Interior Architecture
The field of interior architecture is focused on designing living spaces for people with light, colors, objects ... From private homes to furniture and product design, or designing for exhibitions, shops, showrooms and events: the profession of interior architecture is creative and varied. In this bachelor’s degree program, you will learn what you need to achieve your professional goals.
Your heart beats for...
A Degree Program with a Future
Our 8-semester Bachelor’s degree program entitles you to entry in an Interior architecture list, and therefore to work as an interior architect without restrictions – this includes working as an employee or working as a self-employed person managing your own office.
- General university entrance qualification (Abitur)
- Specialized university entrance qualification
- Advanced technical college certificate (Fachhochschulreife)
- Vocational qualification
German language level: C1
An eight-week basic internship is required for admission to the winter semester. The basic internship must be completed and verified by the end of the second semester at the latest. This internship should introduce students to the general and constructive aspects of interior design and can be completed in areas such as carpentry, joinery, woodworking, concrete block and terrazzo production, metalworking, interior design, display design, stage technology, media design, upholstery, painting, lighting technology, restoration, and similar fields.
In addition, an eight-week professional internship must be completed by the beginning of the fifth semester at the latest. The professional internship should involve activities that are specific to the profession of interior designer, for example in planning offices for architecture and interior design, design offices of interior design companies and furniture stores, planning departments of state, district, or city administrations, as well as railway and postal administrations, planning offices for furniture and product design, or institutions for stage and event design.
1. Semester
- Pictorial design principles
- Color and space
- Area, space, and sculpture
- CAD Architecture and interior architecture
- Basic drafting 1
2. Semester
- Advanced representation techniques
- Advance design fundamentals
- Art and architectural history
- Ergonomics and human factors
- Basic drafting 2
3. Semester
- Furniture design principles
- Structural design
- Structural design and building materials
- Project: Designing sustainable spaces and objects
- Elective subjects
4. Semester
- Lighting design fundamentals 1
- Building physics and building services
- Interior renovation design and materials
- Project: Designing temporary spaces
- Elective subjects
5. Semester
- Internship semester
6. Semester
- Fundamentals of human sciences
- Architectural and design history
- Basic costs and law
- Design project
7. Semester
- Lighting design fundamentals 2
- Marketing – communication
- Architectural theory and communication
- Advanced studies project
8. Semester
- Bachelor’s thesis and colloquium
Focus areas/advance courses
- Projects, elective subjects and cumulative modules
The eight-semester bachelor’s program begins with a year focused on artistic and design studies, followed in the second year by a phase of study in structural and technical subjects. This is followed by a semester of practical training or study abroad. A wide range of projects and required electives allows for individualized specialization in interior design, exhibition and furniture design, lighting design, or scenography. After the specialization year in the 6th/7th semester, the thesis concludes the degree program.
- Interior architecture drafts
- artistic-design basic training
- cultural and humanities fundamentals
- technical and design expertise
- digital design and illustration tools
- marketing, costs and law
- communication and presentations
- Interior architecture firms: Interior design for living, working, recreation, leisure and sport, education and schooling
- Furniture development and design for private and public usage
- Drafting and designing temporary spaces: for brand presentation, exhibitions, trade fairs, showrooms, events
- Planning, organization and management: Building tasks and design processes
- Designing virtual worlds: CAD, web design, multimedia design
The Faculty of Detmold School of Design maintains close ties with regional and national businesses as well as with international partner universities. It conducts interdisciplinary research and carries out projects in collaboration with companies. In the on-campus workshops, designs can be brought to life on a 1:1 scale. There is also a vibrant exchange with the city of Detmold and other representatives of creative institutions.
- Institut für Designstrategien (IDS - Institute for Design Strategies): The IDS conducts research on fundamental interactions between people and spaces. It develops strategies to help achieve a climate-resilient built environment, and takes advantage of the opportunities offered by digitization for innovative approaches and complex analyses.
Research focal areas: Regenerative design, human centered design and data driven design - Institut für Energieforschung (iFE - Institute for Energy Research): Interdisciplinary research institution with members from the departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Detmold School of Design, Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics, and Business Administration and Economics. The iFE develops technologies and solutions for efficient, networked, and innovative energy systems in the fields of districts, mobility, and industry.
... the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations
- directly to good health and well-being
- directly to clean water and sanitation
- directly to sustainable cities and communities
- directly to life on land
Studying at Creative Campus Detmold
Planning and building in one place. This concept can be found on our Creative Campus. Through both topics, a very special teaching and research location has been created. The internationally renowned Detmold School of Design is located here, as well as the Civil Engineering Department and the Center for Sustainable, Digital Construction, which is currently under construction. Architectural ideas thus cross paths with new thinking in civil engineering, such as sustainable 3D printing. The campus is complemented by media production, which together with the Detmold Academy of Music and the University of Paderborn have created a completely new stage for the transfer between creative science and business in the KreativInstitut.OWL. The campus is also adjacent to the city center, which can thus be reached by foot.
Information
- Application and Enrollment
- Dates and Deadlines
- Tuition
- FAQs on Application and Enrollment
- Study Plan
- Module Handbook
Only the information contained in the currently valid examination regulations for the program, as published in the official bulletin, is authoritative and legally binding. You can find the official bulletins here.
Voices from academia, teaching, and professional practice
Patricia Buth, Interior Design Student:
“For me, interior architecture means that we, as designers, actively create living spaces that positively influence people, guide them, and empower them in their actions. For me, the magic lies above all in the fascination that spaces have a significant impact on us and our well-being and can trigger strong emotions.”
“The program offers a broad perspective on interior design, and every student in Detmold can find a path tailored to their individual interests that leads to the development of an independent design identity.”
Christian Grube, General Manager at Infloor-Girloon GmbH & Co. KG:
“From our perspective, the graduates stand out for their strong design sensibility and conceptually sound approach. We are particularly impressed by their in-depth engagement with materiality and spatial impact—aspects that also play a central role in our daily work at the design studio.”
Contact and Counseling
- Our Central Student Advisory Service answers questions about studying at the university
- Offers for study orientation
- Get to know your faculty!
- Click here to go to the subject-specific student advisory service of the faculty
- Apply at Hochschulstart (DoSV)!
- Information on the enrollment procedure is available from the Enrollment Office
- Studying abroad? Our International Office is there for you!
Still unanswered questions?
Our Student Service Center will answer all your questions about studying at TH OWL as well as about application and enrollment:
Phone: +49 5261 702 2534
E-mail: studierendenservice(at)th-owl.de
Service hours: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.