Why is this for you?
Situated Design feels closely aligned with who I am, both as a person and as a practitioner. I am conscious of my own position, and orient myself through careful attention to the situations I move through. That awareness shapes what I focus on, and how I work. The course’s commitment to authenticity, contextual sensitivity, and embodied modes of learning matches the way I already make sense of the world. What draws me in is the invitation to question dominant narratives, to build knowledge from lived experience, and to develop practices that can adapt and remain steady over time. It offers a learning environment where my way of working can grow, and where thoughtful, ethical design feels possible in a way that supports both creative ambition and personal wellbeing.
Program
Situated Design is a two-year Master for students who want to work with context rather than design in isolation. You will learn to shape projects through social, cultural, political and environmental awareness, and to develop work through iteration, research and hands-on practice. The course brings together designers, artists, filmmakers and technologists in an interdisciplinary studio with strong technical support. You will explore emerging technologies, experimental storytelling and situated methods to build a thoughtful, adaptive design practice.
1st year
Year one focuses on building the skills, tools and approaches you need to understand and situate your own practice. Alongside your individual studio project, you follow research-led sessions drawn from all three Masters tracks: Visual Arts and Post-Contemporary Practice, Ecology Futures and Situated Design. You choose from several modules, but the core of the year is your independent research and the development of your studio work. By the end of year one, you will have a solid direction and a project that is starting to take shape.
A core component of the first year is the Rethinking the Artist Economy Residency. In this program, all Master in Fine Art and Design students explore how to make their practice both socially engaged and ecologically grounded. By providing the tools to move beyond extractive systems, we help you transition toward ways of working rooted in care, reciprocity, and connection. Ultimately, the residency supports you in building a sustainable livelihood based on what you value and find meaningful.
2nd year
Year two centers on your own practice. You continue developing your studio project, refine your methods and shape your independent research into a focused trajectory. This is also the year when you write your thesis, supported by your supervisor, connecting your practical work with a clear research position. The main emphasis is deepening your project, strengthening your methodology and bringing your work to a confident, articulated conclusion.
The third semester features a group exhibition at an external location, and the fourth semester culminates in the graduation show. Here, you will present your graduating work and research to a relevant professional network. Furthermore, professional practice modules prepare you to enter the professional field and establish your career after completing the Master’s program. You will be trained in writing funding applications, developing a professional portfolio, and building a comprehensive CV.
