing new course material. After numerous meetings with industry leaders, we have identified a predominant tendency in design firms to develop and brand products, ideas and systems as a unit, within the space they exist. The intrinsic value of a product lies within this relationship; we need appropriate designs that act and interact with people and our environment.

The course concentrates on form and space in the retail industry, product development and manufacturing, with a particular focus on branding and promotion, visual merchandising and general lifestyle design. Students following this course will utilise sustainable design to optimise communication, branding, entertainment, interaction, events and lifestyle design that will meet the human or social need and combine the pursuit of aesthetic excellence with a strong business foundation.

What will you do in the course?

o Conceptualise new functional products, systems and environments.

o Do appropriate research to measure the design problem against user needs, industry standards, aesthetic and economic values....

o Visualise your concepts clearly through 3D software and models. Apply your design ideas utilising hands-on tools and skills.

o Model prototypes to meet industry standards.

o Apply ethics, standards, codes of practice and legislation.

Why study Form & Space at The Open Window? 

A multidisciplinary curriculum. To succeed as a designer engaged in Form and Space, the creative has to have a multidisciplinary background. Only The Open Window offers so many specialised visual communication courses on such a high level of proficiency.

An environment that teaches collaboration. The Form and Space course boasts support subjects such as Animation and Communication Design, which are both outstanding Majors, offering the student a variety of job opportunities.

Hands-on experience. A specialised workshop that will train students to create models and scale models of design ideas will be available on campus.

Awareness of the latest design trends. The Open Window is a progressive School that leads industry into new trends and contemporary design developments.

Career possibilities?

• Retail environments (packaging, point of sale, shop design, space, digital displays and interactive installations and brand-based events),

• Corporate environments (exhibition design, signage, corporate interiors, corporate gifts and gadgets) and

• Lifestyle environment (furniture, artifacts and utility design).