Teaching Spatial Design Through Real Projects
We started Novamultilex Academy in 2023 after spending years working on VR interfaces that nobody enjoyed using. The disconnect between what designers learned in school and what actually worked in headsets was frustrating.
Our approach grew from that frustration. We don't teach theory first and hope students can apply it later. Instead, we put students in front of actual spatial design challenges from day one.
What Drives Our Teaching Philosophy
Most design education treats AR and VR like they're just screens floating in space. But anyone who's actually built spatial interfaces knows that's not how it works. Depth perception changes everything. Hand tracking isn't the same as mouse clicks. And comfort matters more than aesthetics when someone's wearing a headset.
We built our curriculum around these realities. Students spend time understanding how the human visual system processes 3D space before they touch any design tools.
Experience Over Certificates
Portfolio projects come from actual client briefs we've worked with. Students graduate with case studies that show real problem-solving, not academic exercises.
Honest Feedback Loops
Design critiques here aren't about being nice. We point out what works and what doesn't, because that's how you actually improve. Students test their interfaces on real users every week.
Industry Connection
Our instructors still work on commercial projects. What we teach on Monday is what we used on a client project last Friday. That connection keeps the curriculum relevant.
How We Actually Teach Spatial Design
Our methods came from watching what worked and dropping what didn't. After three years of iteration, here's what makes students effective faster.
Physical Prototyping First
Students build cardboard and foam mockups before touching software. Sounds old-fashioned, but it forces you to think about scale and ergonomics without getting distracted by rendering quality.
Immediate User Testing
Every prototype gets tested within 48 hours. We have a rotating group of testers who aren't designers and will tell you exactly when something feels awkward or confusing in VR.
Technical Constraints Upfront
Students learn about polygon budgets, draw call limitations, and frame rate requirements in week two. Beautiful designs that make headsets overheat aren't useful to anyone.
What Makes This Different From Other Programs
Most XR design courses spend months on theory. We start with a brief on Monday, prototype by Wednesday, and test by Friday. The theory gets woven in as students need it to solve actual problems they're facing.
We also teach the business side that most academies skip. How to scope a project. How to explain design decisions to developers who think in C++. How to push back when a client asks for something that will cause motion sickness.
And honestly? We're smaller than the big programs. Our autumn 2025 cohort caps at 18 students. That's intentional. Spatial design needs hands-on critique and you can't do that effectively with 50 people in a class.
Who Runs This Program
Small team, but everyone here has spent time in production environments solving the problems we teach students to handle.
Anisa Kelmendi
Lead Instructor & Program Director
Anisa spent six years designing VR training simulations for medical teams before starting the academy. She's particular about interaction design because she's seen what happens when healthcare workers can't figure out an interface quickly.
Her background includes work with Quest headsets, HoloLens applications, and one particularly challenging project involving spatial audio that nobody could get right until the third iteration.
She runs the core curriculum and personally reviews every student's portfolio before graduation. If something doesn't meet professional standards, students hear about it directly.
"I don't believe in coddling design students. The industry won't, so we shouldn't either. But tough feedback works best when it's specific and actionable. That's what we aim for in every critique session."
Weekly Design Critiques
Every Friday afternoon, students present their work to the group. It's structured like agency presentations because that's what you'll do in actual jobs. You learn to defend decisions and accept when something isn't working.
Real User Testing Sessions
We bring in people from outside the design world to test student projects. Watching someone struggle with your interface is uncomfortable but essential. You learn more in five minutes of user testing than hours of internal discussion.
Next Cohort Starts October 2025
We're accepting applications for the autumn program through August. If you're interested in learning spatial design through actual project work rather than theoretical lectures, take a look at the curriculum details.
View Program Details