Interior Scholarship | Interview with Nina, Naomi and Bastian

Nina, what made you decide to study interior design at Burg Giebichenstein?

Those who go to Burg Giebichenstein straight from high school are exposed to a completely different world, where initially you must forget several things you learned at school. It is a highly independent course of study, with many freedoms and possibilities. The interior design course of study connects many areas that interest me. Therefore, I do not have to decide on a design direction, but rather I can introduce topics that I want to deal with into my concepts. I like to work visually and having a tangible result at the end of the process is my motivation. The work at our university is very hands-on and during my basic studies, I acquired many skills that opened up numerous new creative possibilities in my projects: In painting, drawing, sculptural design, typography and colour, light and space.

Most importantly, you must "look both right and left"; conversing with my fellow students is of huge benefit. There are many different design directions available on our campus. As the boundaries are fluid, we have constant creative input from the areas of fashion, multimedia and industrial design.

How does the Interior Scholarship help you?

As a student, you often have to consider whether an exhibition or a city trip will be worth it, and whether you will be able to buy a certain tool or material. The scholarship provides financial independence, which opens up many possibilities. For example, an internship in India. It also allows you to present yourself and your work to the public. When a judging panel selects your own portfolio, you feel valued and appreciated. In addition, the consultative support provided by AIT and the Sto Foundation is of significant value, as is their network.

… and what plans do you have for the future?

First of all, I want to complete my Master's degree. In the future, I can envisage myself working on projects away from classic interior design. I find the connection between architecture, fashion and art features interesting, for example in showrooms, exhibitions, events and fashion shows. To begin with, I will be working at Blocher Partners in Ahmedabad, Western India for five months, and exploring the country too.

Naomi, what do you enjoy about your interior and spatial design course at KABK, and what does it mean to you?

I enjoy the highly diverse programme of study which allows us to experiment with photography and graphic design, as well as ceramics, wood, metal and fashion. For me, studying interior design means developing an eye and a sensibility for spaces as well as understanding surroundings, their nature and influence on the environment and people. Discovering what fascinates you and diving straight into it. It's about combining observations, analyses, experiments and dialogues in advance to help you submit a good design proposal.

I would like to be an interior designer and landscape designer, because I am fascinated by spaces and the natural environment. I would also enjoy working in design and architecture, either independently or with members of my family.

What opportunities does a scholarship offer in general, and for you in particular?

I mostly use the scholarship for my work, to buy materials and books, to travel, and to attend events and exhibitions. But also to take "risks" and to do more daring things, such as participating in different projects or collaborations outside of university. It gives me the opportunity to meet new people and to present my work to a wider audience by way of the AIT magazine and ArchitekturSalon. I believe that the scholarship generally provides greater stability and an injection of self-confidence to help give you a good start in the job market.

Bastian, what fascinates you in particular about your studies at KADK in Copenhagen? What do you have planned in the near future, and what will you use the scholarship for?

The main focus of spatial design is, in principle, the person and his/her perception of space. The starting point of all projects is thereby the interior space. The field of interest of the institute between architecture and design is an interface that inspires me. The understanding of shape, materials and their usage combines with the spacial, constructive and social aspects of the architecture, and holds significant potential that both designers and architects can benefit from.

I feel that we are still barely aware of what space, light and shape can effect – or are having problems implementing them on a larger scale. During my studies, I would like to further examine the creation of spatial qualities that are designed with no regard for conventions.

I come from architecture and have worked in an architecture office in recent years. I would like to use my studies to move away from conventional architecture somewhat. After many introductory events and small designs in groups, I'm looking forward to what the future holds. We have started to examine potential, project-related areas both graphically and theoretically, and will delve further into this in the coming weeks.

Copenhagen is an expensive city, so most of my scholarship will be spent on living costs. On the one hand, I have the opportunity to concentrate fully on my studies. On the other, it opens up an interesting exchange between the scholarship holders and the people in charge – a platform to share and discuss work and opinions.

The scholarship from AIT and the Sto Foundation is awarded to interior design students in recognition of their ideas and creative ways of thinking. The Interior Scholarship for the 2017/2018 academic year Nina Kaul (Burg Giebichenstein University of Art, Halle), Naomi Rossignol (KABK - Koninklijke Academie van Beeldende Kunsten, The Hague, NL) and Bastian Feltgen (KADK - Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademis Skoler for Arkitektur, Design og Konservering, Copenhagen).