The Angle

Debates, polls, endorsements, ads, who’s in, who’s out, fundraising, primaries and caucuses, and the rest of the “noise” of an election season: does any of this matter to your practice and the architecture profession?

The architect’s role in defining what “community” is continues to grow. Increasingly active in public affairs, planning, and urban and rural development, architects have a seat at many decision-making tables across the country. As part of this responsibility, the profession must participate in the campaign process, from voting to holding candidate forums, from running for national delegate positions, to talking about architects’ issues as the national parties develop their platforms.

The Government Advocacy team created DesignVote08 to help architects sort through the din of the campaign season.  So the question this week is how can we help make this process easier for you? What information do you need to know today, and how will these needs change as the year moves forward? Tell us what is important to AIA members in 2008!     

In the face of several years of failed legislation, the interior design lobby has returned in 2008 to push measures to regulate their profession and expand their market. Although there are a number of title registration laws across the country, only three states regulate the practice of interior design.

Legislation drafted in both Nebraska and Ohio would restrict the use of the title “interior designer” to individuals who meet certain specifications. Legislation in Arizona, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington, however, would not only restrict the use of the title, but would also prohibit individuals who do not meet those specifications from practicing interior design.

The AIA has fought this battle before. On average, 10 bills are introduced annually, but the majority of them face the same fate: they are killed in committee or on the floor. In fact, no bill has become law since a strict title act was passed in Iowa in 2005. Before that, only two states had enacted title regulations since 1999.

The AIA's position is that interior designers do not have the education or training necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public, and giving unqualified individuals the responsibility to do so could have severe consequences. Architects are the only professionals who have a broad enough knowledge base to understand the complexities of the whole building, its parts, and how each are interrelated.

[To read the full article in the January 31 issue of the Angle, click here.]

Question: Interior designers contend that they should be able to stamp and seal their own interior construction drawings for the purpose of obtaining a building permit. Do you think interior designers are equally qualified as architects to protect public HSW on the interior of a building? Share your perspective.