What's in a Name? Interior Design and/or Interior Architecture: The ...

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P E R S P E C T I V EDespite these assurances and given the continuing debate over the use of the terms interiordesign and interior architecture, President Turpin requested that the 2009 Fellows Forumat the IDEC International Conference in St. Louis address this issue in an attempt tostimulate further conversation on the topic.Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) might be considering the accreditation of interior architectureprograms.’’ He went on to say that the former President of the Association of Collegiate Schools ofArchitecture, Kim Tanzer, had assured him that the ACSA did not support this concept. Turpin also notedthat in a series of workshops called ‘‘Inside/Out: Architecture and Interior Design Curricula,’’ sponsored byTed Landsmark, President of the Boston Architectural Center, and Michael Pride, Director of the School ofArchitecture and Interior Design at the University of Cincinnati, opportunities for curricular linkages betweenarchitecture and interior design programs had been discussed. Although the issue of interior design versusinterior architecture was raised by some attendees, Turpin was assured that the purpose of these meetings wasnot to advocate the use of one term over the other. Rather, the focus of the workshops has been to look athow collaborations in the academy can better prepare students to collaborate in the professional community.(personal communication, May 14, 2009)Turpin went on to say,‘‘Nonetheless, IDEC members expressed concern and as President I began making some calls inregard to accrediting and testing for interior architecture. I spoke personally with then President ofNAAB, Bruce Blackmer. He stated, and I quote with his permission, that NAAB ‘‘is not interestedat this point in time in pursuing the accreditation of interior architecture programs. It detracts fromour primary core function.’’ He went further to say that he had just returned from a board meetingin Tucson and the stance on accrediting interior architecture programs remains the same. ACSA’scurrent President (Marleen Davis) and Executive Director (Michael Monti) have both communicatedto me that ACSA continues to not support the accreditation of interior architecture programs. JeffKenney, Executive Director of NCIDQ, has spoken with the leadership of the National Council ofArchitectural Registration Boards and the message is the same. While new boards may have differentopinions on this initiative, the accreditation of interior architecture programs is not being considered.IDEC will, of course, continue to monitor the organizations’ stances and actions on this topic.’’(personal communication, May 14, 2009)The Four FuturesDespite these assurances and given the continuing debate over the use of the terms interior design and interiorarchitecture, President Turpin requested that the 2009 Fellows Forum at the IDEC International Conferencein St. Louis address this issue in an attempt to stimulate further conversation on the topic. In a collaborativeeffort between John Turpin, Jane Kucko, Eileen Jones, Denise Guerin and the author, a scenario of fourfutures for the interior design profession was introduced as the basis for round table discussions. The fourfutures posited for the discussion were as follows:1. Interior design becomes licensed in all states and is identified as the sole profession dealing specifically withthe interior environment. A collaborative design community flourishes between architects and interiordesigners.2. Interior design is one of the several terms used to identify professionals working within the interiorenvironment. Others include interior architects, inter-space designers, etc. Routes to the practice arediverse and include, but are not limited to, passage of the NCIDQ (National Council for Interior DesignQualification) or NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards) exams.3. Interior architecture becomes the accepted term globally for those working with interiors. Interiorarchitects are required to graduate from a CIDA-accredited program (Council for Interior DesignAccreditation) and take the NCIDQ exams (see Appendix for definitions).Journal of Interior Design xiVolume 35 Number 1 2009
P E R S P E C T I V ETheuseoftheterminterior architecture is viewed by some as yet another threat to aprofession that others would argue has constantly had to defend themselves since the titleof interior design was adopted in the 1960s. It seems that we have not done as adequatejob of communicating exactly what it is that we do or the value that we bring to the table.4. There is a split in the profession, with those focusing on residential design retaining the right to callthemselves ‘‘interior designers’’ and those with a commercially based practice addressing health, safety,and welfare issues adopting the term ‘‘interior architect.’’It was requested that each table discuss only the future as assigned, and each group was asked to list the pros andcons of their future as well as to devise five strategies for achieving this future. A scribe captured the discussionfor each table, and the notes are in the process of being compiled. To further stimulate thinking on this importantand timely topic, the purpose of this article is to provide a context for consideration of the four futures.Interior Design versus Interior ArchitectureAs William Shakespeare has reminded us in Romeo and Juliet, ‘‘What’s in a name? That which we call a roseby any other name would smell as sweet.’’ To look at our future, it is imperative that we consider our past.Prior to beginning the round table discussions, IDEC President John Turpin offered the following thoughts toprovide a context for the discussion:‘‘Our past is an interesting one. Up until the latter part of the 19th century, a number of individualsparticipated in the decoration and design of the interior environment. Architects, upholsterers,cabinetmakers, decorators, domestic engineers, and even artists focused their attention on theinterior. During the 20th century, our profession evolved quickly. Decorators created organizationsand eventually chose to change their name in the 1960s as a means of communicating to the publicthe difference between the designer and the decorator. ... However, interior design was not theonly profession dealing with the interior environment. Architecture continued to work with interiors.Interior architecture [was] a term used at least as early as the 1920s in the Bauhaus—Lily Reich calledherself an ‘‘interior architect’’, [so it is a] term has been in existence but not used as often. (personalcommunication, May 14, 2009)External ChallengesThe use of the term interior architecture is viewed by some as yet another threat to a profession that otherswould argue has constantly had to defend itself since the title of interior design was adopted in the 1960s. Itseems that we have not done as adequate job of communicating exactly what it is that we do or the value thatwe bring to the table. The public’s confusion over the role of the interior designer has been further exacerbatedby lawsuits brought by the Interior Design Protection Council (IDPC) and the National Kitchen and BathAssociation (NKBA) among other entities. These organizations have challenged interior design’s status byattacking three of the criteria outlined by professionalization theory as steps necessary to move from a practiceto a profession (Martin, 2008). Instead of education, experience, and examination, the ‘‘three Es’’ required bythe professional interior design organizations (American Society of Interior Designers, International InteriorDesign Association, and the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario) for membership, theIDPC has suggested that intelligence, imagination, and integrity would serve the public’s interests just aswell (Interior Design Protection Council [IDPC], 2008). NKBA corroborates this sentiment when they statethat their organization ‘‘supports various pathways of entry into the profession. Many people can acquire thenecessary skills through extended work experience or through shorter degree programs combined with othereducation’’ (National Kitchen and Bath Association [NKBA], 2008, p. 5).Journal of Interior Design xiiVolume 35 Number 1 2009
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