Design Studio

Design Studio: A Hub for Creativity, Innovation, and Learning

The Design Studio is a dynamic, state-of-the-art space dedicated to empowering students with hands-on experience in design, prototyping, and industry-standard software. Designed as an open and collaborative environment, it serves as a creative ‘playground’ where students can experiment, innovate, and bring their ideas to life.

The Design Studio provides access to industry-leading software and hardware essential for modern design practices. The Studio is home to advanced fabrication and digital tools, enabling hands on learning and experimentation. Key tools and resources include:

High-spec PCs and iMacs – pre-installed with professional design software.
3D Printers – supporting multi-material and high-precision prototyping.
Laser cutter – enabling precise cutting and engraving for various design applications.
Risograph – facilitating vibrant, cost-effective printing with unique textures.
Augmented Reality (AR) headsets – allowing immersive exploration of interactive design concepts.

These resources empower students to explore emerging technologies and seamlessly integrate them into their modules, assignments, and design projects.

Beyond digital tools, the Design Studio fosters a strong foundation in traditional design techniques, offering students the opportunity to engage in sketching and low-fidelity prototyping using materials such as paper, cardboard, and clay. This balance between digital and physical prototyping ensures a comprehensive learning experience, enabling students to develop problem-solving skills and refine their creative processes.

The Studio is managed by a Creative Educational Technologist, an Industrial Designer, with a multidisciplinary approach to design. Their role extends beyond overseeing the space - they mentor students, introduce them to new technologies, methods and processes, and provide guidance to help them achieve successful project outcomes.

The Design Studio is more than just a workspace; it is a hub of innovation and collaboration, preparing students to confidently navigate the evolving landscape of design and technology. Read on to find out more about our facilities and equipment.

High-spec PCs and iMacs

Powering Creativity with High-Spec PCs and iMacs

Our high-spec PCs and iMacs, provide students with the necessary computing power to run industry-standard design, modelling, and rendering software seamlessly. These advanced machines ensure that students can work on complex design projects without experiencing performance limitations, enabling them to push the boundaries of creativity and technical execution.

High-end computers are essential for design, animation, 3D modelling, and simulation, as these tasks require powerful processors, high-performance graphics cards, and ample RAM to handle demanding workflows. The Design Studio’s PCs and iMacs are built to support these intensive processes, ensuring fast rendering times, smooth real-time visualisation, and efficient multitasking. This allows students to work on intricate designs, high-resolution animations, and detailed simulations without lag or system crashes.

All these devices come pre-installed with industry-leading software such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, After Effects, InDesign), Fusion 360, Blender, and Unity 3D. By having access to these professional tools, students can develop their skills without needing to purchase individual licenses, ensuring that they can focus on their work without financial barriers. This access not only enhances their learning experience but also prepares them for industry standards, as these are the same tools used by professionals in graphic design, product design, animation, game development, and architecture.

The availability of high-performance computing resources in the Design Studio ensures that students can experiment with advanced design techniques, collaborate on projects, and work on real-world applications with the same tools they will use in their future careers. This setup fosters an environment of innovation, efficiency, and professional development, giving students a competitive edge in the creative and technical industries.

3D Printers

Pushing Boundaries with Cutting-Edge 3D Printing

The Design Studio is equipped with state-of-the-art 3D printers that provide students with advanced prototyping capabilities. These high-performance machines support multi-colour printing and utilise a wide range of specialised materials. This versatility allows students to create durable, functional, and aesthetically refined prototypes that cater to a variety of projects across different design disciplines.

3D printing, or Additive Manufacturing, is a technology that builds objects layer by layer from a digital 3D model. Unlike traditional manufacturing methods, which often involve cutting, carving, or moulding, 3D printing allows for the creation of complex geometries with minimal material waste.

3D printing plays a crucial role in prototyping, offering designers the ability to quickly and efficiently transform ideas into tangible models. This rapid iteration process helps students test and refine their concepts, enabling them to explore multiple design possibilities before finalising their work. The ability to use advanced materials like carbon fibre composites provides added strength and durability, while wood-fill and metal-fill filaments allow for unique aesthetics and textures that enhance product realism.

By integrating cutting-edge 3D printing technology into the Design Studio, students gain hands-on experience with an industry-leading tool that is transforming fields such as industrial design, architecture, fashion, and engineering. This technology not only supports their academic projects but also prepares them for the future of design and manufacturing.

Laser Cutter

Precision Prototyping with Laser Cutting

The industry standard laser cutter within our Design Studio, allows students to create precise, intricate, and high-quality prototypes. This advanced technology enables rapid fabrication, helping students transform their ideas into tangible models with speed and accuracy.

A laser cutter is a machine that uses a high-powered laser beam to cut, engrave, or etch materials with exceptional precision. It operates by following a digital design file, directing a focused beam of light onto the material, which either melts, burns, or vaporises it to create the desired shape. Since this is a non-contact process, it ensures clean cuts and smooth edges without causing physical damage to the material. The versatility of a laser cutter allows it to work with various materials such as acrylic, plastics, wood, MDF, cardboard, paper, leather, and fabrics, making it an essential tool for diverse design applications.

Laser cutting plays a crucial role in design and prototyping by enabling rapid model production with intricate details that would be challenging to achieve using traditional cutting methods. Its precision and versatility make it an invaluable asset for creating detailed product components, architectural models, and custom engravings. The ability to work with a wide range of materials ensures flexibility in design experimentation, allowing students to iterate and refine their projects efficiently. Additionally, laser cutting enhances the customisation process, making it easier to adapt and modify designs without the need for extensive manual adjustments.

By incorporating laser cutting technology into the Design Studio, students gain hands-on experience with industry-standard fabrication tools, preparing them for real-world applications in product design, architecture, engineering, and various creative industries.

Risograph

Exploring Print Innovation with the Risograph

The Design Studio is home to a Risograph, a unique and powerful printing tool that blends the qualities of traditional screen printing with the efficiency of modern digital technology. This machine provides students with an exciting opportunity to experiment with bold colours, rich textures, and cost-effective mass printing, making it an essential resource for graphic design, illustration, and print-based prototyping.

A Risograph, or Riso printer, is a stencil-based duplicator that works similarly to screen printing but operates with the ease of a photocopier. It prints by creating a master stencil of the design, which is wrapped around an ink drum. As the paper passes through the machine, the ink is pushed through the stencil, producing vibrant and high-quality prints. Unlike traditional digital printers, the Risograph uses soy-based inks, which are more environmentally friendly and allow for unique, layered effects that standard inkjet or laser printers cannot replicate.

The importance of the Risograph in design and prototyping lies in its ability to create visually striking, high-volume prints at a low cost. It is particularly valuable for students working on posters, zines, booklets, and experimental print media, as it allows them to explore colour overlays, misregistration effects, and textures that add depth and character to their designs. Additionally, the Risograph encourages hands-on learning and creative experimentation, helping students understand the principles of analogue printing, colour separation, and layout composition in ways that digital printing cannot achieve.

By incorporating the Risograph into the Design Studio, students gain access to an innovative printmaking tool that enhances their creative projects while equipping them with practical skills in visual storytelling, publication design, and artistic expression.

Augmented Reality (AR) headsets

Immersive Design Exploration with AR/VR Headsets

These Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) headsets, provide students with cutting-edge tools to explore interactive, immersive, and experiential design. These advanced technologies open up new possibilities for prototyping, visualisation, and creative problem-solving, allowing students to engage with their designs in ways that go beyond traditional screens and physical models.

AR and VR headsets function by creating virtual environments or overlaying digital content onto the real world. Virtual Reality (VR) headsets fully immerse users in a computer-generated 3D environment, where they can interact with objects, spaces, and simulations as if they were physically present. These headsets track head movements and gestures, providing a realistic sense of scale, depth, and spatial interaction. In contrast, Augmented Reality (AR) overlays digital elements onto the real world through transparent lenses or mobile screens, blending virtual and physical elements seamlessly. This allows users to visualise concepts in real-world settings while maintaining a sense of physical presence.

The importance of AR/VR in design and prototyping lies in its ability to provide a dynamic and interactive approach to visualisation. These technologies enable students to experience and refine their designs in 3D space before fabrication, reducing costs and material waste. Architects and product designers can walk through their structures, engineers can test mechanical systems in virtual simulations, and artists can create and manipulate digital sculptures in an immersive environment. Additionally, AR/VR enhances collaborative workflows, allowing teams to interact with prototypes remotely and make informed design decisions in real-time.

By integrating AR/VR technology into the Design Studio, students gain hands-on experience with industry-leading tools that are transforming the fields of architecture, industrial design, fashion, gaming, and interactive media. These immersive technologies enhance creativity, problem-solving, and experimentation, ensuring that students stay ahead in the rapidly evolving landscape of digital and spatial design.