Do interior designers need to be licensed?
Many are arguing on this very issue as i sit here and type this. My question is why not license them? Interior designers are responsible for the life, welfare and safety of many individuals with every design choice he or she makes. Interior designers are to be qualified by education, experience and examination to design interiors that meet fire - life-safety codes, Americans with Disabilities Act regulations for public buildings, understand flame spread, smoke reduction, traffic circulation, along with many other technical skills. Would you want a person not licensed doing this work for you?
One thing to consider in this argument, is that many designers are seen as decorators, and society seems decorators as something cosmetic and not an integral part of the system like design. I have to say I tilt my hat to really good decorators. I commend them for the services that they do provide. I do not view them as a threat only potential allies later down the road.
Decorators are not designers and hopefully they will stop claiming to offer design services. They only need to be educate along with the legislators and other officials that regulate the practice of interior design.
Education is the key for interior design to make its mark on the world. I say this with thought that through education, we can teach the future generations what it is we truly do. Teach the public we are a profession like any other. Let us unite as one voice and educate everyone. This is the only way to see a change develop. We need to show that design is not HGTV, Trading Spaces etc, by speaking out and up for ourselves. Let us print articles, provide public service announcements, etc. We can be a powerful voice and as such we need to make sure to be heard.
As for as the answer to the original question. Yes interior designers need to be licensed because our profession is like any other that offers public services that could have a direct impact on their lives. We have an obligation to the public, and the government has an obligation to ensure we meet that obligation.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
IDEC Southeast Regional Conference.
The IDEC Southeast Regional Conference was an amazing experience. The conference provided me with a clearer understanding as to the need and importance of interior design education. It was amazing to see so many people together in one place with such a common goal as the bettering of the interior design profession through education.
A lot of educators at this conference were discussing ways to evolve the Master's Degree into a Master of Interior Design (MID) degree. Those supporting the degree feel it could clarify the interior design degree and erase the confusion of a MS, MA, or the MFA in interior design. I am not certain I agree with such an offer mainly because it seems we are titling the degree to the profession and that profession is still looking to define itself.
Being a graduate student at this conference was mind blowing. Every school represented at the conference were looking for new hires for the Fall 2008 year. The graduate students getting their MFA or PhD, were the stars of the show. Major universities and schools across the Southeast and other parts of the country like Minnesota.
VA Tech's campus was impressive. The design studios were located in a new facility and were quite impressive. The students remained at one desk and the instructors came to them. This layout allowed for a lot more personalization of space by the students. It look to have a positive effect on the students.
This was a great networking experience and has revitalized my interests in becoming an interior design educator.
A lot of educators at this conference were discussing ways to evolve the Master's Degree into a Master of Interior Design (MID) degree. Those supporting the degree feel it could clarify the interior design degree and erase the confusion of a MS, MA, or the MFA in interior design. I am not certain I agree with such an offer mainly because it seems we are titling the degree to the profession and that profession is still looking to define itself.
Being a graduate student at this conference was mind blowing. Every school represented at the conference were looking for new hires for the Fall 2008 year. The graduate students getting their MFA or PhD, were the stars of the show. Major universities and schools across the Southeast and other parts of the country like Minnesota.
VA Tech's campus was impressive. The design studios were located in a new facility and were quite impressive. The students remained at one desk and the instructors came to them. This layout allowed for a lot more personalization of space by the students. It look to have a positive effect on the students.
This was a great networking experience and has revitalized my interests in becoming an interior design educator.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Newsbrief #4 A New Millennium and feng shui
Feng shui?
Wind and Water according to the author - "can be defined as a melange of art and science which governs design issues of architecture and planning, embracing a wide range of disciplines of human interest."
"The principal concept of feng shui is to create an order in life and the built environment which is in sympathy with the supposed order of the cosmic currents running the universe. the resulting harmony allegedly brings human well-being, besides visibly fulfilling an ancient symbolism."
The Western architectural tradition (Since the Renaissance) involves a system of proportion dedicated to visual harmony while in East Asia the architecture is designed to create harmony by the applications of "symbolically auspicious directions" based off the yin/yang, five elements and eight trigrams.
The new popularity of feng shui could be nothing more than a naive taste for the exotic, which could be from the worlds distrust of science and technology, a development of new spirituality, or profound sense that the Far East with its principles are superior to the Western form of thinking.
The author concludes by stating the study of feng shui should be studied in Western architecture to provide a pragmatic tool to understand Eastern Asian architecture and design. However, if one wishes to truly practice it, then the belief structure for feng shui must be understood to receive its full effect on architecture and design.
Why is this worthy to discuss?
We often view our way (the Western way) of thinking as the best or sometimes only way to approach design. The author here points out that feng shui utilizes more than just design elements and principles, but also incorporates a spirituality and belief system that harmonizes the space with nature. Feng shui's popularity can be noticed within the design community, as more and more individuals are seeking a way of harmonizing their lives with nature, each other and the communities that they are a part of. Many may view this as an alternative to the classic Western form of design which utilizes the Ancient Greek and Roman methods of proportions. Design and architecture must be willing to adapt and grow and explore other cultures if it wished to maintain newness, creativity, and even a piece of spirituality.
Wind and Water according to the author - "can be defined as a melange of art and science which governs design issues of architecture and planning, embracing a wide range of disciplines of human interest."
"The principal concept of feng shui is to create an order in life and the built environment which is in sympathy with the supposed order of the cosmic currents running the universe. the resulting harmony allegedly brings human well-being, besides visibly fulfilling an ancient symbolism."
The Western architectural tradition (Since the Renaissance) involves a system of proportion dedicated to visual harmony while in East Asia the architecture is designed to create harmony by the applications of "symbolically auspicious directions" based off the yin/yang, five elements and eight trigrams.
The new popularity of feng shui could be nothing more than a naive taste for the exotic, which could be from the worlds distrust of science and technology, a development of new spirituality, or profound sense that the Far East with its principles are superior to the Western form of thinking.
The author concludes by stating the study of feng shui should be studied in Western architecture to provide a pragmatic tool to understand Eastern Asian architecture and design. However, if one wishes to truly practice it, then the belief structure for feng shui must be understood to receive its full effect on architecture and design.
Why is this worthy to discuss?
We often view our way (the Western way) of thinking as the best or sometimes only way to approach design. The author here points out that feng shui utilizes more than just design elements and principles, but also incorporates a spirituality and belief system that harmonizes the space with nature. Feng shui's popularity can be noticed within the design community, as more and more individuals are seeking a way of harmonizing their lives with nature, each other and the communities that they are a part of. Many may view this as an alternative to the classic Western form of design which utilizes the Ancient Greek and Roman methods of proportions. Design and architecture must be willing to adapt and grow and explore other cultures if it wished to maintain newness, creativity, and even a piece of spirituality.
Why is this important to me?
This article sparked an interest within me about the new popularity of feng shui within the interio design community, at least about 5 years ago anyway. I remember clients asking me if i knew feng shui, being asked to study it in China for a summer, and reading about it in articles and books. I wanted to know everything I could about this method of design. Once I became a little more knowledgeable about feng shui; it started making more sence as to why this was popular. Having the Western principle of harmony (the golden mean) to go by, I realized that the methods were a little different but the end results were similar. So for me, feng shui is another view and set of principles to filter a design problem through to create an amazing design solution. It really comes back to what is good design. Harmony with nature and the interior environment is just good design. I am not saying I do not value feng shui and its spiritual meaning. Should we as designers not arm ourselves with all the principles, and elements of design that are available to us? Would knowing the principles of feng shui help make us better designers? All I ask is that we think about it and see what we can learn from others even though they are different.
Author: Alfred B. Hwangbo
Journal : The Journal of Architecture 4:2, 191-198 printed 1999
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)