BAR 210: INTERIOR

ARCHITECTURE
Lesson 1|Introduction
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Content COURSE OUTLINE

INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE

Course Outline
Learning Outcomes|Teaching
Strategies/Learning Experience|Output &
Assessment|Learning Resources
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Course Outline LEARNING OUTCOMES

▪ Participants will list and define the basic elements of

Interior Architecture; Interior Space & Form, Site and
Function, Material & Texture and Lighting and Mood.
▪ Participants will be able to discuss/explain these
elements
▪ Participants will recognize/identify the application of the
said elements in existing interior spaces
▪ Participants will illustrate and sketch the elements in
existing interior spaces.
▪ Participants will be confident enough to appraise the
quality of an interior space, using appropriate technical
terminology based on their acquired understanding
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Course Outline TEACHING STRATEGIES/LEARNING EXPERIENCE

▪ Lectures on the basic elements of Interior Architecture I.e.

Space & Form, Site & Function, Material & Texture and
Lighting and Mood.
▪ Participants to carry out a study of local cafes, bars
and/or restaurants – evaluating them against the basic
principles above.
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Course Outline OUTPUT & ASSESSMENT

▪ The report/documentation resulting from the studies

carried on local cafes, bars & restaurants will be the
Continuous Assessment Test (CAT) and will be in form of
Photographs and Sketches with annotations. This will be
presented in class by the groups in PowerPoint but will be
submitted in bound A3 hardcopy for assessment.
▪ The end of semester exam will be based on the classroom
lectures.
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Course Outline LEARNING RESOURCES

▪ Interior Spaces Designed by Architects by Gordon,

Barclay F.,
▪ Universal Interior Design : Gracious Spaces by Dobkin,
Irma,
▪ Time - Saver Standards for Interior Design and Space
Planning by Dechiara, J. Panero
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Introduction
A Basic Introduction to Interior Architecture
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Sensations & Senses

Any interior space, of any building elicits an unconscious response. Subsequent responses
may reinforce or modify that initial one.

It has been further argued that these sensations are not accidental but rather the result of
the senses i.e. sight, sound, smell and touch; conveying messages to the brain, which
analyses them with reference to previous experience, to a sense of balance and proportion
and to a psychological (and often very personal) reaction to the stimuli of light, colour and
acoustics.

It is these sensations that the effective designer orchestrates in the design of interiors and
which we experience when we enter them.

Through the skills and understanding borne of study and practice, the designer seeks to
create and environment that not only feels appropriate, but also functions in a way that
supports the needs of its users.
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Genesis of the Term The term ‘interior architecture’ emerged in the 1970s as the
description of a discipline that employed architectural theory,
history and principles in the design and creation of interior
space.

Arguably, the employment of rigorous architectural thinking in

combination with the sensory understanding of interior design
would result in a product that was both intellectually and
humanistically satisfying – and which overcame the narrow
specialisms of façade driven architecture and context-free
interior design, previously prevalent.
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Interior ▪ It acknowledges and respects the enclosing structure and its

context as initiators of design strategies.
Architecture’s ▪ It is an activity that is involved in the manipulation and enjoyment
Identity of 3 dimensional spaces.

▪ It employs the sensory stimuli of sound, touch, smell and sight as

essential parts of the interior experience.

▪ It recognises light as a medium for defining space, creating effect

and producing well-being.

▪ It employs material and colour as integral components of the

designed environment.
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▪ Interior architecture is the balancing of the art and science of

designing an interior space taking into account all elements of the
building.
Interior
|Architecture ▪ Interior design is a broad ranging profession taking into
account all aspects of planning and designing interior spaces in
|Design the built environment. The role of any two interior designers can
vary greatly. The term ‘interior design’ is used very broadly and can
|Decoration take into account practitioners of widely varying skill levels. This is
often where the confusion comes from. However, a variety of skill
levels within a given profession is common to all disciplines, and
the argument of the difference between interior architecture and
interior design is neither significant nor constructive.

▪ Interior decoration is concerned solely with the decoration or

‘art’ of a space including soft furnishings and colour schemes.
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The professional Interior Architect/Interior Designer is a

person, qualified by education, experience and recognised
skills who:
International 1. Identifies, researches and creatively solves problems
Federation of pertaining to the function and quality of the interior
environment; and
Interior Architects
Definition
2. Performs services relative to interior spaces including
programming, design analysis, space planning, aesthetics and
inspection of work on site, using specialised knowledge on
interior construction, building systems and components,
building regulations, equipment, material and furnishings;
and,

3. Prepares drawings and documents relative to the design of

interior space, in order to enhance the quality of life and
protect the health, safety and welfare of the public.
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There is no building that is exempt from the IA’s portfolio – from palaces, hotels, airports, offices,
departmental stores, restaurants, apartments, etc. all offer the opportunity to reformulate, update
and improve living and working environments. To undertake this work requires an ability to
analyse the existing buildings and its environs, to understand the needs of the client and the wider society
and to generate a concept and a design that creates synergetic relationship between these elements.

Whilst the role of the IA will vary from practitioner to practitioner, and from commission to
commission; it will always involve understanding and interpreting the needs of a client and creating
collaboration with other professionals to develop a creative response to those needs and to oversee their
translation from a concept to a built reality.

During this process, IAs will be responsible for specifying and documenting the myriad decisions
and activities required by the building process and will ensure fulfilment of legal and regulatory
obligations.
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Various Projects
Rubics Studio