Compared to other building professions, which are more focused on one specific aspect of construction, such as structural engineers or interior designers, architects must understand and coordinate all parts of the construction process. They not only have to make sure all other disciplines can help create a cohesive design but must do so while abiding by the restrictions of the project’s site and building codes. This often leaves the architect having to see a big picture of a building and sometimes postpones some of the more minute details of a project to be designed last. One such detail that often gets left for last is the interior design of the building. The exterior design, mass, and shape are more significant concerns to the architect as those things are governed by building and zoning codes and the client’s requirements to maximize space. Still, the interior space is just as important. As soon as a person enters the building, the feel of the space is what begins to matter most. However, when the project lands on the interior designer’s desk, even the most premier spaces like lobbies and lounges are laden with columns and bulkheads. On projects where the architect is responsible for the interiors, they work with such restricted spaces.

How can an architect be a better interior designer? It starts long before the actual interior design process, with careful consideration of how each required part of the building will affect the kind of ‘place’ that can be made. The people that occupy these interior spaces find value in the feel of a room, and most don’t even realize the enormous requirements the architect and his team must meet. In multifamily buildings, this is most evident, where a wide range of amenities, everything from luxurious lobbies to cozy clubrooms, are essential for a quick lease-up. These spaces, however, do not always get to reach their true potential because not only does design them become harder, having to work with some of the required elements like structure and MEP, but designing them at the end of the building design process leaves little flexibility with the ‘shell,’ and only enough time for a design that may not be all ironed out. Sometimes, the spaces left for amenities in these projects feel like leftover space, with jutting corners. These columns are close to the wall but not close enough for a simple bump-out, so they create dead space or even just a sliver of an area that isn’t wide enough for any available treatment. These considerations would significantly increase the ease of designing the interior to have any atmosphere and feel.

The other aspect which the architect should pay close attention to is the design of the interior itself. While an architect’s knowledge of structural loads, mechanical and fire safety requirements, etc., can be tested to be considered a professional, one thing that is hard to try is creating spaces that elicit a certain feeling among the end-users. Many considerations go into creating an appealing interior space, and every tiny detail matters. Materials, colors, textures, lighting, arrangement, openness, and privacy are just some of the elements that must be balanced. While an interior designer’s focus is that balance, an architect adding all those extra spinning plates into their act may begin to feel overwhelmed. Working with an interior designer makes sense to follow the previous paragraph and have those elements off their plate. Still, if the architect is responsible for the interior design, other professionals the architect can lean on. They should trust their product reps, whether finishes or furniture, because contrary to the belief that they are only salespeople, they hold a breadth of knowledge and can help with aesthetic coordination, sticking to a price range, or finding substitutes for discontinued finishes.

Architects should also consider adding a secret weapon from the interior designer’s arsenal to their own – the ‘look-book.’ As an architecture school graduate, finding precedent images of buildings to influence designs was a very regular activity. The look-book is a similar process for interiors. It involves searching for precedents that elicit a certain feeling or ambiance and considering what – be it the type of lighting, the finishes, the comfortable appearance of the furniture, or anything else – gives it that feeling. When collecting images for a look-book, it is also essential to consider the architect’s demographic. While the outside of the building must maintain cohesion with the surrounding architecture, the interior can be as luxurious or cozy as the inhabitants would prefer, proving that proper interior design is as robust a tool in creating buildings people want to inhabit as the architectural design itself.

Short on Time? In Summary:

• Architects must coordinate many aspects of design and construction and sometimes lose focus or more minor details. 
• The minor details matter as much as meeting all the requirements from clients, communities, codes, etc., because they help the created spaces have appropriate appeal 
• Architects can do the following to help improve their building’s interior design (process) 
• Consider the interior spaces early, don’t let mechanical and structural dictate where they take up space if it ruins the usability of the rest of the room. If structural has to have two conflicting column grids, at least make the columns round, so it’s not evident that they are clashing. 
• If working with an interior designer, consider the previous bullet point for their sake. Still, suppose the architect is designing the interiors. In that case, other professionals can be beneficial in the design process, such as reps for lighting, finishes, and furniture, who can help coordinate colors, textures, etc. 
• Look-books, the interior version of precedent images, can be a great tool in informing the architect’s design and conveying intent to the client in the early stages of design. Look-books images should be selected by the feelings they elicit as much as by the finishes, fixtures, and furnishings they show. 

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Paul Gorokhov, SR/A’s Documentation Manager, has a master’s degree in architecture from the Catholic University of America and has worked in both architecture and interior design.