Making the Choice: Architecture or Interior Design School
By Dawn Westdawn.west@interiordesignschooreview.com
Interior Design School Columnist
Architecture and interior design are closely related fields. Both require their practitioners to consider a building's structure and to apply their knowledge to create a space that will suit its occupants, both in function and style. If you're drawn to building design, how do you know which choice is right for you?
When it comes to choosing a career in architecture or a career in interior design, consider the following:
Technical Know-How
Whether you choose architecture school or interior design school, you'll be faced with a body of technical knowledge to master. You'll learn how electrical systems, plumbing, and heating and cooling systems work. You'll learn what goes into creating a stable structure. You'll learn the latest computer-aided drafting (AutoCAD) programs.Some people confuse interior design with interior decorating, forgetting designers' roles in structuring and restructuring interiors. Don't make this mistake. Be aware that either route you choose, you'll be challenged and stimulated.
Finished Product
As an interior designer, you're able to see a project to its finish, whether that means pupils sitting at their desks in their new school or families cooking dinner in their new kitchens. As an architect, you have to let go earlier, leaving the final touches to interior designers.Ask yourself whether it's enough for you to create the building, or whether you'd rather see a smaller portion of the project to completion. If that closure matters to you, interior design school may suit you better than architecture school.
Control
Ultimately, architects have more control than interior designers. A fundamental rule of interior design is that the interior should correspond to the exterior. Architects determine the overall structure and style of a building before interior designers step in. If controlling the outcome of an overall building project appeals to you, architecture school might be the right choice. If you're comfortable adapting and applying your creativity to the limitations architecture imposes, interior design can be an exciting choice.Architecture and interior design are both rewarding fields. If you're torn between them, just remember that you can make outstanding contributions, either way.
About the Author
Dawn West teaches writing at Oregon State University. Her previous experience includes working for the Community Development Venture Capital Alliance, a not-for-profit in New York City, and serving as the director for an educational program for at-risk youth in Boston. Dawn holds a B.A. in English from Harvard University.
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