Even though the interior designer is part of the overall design team, there can still be a level of inequality. The stigma of being inferior based on old school thought of Architecture as masculine and interior design as feminine. Reducing the level of importance of the interior designer. Part of the reason of this inferiority? Interior design being widely recognized as a component of Architecture and not the specialty that it has become.
But times they are a changing. Over the years Architects have been the ones to design both the exterior and interior of the built environment. As development of cities and the built environment has changed over the years so has the complexity of the interior environment. Evolving into a specialized area of design that has directed Architects to hire consultants with expertise in the interior environment. Its not just a layout of spaces within a shell. The design of an interior involves factors such as safety & well-being of the user, ADA compliance,sustainable interior materials ergonomics & anthropometrics, and design for multiple occupancy types within the same building. The Architect now relies on the interior designer for their knowledge and expertise of the interior environment the same way they rely on and electrical engineer for the electrical load and circuiting of a building. Because of this need the role of the interior designer is becoming an equal to the role of the Architect.
To help put into perspective that interior design is a specialty area versus a component, as it always has been viewed, we can look at the education of those in the medical field . All doctors start out with the same basis of knowledge. Subsequently they choose a specialty field of study to eventually practice. But a neurosurgeon is not seen as inferior to say an anesthesiologist. They both have knowledge and expertise in their particular area of study or specialty. Likewise all design professions start out with the same basic design principles, art history and theory classes. From this point education tracks diverge per the area of specialty. Architecture, interior design or graphic design to name a few. Neither should be seen as inferior just a different specialty area of expertise.
Interior designers are an important part of the design process. They are one of many consultants an Architect uses to complete the overall project. The old stigma of just picking pillows, furniture and paint colors is dated. The new view is one of an equal not a component.
