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Furniture Design at Savannah College of Art and Design

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The Furniture Design course at Savannah College of Art and Design  supports students in developing industry-ready furniture design skills, with access to specialist facilities.

At SCAD, you'll develop the skills to design and build distinctive furniture collections while mastering the full design-build process. Students explore the relationship between form, function and material as they move from concept and research to prototyping and finished pieces.

The university's 45,000-square-foot Gulfstream Center for Design provides access to advanced equipment, digital fabrication technologies and professional-grade software, giving you the tools to take ideas from initial sketches to production-ready designs.

Through hands-on studio work and guidance from accomplished faculty, you'll refine both your technical craftsmanship and creative perspective. This immersive environment encourages experimentation, innovation and thoughtful problem-solving.

By combining industry-standard resources with expert instruction and a collaborative studio culture, SCAD's furniture design programme prepares graduates with the portfolio, experience and confidence to pursue careers in furniture design, product development, fabrication or independent studio practice.

School: Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
Course: Furniture Design
Type: Undergraduate
Location: Savannah and Atlanta, USA; Lacoste, France; or online
Course dates: four years, ongoing course
Application deadline: rolling admission

Find out more about the course and apply ›

a brown wooden chair
Students will develop technical craftsmanship whilst on the course. Above: Walky by Armando Mora Medina

What will I learn during this course?

– Professional practice in furniture design
– Materials and processes
– Furniture design for the market
– Integrating design and fabrication
– Tools, fabrication and joinery

What are the requirements?

– Official high school diploma
– Evidence of English proficiency
– An achievement profile

What facilities and resources are available?

– Gulfstream Center for Design, featuring advanced equipment, digital fabrication technologies and professional-grade software
– Large studio classrooms
– Industrial and furniture design galleries
– Woodworking and metal fabrication studio, welding facility, plastics-working area, bench rooms and spray booths
– Computer labs with Cintiq pen displays
– 3D CAD programs: Rhino, SolidWorks and Alias
– KeyShot rendering package
– Large and small-scale five-axis CNC machines, large and small-scale laser cutters and large-format printers and plotters
_ Fused deposition modelling printers and one PolyJet 3D printer for rapid prototyping
– Adobe Creative Cloud (always up to date and free for every SCAD student)

a brown wooden chair with a blue cushion on it
The course also provides access to specialist facilities. Above: Maguey Coatl Chair by Aileen Judith De La Ree Valencia

What career prospects can I expect upon graduating?

Students can expect careers in the following positions: furniture designer, environmental designer, production designer, studio artist, lighting and accessories designer, fixture and display designer, creative design manager, merchandising director and hospitality designer.

Who teaches this course?

– Geoffrey Taylor, dean, School of Building Arts
– Frederic Spector, associate chair, furniture design

ann abstract lamp design
It can be completed in person or online. Above: Oo Lamp by Eny Lee Parker

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