Interior architecture: the forgotten dimension

Archt. Vidura Sri Nammuni

Should all buildings be architecture? Need all buildings be architecture? If all buildings should (and need be) buildings, then the question is raised as to why the word (noun) building is necessary at all. The answer, though quite simple, has a profound clue to the difference between Mere Building and Architecture.

Why the above is important to this article is that unless this hurdle is jumped the other set of questions pertaining to Interior Architecture cannot be understood.

Can architecture thus divided into an Interior Component and an Exterior Component? Aren’t they parts of one indivisible entity? Is Interior Architecture different to Interior Design? and therefore the respective designers (and architects).

This article seeks to answer the above questions and others that arise from the answers.

Question one: Should every building be architecture?

The answer is yes. There is a parallel in other fields. Should we sing every time we talk? Should we dance every time we move? How lovely it would be if we can watch young people walk with dignity and grace, dance - all the time! Of course those of us longer in the tooth would not quite make it and would do a mix of crawl, shuffle, trot etc - difficult on both the eye and the mind BUILDING!

A building, unlike waling or talking causes a big hole in somebody’s pocket and it is sensible therefore to expect the highest, possible return in such instances - thus our assertion that all buildings should necessarily be architecture. They must simply do more than accommodating, facilities and activity.

The word building is necessary since not all those who create such “abodes for activity” are capable of making them architecture.

Question two: When does building become architecture?

There is a danger in the question itself. It may give the impression that architecture is something you can apply, like an ornament to a building. You cannot put a sheep’s skin on a wolf and then hug him! The conversion must happen at the inception and must be much more than skin deep. But how it is done is for students of architecture to understand. What the public needs to understand is how they may distinguish between a Mere Building and Architecture.

How many of us have been discomforted by someone staring at us, or have had pleasant sensations when the body language of another was favourable. Communication does not need verbalising. One does not have to pat us on the back to let us know that he/she welcomes us.

This is how inanimate objects communicate, converse with us. How the environment converses with us. How nature, with its sounds, views, visual variations, different experiences conversed with human beings and kept them alive and vibrant. This is also why environments that do not converse with its users are being referred to as “concrete jungles” that dehumanised the human race.

Building that converses with its users, with its neighbours (the streets, cities) are Architecture. They converse about what goes and within them, about those who use them, about the history of the place and the institution.

When they don’t, they are like children/students who do not show emotions when chastised - Consider how uncomfortable we would then be - and consider how establishing it would be, when we have to go through such encounters day in and day out, as we would have to, if our environments are mute.

Question three: Can you really do it?

If by “you” mean architects, the answer is yes. This is what they are taught to do over 7 years of a combination of education and training. This is why architects are taught a variety of subjects and in an entirely different way to others in allied disciplines.

Architectural education is less factual, less cognitive, and more attitudinal or affective. It focuses on teaching attitudes and values and develops personality and relies on greater contact hours with teachers. It seeks to send students into themselves deeper than in any other allied discipline, and seeks to redevelop the instinct human’s lost in the process of civilisation. Architects can do it.

Question four: Should all structures do it?

All that is placed in our environment should do it - converse. We cannot take a chance with it. The worst punishment for a prisoner is isolation. Sensory deprivation is known to make men go crazy. All that we build therefore, whether bridge, dam or culvert need the services of an architect.

But those structures just mentioned needs an understanding of engineering principles more, and therefore needs an Engineer of the correct hue as the Lead Consultant - as the conceiver and coordinator. If necessary, the Engineer Lead Consultant will engage the services of an architect to “blow a little bit of soul” into the culvert etc.

In a Building or City it is different. The human element, the degree to which it is used by humans, the degree to which it affects them, is hundred or thousand fold. Therefore, the requirement that these “structures” (building and cities) speak is critical. This is why the Lead Consultant to buildings and cities need to be architects; why Buildings and Cities need to be Architecture.

Question five: How do you make building and cities talk?

Body Language! Your stance, the way you stand with respect to these who observe you. Your posture, the dress, the expression on your face, the scale (of the building), the volume (of the space), the carefully arranged approach (to you and the buildings) - all this and many more are the tools of the trade of architects.

Above all this, what makes an architect, and architectural skill, stand out from other allied skills, is in being able to orchestrate “spatial progression” of a user of an environment - whether in a building or city.

This is very much the same as that done by a movie director, a script writer, a novelist - that is why architecture is described as the mother of all arts. The most important task of an architect is to create a rhythm in the string of experiences a user goes through as he approaches, enters and moves through the different spaces in a building (or city).

It is this rhythm that helps the buildings to converse, helps an environment to affect the mind set of a person, to make him relax, to make him keyed up or even to make him increasingly irritable, violent or depressed.

Question six: So architecture is not about “looks”?

This is one of the most common misconceptions of architecture and one, which has driven many untrained persons to think that they can also “do” architecture. Architecture is about orchestrating experiences in using a building.

It is therefore very much about the spaces inside, as much as about the spaces outside and around the building. In fact, it is as much the design of the interiors, as it is with the way you connect these “pearls”. How you take a user from one space to the other is thus as important as designing the ambience of individual spaces and creating a subtle hierarchy in the grouping of the different spaces.

This movement from outside to the inside, how the two are connected, needs to be rhythmic as well as meaningful. You don’t walk to the altar the way you will walk towards a barbecue! The rhythm (tempor) of a cultural street is, and must be, different to that of a commercial street! This takes some doing!

Question seven: Is this the relevance of the title?

Yes. Designing interiors has of late become very much a misunderstood dimension. When we had limited choice in materials and technology, the task of designing interiors appeared to be difficult and was left in the hands of architects. With free availability of “cosmetics”, the age old wisdom of “eating well”, and “living healthy” have been pushed aside, on the very much mistaken belief that the “nail varnish” and “make up” would “do you proud.”

While the beautician has a very definite role, it is a tragedy if the age-old wisdom of how one may make oneself presentable is forgotten.

Question eight: Is interior decoration different to interior architecture?

It is. This is why the new terminology of Interior Architecture is now being increasingly used to distinguish it from the activity now associated with Interior Design.

As explained earlier, the interior is very much part of the exterior and the totality of the building. The concept, the ambience of an interior is very much tied to the concept of the building and to the design of all other spaces. To design an interior you have to be an architect. Of course the furniture expert, the curtain and rug experts etc, have a role to play. While you league the Plastic Surgeon to alter your face, he may well consult your beautician as to the profile of the nose. You will not of course ask the beautician to do the surgery!

The architecture of the interior is doing the “plastic surgery” with due regard to your job, future intentions etc.

Question nine: Why is the interior so important?

As was discussed previously, architecture is about creating the correct ambience for an activity. Creating this ambience not only involves furnishing, but also the volume, vistas, how you enter, how you are made to pause and turn etc. How you enter will depend on your mind set, the frame of mind created in the way you were made to enter the building and how you were taken on your approach to the particular space. Productivity, keenness, concentration are all affected by this.

Question ten: Are Sri Lankan architects capable of all this?

All members of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA) have had their credentials authenticated. Whenever they have studies, only those whose curricular satisfies the strict standards set by the SLIA have been recognised and admitted to the membership.

Before being admitted to the membership they need to show two years of practices under the guidance of a senior architect, whose practices are approved by the SLIA as being worthy of training younger architects.

Thus all who receive the charter from the SLIA are eminently, competent and able to do what has been discussed above. A list of architects thus qualified may be obtained from the SLIA (697109).

Interior Arch is very much as underrated and forgotten dimension in the creation of buildings. The creation of cities, urban public spaces, buildings and Interiors are part and parallel of one continuum. Having those designed carefully, competently and creativity, is critical in these days of increasing pressure. One must know not to put ourselves in the hands of amateurs.

What is a good house plan?

Architect Hiranthi Pathirana AIA (SL)

The plan manifested, in architecture seem to create order and wilfulness. Also, the essence of sensation for the user. Therefore the plan of the house and the city should make life easier for the people to lead their lives. It is believed that plan determines everything. It is believed to be the arrangement that is an appreciable rhythm which reacts on every human being in the same way. Therefore the plan bears within itself, the geometrical truths man has found such as axes, circles, right angles in the built forms that gives orderliness, which otherwise would have been confusion, irregularity and capriciousness.

Therefore, plans laid out in the built environment gives the root to the rhythms of human activity. As the living patterns have become more refined, and personalised, the need for individual requirements becomes intense in planning the home. It is the careful mapping of a living pattern that has to be worked out two dimensionally and three dimensionally. Planning a home, mainly consist of progressive sub divisioning of a single space, into an interesting shaping that makes living comfortable and relaxing for the occupants. Space is tackled for the occupant advantage in terms of beauty, experience, function and usability.

Are we sculpting the individual user, when we design?

One can say that, when the ground layout is planned, the architect tries to make the connections in two dimensions, tracing the living habits of the user, in best possible ways. The point of sculpting begins at the moment the plan is transferred to a three dimension. Therefore, one can say that in personalised house designs, attempt is made to resurrect a persona from the space.

The constant transactions made with plan and space form is occurred in the design process. Correct and appropriate planning set the ground for good house design. Architect designed houses are almost all the time, are personalised for the user. In good plans every foot of the way, niche and corners are made for the user needs, Today, there exists a situation where space limitations are faced by the people, due to increasing land values, borrowing costs, material and construction costs, higher cost of services etc.

therefore it is common that the original plans has to be scaled down to fit the cost realities. An interesting, and enjoyable living patterns can yet be realistically arrived within the frame work of the cost realities. Any good house plan should make the owner happy and renewed. Moreso, it has to foster a sense of belonging and individuality.

Generally a good plan of a house follows along the spatial progression. Spatial progression starts from the point of entry, and connects with the living room, which is considered as one of the most important space, where entertainment of the outsiders happen. Therefore, the feeling of space, at the entrance, at the lobby and in the living room, reflects the personality of the user as well. It is the skill of design, and shaping the space that makes it an interesting home.

It starts from the pencil sketch of the architect on whose head that emerges the reality of a house, that springs out from a plan. One of the most important points in good planning is that, it is important to have a greater impact, in its spatial experience with that is made with right volumes and three dimensions.

Bubble diagrams are made to identify the relationships of the activities that happen with the user. This way, the relationships of the spaces can be identified, that assist good planning. Also plan contains variety that is articulated with turnings, moving from one space to another, the things created on the way etc.

The meaning of concept houses?

Open plan - in the open plan, space continuously flows from one zone to another, in which the user has to move and get adjusted to different activities in a single space. Often there are several activities take place, in one space in any given time the advantage of the open plan is that it is spacious. Frequent interactions can happen with in an open plan, and it is flexible to the change of interior.

Closed plan - This is the plan, when it is compartmentalised into different activities of the user. This way activities, happen in different areas of the space.

Lecture course to qualify as an architectural licentiate

To fulfill the legal requirement according to the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (Amendment) Act No: 14 of 1996 the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects holds for the third time an Introductory Course in Architecture leading to qualify as Architectural Licentiate. This Course conducted by the Board of Architectural Education (BAE) of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA) commenced on 30th August, 2008.

The Course which is of six months duration targets those who have 10 to 15 years experience in the field of Architectural Drafting and at least qualification in Architectural Draftsmanship with Design talent. It is co-ordinated by Past President Archt. V.N.C. Gunasekera, FIA (SL).

Applications have been called for the next intake which will close on 30th October, 2008. Further details can be obtained from the website - www.slia.lk.