Traditions associated with the physical studio in design education have obstructed translation to an online model. Literature on design pedagogy reveals the studio is considered essential for design education. This perception can be traced to the "atelier" model in the fine arts, in which students practised under a master. This method also underpinned the early twentieth-century development of design curriculum at the Bauhaus, whose mission was to unite art and industry. This paper examines the essential attributes of the traditional design studio alongside current on-campus experience to better understand studio dynamics. I argue that, while teaching design in an online environment may be complex, it is possible. Barriers to online design education relate to the traditional studio experience, which differs to the contemporary on-campus design studio. Only through in-depth consideration of the current context can an equivalent online learning environment and community of practice occur.