Architecture and interior design are two profitable distinct practices that will never see a decline in patronage in the modern world. The interior design industry had an estimated worth of over $121 billion in 2021, while the architectural industry was well over $340 billion.
The success of these industries isn't down to luck but intensive training of participants in these disciplines in several learning institutions worldwide. If you fancy such professions, you can't run short of schools to attend to gain mastery in these fields.
But sometimes, attending standard schools can help you become the best in your discipline. If your interest is in architecture and interior design, here are the six schools you should consider.
1. MIT School of Architecture and Planning (MIT SA+P)
The MIT School of Architecture and Planning is one of the five academies of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT is a big name worldwide for its exploit in churning graduates who made names for themselves. The method of training involves finding a solution to practical design problems.
The institution focuses on merging design, tech, and cognitive science to change the housing world, in its own words, inventing the future. MIT SA+P offers admission for undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
As expected, the school has big names to prove its success. Among them are John O. Merrill and Louis H. Skidmore, who graduated in 1922-1923. They co-founded Skidmore Owings and Merrill, one of the largest architectural firms in the US. Another is I.M. Pei, who graduated in 1940 and won the 1983 Pritzker Prize in architecture.
2. Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Harvard University of Graduate School Design is definitely the best. A visit to the school alumni page would reveal some of your idols in the architectural and design world passed through this institution.
The institution offers masters and doctoral programs in the following courses:
- Architecture
- Landscape architecture
- Urban planning and design
- Real estate
- Design engineering
- Design studies.
Although the school is a bit expensive, you will get value for your money. The school provides admission for both citizens and international students. So, if you find this school appealing enough, you can apply for an Hb2 visa to come here. But, ensure you consult an immigration lawyer for US immigration advice before applying for the visa.
3. Dublin Institute of Design
The Dublin Institute of Design is Ireland's oldest specialized private third-level design college. The institution provides educational training in interior design, graphics, fashion, costume and web design, animation, and visual merchandising.
The university started its 3-year Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design program in 1991 and has since become a force to reckon with among institutions offering the same discipline. A visit to Dublin would let you know how effective graduates of this institution have been within the city itself.
4. The University of Technology, Sydney
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, is the home to the University of Technology Sydney UTS), a public research university with no small reputation in architecture and interior design. UTS uses a distinct model of learning, which encourages strong research performance and direct engagement with industry and the professions to give learners a practical learning experience.
Pushing boundaries is the university theme, and graduates of architecture and design in this institution have a say anywhere in the world. Using cutting-edge technology in dedicated studios, students learn to solve real-life problems, some of which were proposed by industries around the institution.
Meanwhile, the school program runs for only three years, and there is the option of both full-time and part-time.
5. The Visual College of Art and Design, Vancouver
Owned by the Eminata Group, the Visual College of Art and Design (VCAD) is a for-profit career college located in Vancouver, Canada. The institution offers Diploma programs in diverse design courses, of which architecture and interior design are two distinct courses.
Students who graduated from this school are versatile and usually have a dab hand in creating layouts of residential, commercial, industrial, and public spaces. The school architecture program also gives students an edge in theoretical and practical aspects of architectural practices in Canada.
6. Pratt Institute, Brooklyn NY
Pratt Institute, located in Kings County, Brooklyn, New York, never disappoints in making industry-ready architects and designers. The institution offers undergraduate and postgraduate architecture and interior design programs as separate courses.
Modern studios and technology, multicultural learners, and passionate staffing combine to make this institute one of the best schools for learning architecture and interior design. Like many schools in the US, Pratt Institute is pricey, but of course, you won’t regret attending this school.
