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 E‘‘. ..Even architects face marginalization by quasi-professionals, since a large segment ofthe built environment is still not designed by architects. Both groups need to recognizetheir unique skills and contributions, and not participate in a turf war over practicerecognition and legislation.’’Education Research (now the Council for Interior Design Accreditation or CIDA) first began accreditingprograms in 1973 (Martin, 2008). Today, there are 145 accredited Bachelor’s degree in interior designprograms nationally (M. Scanlan, personal communication, May 26, 2009). In addition, interior design hasidentified its own separate and distinct codified body of knowledge (Guerin & Martin, 2001), a key elementin defining a profession according to Grimm and Kronus (1973).Identity in the Legislative ArenaIn the legal arena, the NCIDQ was founded in 1974 for the purpose of establishing standards of competencefor designers to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public (NCIDQ, 2009). For those of us who teachin or have graduated from CIDA-accredited programs, protection of the public health, safety, and welfare isat the very core of what we do. Currently there are nearly 25,000 NCIDQ certificate holders (Friend, 2009),and interior design is regulated in 25 states, territories, and the District of Columbia (J. Kenney, personalcommunication, February 18, 2009). A comprehensive examination and legal regulation are two of the sevensteps necessary to move from a practice to a profession (Martin, 2008). However, this is the area whereinterior design is coming under fire from the Institute of Justice, Interior Design Protection Council, andthe NKBA, among others (IDPC, 2008). The IDPC (2008) argues ‘‘it is not the function of the legislatureto enhance the stature or respect of a profession’’ (p. 19). Further, the IDPC contends that the practice ofinterior design has little or nothing to do with protection of the public health, safety, and welfare, an argumentthat Martin (2008) effectively refutes (see also Guest, 2008). Institute of Justice advocates Carpenter and Ross(2008) suggest that their constituents’ First Amendment rights are being violated in that they are unable tocommunicate effectively with the public about the scope of their services, and their economic viability inthe marketplace is being harmed. NKBA (2008) effectively sums up the argument when they state: ‘‘Suchlaws harm the public by artificially inflating consumer prices, erecting unnecessary barriers to entry into theprofession, giving government-imposed advantages to those already practicing and failing to demonstrate anysocial benefit’’ (p. 3). In response, ASID has issued the following statement: ‘‘ASID will continue to supportlegal recognition of the interior design profession, but not if that recognition prevents individuals from offeringbasic interior design services as they have in the past’’ (Brigham, 2009, p. 106). Until both the legislative arenaand the public understand that interior design is different from interior decoration, these continuing battleswill extract a toll on the profession. Yet as architect Richard Logan reminds us:‘‘Official recognition, even for architects, is perhaps not a century old. Interior designers have onlybegun the ardent process within the past few decades, and there is both impatience and competitionthat each group faces. Even architects face marginalization by quasi-professionals, since a largesegment of the built environment is still not designed by architects. Both groups need to recognizetheir unique skills and contributions, and not participate in a turf war over practice recognition andlegislation. (Bowles, 2007, p. 11)Identity in the Public ArenaInterior design has met all seven of the steps outlined in professionalization theory to move from a practiceto a profession. These steps include: (1) name change (interior decoration to interior design; (2) educationrequirements; (3) comprehensive examination; (4) legal recognition/regulation; (5) professional organizationsmembership; (6) code of ethics; and (7) continuing education (Martin, 2008). Although interior design hasfulfilled all seven of these criteria, in this complex world, the profession is still seen by many as little more than‘‘fluff’’ (Bowles, 2008). It would behoove us to revisit the analytical framework for studying occupationalJournal of Interior Design xvVolume 35 Number 1 2009
P E R S P E C T I V EWhile we have made significant strides in the workplace and legislative arenas, it is in thepublic arena that we as a profession have fallen short. ..[We]need to do a better job ofconveying the unique value of our work, and this extends far beyond simply protecting thepublic health, safety, and welfare.status developed by Grimm and Kronus (1973), where they remind us that occupations that have not achievedfull professional status have failed to convince the public that they have a strong service commitment. Whilewe have made significant strides in the workplace and legislative arenas, it is in the public arena that we as aprofession have fallen short. Anderson, Honey, and Dudek (2007) agree when they state that interior design willnot achieve professional status until we adopt a social compact that demonstrates our ability to create interiorenvironments that support and enhance quality of life. They suggest that this goal can only be accomplishedby transforming the culture of our profession. In short, we need to do a better job of conveying the uniquevalue of our work, and this extends far beyond simply protecting the public health, safety, and welfare.Since the inception of the Journal of Interior Design Education and Research in 1975, interior design educatorshave played a key role in advocating that the profession needs to do a better job of communicating its valueto the public. The Journal was viewed as a means of opening avenues of communication and the exchange ofideas as well as strengthening the profession (Friedmann, 1975). In addressing the nation’s energy problemand its changing demographics in 1978, Stolper makes the following comment in her introduction:‘‘Two scenarios concerning the direction of interior design as a profession will be developed. Onescenario portrays the interior designer adapting to new conditions in both curriculum and professionalorientation and accepting some responsibility for solving the major problems and concerns facing thenation, and the other scenario predicts what might happen if design professionals do not adapt tonew conditions and continue to make decisions solely on the basis of conventional wisdom. (Stolper,1978, p. 50)’’Have we as members of the interior design profession yet fully embraced the first scenario? Stolper’s analysisof the problems and our role in addressing them is just as relevant 30 years later.In 1994, the Polsky Forum, hosted by Dickson and White (Dickson & White, 1994), created a vision for theinterior design profession in 2010. Increasing the perception of the value or social relevance of our professionin the public arena became a key focus in the discussion. Once again, a concern voiced by Jo Ann AsherThompson at the forum is as applicable today as it was nearly 20 years ago: ‘‘Time is running out. ...Wehave to solidify who we are [and justify our value to society]’’ (p. 11). Advice from forum participant Carlosde Falla also remains timely: ‘‘Each of us must get personally involved. ..and make a commitment of time,energy, resources, passion, willingness to see it through. ..This will lead to empowerment’’ (p. 11).Again in 1997, Dickson and White proposed developing a body of interior design criticism that would helpin shape public perception of our value and strengthen our image as a profession. Over a decade later, thesecalls have gone unheeded and we are still talking about the need to promote our ‘‘value added’’ message.And lest we think that changing our name to interior architecture will solve this dilemma, the architectureprofession is facing a similar problem. In an article by Holliday (2007), the author outlines ‘‘a concerted effortto raise the standing of architecture and the profession in the public eye’’ (p. 32). She notes that a ‘‘Blueprintfor America’’ that focused on community service was one of the central themes of the American Institute ofArchitects’ 150th anniversary celebration. Likewise, much of the October 2008 issue of Architectural Recordaddressed ‘‘Design with Conscience.’’ According to Guest Editor David Sokol (2008), ‘‘After a decade ofprosperity and self-indulgence, the profession is returning to the social contract upon which architectureis founded’’ (p. 85). Architect Michael Broshar sums all of this up succinctly when he concluded: ‘‘Theopportunity for recognition of interior designers and architects by the public is enhanced when we are viewedas being supportive of positions that will enhance the quality of life for citizens’’ (Bowles, 2007, p. 11).Journal of Interior Design xviVolume 35 Number 1 2009
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