1. H
aving worked in the UAE and
elsewhere for 16 years, I have
found that there is a frequent
CONkICT BETWEEN INTERIOR DESIGNERS
and architects. Despite the importance of
COLLABORATION WITH ARCHITECTS ON A PROJECT

2. IT IS
always a challenge to create a united vision.
I am quite sure other interior designers also
HAVE FACED THIS PROBLEM ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS
Often architects don’t understand the role
and scope of the interior designer, viewing
THEM AS A GLORIjED INTERIOR DECORATOR

3. OR AN
intruder with strange ideas of Byzantine
frivolity to their serious design aims – sadly
TRUE IN SOME CASES

4. PARTICULARLY SO IN $UBAI
While architects and interior designers share
many skills, such as space planning and an
INTEREST IN MATERIALS

5. ARCHITECTS NEED TO BE
more concerned with a wider picture, such
AS MASSING WITH URBAN FORM AND EXTERNAL
appearance, while interior designers are
CONCERNED WITH THE EXPERIENCE AT THE
individual’s level. The interior designer’s
CONCERNS MAY BE UNWELCOME IN THE EARLY
STAGES OF A PROJECT WHEN THE ARCHITECT IS
GRAPPING WITH THE CLIENT S BRIEF

6. THE CONSTRAINTS
of the Affection Plan, structural and MEP
COMPLEXITIES

7. TRAFjC AND jRE REQUIREMENTS
among others.
!NOTHER AREA OF CONkICT ARISES WHEN CLIENTS
require a very tight delivery schedule for
BOTH ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN 4HE
interior designer can consider the design
THEMATICALLY

8. BUT NEEDS THE ARCHITECTURAL
LAYOUTS BEFORE CREATING THEIR DELIVERABLES
DRAWINGS

9. VISUALISATIONS

10. AND SAMPLE BOARDS
WHICH NEED TIME TO BE WELL THOUGHT THROUGH
TO BE CONVINCING ! FOUR WEEK PROGRAMME FOR
CONCEPT DESIGN MAY JUST ALLOW THE ARCHITECT
TO jNISH THEIR LAYOUTS AT MIDNIGHT BEFORE THE
DEADLINE DATE

11. BUT THE INTERIOR DESIGNER IS LEFT
WITH SAND RUNNING THROUGH THEIR jNGERS
#LIENTS AND PROJECT MANAGERS NEED TO
recognise the reality of the ID work in the
PROJECT DESIGN WORKkOW l )$ RUNS HALF A WORK
STAGE BEHIND ARCHITECTURE BUT WILL CATCH UP
BY THE DETAILED DESIGN AND TENDER DOCUMENT
STAGE WHEN THEY UNITE 4HIS GIVES BOTH
DISCIPLINES ROOM TO BREATHE 4HE DETAILS AND
material interfaces will have more thought
and care if the interior designer has time to
develop their work at an earlier stage.
2-*- S BOOK Inside Out/Outside In
EXPOUNDS THE IDEA THAT A BUILDING DESIGN
BY SHARON JUTLA, ASSOCIATE AND HEAD OF
INTERIOR DESIGN, RMJM
Interior design
vs architecture
should, more or less, reveal its internal
PURPOSE

12. AND REkECT THE EXTERNAL CONTEXT
WITHIN 4HE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE EXTERIOR
and the interior, the sense of movement in
and out, forms and the palette of materials,
SHOULD FORM A COHESIVE WHOLE IF A PROJECT IS
TO BE TRULY SUCCESSFUL 4HIS MEANS INTERIOR
designers and architects working together to
create a seamless interface, recognising and
respecting the differences in levels of concern.
RMJM promotes the development of
rigorous and insightful interior concepts
during the architect’s schematic design work
STAGE 7E THEN ALIGN OUR jNAL DELIVERABLES FOR
PROCUREMENT ACTIVITIES 7E BELIEVE THIS SHOULD
BE A MODEL FOR THE INDUSTRY
www.designmena.com98 APRIL 2015 | Commercial Interior Design
OPINION