Why Study / Key Benefits

• Spatial Design focuses on how people experience and interact with spaces, rather than only on conventional building design.
• It intersects with architecture, interior design, landscape design, urban design and environmental design.
• Students work with private, public, retail, event, workplace, gaming, furnishing, exhibition, interface and performance spaces.
• The programme develops the ability to work from large-scale spatial planning through to detailed construction, materials and finishes.
• Students work with physical, temporal and digital environments and learn contemporary spatial-design technologies and approaches.
• Studio projects develop creative thinking, analytical thinking, visualisation, material knowledge and practical design skills.
• The fourth year adds a substantial research-led independent body of work, allowing students to consolidate their professional design practice.
• Graduates can continue into the Master of Design or potentially doctoral study, subject to the relevant admission requirements.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The BDes(Hons) is a four-part, 480-credit qualification. The Spatial Design major accounts for 210 credits. Students also complete the Bachelor of Design with Honours core and elective requirements.

Part One – Spatial Design

Students begin with introductory spatial-design studio work:

• 224157 Spatial Design 1.1: An Introduction – 15 credits
  Introduces physical, temporal and digital spatial environments, including site, time, light and movement. Students develop creative and analytical thinking, idea generation and visualisation skills.
• 224158 Spatial Design 1.2: Immersive Experiences – 15 credits
  Introduces performance and inhabitation and explores relationships between people, places and objects. Students work with moving-image technologies, lighting, sound and material-making to create immersive spatial experiences.

Students choose at least 15 credits from these introductory Spatial Design courses.

Part Two – Developing Spatial Practice

• 224263 Spatial Design 2.1: Place and Community – 15 credits
  Covers community spaces, adaptive reuse, community engagement, co-design, public places, site analysis, architectural drawing and 3D visualisation.
• 224264 Spatial Design 2.2: Producing Atmospheres – 15 credits
  Examines sensory perception, bodies, space and light and uses physical and digital modalities and immersive technologies to create spatial installations.
• 224265 Spatial Design 2.3: Adaptive Interiors – 15 credits
  Covers adaptive reuse, spatial planning, digital and physical modelling, interior architectural mixed-use spaces, materials, structures, building codes and architectural drawing.
• 224266 Spatial Design 2.4: Material Matters – 15 credits
  Examines materials and their application in the built environment, including material specification, detailing, surface finishes, architectural lighting, acoustics and communication conventions.

Part Three – Advanced Spatial Practice

• 224358 Spatial Design 3.3: Advanced Spatial Practices – 30 credits
  Students consolidate their individual spatial practice into a comprehensive spatial-design proposition while developing professional and transferable skills.
• 224367 Spatial Design 3.1: Regenerative Practices – 15 credits
  Examines spatial ecologies and regenerative practices and the relationship between communities, built environments and landscapes.
• 224368 Spatial Design 3.2: Spatial Agency – 15 credits
  Examines cultural, social and historical concerns in spatial-design practice and develops students' understanding of spatial agency.

Part Four – Honours / Research

Students complete advanced research and independent design work. The Spatial Design schedule includes:

• 224453 Spatial Design Research and Development – 30 credits
  Covers research methods, processes and practices for Spatial Design and their application through a research project.

Alternatively, students can take:

• 197753 Design Research Development – 30 credits

The Spatial Design Research and Development course has a prerequisite based on performance in specified Part Three courses or PGDipDes admission.

Disciplines / Specialisations

The programme-specific specialisation is:

• Spatial Design

Areas covered within Spatial Design include:

• Interior and adaptive interiors
• Public and community spaces
• Urban spatial practice
• Landscape-related spatial practice
• Exhibition and display spaces
• Performance and event environments
• Immersive experiences
• Digital and temporal environments
• Spatial installations
• Materials and construction detailing
• Lighting and atmospheres
• Regenerative spatial practice
• Spatial research and independent design practice

Programme Highlights

• Four-year undergraduate honours degree.
• NZQF Level 8.
• 480 credits.
• Wellington-based.
• Open to international students on campus in New Zealand.
• Spatial Design major worth 210 credits.
• Strong studio and practical orientation.
• Physical, digital and temporal spatial-design practice.
• Focus on community, interiors, materials, atmosphere, immersive experiences and regenerative practice.
• Fourth-year research-led independent work.
• Optional minor of at least 60 credits.
• Opportunities for further study at Master of Design and potentially doctoral level.

Career Outcomes

Massey states that Spatial Design graduates commonly work in:

• Architectural design practices
• Interior design practices
• Urban planning
• Landscape design
• Web and digital environments
• Performance design
• Exhibition design
• Advertising
• Theatre
• Installation design
• Event design
• Government departments.

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

• The current qualification is a 480-credit, four-year BDes(Hons) at NZQF Level 8.
• Spatial Design is based at the Wellington campus.
• The qualification is selected entry.
• The current programme page does not list additional requirements beyond university admission regulations, but College of Creative Arts information confirms that BDes(Hons) uses selected-entry pathways, including portfolio entry.
• Automatic entry and portfolio-entry routes are available under Massey's selected-entry process.
• Applicants can also use the portfolio pre-approval route where eligible.
• A Creative Review is encouraged after application and enrolment.
• The Spatial Design major consists of 210 credits.
• The fourth year contains advanced research and independent design development.
• Course prerequisites and restrictions apply, so students must plan courses sequentially.
• 2027 standard international admission deadlines are 31 October 2026 for Semester One, 1 May 2027 for Semester Two and 30 October 2027 for Summer School.
• 2027 International Creative Excellence Undergraduate Scholarship deadline: 15 October 2026.
• 2027 course enrolment opens on 1 October 2026; the standard Semester One course-enrolment deadline is 12 February 2027.

International Student Visa Requirements

Because Spatial Design BDes(Hons) is an on-campus Wellington programme, an international student travelling to New Zealand to undertake the degree will generally need an appropriate New Zealand student visa.

The relevant visa is generally the Fee Paying Student Visa.

Current Immigration New Zealand requirements include:

• An offer of place from an approved education provider.
• Evidence of sufficient funds to pay tuition fees, or an eligible scholarship.
• Evidence of sufficient funds for living costs or an acceptable sponsor.
• Acceptable medical and travel insurance.
• Meeting health and character requirements.
• Demonstrating a genuine reason for studying in New Zealand.
• Evidence that the student can leave New Zealand at the end of the stay.