Module overview
This practical, skills‑focused module invites you to explore, challenge and test the tools and methods used by contemporary Spatial Designers. Through hands‑on experimentation with technologies such as VR, AR, physical prototyping and digital modelling, you will learn how different tools shape the way spatial ideas are developed and communicated.
Alongside technical exploration, you will build a critical understanding of the wider issues that surround digital practice today — including ethical AI, data privacy, digital accessibility and sustainable material choices. These perspectives will help you evaluate not only how tools work, but why they matter in responsible spatial design.
You will develop your ability to construct and communicate a spatial narrative by moving fluidly between physical and digital processes. For example, you might begin with a quick hand sketch, translate this into a wood model in the workshop, 3D‑scan the outcome into CAD software, and then experiment with overlaying environmental data using Augmented Reality. The emphasis is on the learning journey and on discovering how tools can be combined to enrich design thinking.
This module prepares you for industry by strengthening your practical skillset and your confidence in experimenting with emerging technologies. It gives you the foundations you will continue to build across the programme as you tackle increasingly complex spatial design challenges. By the end, you will be equipped to make informed, ethical and sustainable decisions about the tools and processes that shape your practice.