Interior Architecture

Interior architecture sits at the meeting point of architecture, spatial design and interior design, asking how spaces can be shaped, transformed and experienced by the people who inhabit them. Unlike architecture, which typically deals with new buildings, interior architecture often works with existing structures: reimagining the interiors of historic buildings, adapting commercial spaces to new uses, or designing environments that respond sensitively to what is already there. The discipline requires you to think spatially, technically and creatively, balancing aesthetic ambition with structural reality and human need.

At Northumbria University, the BA (Hons) programme develops your spatial design skills through a studio-based practice that combines technical rigour with design thinking. You will work on live projects and industry-focused briefs, building expertise in spatial analysis, material specification, lighting design, furniture and fittings, and the technical drawing and digital modelling skills that professional practice demands. The three-year full-time degree includes a sandwich year, a year abroad and a work placement, giving you the opportunity to experience design practice in different professional and cultural contexts before you graduate.

This combination of international exposure and industry experience is particularly valuable in a discipline where clients, collaborators and projects often cross borders.

Northumbria is located in Newcastle, a city with a rich architectural heritage and a growing creative industries sector. The proximity to real built environments, from Victorian civic buildings to contemporary waterfront development, shapes the practical ambition of the degree.

Graduates of interior architecture work in interior design studios, architectural practices, retail and hospitality design, set design, exhibition design and product design. Project management and consultancy roles are also common. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in interior architecture, architecture, spatial design or related fields, including programmes that lead towards professional qualification.