Best education to get to get into restaurant/retail design?

Hey,

What education would be ideal in order to work in restaurant/retail design? Architecture, industrial design, furniture, interior design? Although all would be applicable, there must be one that trumps all others (I am thinking architecture and industrial design).

Thanks!
Adam

Layouts and such, architecture. Atmosphere, interior design. Though there’s a lot of cross over tasks for both. You can always hire an architect to sign the required papers. If making custom furniture then furniture/industrial design; or at least have some knowledge of how furniture is made so you can make plans to be outsourced correctly. Doing all of it I feel the atmosphere and layout is 70% of the project, the other 30% is project management during construction phase, knowing the right contacts and such.

I’d recommend interior architecture or environmental design. Art Center has traditionally had a strong environmental design program.

Combination of Interior Design and Environment Design.

Welcome to the boards Adam.

An old professor of mine at Purdue; Tim Trapp.

Raised in Ventura California and graduated from California University at Long Beach. Tim’s success as a graduate culminated in his research design work being installed in the Smithsonian Institute and having a personal congratulatory meeting with President Nixon at the oval office. Tim moved to Indiana to accept the chairmanship of the Environmental and Industrial Design program at Purdue University, where he taught and restructured the program. In 1971, moving to Boulder, CO, he accepted and held the Senior Associate position with Carl Worthington Architecture, Colorado’s largest architectural company, for five years. Next, as a Vice President at Cork N’ Clever, a national restaurant chain, he was responsible for all design and architecture services. Following the Cork’s corporate closure he opened Trapp Associates Ltd in 1981. With his 40 years of experience, Trapp Associates continues to be an international, multi discipline design firm specializing in brewery and restaurant design and architecture services with a portfolio of over 350 full service restaurants.

You might give him a call, identify who you are, what you are seeking, and ask for an informational interview.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/timtrappassociates

Hey thanks for the responses so far. They are extremely insightful. And Lew, yes, I might just take your advice. I do appreciate it.
Adam!

Syracuse had/has a very solid Environments Design/interiors (EDI) program.