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Spatial design begins with who you are.
At TRESDA, every course, community, and credential begins with the mirror of identity — and ends in cultural presence.
Begin with 001
Discover your TRA.
Your design identity starts with who you are. At TRESDA, we call these blueprints The Residency Archetypes (TRAs), they're broken down below.
The TRAs anchor your SOS Score and guide you through the Funnel: Self → Other → Synthesis. Each archetype carries its own design DNA, visual language, and cultural presence.
SORA
SORA designers are the storytellers of space—gentle souls who translate memory, emotion, and nostalgia into form. Their work is poetic and atmospheric, often layered with personal artifacts, faded tones, and soft textures that evoke the past without being stuck in it. SORAs design with feeling rather than formula, weaving together sensory cues and quiet details to tell stories that are deeply personal. A SORA space doesn’t perform—it remembers. Every curve, fabric, and flicker of light is a thread in a narrative that whispers rather than shouts. Their spaces feel like home to the soul.
AERO
AERO designers are clean-cut visionaries who operate where minimalism meets innovation. Their spaces are conceptual, structured, and often futuristic—built with symmetry, tension, and restraint. But beneath the control is a quiet pulse: AEROs intuitively sense what’s next. Their use of light, form, and spatial rhythm creates environments that feel alive yet composed—like stepping into a moment suspended between now and next. They don’t just follow technology; they design with it. Precision becomes poetry in their hands, and simplicity becomes a site for transformation.
NOVA
NOVA designers are playful boundary-breakers who treat design as an evolving experiment. Their work is colorful, textured, and full of unexpected juxtapositions. NOVAs aren’t afraid to clash styles or remix references—they turn chaos into charm, and memory into surprise. These designers often draw from culture, heritage, and everyday rituals, but always twist them into something fresh. Their spaces feel vibrant, soulful, and delightfully unpredictable—like a home that makes you smile, think, and feel all at once. NOVA doesn’t design for perfection—they design for presence, joy, and reinvention.
ONYX
ONYX designers hold power in their restraint. They speak through sculptural form, grounded materiality, and dramatic contrasts—never flamboyant, but always unforgettable. Rooted in structure and symbolism, ONYX spaces often feel like sacred chambers or modern cathedrals, designed with reverence for depth, heritage, and the unseen. Every object carries weight, every shadow is intentional. These designers disrupt softly but with force, inviting people to feel more than they can articulate. In a world of noise, ONYX stands tall in silence—anchored, assertive, and radically refined.
Discover your TRA.
Your design identity starts with who you are. At TRESDA, we call these blueprints The Residency Archetypes (TRAs), they're broken down below.
The TRAs anchor your SOS Score and guide you through the Funnel: Self → Other → Synthesis. Each archetype carries its own design DNA, visual language, and cultural presence.
deadline for 002tm beta: 07.07.2025
SORA
SORA designers are the storytellers of space—gentle souls who translate memory, emotion, and nostalgia into form. Their work is poetic and atmospheric, often layered with personal artifacts, faded tones, and soft textures that evoke the past without being stuck in it. SORAs design with feeling rather than formula, weaving together sensory cues and quiet details to tell stories that are deeply personal. A SORA space doesn’t perform—it remembers. Every curve, fabric, and flicker of light is a thread in a narrative that whispers rather than shouts. Their spaces feel like home to the soul.
AERO
AERO designers are clean-cut visionaries who operate where minimalism meets innovation. Their spaces are conceptual, structured, and often futuristic—built with symmetry, tension, and restraint. But beneath the control is a quiet pulse: AEROs intuitively sense what’s next. Their use of light, form, and spatial rhythm creates environments that feel alive yet composed—like stepping into a moment suspended between now and next. They don’t just follow technology; they design with it. Precision becomes poetry in their hands, and simplicity becomes a site for transformation.
NOVA
NOVA designers are playful boundary-breakers who treat design as an evolving experiment. Their work is colorful, textured, and full of unexpected juxtapositions. NOVAs aren’t afraid to clash styles or remix references—they turn chaos into charm, and memory into surprise. These designers often draw from culture, heritage, and everyday rituals, but always twist them into something fresh. Their spaces feel vibrant, soulful, and delightfully unpredictable—like a home that makes you smile, think, and feel all at once. NOVA doesn’t design for perfection—they design for presence, joy, and reinvention.
ONYX
ONYX designers hold power in their restraint. They speak through sculptural form, grounded materiality, and dramatic contrasts—never flamboyant, but always unforgettable. Rooted in structure and symbolism, ONYX spaces often feel like sacred chambers or modern cathedrals, designed with reverence for depth, heritage, and the unseen. Every object carries weight, every shadow is intentional. These designers disrupt softly but with force, inviting people to feel more than they can articulate. In a world of noise, ONYX stands tall in silence—anchored, assertive, and radically refined.
AERO designers are clean-cut visionaries who operate where minimalism meets innovation. Their spaces are conceptual, structured, and often futuristic—built with symmetry, tension, and restraint. But beneath the control is a quiet pulse: AEROs intuitively sense what’s next. Their use of light, form, and spatial rhythm creates environments that feel alive yet composed—like stepping into a moment suspended between now and next. They don’t just follow technology; they design with it. Precision becomes poetry in their hands, and simplicity becomes a site for transformation.
AERO
ONYX designers hold power in their restraint. They speak through sculptural form, grounded materiality, and dramatic contrasts—never flamboyant, but always unforgettable. Rooted in structure and symbolism, ONYX spaces often feel like sacred chambers or modern cathedrals, designed with reverence for depth, heritage, and the unseen. Every object carries weight, every shadow is intentional. These designers disrupt softly but with force, inviting people to feel more than they can articulate. In a world of noise, ONYX stands tall in silence—anchored, assertive, and radically refined.
ONYX
SORA designers are the storytellers of space—gentle souls who translate memory, emotion, and nostalgia into form. Their work is poetic and atmospheric, often layered with personal artifacts, faded tones, and soft textures that evoke the past without being stuck in it. SORAs design with feeling rather than formula, weaving together sensory cues and quiet details to tell stories that are deeply personal. A SORA space doesn’t perform—it remembers. Every curve, fabric, and flicker of light is a thread in a narrative that whispers rather than shouts. Their spaces feel like home to the soul.
SORA
NOVA designers are playful boundary-breakers who treat design as an evolving experiment. Their work is colorful, textured, and full of unexpected juxtapositions. NOVAs aren’t afraid to clash styles or remix references—they turn chaos into charm, and memory into surprise. These designers often draw from culture, heritage, and everyday rituals, but always twist them into something fresh. Their spaces feel vibrant, soulful, and delightfully unpredictable—like a home that makes you smile, think, and feel all at once. NOVA doesn’t design for perfection—they design for presence, joy, and reinvention.
NOVA
The three courses form a progressive learning model, designed to unfold in stages: from self-discovery, to spatial translation, to professional activation. Each course stands on its own, but together they create a complete design journey.
Students can enter at different points depending on experience, but the full arc is where the deepest transformation happens. Identity without method can remain abstract; method without mastery risks feeling directionless.
The curriculum was built to balance independence with integration. Concepts introduced early are revisited and expanded later, allowing each course to deepen the impact of the one before it.
This structure ensures that students grow not just in skill, but in clarity—emerging as designers who create with purpose, precision, and presence.
SELF-PACED • OPEN TO ALL
001: The Fundamentals
£ 297
Cohort size: 30
Learn your design identity
Understand your TRA
Design a narrative living room
Output: 8K visual
SELF-PACED · BETA ACCESS REGISTRATION OPEN
002: The Method
£ 447
£597 after Beta
Interpret identity using real & fictional briefs
Learn spatial flow, proportion, and materiality
Final outcome: Ensuite bedroom, 8K visuals + VR tour
LIVE COHORT · APPLICATION ONLY
003: The Mastery
£ 1,200
Cohort size: 10
Career strategy + portfolio refinement
Legal + financial guidance for your studio
Guest mentors + branding support
In-person meet-up + graduation access
ALL THREE COURSES · PRIORITY ACCESS
The Full Journey
£ 1,800
Lifetime access to all 3 courses
Full entry into The Residency Circle
Priority admission to 003
Guaranteed seat at Graduation Summit
Need Support?
Payment plans are available for Courses 002, 003, and the Full Journey.
To explore flexible options, please reach out to us at hello@designataura.com
The Aura Seat
One gifted place. Every cohort.
The AURA Seat is our sacred offering — a fully funded place awarded to one individual per cohort who is spiritually and creatively aligned with the vision of The Residency.
It’s not based on merit, need, or application performance.
It’s for the one who’s meant to be here.
If you sense this work is part of your calling — not just a next step, but a divine assignment — you’re invited to apply.
How identity becomes design.
Self is the starting point of all design identity. It measures how well you understand who you are as a designer, your instincts, influences, and inner voice.
At this stage, the work is less about perfection and more about clarity: learning to see yourself and anchor your design practice in your own identity.
At the heart of TRESDA is the Funnel:
Self is the starting point of all design identity. It measures how well you understand who you are as a designer, your instincts, influences, and inner voice.
At this stage, the work is less about perfection and more about clarity: learning to see yourself and anchor your design practice in your own identityOther measures how you interpret and translate identity beyond yourself, whether that’s a client, a brief, or a cultural influence.
It is the ability to listen, decode, and express another’s story in space. Building strength here means becoming fluent in empathy, interpretation, and communication.Synthesis measures your ability to merge Self and Other into a coherent design output.
It is not just about knowing who you are or who you’re designing for, but about bringing both into form with clarity and intention.
Strong Synthesis shows up in proposals, visuals, and cultural presence that feel resolved, balanced, and identity-led.
Our Curriculum
Three stages. One framework.
The SOS Score system (Self · Other · Synthesis), including its benchmarks and year-stamped credentials, is a new framework that will be introduced from January 2026. Current students remain under the existing assessment structure until that date. All alumni credentials earned prior to 2026 remain fully recognised and valid.
At TRESDA, every course is a rite of passage:
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001: The Fundamentals
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002: The Method
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003: The Mastery
It is impossible to fail at TRESDA. Your SOS Score acts as a mirror of growth at every stage, guiding you toward mastery.
Slide through the course cards to get started.
Begin with who you are. Design from there.
001: The Fundamentals
001: The Fundamentals is the first stage at TRESDA, the point where every designer must begin. Before thinking about clients, collaborations, or cultural presence, you must face yourself. This course is about uncovering the root of your identity and learning how that essence shapes the spaces you design.
Across guided modules, you will develop your Self Manifesto and Identity Map, two critical markers of your design DNA. You will then apply this discovery to your first live project: Amélie’s Living Room. Through drawings, mood-boards, and a first initiation into 3D visualisation, TRESDA style, you will practice translating story into form for the very first time.
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Focus: Self-discovery + first translation of “Other.”
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Key Readings:
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Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space
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Juhani Pallasmaa, The Eyes of the Skin
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Gunn & Otto, Design Anthropology
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Deliverables: Self Manifesto · Identity Map · 3D Visualisation of Amélie’s Living Room · Reflection Essay
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SOS Benchmark: Minimum S__ (≥5/30)
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Outcome: Certificate of Completion — TRESDA 001TF [Year]
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Hours: 32 (self-study + guided modules)
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Format: Cohort-based by year · Global · Online
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Prerequisites: None — this is the ideal entry point
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Ideal For: Aspiring interior designers, architects, and creative practitioners
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Equipment Needed: Laptop/Desktop + Internet connection
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Completion of 001: The Fundamentals allows you to step into 002: The Method.
At this stage, you are expected to reach an SOS benchmark of S10 · O5 · S0 — mastery of Self, the beginnings of Other, and no requirement yet for Synthesis.
This ensures you progress with confidence while honouring the Funnel. And because TRESDA is a no-failure institution, your score is not a barrier but a mirror, guiding you to the right depth before advancing.
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Graduates of 001 earn a Certificate of Completion — TRESDA 001TF [Year].
Each certificate is stamped with the year of completion, linking you permanently to your cohort year.
All credentials are verified through tresda.institute/verify and archived as part of TRESDA’s institutional record.
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Alumni Work
For press, student, and institutional enquiries related to 001: The Fundamentals (001TF), please click to fill in our form.
Where story becomes form.
002: the method
002: The Method is the second stage at TRESDA, where identity moves beyond self and begins to translate into fully realised space. Here, you refine your craft, practice client profiling, and deepen your ability to hold story and form together.
This is also where you transition from static visualisations into immersive workflows: panorama rendering, VR walkthroughs, and advanced material/lighting integrations, TRESDA style. Technology here is not just about producing images; it is about extending identity into environments that can be experienced, not just seen.
Through guided modules, you will develop a Client Profile Report, construct Mood and Material Boards, and deliver your first complete interior project: Amélie’s Bedroom + Ensuite.
Why the Bedroom + Ensuite?
The bedroom and ensuite mark the most intimate of spaces, places where personal identity must be balanced with comfort, privacy, and precision. Designing them demands empathy, discretion, and technical confidence. By mastering these spaces, you begin to understand how identity translates into the private core of a client’s life.
The Method is not about producing visuals for their own sake. It is about learning how to use technology as a cultural tool, to show identity, to tell story, and to carry presence.-
Focus: Identity-to-form translation + professional workflows.
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Key Readings: De Botton · MacLeod · Till
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Deliverables: Client Profile Report · Mood/Material Boards · Bedroom + Ensuite Project (VR/panorama/advanced renders) · Peer Critique
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SOS Benchmark: Minimum SO_ (≥15/30)
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Outcome: Certificate of Completion — TRESDA 002TM [Year]
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Hours: 40 (guided + self-study)
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Format: Cohort-based by year · Global · Online
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Prerequisites: Completion of 001TF recommended/mid-senior experience in Architectural/Interior Design +/ equivalent
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Equipment: Laptop/Desktop + Internet, VR-compatible viewer or headset (recommended but not necessary)
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Completing 002: The Method marks a decisive point at TRESDA. At this stage, you are expected to demonstrate balance across the Funnel: Self and Other.
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Students reaching a minimum SOS ≥20/30 — with clear strength across both Self and Other — become eligible for invitation into 003: The Mastery, pending the founder’s evaluation.
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Progression into 003 is not automatic; entry depends on both your SOS Score and your readiness to represent TRESDA in brand-facing contexts.
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For students not yet ready to step directly into 003, TRESDA provides bridging support: targeted mini-courses, one-to-one coaching, and tailored exercises to strengthen your score and design presence.
This ensures that every student continues forward, either into 003, or into a dedicated support pathway that prepares you for eventual entry. At TRESDA, there is no failure, only mirrors and momentum.
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Graduates of 002 earn the Certificate of Completion — TRESDA 002TM [Year].
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This certificate signals that you have:
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Successfully translated identity into spatial form through professional workflows.
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Completed a full interior project (Bedroom + Ensuite) with peer critique.
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Achieved a recognised SOS Score benchmark reflecting balanced growth in Self and Other.
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Certificates are year-stamped to your cohort and verified through tresda.institute/verify. They are recognised as proof of advanced design identity practice and serve as the formal entry credential for potential invitation to 003: The Mastery.
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Alumni Work
For press, student, and institutional enquiries related to 002: The Method (002TM), please click to fill in our form.
If the living room is TRESDA’s signature, the bedroom + ensuite are its private test. This gallery will reveal how alumni balance story, intimacy, and precision. First works will appear here with the graduating 002TM class of [Year].
Where design enters culture.
003: the FUNDAMENTALS
003: The Mastery is the final stage at TRESDA, the point where identity is brought into the world. Unlike 001 and 002, this is a selective, invitation-only program, capped at 10 students per intake.
Here, students step into cultural activations with global partners, working on live briefs that demand identity-led design thinking at the highest level. Alongside this, every student contributes to TRESDA’s signature Living Room Project, the ongoing body of work that anchors the school’s design philosophy.
The course culminates in the development of a full spatial proposal, prototype or installation, a written thesis, and a Panel Talk Event, a live cultural defense of your SOS Score before critics, peers, and invited guests.
Why The Mastery?
The Mastery is not about practice, it is about presence. By synthesising identity into professional proposals, prototypes, and cultural defense, you prepare to operate at the intersection of design and culture. Graduation from 003 places your work into TRESDA’s institutional archive and cultural record.
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003.1 Research — Dossier on brand identity and synthesis mapping.
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003.2 Proposal — Drawings, 3–5 renders, static/VR, material + lighting boards.
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003.3 Prototype — Physical model or immersive digital installation.
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003.4 Thesis — 3,000-word critical essay.
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003.5 Presence — Professional Pack (portfolio, CV, 10-min presentation) + Panel Talk defense.
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Focus: Cultural presence + brand activations + institutional signature work.
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Key Readings: Pallasmaa · Yelavich & Adams · Sioli & Jung
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Deliverables: Research Dossier · Full Spatial Proposal · Prototype/Installation · Thesis · Professional Pack · Panel Talk Event · Signature Living Room contribution
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SOS Benchmark: Graduation requires SOS ≥25/30
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Outcome: Diploma — TRESDA 003TM [Year], SOS Score included
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Format: Cohort-based by year · 2 seasonal intakes (Spring/Summer + Autumn/Winter)
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Cohort Size: Capped at 10 students per intake
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Immersion: London HQ residency + global cultural activations
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Prerequisites: Completion of 001TF and 002TM · SOS ≥20/30 · Founder’s evaluation
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Equipment: Laptop/Desktop + additional tools for prototyping or immersive installations
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003 is the culmination of the TRESDA curriculum. Entry is by invitation only, reserved for students who have completed 001TF and 002TM, achieved a minimum SOS ≥20/30, and passed the founder’s evaluation.
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Entry: Selective, capped at 10 per intake, with two seasonal cohorts each year (Spring/Summer + Autumn/Winter).
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Graduation Benchmark: Requires SOS ≥25/30, demonstrating balanced mastery of Self, Other, and Synthesis.
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Bridging Support: Students not yet at benchmark receive intensive support, critique, coaching, portfolio refinement, before attempting defense.
Progression at this stage is not just academic. It is the moment where students are prepared to step into cultural presence with the assurance of TRESDA’s backing.
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Graduates of 003 earn the Diploma: TRESDA 003TM [Year], issued with their final SOS Score and verified through tresda.institute/verify.
This Diploma represents:
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Cultural Recognition: Public defense of your work through the Panel Talk event.
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Professional Activation: A complete portfolio, CV, and presentation package to launch your career.
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Ongoing Support: TRESDA continues to mentor and endorse graduates until they secure their first solo contract.
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Permanent Endorsement: Beyond that, TRESDA stands as a lifelong cultural endorser of its alumni.
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Institutional Archive: Your Mastery work, including the Signature Living Room contribution, is preserved as part of TRESDA’s cultural record.
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Alumni Work
For press, student, and institutional enquiries related to 002: The Method (002TM), please click to fill in our form.
Coming soon.
TRESDA
SOCIETY
TRESDA SOCIETY is where students become part of a global network shaped by identity and culture. From TRA circles to alumni networks and cultural activations, this is where design lives beyond the classroom.
what happens at tRESDA SOCIETY
Alumni Network
Year-stamped credentials connect designers globally. Alumni remain visible through exhibitions, features, and TRESDA’s archive.
TRA Circles
Society life is rooted in identity. Members gather within SORA, AERO, ONYX, NOVA to exchange ideas, critique, and collaborate.
Events & Activations
Panel Talks, Graduation Summits, London Design Festival field trip — this is where TRESDA meets the world.
Support & Growth
No one is left behind. Bridging programs, 1–1 coaching, and portfolio reviews support students until their first solo contract, with TRESDA’s permanent endorsement beyond.
Research & Knowledge
The Society is also a think tank. Members contribute essays, dossiers, and reflections to the TRESDA Review and Research Library.
Cultural Presence
The Society represents TRESDA in culture. Alumni work, TRA identity signals (cardigans, colors), and institutional showcases establish a visible presence in design culture.
Alumni Spotlight:
Student Reflections
Hear from Amy SORA, Bukky SORA, and Nana AERO as they reflect on what The Residency unlocked for them, not just in their design process, but in how they see themselves.
After completing The Residency, Olivia Ziregbe, an ONYX, founded Ember Spaces, an identity-led interior design practice rooted in emotional warmth, spatial storytelling, and cultural presence.
Her time in The Residency gave her the tools to refine her offer, master her design language, and step into her career with clarity. Visit Ember Spaces here.
Alumni Spotlight:
Olivia Ziregbe & Ember Spaces
Nana Mensah, AERO - 001TF
"The introduction was clear, covered the main aims of the course and broke down interior concepts in a digestible way (e.g. What is interior visualisation, and why is it important?).
I especially loved how it jumped into the visualisation interface early on, and I found the initial introduction into using the software really helpful."
Nali, SORA- 001TF
The most valuable part was being part of a group of community with similar interests and are likeminded. Seeing everyone’s designs and ideas was very insightful!
Wanjavwa, NOVA - 001TF
I think for me it was the topics on design identity and language. These really helped me understand that though my designs may not be the same as others, there is still room for my designs somewhere out there!
Grace, SORA - 001TF
The software was a bit tricky and a little overwhelming to use at times but being guided by Aurelie really helped me understand how to utilise the software.
Beyond The Classroom
At TRESDA, learning extends beyond courses. Every cohort joins activations that build identity, community, and cultural presence.
Sign up to our newsletter to keep up to date.
For Courses 001 & 002
Each cohort connects through regular online sessions designed for live discussion, feedback, and creative connection. These calls provide space to align with your process, share progress, and build quiet familiarity with your cohort.During Course 003, each cohort meets in person once, in the majority city.
This is a grounding moment in the journey — an opportunity to connect physically with the creative community you've been walking with and to mark the final chapter with presence.
The Circle is your central hub throughout the journey.
It includes cohort-based chats, resources, announcements, and TRA-specific groups — giving you a quiet, focused space to grow with others who share your design rhythm.Held annually or bi-annually, this public gathering invites students, alumni, and the wider design world into The Residency’s philosophy.
The summit explores design identity and tech integration through guest speakers, panels, and immersive sessions and concludes with the official graduation ceremony.
003
The
Mastery
Work on live cultural projects and brand activations while building your professional portfolio with 1-1 mentorship. Graduate with your signature living room and support until your first solo contract.
£ 1,200
What is the SOS Score?
At TRESDA, your identity is not abstract, it becomes the blueprint for space. Through the SOS Score and the Funnel — Self → Other → Synthesis — we measure how you see yourself, how you translate others, and how you bring both into form.
For payment plans, The Aura Seat scholarship or full journey enquiries, please email hello@designataura.com
The TRESDA methodology brought to life through the eyes of our alumni:
Amy (SORA), Bukky (SORA), and Nana (AERO)
Reflections on their experience, desgn and identity.