This module introduces key ideas and issues in the changing debates on space and spatial practice. It uses case studies to examine a range of contemporary and historical examples that integrate knowledge and methods from other fields. The module critically examines practices that adopt cross-, inter-, and trans-disciplinary approaches, including artistic, architectural, urban, performative, and curatorial practice. It also encourages exploration of written work and examples of other practices that take collaborative and participatory approaches. The module aims to help students identify ways of expanding spatial practice beyond disciplinary boundaries in preparation for further study on the course, while also proposing, developing, and implementing their research projects.

Module I
Spatial Practice Proposition

Learn to contextualise historical and theoretical perspectives that underpin spatial practice. This module encourages exploration of new areas for investigation and critical enquiry by engaging deeply with contemporary social, cultural, political, and ecological issues, as well as current public debates and policies. Students critically analyse a range of conceptual, theoretical, and technical frameworks concerning space, with particular attention to cross-, intra-, and trans-disciplinary methodological approaches to spatial practice. The module enables the development of knowledge to formulate a theory- and practice-led project proposal, which expands spatial practice, informs the choice of option modules, and provides the basis for individual research in the field.

Module II
Spatial Practice Development

Develop the skills needed to carry out and synthesize rigorous research in response to the proposed area of enquiry. Students work on innovative and ambitious projects that address clearly identified issues, challenges, and opportunities. Projects can fit different categories including, but not limited to, artefacts, devices and products, exhibitions, installations, events, performances, digital media, and written work. The work produced in this module provides the basis for the project’s implementation in the self-directed module. 

Module III
Spatial Practice Implementation

This module develops the skills to organize expanded spatial practices, enabling students to realize and communicate a high-quality project. This includes producing the documentation and dissemination of outputs for specialist and non-specialist audiences. Projects can take various formats including, but not limited to, artefacts, devices and products, exhibitions, installations, events, performances, digital media, or written work. The module encourages the development of collaborative skills, including interpersonal, interprofessional, organizational, and networking skills, as well as the capability to lead and work with multi-disciplinary teams and complex organizations. It fosters initiative and self-direction, further develops research skills and intellectual autonomy, and enhances the ability to work independently and collaboratively in the expanded field of spatial practice. The module also develops critical awareness of ethical principles, strong professional values, and understanding of codes of conduct, encouraging reflection on and responsibility for individual and collective outputs.

Anamaria Csintalan
Changing Climate, Changing Culture  

The project examines the depletion of national woodlands and forests in the UK, which are valuable assets critical for biodiversity, conservation and mitigating the effects of climate change. The research project investigates the disconnection between young people and nature, exacerbated by limited public access to these natural habitats. It aims to address these social and political questions by organising a participatory event with local schools, serving as a collective education platform and a call for civic action.

Ultimately, this project will establish and implement an experimental platform that resists conventional teaching approaches, by incorporating radical initiatives through a bottom-up, community-led spatial practice. The project operates at the intersection of public policy and youth work, acknowledging the interdependence between design, humanities and social sciences. Consequently, the research project will form a catalyst for reclaiming social bonds in the outdoors, by encouraging a cultural shift towards more sustainable developments. 

Anamaria Csintalan is a student in the MA Expanded Spatial Practices program at Leeds Beckett University (LBU). She completed her undergraduate degree in Interior Architecture and Design at LBU in 2023. Currently, Anamaria is focused on developing a series of counter-practices to address the depletion of national woodlands and forests in the.  

Alaa Alkurdi
Hear my Voice:
Stories of Syrian Women 

The project addresses the barriers that prevent the recognition of refugee qualifications and skills, which often go unnoticed in their host country. It broadens the scope beyond conventional design practices, incorporating interdisciplinary perspectives and methodologies to tackle complex societal issues. By adopting a holistic approach, the project acknowledges that the challenges faced by refugees extend far beyond physical relocation, encompassing socio-cultural, economic, and political dimensions. This perspective allows for an in-depth exploration of the intricate interplay between various factors influencing refugee integration, from language barriers to institutional hurdles.

Spatially, the project underscores the significance of physical and conceptual spaces in shaping refugee experiences and opportunities. It explores how spatial arrangements, such as access to educational institutions, community centres, and employment hubs, impact refugees' ability to navigate and integrate into their new environment. Additionally, it investigates the symbolic meanings associated with different spaces, aiming to create inclusive environments that foster refugee belonging. Alaa actively engages with refugee communities, local organizations, and policymakers to co-create solutions that promote refugee empowerment and social inclusion. Through her project, she seeks to not only raise awareness but also catalyse tangible changes that enhance the lives of Syrian women refugees in the UK.  

Alaa Alkurdi is a student in the MA Expanded Spatial Practices program at Leeds Beckett University (LBU). She completed her undergraduate degree in Interior Architecture and Design at LBU in 2023. Her research explores the multifaceted challenges faced by Syrian women refugees settling in Leeds, UK.  

Anushka Reddish
A new Generation of
Outdoor Play

The project involves designing and building a playground prototype that integrates digital aspects to create an alternative to purely digital play. The project values outdoor play, physical activity, and social interaction. It addresses the impact of a risk-averse society on playground design, aiming to create a space that is as safe as necessary, rather than as safe as possible. This approach allows children to learn their physical capabilities without restricting their development. The goal is to engage the new generation of children in outdoor physical play through a playground that combines digital play, physical play, and elements of risk.

The expanded element of this project includes two modules from other master's courses at Leeds Beckett. One module from Youth Work & Community Development will provide insights on working with children, while a module from Criminology will offer guidance on managing risk. Additionally, the project will involve collaboration with organizations outside of Leeds Beckett. Though primarily a designer, this interdisciplinary approach is considered vital for creating a meaningful and impactful space.

The spatial element of the project involves finding a suitable location for the playground. The practice element includes prototyping and testing the playground, with results being recorded and analysed. This hands-on, iterative process aims to refine the design and ensure it effectively promotes physical play and social interaction among children.

Anushka is a student in the MA Expanded Spatial Practices program at Leeds Beckett University (LBU). She completed her undergraduate degree in Interior Architecture and Design at LBU in 2023.    

Join a diverse academic community: Aimed at students with a design background, we also welcome students from other disciplines or experiences looking to expand their practice or enter a new career. The course will help you develop into a competent spatial practitioner and researcher. You’ll be confident leading change, working across disciplines, delivering complex projects with positive social impact, and undertaking independent and collaborative scholarship.

This doctoral programme is based in the Leeds School of Architecture, part of the Leeds School of Arts, and is an initiative of the Expanded Spatial Practices Research Group. It aims to investigate the politics and practices of building with local timber. The research will engage with environmental and social questions, and will lead to the design of innovative systems, strategies and networks to facilitate the use of otherwise under-valued species and dimensions from local woodlands. 

The practice- based PhD forms part of a project to design, prototype and construct an experimental teaching space on the site of an existing toolshed, at the Landscape Resource Centre on Leeds Beckett University’s Headingley Campus. As a ‘live project’ the design and construction will be incorporated into the school’s undergraduate and post-graduate curriculum. This initiative is founded on an understanding that space is produced through a combination of disciplines, and not by design professionals alone. 

Hence, the research team has a strong commitment to inter-disciplinary practice and would encourage applicants from non-design backgrounds, for example: arts, engineering, social sciences, and humanities. An inter-disciplinary supervision team will be appointed according to the selected candidate’s interest and proposal. Whilst the project is situated in West Yorkshire and focuses on the organisation of local supply systems, its aim is to develop methods that may be applied to other locations. 

For February start, the deadline for applications is 30 September.  We welcome proposals from home, EU and International applicants to come and study for a PhD at our school. As a PhD student you will join our vibrant and supportive research environment, taking part in regular seminars with visiting scholars, enrolling on our PhD training programme and participating in School events and workshops designed to support research students in developing the skills, knowledge and attributes necessary to become independent researchers. 

Sarah Mills 

Sarah is an architect and head of Leeds School of Architecture at Leeds Beckett University. She studied architecture at the Architectural Association, London (AA Dipl) and completed the Professional Practice in Architecture at The Bartlett, UCL. She is currently External Examiner for the Master of Architecture course at Cambridge University (2023-2027),  Professional Examiner for the Professional Practice, RIBA Part 3 exams at The Bartlett, UCL (2019-), a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a member of SCHOSA. Sarah has co-led the design research unit ‘Cinematic Commons’ since 2013, engaging in international collaborations, exhibitions and research workshops (Mumbai, Mexico City, Tokyo, Marseille, London). Sarah’s research reconsiders future models of interdisciplinary practice and the relationship between architecture and film in challenging urban conditions. 

Lara Rettondini 

Lara Rettondini is Course Director in the Leeds School of Architecture at Leeds Beckett University. Previously, she held teaching and leadership roles at the University of Westminster, the University for the Creative Arts (UCA), Central Saint Martins (UAL), and Kingston University. Lara is a registered architect, was the co-director of London-based practice Studio X Design Group and is Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.  Lara is presently undertaking a PhD in the Centre for Research in Modern European Philosophy (CRMEP) at Kingston University. Her project focuses on the formation of autonomous subjectivity in the work of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Antonio Gramsci, and Michel Foucault, and on the role that discipline, and self-discipline play in such process.  

Elena Palacios Carral 

Elena Palacios Carral is a Director of the research and design practice Forms of Living based in London. She earned her PhD at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in 2023. Her research focused on a critical examination of the typology of the studio as a space that integrates domestic living with intellectual work. Elena defines this as the “studioification of the home," a process with both economic and architectural dimensions that has normalised the precarity experienced by home-based workers. Elena is currently developing a research study on the life and work of British-American architect MJ Long and Mexican architect Ruth Rivera Marín. She is a Design Fellow at the University of Cambridge, a Design Tutor Master at the Architectural Association, a lecturer at the University of Leeds, and a dissertation tutor at Central Saint Martins.  

Matthew Haycocks 

Matt is a senior lecturer at Leeds School of Arts and teaches on the MA Expanded Spatial Practices. His background in making and design practice informs research into the politics of heritage, creative approaches to heritage in the built environments and the uses of fiction in the interpretation of the past in public spaces. 

Lola Lozano Lara 

Lola is an architect and researcher. Her latest research focuses on domestic space and typology through the notion of proximity in Mexico City. She teaches Architecture at several UK universities, including Dip13 at the AA, Studio 3.4 at Cambridge University, and is a lecturer at Leeds Becket University Interior Architecture programme. Lola is a director of the design and research practice Forms of Living. 

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