Into the forest with School of Pre-degree Studies

UAL Foundation x Forestry England x UALAB x CSM Forest School

In January 2026, 150 UAL Foundation Diploma students - specialising in 3-Dimensional Design - took part in a new Knowledge Exchange project developed in partnership with Forestry England,UAL Awarding Body and CSM Forest School.

Called, 'Into the Forest', the project brought students into direct, immersive engagement with the forest environment, supporting a deeper understanding of climate-sensitive design through first-hand experience.

Set within the landscape of Bedgebury Pinetum, home to the world's most complete collection of conifers, the project marked the beginning of a pilot partnership that places outdoor learning, ecological awareness, and collaborative practice at the heart of foundation-level design education.

Learning in the Forest

Rather than starting in the studio, students began their project within the forest itself - observing, responding to, and learning from a living environment shaped by climate, biodiversity, human intervention and mythologies.

They participated in a series of outdoor workshops led by UAL FAD tutors and CSM Forest School, working alongside specialists from Forestry England. These sessions encouraged students from disciplines as diverse as Product Design and Costume Design to explore materiality, structure, scale, and narrative through embodied, sensory engagement with the landscape.

The forest became both studio and collaborator - prompting questions around climate resilience, responsible design, and the role of creative practice in responding to environmental change.

Returning to the Forest

In March, students from across the entire Foundation Course returned to a clearing in Bedgebury Pinetum to further their investigation. They created structural tests and body extensions using green woodworking and willow weaving. The work supported the development of their final major project, alongside exchange conversations with Katapult Foundation, Pforzheim University and Truro and Penwith College.

Knowledge Exchange and Partnership

At the heart of 'Into the Forest' is a model of Knowledge Exchange, bringing together expertise from education, design, and environmental stewardship. Forestry England’s specialist knowledge of forest ecosystems sits alongside UAL’s pedagogical and creative approaches, offering students a rich, interdisciplinary learning experience.

UAL Awarding Body recognises this initiative as a pilot project, with the ambition to scale and roll out the model across other UAL-accredited Foundation courses nationally. The project demonstrates how partnerships beyond the studio can meaningfully enhance curriculum delivery, particularly in relation to climate-focused teaching and learning.

From Immersion to Making

The learning does not end in the forest. Insights, observations, and experiences gathered at Bedgebury Pinetum fed directly back into students’ studio practice, informing the development of their design work. This movement between outdoor immersion and studio-based making encourages students to translate environmental awareness into creative practice.