Dezeen School Shows: a refuge and support facility for women and children that are victims of domestic abuse is among the design and architecture projects from students at Arts University Bournemouth.

Also featured is a rehabilitation centre focused on natural recovery methods and an ocean research centre with laboratories and a library.

Arts University Bournemouth

Institution: Arts University Bournemouth
School: Design and Architecture
Course: BA (Hons) Interior Design and Architecture
Tutors: Ed Ward, Monica Franchin, Jamie Yeates and Emily Manns

School statement:

"BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design graduates are creatively and technically competent, critically capable and ready to partake in a professional practice or related field.

"The BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design at the Arts University Bournemouth has an enviable record in graduate employment, often working with clients on real design projects in a studio-based, professionally focused learning environment.

"Our students have demonstrated the ability to influence changes in our society; their work is set in both national and global context but with a human-centred approach. They have communicated their desire to develop a better world for all in using a sustainable framework.

"The work that our students have produced supports our aim to empower each of them in progressing to their chosen destinations, further developing and realising their potential as professional designers.

"You will see that the students have embraced the powerful role of designers to enable people to live well and wisely alongside each other, with a realistic use of resources.

"During the three years with us, our students have developed the capacity to collaborate and embrace empathy to our society's immediate and long-term needs."

The Loom by Annika Shaill

"Fashion, at its core, has always been about the transformation of materials, identities and cultural narratives.

"Yet, in an era of overproduction and disposability, the industry has strayed from this essence, prioritising mass consumption over meaningful creation.

"The Loom is my response to this crisis – a radical re-imagining of fashion as an experiential, participatory and circular process.

"To inform a new system, the human body emerges as the most intuitive model. Its ergonomic design balances form and function with remarkable efficiency.

"Every movement is purposeful, every system interconnected, allowing the body to perform complex tasks with minimal waste."

Student: Annika Shaill
Course: BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design
Tutors: Ed Ward, Monica Franchin, Jamie Yeates and Emily Manns

Poole Oceanography Centre by Devon Beach

"The Poole Oceanography Centre is designed to protect the environment and address climate change in a manner that is creative, interpretive and digestible for everyone.

"The building operates as an interdisciplinary facility, offering space for research laboratories, a library, art installations, a museum and a marine rehabilitation centre.

"Situated in an old Victorian warehouse adjoined to a medieval cellar, its retrofit design also provides mixed facilities for members of Surfers Against Sewage, Extinction Rebellion and the National Oceanography Centre, where they can work together to fight marine pollution."

Student: Devon Beach
Course: BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design
Tutors: Ed Ward, Monica Franchin, Jamie Yeates and Emily Manns

Aperture by Freddy Barrett

"The mission of Aperture is to create a space that fosters understanding, inclusion and meaningful change for those affected by agoraphobia, an anxiety disorder characterised by a fear of situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable.

"Through immersive experiences, education, and community engagement, Aperture breaks down stigma and empowers individuals to navigate the world with confidence.

"By bridging the gap between lived experience and professional practice, it equips designers, educators and the wider public with the knowledge to create more accessible, empathetic environments, ensuring visitors leave with actionable insights they can apply in their lives and industries."

Student: Freddy Barrett
Course: BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design
Tutors: Ed Ward, Monica Franchin, Jamie Yeates and Emily Manns

Re:Form by Hollie Arnold

"Spending time in prison is an experience most of us can only imagine, and if we did, we'd likely feel uneasy and fearful.

"We picture harsh, punishing environments focused solely on control. But beyond that lies a deeper issue: a cycle of overcrowding, reoffending and missed opportunities for change.

"This project challenges those assumptions by exploring the contrast between punishment and rehabilitation through immersive, experience-led design.

"Using roleplay scenarios with ex-offenders creates space for emotional connection, education and open conversation.

"Re:Form invites architects, the Ministry of Justice and policymakers to engage with lived experiences and contribute toward a more humane, reform-driven system, where architecture becomes part of the solution, not just the setting."

Student: Hollie Arnold
Course: BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design
Tutors: Ed Ward, Monica Franchin, Jamie Yeates and Emily Manns

Kinstead by Anna Viktorsdottir

"Knowing the struggles parent students face, balancing academic life with family life, this project reimagines student accommodation as more than a place to live, but a community that supports each other.

"Designed within Bournemouth's Echo Building, it centres children's comfort and wellbeing alongside their parents' ambitions, incorporating biophilic design and sustainable materials throughout.

"With child-friendly study spaces, a community hall and a roof terrace, it encourages informal connections and everyday solidarity.

"Ultimately, Kinstead serves as a response to the inequalities within higher education, empowering student parents and celebrating the resilience of family life in academic settings."

Student: Anna Viktorsdottir
Course: BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design
Tutors: Ed Ward, Monica Franchin, Jamie Yeates and Emily Manns

CoreCare by Lenya Hulford-Greig

"While CoreCare's Echo Screens have proven effective in easing GP appointment backlogs and reducing staff shortages, a deeper systemic issue remains unresolved – poor staff retention within the NHS.

"At the heart of this challenge lies a critical but often overlooked factor – the lack of affordable housing for healthcare professionals.

"According to NHSProviders.org, one of the primary barriers to retaining staff is the difficulty many face in securing housing near their workplace.

"This disconnection between home and work not only fuels long commutes and burnout but undermines the long-term stability of the NHS workforce.

"Baywell Living responds by proposing proximity-based, affordable smart housing tailored to NHS front-line staff."

Student: Lenya Hulford-Greig
Course: BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design
Tutors: Ed Ward, Monica Franchin, Jamie Yeates and Emily Manns

Realm Wanderers: The Kingdom of Malvara by Elizaveta Ivanova

"This project aims to create an immersive environment, designed to reduce social isolation and promote socialisation, collaboration and teamwork. The facility will function as a hybrid venue, blending elements of an escape room with a quest driven adventure.

"By incorporating game mechanics, spacial exploration and storytelling, this venue will offer participants a sense of connection through a collective problem solving adventure.

"The venue was designed with both tourists and the local population in mind, to ensure it is used throughout the year. Ample space is provided for fun social interactions through board games, table games and use of immersive attractions."

Student: Elizaveta Ivanova
Course: BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design
Tutors: Ed Ward, Monica Franchin, Jamie Yeates and Emily Manns

Bay View Refuge by Olivia Peralta

"This project reimagines an existing building into a holistic refuge and support facility for women and children escaping domestic abuse.

"The design responds to the urgent need for long-term, healing-focused environments that go beyond temporary shelter, offering safety, dignity and the foundations for rebuilding lives.

"Through in-depth research, the project identifies women with disabilities and women with multiple children as core user groups, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity are embedded from the outset.

"The architectural strategy is grounded in trauma-informed design principles, with spatial arrangements, materials and lighting carefully considered to foster emotional wellbeing.

"Ultimately, the project aims to provide not just a refuge, but a launchpad to support women and children in reclaiming their futures with confidence, stability and hope."

Student: Olivia Peralta
Course: BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design
Tutors: Ed Ward, Monica Franchin, Jamie Yeates and Emily Manns

Releaf by Holly Downiton

"The current reliance on clinical medication for treating anxiety and stress often overlooks vital factors such as nutrition, exercise and sleep. Releaf is a rehabilitation centre offering a holistic, evidence-based alternative focused on natural recovery.

"Through nutrition, physical activity and nature-based therapies, it supports healing from anxiety, stress and related conditions while promoting long-term resilience. The project aims to shift away from short-term fixes and towards sustainable, preventative solutions.

"By addressing essential living needs, Releaf helps individuals build healthier lifestyles and reduces long-term dependence on medication.

"The broader impact is twofold: individuals benefit from improved mental wellbeing and the pressure on the healthcare system is eased through a more sustainable, natural approach to mental health treatment."

Student: Holly Downiton
Course: BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design
Tutors: Ed Ward, Monica Franchin, Jamie Yeates and Emily Manns

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and Arts University Bournemouth. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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