The specialisation course in Retail Design is an advanced training course that offers students a wide range of knowledge and skills to prepare them for a career in retail space design.
Postgraduate Course in Retail Design Online
Postgraduate Course in Retail Design Online
Online
THE TRAINING COURSE
The Specialisation Course in Retail Design is an innovative training course that aims to train designers who are experts in the design of retail spaces, shops, showrooms and other environments dedicated to sales or the customer experience. The objective of the is to prepare designers capable of creating environments that not only meet aesthetic requirements, but are also functional, capable of enhancing products and improving the shopping experience.
Who is it addressed to?
The Specialisation Course in Retail Design is aimed at Architects, Interior Designers, Marketing and Economics Experts and all those interested in working in the field of commercial space design, in the retail sector, especially in retail outlets.
What you will learn
Retail space design, learning the fundamentals of interior and exterior design of retail shops, including space organisation and layout planning;
Analysis of consumer behaviour, examining how consumers interact with retail environments and how environmental factors influence their purchasing decisions.
Visual Merchandising: Techniques for presenting products effectively within the sales space, including window dressing, the organisation of products on shelves and the strategic use of visual elements to attract customers' attention.
Innovative technologies and materials used in the design of retail environments, including advanced lighting systems, sustainable materials and technological solutions to enhance the customer experience.
Effective management of design projects, planning, communication with clients and supervision of the implementation of design solutions.
Marketing and branding: The role of retail environment design in the broader context of corporate marketing and branding is examined, including strategies to consistently communicate brand identity through the physical shop environment.
Course program
Retail Design - Introduction
History of commercial space architecture
Evolution of retail in the modern context
Role of the Designer within the company dynamics
Trends in Retail Design
Designing the Commercial Space
Interior space design: layout, customer flow, ergonomics
Fundamentals of design: colour, form, light, materials.
The 'Concept' meaning and importance
Holistic project vision
Sustainability in interior design
The main elements of the Point of Sale
Acoustics as a communication tool
Olfactive Experience
Lighting Design in Store
Fundamentals of Lighting Design for Retail
Lighting Tools and Techniques to Highlight the Product
Types of Lighting
Branding & Retail Design
How Design Reflects and Reinforces Brand Image
Strategies to convey brand identity through the store
The importance of visual coherence and the message communicated by the space
Case studies of iconic brands and how they developed their retail design
Visual Merchandising
Space Design and Visual Presentation of Products
Consumer Psychology
Designing spaces that facilitate the transition between in-store and online shopping
Retail Evolution and New Technologies
Omnichannelality and the integration of physical and digital shops
Engagement strategies based on play and digital interaction
The use of AI in Retail Design
Job opportunities
Design/architecture studies: Many design agencies and architectural firms have divisions specialising in the design of retail spaces. A retail designer might work in one of these firms, participating in the design of retail shops for a variety of clients.
Retailers: Many retailers have in-house design teams that deal with the design of their shop spaces. A retail designer might be hired by a retailer to work as part of this team, designing new shops, renovations or improvements to existing spaces.
Visual merchandising agencies: Agencies specialising in visual merchandising often include designers on their staff. A retail designer might work in one of these agencies, collaborating with clients to develop visual merchandising strategies and design effective shop layouts.
Suppliers of furniture and materials: Suppliers of furniture and materials to the retail sector often need in-house designers to develop new products or provide consultancy services to customers. A retail designer might work for one of these suppliers, contributing to the development of customised furniture or providing support in the design of customers' retail spaces.
Independent consulting: Some retail designers choose to work as independent consultants, offering their services to a variety of clients. This can offer flexibility and opportunities to work on a number of different projects.
Related areas: Commercial space design skills can also be applied in related sectors, such as hospitality (e.g. hotels, restaurants), entertainment (e.g. shopping centres, amusement arcades) and office (e.g. corporate office design).
Course Phases
Preliminary lessons: teaching material
Online Lessons
Project work: development of a project within the topics addressed
Facilitations
Possibility of financing the registration fee
Reworking and updating the CV for dissemination to companies in the sector at the end of the training course in the candidate's preferred region.
Issued certificates
Classroom phase certificate
Certificate of project work
The professional figure
The Retail Designer is a professional who designs retail spaces by planning the layout of the space, selecting colours, materials and furnishings, and organising visual elements to enhance the overall shopping experience. These designers work to create physical environments that are aesthetically pleasing, functional and support the company's sales objectives.
Course dates:
from 28 aprile 2026 all’11 giugno 2026
Maximum number of participants: 25
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The teachers of the course
Alessandro Luciani
Luca Solazzo
Enrica Melotto