Application deadline: March 1, 2016
Open house: February 13
Piet Zwart Institute
Master Interior Architecture
and Retail Design
P.O. Box 1272
3000 BG Rotterdam
The Netherlands
The Piet Zwart Institute houses the international master’s programs of the Willem de Kooning Academy, part of Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. Named after the pioneering Dutch designer Piet Zwart, who worked experimentally across different media and contexts, our institute offers a rich combination of in-depth specialisation and interdisciplinary exchange in a vibrant learning environment.
About the program
The Master Interior Architecture & Retail Design (MIARD) at the Piet Zwart Institute is a two-year, English Language postgraduate program.
Our international course situates itself in applied-research, experimentation, critical thinking and the professional field of interior architecture and emergent spatial practice. We provide an educational platform to train and support designers to be critical and progressive in the field of interiors and to expand the boundaries of the profession. The program embraces a contemporary and multidisciplinary approach to foster the artistic practice of the designer, his or her ideas and fascinations.
Students work closely with a distinguished international staff of architects, interior architects, designers, scholars and specialists from other disciplines. Our teachers, guest lecturers and collaborators provide a stimulating educational culture for students to expand their knowledge, skills, professional networks and future career opportunities. Students work on their design projects in spacious studios throughout the year. They have access to production “Stations” equipped with analogue and digital technologies and expert technicians are available to help the students realize their projects.
MIARD plans opportunities to publicly exhibit and promote student work and expose our students to international networking platforms. We participate in professional design and architecture events as well as other external collaborations. Recent work by students and alumni have been exhibited at Milan Design Week, Biennale Interior, Dutch Design Week, TENTLondon, Het Nieuwe Instituut and projects have earned international press in publications such as Domus, Dezeen, Frame, Archinect, and Designboom, among others. Frame recently described MIARD as a “leading international master program” in the book entitled, Masterclass: Interior Design, Guide to the World’s Leading Graduate Schools.
We are based in the center of Rotterdam, an international city renowned for architecture, design and the arts. And as a contemporary and young program, we operate from the point of view that today education must be adaptable to a variety of external forces to remain relevant and forward thinking.
Core and guest tutors 2015–16
Max Bruinsma, Daphne Heemskerk, Laura Lynn Jansen, Edwin Larkens, Gabriel Lester, Chris Luth, Olivier Otten, Mauro Parravicini, Catherine Somzé, Marta M Roy Torrecilla, Füsun Türetken, Thomas Vailly, Martine Vledder
Previous tutors, lecturers & design critics
Laura Alvarez, Andrea Bagnato, Gemma Barton, Ruth Baumeister, Jan Boelen, Silvio Carta, Riet Eeckhout, Gabriella Fiorentini, Nuno Fontarra, Lisa Hassanzadeh, Klaske Havik, Jasper Jansen, Khurtova/Bourlanges, Maartje Lammers, Marta Male-Alemany, Ilaria Mazzoleni, Mario Minale, Cristina Murphy, Yukiko Nezu, Marina Otero Verzier, Brian Peters, Tamar Shafrir, Tanja Smeets, Penny Sparks, Joshua G. Stein, Eline Strijkers, Robert Thiemann, Lois Weinthal, Petar Zaklanovic, Aynav Ziv
How to apply
Please visit the application section of our website. Applicants are requested to submit a motivation letter, CV and portfolio with selected projects in English.
Open house
On Saturday February 13, the Piet Zwart Institute will organise its annual open house. See our website for more information about the event, location and time.
More information
Contact our coordinator Vanessa Tuitel with any questions you might have: [email protected]
