INTRODUCTION TO

ARCHITECTURAL
INTERIORS
 LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION TO
ARCHITECTURAL INTERIORS
• Architectural Interiors is the detailed planning and design of the indoor or
enclosed areas of any proposed building or structure, including retrofit or
renovation work, which shall cover all architectural and utility aspects, including
the architectural layout of all building engineering systems found therein.
 Interior architecture may relate to:

▪ The art and science of designing and constructing buildings and their
interiors, by a licensed architect, along with other related physical features
▪ The practice of an interior architect, whereby architecture means to offer or
render professional services concerning the construction and design of a
building's interior space. Following its principal purpose, the interior's
design should relate to human occupancy or use
▪ A method of design and construction for a building's interior and related
physical features
Interior architecture is expressed in numerous practices.
• First, it can be the building designed as an external shell,
including integrated and finished interiors. Second, it
can be the completion of space within an existing
architectural enclosure.
• Lastly, it can be the preservation, renovation, or adaptive
reuse of buildings, historical or otherwise, focusing on
the design of interior space.
The first aspect of interior architecture represents the usual practice of such masters
of architecture as Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, and Alvar Aalto. They
designed their entire environments, from exterior enclosure to all aspects of the
interior, including spatial arrangement – lighting, color, texture, and furniture – and
all the details of human use. They were coordinators of all the arts and disciplines
necessary to complete a piece of architecture. Their attitude toward architecture was
not limited by boundaries of specialization that currently dominate architectural
design.
Dining Room, Robie
House
(Chicago, Illinois, USA
Frank Lloyd Wright, 1909)
The high-backed chairs
create an intimate room
within the dining room.
Villa Savoye
(Poissy, France
Le Corbusier, 1929-
1930)
Le Corbusier separated
his houses from the
ground so that the
ground will be free
from human-designed
obstacles.
Villa Mairea
(Noormarkku, Finland
Alvar Aalto, 1937-1939)
The warmth of this room
is created by the idea of
bringing the forest
inside.
Interior architecture has a sense of identity distinguished by the
following:
▪ It recognizes and respects the enclosing structure and its context as the
reference of its design.
▪ It involves the manipulation and enjoyment of a three-dimensional
space.
▪ It applies the sensory stimuli of sound, touch, smell, and sight as
essential parts of the interior experience.
▪ It recognizes light as a medium for defining space, creating an effect,
and producing well-being.
It employs materials and color as integral components of the designed
environment.
 LESSON 2:
INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
VS.
INTERIOR DESIGN
INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
Interior architecture balances the art and science of designing an
interior space, taking into account all elements of the build. However, a
designer with interior architecture training cannot call themselves an
interior architect unless they have professional accreditation from an
architectural body.
Interior architecture is mainly a subject rather than a profession. As a
term, it has come into use due to the increasing scope and
responsibilities of interior designers – primarily due to improvements in
design technology (CAD) and interior design education. Many degree
courses are now teaching interior design students about the utility and
technical elements of buildings – this has begun to blur the line between
architecture and interior design.
 INTERIOR DESIGN

Interior design is a broad-ranging profession considering planning and

designing interior spaces in the built environment. The role of two different
interior designers may vary drastically. One may be more concerned with
decor, soft furnishings, and small-scale projects; another may be more
concerned with more extensive projects involving technical and artistic and
aesthetic skills. The latter will be more likely to have studied interior
architecture.
 INTERIOR DECORATION

Interior decoration is concerned with the aesthetics of the building – color

schemes, furniture, or artwork. Interior decorators are involved with the art
side of design, and less with the science. They will have no concern with the
building's structural design and are not required to be as knowledgeable
about building regulations. Interior decorators do not usually need to be
involved from the initial build and the in-depth knowledge of technical
elements like CAD and building utilities. However, they must be very
artistic and have an eye for interior design trends and aesthetic detail.
 LESSON 3:

PRESERVING THE PAST:

PRESERVATION, RESTORATION,
RENOVATION, AND ADAPTIVE REUSE
Humans need a sense of connection to the past to become ascertained
that there will be a future. Various older buildings offer qualities that are
challenging or impossible to reproduce in modern times. Prime
locations, quality craftsmanship, elaborately detailed woodwork, finely
proportioned rooms, authentic historical styles, and materials abundant
with patina contribute to what makes these buildings valuable. There are
excellent reasons for utilizing old buildings in new situations rather than
merely demolishing them and starting new ones. The materials and
energy innate in an existing building comprise a form of financial and
environmental value that would be impossible to replace. Their use
enhances our experience by creating a tangible link between the past,
present, and future.
There is always evidence of the materials, craftsmanship, and details present at its
construction in existing buildings, including the additions and alterations that have
occurred over time. These create a richness and vibrancy with which the designer
can work to create the design scheme. The proportions and form of a space, the
shape, and location of windows, the surfaces created by materials all contribute to
what is sometimes referred to as the genius loci – the spirit of the place.
Recognizing that spirit and using the qualities and opportunities that it offers is the
interior architect's responsibility.
Utilizing existing buildings will almost inevitably involve work on the structure and
fabric of that building – to stabilize it, improve it, or prepare it for its new purpose.
This work may be categorized in one of four ways:

1. Preservation
Preservation is the act of maintaining all or any part of a building to ensure its
historical significance. It fixes the building in its found state, making no attempt to
repair or improve it but ensuring that it is immune from further decay so far as such a
thing is possible. Preservation could be an appropriate response to an important
building, which is historically unacceptable to attempt to return it to its original state.
 Some of the
figural paintings'
evident
deterioration

Corrosion at the
San Sebastian Church edges of the beams,
planks and base of the
(Quiapo, Manila) columns
 2. Restoration
Restoration is the process of returning the building to its as-built state using
aged materials and period techniques to create the illusion that it has not
been touched by time. This process is a contentious activity as there is a fine
line between restoring a building and creating a pastiche1.
 Barasoain Church
(Malolos, Bulacan)
 Baclayon Church
(Baclayon, Bohol)
Fully restored Baclayon Church

Baclayon Church after the 2013 earthquake

3. Renovation

Renovation is the process of renewal, update, and improvement of a damaged or

outdated building. It implies that there will be no significant change in function or
form.
The Pantheon (Rome, Italy)
Pantheon in 2020
4. Adaptive Reuse

Adaptive Reuse locates an entirely new function within an existing building,

which may be substantially modified to accept that interjection. It uses the
cultural and material intrinsic to the building shell to connect the old and the
new. The original shell of the building might be preserved, but the interior
would be entirely new.
In the Philippines, one of the Heritage Conservation Society's goals is to
convince real estate developers and heritage property owners that they do
not need to demolish old buildings to create new economic-viable
developments. In reality, the incorporation of built heritage enhances the
character of new developments and has been proven, in many countries, to
increase returns on investment and property values.
Adaptive Reuse is an innovative mode of conservation that gives heritage structures
alternative functions besides its original use that may no longer be desired. Built
heritage resources are often located on premium real estate property, so developers
prefer to demolish them rather than restore and recycle. Today, there is an increasing
awareness that adaptive reuse can enhance property value.

National Museum of Natural

History (Ermita, Manila)
Former Department of Tourism Building

Interior of National Museum of

Natural History
Battersea Power Station
(London, United Kingdom)
A decommissioned coal-fired power
station

Proposed Redevelopment of
Battersea Power Station located
on the south bank of the River
Thames
"Electric Boulevard": Mixed-use Development
by Foster+Partners and Gehry Partners
The Power Station:
Retail
Development by
WilkinsonEyre,
Purcell Architects
and BuroHappold

The Power Station: Retail Development by

WilkinsonEyre, Purcell Architects and BuroHappold