Master in Design of spaces: user experience

The Master in Design of Spaces: The essential aim of User Experience is to train professionals in the specific field of the design of spaces and to adapt technical and creative knowledge to the various spheres of action: commercial, residential, work and pop-up spaces, stage design, or new space concepts.

It seeks to professionalise an activity that is strongly linked to other disciplines and lacking rigorous training in our geographical area, as well as to complete the education of the profiles of designer, architect and technical architect.

It is essential that students learn to give value to new technologies in the conditioning of the physical space, besides assimilating the emerging social and cultural critical values that are found in the bases of the implementation criteria, using the disciplines that articulate them: ergonomics, ecology, economics, sociology and anthropology and their impacts and repercussions on planning.

Design of interior and exterior spaces: design of domestic and commercial spaces, restoration, adaptation of work spaces and offices, public spaces and gardens, design of events and pop-up spaces, stands, systems design for commercial premises of chains and franchises, exhibition design, shop window design. Site and works management.

Students from the following areas will be considered to be suitable: Higher graduates in Design, Architecture and Technical Architecture, Stage Design or other qualifications or training providing they have experience in or a link with design disciplines in general and design of spaces in particular.

We recommend that students have basic representational knowledge, especially drawing and digital drawing.

Admission requirements: to gain a place on the postgraduate diploma requires knowledge and/or basic experience in architecture, design of spaces or similar, in the representation of spaces using specialist software.

Module 1 – Emotion and perception in space

Reflection around the repercussions that emotion and perception have on space. Analysis of the theme of the project and the tools to generate a concept. Study of the different types of spaces that have existed in the contemporary history of the design of spaces. Study of the pre-existence of the place as the essence of the concept of the new intervention.

The module is comprised of the following subjects:

• From the idea to the concept of experiences.
• Evolution of the perception of space: 19th-21st centuries.
• “Environmental pre-existences.” Link between user and place.

Module 2 – Design thinking applied to space

Improvement of strategies for using drawing tools to represent projects. Introduction to photographic techniques and the perception of light for an optimum visualisation of the experience of the place. Study of the graphic representation tools that can be used in the design of spaces.

The module is comprised of the following subjects:

• Optimisation of advanced representation tools.
• Photography of the space. Visualisation of the experience.
• Graphics applied to the space. Communication of the project identity.

Module 3 – Techniques in the design of spaces

Study of the techniques in the design of spaces related to sustainability, lighting and accessibility. Analysis of the characteristics of biophilic design and how nature has an impact on the generation of space. Foundations of light and colour and their application to the space. Behaviour, properties, functions and types.

Ergonomic factors and needs. The user and their physical relationship with the space. Accessibility criteria for people with reduced mobility.

The module is comprised of the following subjects:

• Sustainability and biophilic design. Nature and new materials.
• Lighting. Impact of light on the perception of space.
• Accessibility. Generation of experience through ergonomics.

Module 4 – Experience as creator of identity

Understanding of the spaces in which identity is pre-eminent, such as cultural spaces, waiting and transit areas, and domestic and tourist spaces linked with residence.

Cultural Spaces. Design of knowledge spaces.

• Waiting Areas. Synergies between space and time.
• Residential Design. The client’s experience in the private space.
• Admission requirements: Design of Spaces, Architecture, Technical Architecture

Module 5 – Commercial services provision

Workshops on the spaces where Commercial Services Provisions are made. Workshops on spaces for public retail, bars and restaurants and leisure spaces, in which the free time factor plays a part.

• Retail Design. The user as the subject of the selling process.
• Feeding Design. Bar and restaurant spaces.
• Leisure Design. The leisure experience in the space.

Module 6 - Learning and professional environment

Workshops on the spaces involved in the learning and professional environment. Workshop on thought and reflection on the needs of spaces devoted to education, according to their educational methodology needs. Workshop on work spaces, where harmony, design and ergonomics play key roles. Workshop on work spaces, where harmony, design and ergonomics play key roles.

• Educational Spaces. Development of educational spaces.
• Work Spaces. Working in harmony.
• Health and Wellbeing Design. Generation of wellbeing through experience.

Module 7 – Final Master’s Degree Project

Creation of a design of spaces project independently and on the basis of personal interests. It also features a narrative creation workshop and a Communication workshop.

To register for this course, candidates have to pass a selection process and meet the academic and administrative requirements.

First of all, you need to have a university identification number (NIU/NIA) and a password. If you do not yet have these details, you can obtain them by doing the registration application.

You must then access the registration platform and attach the admission documentation (maximum of 2MB per file):

• CV
• Book/Portfolio
• University degree (*)
• Academic certificate
• DNI/passport
• Passport photo for the card

(*) For Postgraduate Diplomas, if you do not have the required university qualification or it is being processed, you can complete and attach the following Declaration of non-availability of qualification.

For more information about the acceptance procedure, degree requirements and other matters of interest, please consult the master's and postgraduate courses admissions section on our website or write to postgraus(a)eina.cat.

One-time payment option: 

• 100% at the time of acceptance (payment must be made within 10 days of acceptance to guarantee the reservation of the place) 

Fractionated payment option: 

• 50% at the time of acceptance (payment must be made within 10 days of acceptance to guarantee the reservation of the place) 
• 50%: two months after the start of the course 

For further details check on academic info.