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Design for Performance

Find out about the facilities and equipment available to you as a Design for Performance student at NTU.

Our facilities and equipment

Our Design for Performance facilities are based in Waverley – a beautifully restored listed building with real design heritage, and the original Nottingham School of Art. It exudes history, and it’s the perfect place to inspire your creative journey.

Facilities and equipment include:

  • dedicated design studios
  • TV studios with green screen facilities
  • Mini-Cam (for models)
  • water jet and laser cutting and engraving technology
  • 3D prototyping from polymer to powder printing
  • construction workshops
  • IT facilities
  • industry-standard software including Vectorworks, PhotoShop, and SketchUp
  • a fully working theatre studio with sound and lighting
  • construction and paint workshops;
  • studio space with desks and computers
  • costume studios
  • industry-standard sewing rooms
  • a digital production suite for 3D printing and laser cutting
  • a Victorian conservatory for life drawing.

You’ll have the opportunity to use resources from across the Nottingham School of Art & Design and the wider University such as printing workshops, a digital fabric printing facility, a dye lab, and specialist embroidery, knitting and weaving workshops.

There are also metal and wood workshops, and photographic studios for equipment such as backgrounds and lighting.

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What our students think

"The course is really lucky to have two workshops that we share over the three years, as well as a dye workshop. They’re all equipped with the top professional technology like industrial irons, sewing machines, overlockers, body forms, and mannequins. We also have our design spaces and areas like the conservatory, where we do our life drawing sessions. The library is really useful, and has a great selection of relevant books for research as well as great study spaces for both individual and group work."

Hannah Varley, BA (Hons) Costume Design and Construction

“The studios are fully equipped with enough drawing boards for everyone and access to mini-cameras. The studios are also surrounded by models, visuals and technical drawings. We all love being in the Waverley Building as there is access to a wide range of PCs or Macs. On campus we have the opportunity to use the lighting studio, laser cutting or 3D printing. I’ve never felt unequipped for any of my projects thanks to the facilities we have at NTU.”

Ed Humpreys, BA (Hons) Design for Film and Television

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