The differences do not stop with pedagogy. Architects tend to engage the entire design problem, considering not only the contents of the interior, but the interior's relation to the exterior envelope, its construction and building systems, and the natural and human-made surroundings. When we are operating at a high level of accomplishment, our work is holistic, integrating complex technical systems and social requirements into structures that engage the landscape, sustain their inhabitants inside and out, and enrich the community. While we may feel sympathy for our working colleagues, practice legislation may not be the panacea that interior designers seek, if it is achieved without commensurate, fundamental changes in the education and experience of interior designers. A new name and a new law would not automatically confer new status, whatever the legislative outcome.
Most architects hate conflict, particularly with our collaborators.
We consider turf wars to be petty and unworthy of women and men called to higher pursuits. We set high goals for our work and for our clients, and we achieve them, in part, through cordial relationships with interior designers. Our own professional status reflects a public trust we have earned at high cost, and it should not be diluted. Join Robert Ivy as he jots down notes on his travels and the state of architecture today in the Editor's Journal .