Interior Design

COMPUTER RECOMMENDATIONS

Interior Design students use professional software for drafting, modeling, BIM, rendering, visualization, image editing, and presentation. Students should purchase a laptop capable of running multiple design applications simultaneously. If needed, there are workarounds offered via on-campus computer labs (subject to lab operating hours), and remote access (potentially diminished performance). 

A Windows-based laptop is strongly recommended. 

While many applications are available for MacOS, some software used throughout the curriculum performs best on Windows or requires virtualization on Macs.

Windows Minimum Laptop Requirements

  • Intel Core Ultra 7 (or Core Ultra 9) processor
  • Dedicated NVIDIA graphics card with at least 6 GB VRAM
    • Recommended: 8 GB or more VRAM
  • 32 GB RAM recommended (16 GB minimum)
  • 512 GB SSD
    • Recommended: 1 TB SSD
  • 14″ to 16″ display
  • External three-button mouse

Minimum Mac Laptop Requirements

  • Apple M5 processor (or newer)
    • M5 Pro recommended for advanced modeling and rendering workflows
  • 32 GB unified memory
    • 24 GB minimum
  • 512 GB SSD
    • Recommended: 1 TB SSD
  • 14″ to 16″ Retina display
  • External three-button mouse
  • Parallels Desktop for Windows-only software

Students choosing a Mac should understand that some Windows applications require virtualization, which may reduce graphics performance compared to a native Windows computer. Many courses are taught in a PC-native environment, and some Mac software will be different.

EDUCATIONAL DISCOUNTS

Educational pricing is available for most recommended hardware.

Required Software

  • Rhino:
    • All students are required to purchase the student version of Rhino 8.0, which usually costs $195. It can be purchased from Studica for $138.
  • Adobe Creative Suite:
    • Full-time students have free access to Adobe Creative Suite while studying at Pratt. Go to the Adobe site and log in with your Pratt OneKey.
  • AutoDesk Products (AutoCAD, Revit, etc):

Some advanced courses may require additional software. Information will be available directly from faculty. 

All Pratt.edu accounts are Google-based, which includes Google Doc, Google Sheets, Students are provided a base file storage on Google Drive. It’s recommended that all work is stored on a Cloud Storage Platform. Additional storage can be purchased if your need exceeds the standard allotment.

Commonly Used Software

The following rendering applications are used in many Interior Design courses. Specific software requirements vary by instructor and course.

  • V-Ray
  • Enscape

Additional software may be introduced as needed during the curriculum. Students will receive installation instructions from their instructors at the beginning of the semester.

Storage and Backup

Interior Design projects often involve large CAD drawings, BIM models, renderings, Adobe files, and image libraries. A minimum 1 TB SSD is recommended.

Students are encouraged to maintain an external backup drive and/or use Google Drive or another cloud storage service to back up their work regularly.