I have come across your ARCHCareers blog quite a few times during
my research of architecture education. Thank you for taking the time to
keep it on-going. Last
May, I graduated with a B.A. in journalism. If I had to do it over I'm
pretty sure I would major in architecture and interior design. In fact
when I was younger, I said I would major in journalism and minor in
architecture, but as you're well aware of architecture isn't really an
area you minor in - at least if you want to be a practicing
architect. Over the past year, I have been researching architecture and
interior design programs, but due to uncertainty of which path to take, I
have have not applied to any. I want to be able to work in both
fields.
At
first I leaned more toward interior design and taking architecture
courses to complement. However, I'm realizing that while I want to be
able to work in the field of interior design, I also am drawn to
structural knowledge, renovation and preservation projects, urban design
and planning, and the social impacts that architecture can have.
Ultimately, I would want to have the ability to be very hands-on in the
design and full visualization of whatever project I'm working on. Given
that, a graduate architecture degree would probably provide more career
diversity. I would appreciate your feedback on possible educational routes I can take.
I would also like your perspective on the following:
Through research, I see interior architecture is an area I'm drawn to.
However, the only program I've come across that seems to focus on
interior structures as the basis for their IA program is the masters
program at School of the Art Institute of Chicago. With other programs,
interior architecture is simply another term for interior design. Do you
know of any other programs that focus on interior architecture in the
interior structures since?
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I appreciate your comments on the ARCHCareers blog. Also, congrats on your interest in architecture and interior design.
When
individuals share that they are interested in architecture and interior
design, my simply reply is that "architects can do interior design -
interior designers cannot do architecture." As you state, a Master of
Architecture would create greater career flexibility especially given
both of your interests.
Your
statement -- "I would want to have the ability to be very hands-on in
the design and full visualization of whatever project I'm working on."
-- leads me to think that a graduate degree in architecture is better
suited for what you wish to accomplish.
One resource to explore is the Interior Architecture Knowledge Community of the AIA (see below):
http://network.aia.org/interiorarchitecturecommittee/home/
The Interior
Architecture Knowledge Community provides leadership and expertise to
practitioners of interior architecture and design, working
cooperatively with its members and other interiors organizations to
address relevant, timely practice issues, markets, and trends, such as
licensing, liability, environmental, and technological considerations.
In terms of the Interior Architecture program in Chicago, I
know of no other direct programs except perhaps Miami University in
Oxford, OH - One suggest is to pursue the MArch at an institution that
also offers a degree in interior design. For details on those programs,
visit CIDA -- http://www.accredit-id.org/
To the extent possible, have conversations with professionals in
both disciplines and keep asking questions. Another resource at
Becoming an Architect and Becoming an Interior Designer both published
by Wiley.
Best.
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