Digital Technologies in Architecture and Design (DTAD)

Program overview

This master's program explores the intersection of architecture, design and digital technologies through experimental, practice-oriented research and teaching. Built on close collaboration between the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, the Faculty of Media and and the Faculty of Art and Design, the curriculum is interdisciplinary and application-focused. Students work on project-based topics that connect new digital tools and methods with broader societal contexts — cultural, political, economic and ecological — to produce innovative design outcomes.

What you'll learn and do

Graduates learn to investigate, develop and apply digital technologies across construction, planning, media and design, and to connect technical innovations with curatorial or administrative practices. Teaching integrates scientific and economic perspectives so students can pursue sustainable, transformative digital concepts up to the point of business creation. Instruction emphasizes team-based, applied project work and builds fundamental digital and design competencies (digital literacy) alongside each student’s individual design approach.

Learning environment and focus areas

The programme is taught in English and has an international orientation. Coursework combines interdisciplinary design and implementation processes with discourse-practical and methodological offerings for critical contextualisation. Special attention is given to medial, experimental, transformative, sustainable and social aspects of digital innovation. Typical themes include creative digital explorations, transformative technologies, collective experiences, intelligent systems and digital sustainability.

What the programme covers (key study areas)

• Design and Architectural Theory
• Design and Building Form Studies
• Computer Science in Architecture
• Urban Studies and Sociology
• Interface Design
• Emerging Technology and Design
• History and Theory of Cultural Techniques
• Human–Computer Interaction (HCI)

Applicant profile and programme facts (concise)

• Language of instruction: English; internationally oriented cohort and projects
• Teaching model: team-based, project-oriented, interdisciplinary
• Suited to applicants with an interest in the interplay of architecture/design and digital methods and a willingness to work experimentally and across disciplines
• Emphasis on sustainability, social impact, and the translation of digital research into practical or commercial outcomes

Curriculum overview

The programme is built around three teaching formats: project-based design work, seminars, and lectures, with design projects forming the core. Projects are structured to foster open problem‑solving and allow students to choose a trajectory that leans more towards theory or towards hands‑on design practice. Project work is organised through plenary sessions, individual consultations and presentations, and typically takes place in interdisciplinary groups supervised by professors from the architecture and the media, art and design faculties. Students may also propose a self‑directed "free" project developed under faculty guidance, enabling direct participation in shaping their study path.

Theory and subject modules (lectures, seminars and specialised courses) complement the project work as electives, providing opportunities to deepen methodological, conceptual and tool‑based skills in relation to concrete tasks. Elective offerings are drawn from the architecture, media and design faculties, and additional language courses are available. Across the four semesters students progressively develop a research profile: the first semester introduces the programme through an introductory project composed of three sub‑projects; the second and third semesters continue project development (the second is paired with a project‑related specialised course, while the third also offers the chance for study abroad, an exchange with an international project partner, or an internship); the fourth semester is dedicated to the Master’s thesis, accompanied by a Master’s colloquium.

Key modules & requirements

• Core instructional formats: design projects (central), seminars, lectures
• Project work: plenary sessions, individual consultations, presentations; interdisciplinary project groups
• Student choice: theoretical vs. design‑practical orientation; option to propose a student‑initiated "free" project under supervision
• Elective theory/subject modules and specialised courses offered by architecture, media and design faculties
• Supplementary language course options available
• Semester structure:
  • Semester 1: Introductory project with three sub‑projects reflecting participating chairs
  • Semester 2: Project module II — continued project development + project‑related specialised course
  • Semester 3: Project module III — continued project development; option for study/exchange with international partner or internship
  • Semester 4: Master’s thesis period, accompanied by a Master’s colloquium

Expected learning outcomes

• Ability to conduct project‑based, interdisciplinary design research and problem solving
• Strengthened teamwork and cross‑disciplinary collaboration skills
• Development of methodological and conceptual thinking tied to practical tool use
• Capacity to define and carry out a self‑directed research or design project
• Preparedness for international exchange, professional internships, or advanced research through the Master’s thesis and colloquium

Graduates are prepared to develop and apply digital innovations across architecture, planning, media and design sectors. Typical career paths include roles as computational designers, digital design specialists, HCI or interaction designers, design technologists in architecture and engineering firms, and positions in digital agencies or research institutes. The programme’s emphasis on sustainability, transformation and business creation also supports careers in consultancy, urban/strategic planning, curatorial/administrative roles and founding or joining startups.

Because the curriculum combines theoretical, technical and project-based skills, alumni are equipped for interdisciplinary teamwork and leadership in applied research and development projects, as well as for further academic research (PhD) in related fields.