i specialized in the interior design sectorof the architectural industry and over the years, i’ve discovered just how many peopledon’t know what i actually do. i’m currently studying for professionalcertification exams to become a licensed interior designer - which, in north america, requiresyou to obtain an accredited university degree plus many years of in-field experiences beforeyou would be qualified to take a series of very challenging exams. now many people areconfused by this because they think - couldn’t anyone be an interior designer? well of course many people and actually iwould argue most people could have good design sensibilities and creative ideas. but to becomean interior designer, it requires much much
more than that. public safety is very very important whenit comes to built environments. after all - it’s where the majority of us spend ourtime - in homes, offices, schools, shopping centres, bars. well hopefully not the majorityof your time is spent in bars. and while engineers and architects are responsible for many importantbuilding components - their responsibilities don't always cover everything - especiallyinterior components such as interior partitions, corridors, circulation, suspended ceilings,lighting, furniture, fixtures, equipment, and finishes. someone needs to make sure allthese interior components meet egress, life safety, indoor air quality, and building coderequirements, while at the same time being
functionally and economically designed. fire safety is really really really important.most of us know about fire alarm and sprinklers but there are also many other steps takento ensure our safety in interior spaces that many people don’t see. walls, ceilings,windows and doors have to be built with the appropriate material and assemblies in orderto meet fire separation requirements. materials such as wood, carpet, textiles and many otherthings have to meet flammability and fire resistance ratings and designers need to knowwhat ratings apply in what situations. corridors, aisles and doors have to meet appropriatelengths, widths and clearances that adhere to stringent building codes in order to allowfor proper evacuation in the event of a fire.
so unlike structural engineers, interior designersare usually not responsible in designing load-bearing walls or structures, but we still have tobe responsible for the material and structural integrity of many things, such as knowingwhere to put deflection channels and expansion joints in materials, knowing where to putadditional support and blocking for wall-mounted or ceiling-mounted fixtures such as lighting,cabinets, and heavy equipment, and where to install additional bracing and support forthings like suspended ceilings and demountable partitions in certain seismic zones when it comes to finishes, interior designersneeds to have extensive knowledge in standardized testing of materials and industry requirements,sound absorbency or transmission levels of
products in order to meet acoustic needs,coefficients of friction, what they mean, and how to meet flooring slip resistance requirements,and if the materials emits volatile organic compounds or toxic chemicals that could adverselyaffect indoor air quality for instance, to you it may look like theinterior designer just picked out a nice looking window covering, but really he or she mayalso had to consider factors like light control, thermal heat gain/heat loss, privacy needs,acoustic transmission, operability, air circulation, material quality, durability, flammabilityand fire resistance, while at the same time balancing those factors with the clients budgetand personal requirements. every step of the way, designers also needto ensure that the spaces we build are inclusive
to persons with disabilities. whether it’splanning adequately sized accessible routes, clearances, doorways, and turning circles;installing visual, auditory and tactile signage and alarm systems; and integrating automatedsystems that can aid the access of people with mobility limitations. these a just a few examples of the types ofconsiderations interior designers have to make. and after doing all of that, we stillhave to produce accurate construction drawings, put together contract document and biddingpackages so the project can be sent out to be built. lots of people think design is all about makingsomething look beautiful. whereas aesthetics is really only just a part of the equation.good design is about the ability to achieve
safety, function, quality, and aesthetic beautywhile working in a set of programmatic and budgetary constraints. when i think about all these things - it honestlymakes me very excited. to know that interior design is such a wholesome, integrated disciplinethat is the practical application of technical knowledge and creative thinking. it is alsoan important responsibly to have - to ensure that people can live, work and entertain inspaces that are safe, secure, healthy, comfortable and fulfilling. thanks for watching. if you have any questionsabout interior design or if this is a field that you are interested in pursuing and youwould like to know more, please let me know
in the comments. and see you next time.
