Our facilities give our students the opportunity to bring their ideas to life with industry standard equipment.
Design Workshop
The main design workshop offers students the space and equipment to sketch model and prototype concepts using a variety of techniques. Product design students will use the space for prototyping and sketch modelling, and interior architecture students use it to produce 1:1 scale modules of interior design concepts. Graphic Design and Exhibition design students use the space to produce a range of visual communication displays and exhibition concepts.
This space is fitted out with industry standard equipment that can process a wide range of materials. This includes a digital table saw, bandsaws, cold and hot press vacuum formers, lathes, fretsaws, air benches, pillar drills and an array of workbenches stocked with hand tools and modelling materials. Other studio-based pieces of equipment include three industrial quality sewing machines, cricut makers and experimental 3D printers.
Together, the design workshop, digital lab and studio areas offer students of all disciplines and skill levels the opportunity to prototype ideas from concept to completion, in a unique, one-stop workshop experience and under the helpful guidance of skilled technical staff.
Digital Design Lab
The digital design lab offers the space and technology to produce prototypes and proof of concept models for coursework and portfolio development. The core users are students and staff from interior and spatial design, product, graphic and multiple MA design pathways.
Our three industry standard laser cutters can rapidly produce complex prototypes, so interior and spatial design students can produce exhibition quality architectural models. The facility is well stocked with the latest 3D printers and subtractive rapid prototyping CNC machines, which are an integral part of our CAD/CAM process of learning through making with our product design students. There are also two digital screen printers which graphic design students use for producing posters, fanzines and prints, and a vinyl cutter which is popular with all subject groups for exhibition graphics.
Reprographics Printing Service
This lab offers a service for design students to exploring printing on a wide range of materials, from fine art paper to card, vinyl, acetate and more. Our technicians can help with mounting on presentations boards and how to get 2D graphical pieces of work printed for assignments.
Our large format inkjet printer can deliver banners and posters up to 2.5m in size, and our A2+ inkjet printers allow students to work on small size prints like packaging, labels, zines, and booklets. A cold roll laminator is also available to provide students with a mounting service for their card/foam presentations. We also store projectors of various types and sizes to be booked by students to display moving visuals.
The Fishtank
The Fishtank is a space run by and for design students. It is designed to be a breakout space outside of the studio, where people can stop by and work, socialise, and ideate together outside of University projects. If you pass the window, you might see students talking design, talking feelings or even just talking rubbish. It’s a space our students can use for exhibitions, film parties, to run a shop, break a world record – whatever they want.