Interior Architect - Career Insights (Careers in the Creative Industry)

[@Alicia-sb6pu]

I truly think you did such a wonderful job of articulating what Interior Architecture is, what the work like is like and how to equip yourself in school and at work. You did so well at breaking down this whole career in a very realistic manner and I can tell that you actually enjoy what you do and that is so great to see. Thank you so much

[@cee8226]

I work as Interior Architect and in my country they hire you to do both work XD It's true that this work is never linear, no fixed schedules. My mornings is usually catching up with the work yesterday and settle it before your team lead gives you another set of work schedule and deadlines for the day because your work is highly dependent on team progress. If your team wasnt able to finish this set of work yday, you're gonna have to work either as interior designer or architect and often times as both just to have the ends meet. And everyone your team does that btw

[@Pee3801]

Hi there, I never knew this exists I knew being a interior designer was a thing, but not an interior architect. I come from a fashion back ground and I have a textile background m, worked with CAD and recently have been into building construction (not studying or anything). I hope they have this in my country in NZ one would hope so during COIVD buildings have been going up rapidly. This is very interesting thank you.

[@MeagonHardy-sq3nm]

Thank you!!! For this!!! I appreciate it. I loved how you described this. It was very informative. 😁😁😁😁. It helped me decide to become a interior designer architect someday.

[@nazzare6877]

To become an interior architect do I need to go through the same qualifications as an architect. I’m currently studying a ba in architecture and I’m thinking of doing my masters in interior architecture so I can be involved in both sides. However I don’t want to have to go through all the studying and qualifications an architect needs (RIBA part 1,2&3). Does interior architecture need this?

[@nethmisenevirathne6120]

As an interior architect, can we draw floor plans?, what are the career opportunities

[@IronBubbles]

I learned so much from the video. Also, such a beautiful turtleneck! Where can I find one?

[@louishainault1837]

Uniqlo

[@IronBubbles]

@@louishainault1837 thank you! I looked there but they are not the same quality. hehe.

[@funkiamyx]

Would a civil engineering background be proficient enough to get into this field of work? As someone who used many design programs on the course as well as studied elements of the building environment and structure?

[@careerinsights2430]

Hi, this is a difficult question to answer. You’ll undoubtedly have transferable knowledge and skills. A lot of this will come down to the individual companies looking at your cv. Some companies love to look outside the sector and others don’t. Do you have any contacts or friends of friends that work in this field? Or even contacts that are currently working with or have worked with interior designers / architects on projects in the past? Or does your old uni or college teach a course on it that you could reach out to a professor / lecturer to go and have a chat with? If you can get a coffee with someone in the sector. Not as an interview but to pick their brains I think this would be a great place to start. Hope this helps and let us know how you get on, CI team

[@Ladyapricotta]

Hi. Just wondering, how much mathematical knowledge do you need got this job?

[@careerinsights2430]

Hi, one of the major skills needed for interior architecture is creativity and then combining this with interpreting your clients requirements. Tying it back to your mathematical question most clients will have budgets to work to so you’ll need to make sure you’re working within them. Another largely mathematical element to the role is scale and dimensions. Whether it’s room sizes, furniture or the height of a skirting board or size of the shadow gap detail you want to create. Dimensions to the mm are something which is very much inherent in the day to day. Hope this helps, CI team

[@rirri2386]

If i want to create a certain environment on the inside but that invironment depends strongly on how the building is built, does that mean i want to be an architect or an interior architect? Or does it mean that i have to study regular architecture first and then specify into interior architecture?

[@careerinsights2430]

Hi, I think it’s important to remember that for both architecture and interior design they rely largely on client work so this will always play a role on the projects you’re working on and the specification and budget you have. This will also dictate whether you’re working on a new build or refurbishment project so “how the building is built” isn’t a straight forward responsibility. Engineers and architects collaboratively determine the structure with client input to meet building regulations and design measures. As the name suggest interior designers primarily have input on the internal design. Ranging from furnishings, fixtures and fittings and potentially some structural aspects if their design calls for it. For instance if they envisaged an open plan layout on the refurbishment of an existing building they would liaise with the architect and engineer to see that this is feasible. Whilst they have overlap in some responsibilities (architecture and interior design) they are different professions and in either scenario you do not have to study both. If you want to be an interior designer / architect. Then you should study this and not architecture at university. Hope this helps.

[@cee8226]

To say it shortly, be an Interior Designer if you want to create an environment/ambiance/ the feel etc. The environment does not necessarily always depend on how the building is built. Usually in our field of work, we interior architects collaborate with interior designers with what they intend to design in the architectural space we provided. Oh and, a good interior designer can design any space with his spontaneous creativity and not higly depend on the space opportunities given by architects. (For example, some interior designers would like to move some walls that sometimes affects the building architecturally which is bad design. Good interior designers would come up something creative with the space they are provided.)

[@anythingelseplss]

I am a junior studying interior architecture. Some people say we cannot call ourselves interior architects. Is this true for countries outside of the US?

[@careerinsights2430]

Hi Brooke, this isn’t really a question for us. Where you’re studying will be much better placed to answer this question.

[@superenderjumper]

Here in the Netherlands we can only call ourselfs interior architects if we have 2 years of working experience

[@nabihahahmed3363]

Is it possible to take the NCIDQ exam if you have a bachelor interior architect degree?

[@nethmisenevirathne6120]

As an interior architect, can we draw floor plans? Like 5 stories building, what are the career opportunities

[@careerinsights2430]

Hi, it can depend on the country as well as the company you work for in terms of scope of the role. Similarly with floor plans it would depend on whether it was a new build or refurbishment over where the first plans were developed i.e. by the architect or a surveyor. In the UK the interior designer / architect wouldn’t typically draft the first set of plans but would develop the areas that they’ve agreed with the client as part of their brief. As mentioned above there can be a lot of similar job titles but the scope or specialism is different. Some interior designers / architects have specialist furniture arms to their business so will design custom furniture others may focus more on the overall concept and subcontract that element out and work with other specialists like lighting designers. Hope this helps

[@nethmisenevirathne6120]

@@careerinsights2430 thank you so much for your kindness ❤ it helps a lot, now I'm an interior architect

[@milliexx1365]

Hello, I’m not sure if I missed it but what university did Emily go to?

[@careerinsights2430]

Hi, she went to the University of Arts London / Chelsea College of Arts

[@duckie1604]

I’m going to be graduating as an interior architect this coming spring but due to COVID I haven’t been able to intern. How will that affect me getting a job as an interior architect?

[@careerinsights2430]

Hi Iris, you’ll ultimately be in a similar position to a lot of people. I would apply for positions as you normally would but if you’re not hearing back or unable to secure a job I would potentially switch tack and try and get some work experience / intern. The google work experience video I did is the kind of strategy I would adopt. Maybe offering to do up to 1 month unpaid or contribution to your travel costs. The key is to make yourself standout and put yourself in the shoes of the businesses you’re applying for. Potentially they have cash flow issues because of Covid and you offering to help in exchange for them showing you the ropes may be an attractive offer for both of you. Once you’re in the door you then have an opportunity to show your skills, etc and see if you can turn the position into a full time job. At the very least it will add some weight to your resume. It’s a different topic but Lydia (Fundraising Manager) went through something similar when she was starting out. All the best

[@perlakerla]

From what university? I am interested in getting a degree!

[@duckie1604]

@@perlakerla at the university of Idaho😄

[@jennyruby9yearsago]

Is Interior design and Interior Architect same?

[@careerinsights2430]

Hi, essentially yes. If you’re looking at courses the names appear to be used interchangeably so make sure you review both.

[@juliaz9843]

@@careerinsights2430 some people have different opinions on that tho :)

[@jamesmathie1837]

Hi I was wondering if it is possible for a interior architect to become a fully licensed architect? Would be really great if anyone knows. Thanks

[@careerinsights2430]

Hello, I don’t think you can in the UK but check out the RIBA website to see if there are different qualification routes.

[@mohammedshahin6422]

hi, does interior designing field thrive in uk post brexit?

[@careerinsights2430]

Hi Mohammed, like most we’re not sure what impact Brexit will have on any industry. As a profession it survived the last recession but most likely slowed just as many did.

[@mohammedshahin6422]

@@careerinsights2430 so do you think its better option to pursue BA interior architecture and design or BA interior design from UK in 2020? if no can you suggest me any other alternative course which will be in demand in UK? i understand its hard to answer this yet...

[@careerinsights2430]

Hi Mohammed, either course will be fine. A lot of the modules will be similar but look through them and see which one sounds more interesting to you. In delving into the unis try to find out what links they’ve got to industry / future employers.Some unis are better than others when it comes to helping with career opportunities further down the line. Unis with good connections and good reputations in the industry will be invaluable in the future. A fair amount of companies (without stating it) often have a history of employing a larger percentage from 1 or 2 unis. Another perspective maybe to look at the towns / cities of the unis to see how many job opportunities there are in those towns. Interior design tends to be associated with luxury and therefore it’s likely that there are more job opportunities in larger cities and therefore unis in those cities are likely to have good relationships with potential employers. Hope this helps.

[@careerinsights2430]

In terms of courses in demand you just need to change your search criteria slightly to jobs in high demand. These types of searches will show you jobs that are in high demand with limited supply.

[@mohammedshahin6422]

@@careerinsights2430 thanks for replying me

[@gracious.2419]

Hello is it a must to take maths or physics for A levels to become an interior architect???

[@careerinsights2430]

Hello, I’d say it’s unlikely you need to study these exact topics but check a couple universities offering interior architecture / design as they’ll tell you their entry requirements on their website

[@gracious.2419]

Career Insights okay thank you

[@gracious.2419]

Career Insights Which subjects did you study at A level to become and interior architecture?🙂🙂

[@careerinsights2430]

Hello, we didn’t study interior architecture I’m afraid. Career Insights is the name of the channel / company and Emily kindly gave us her time to be able to produce the interview. The channel is run by Jodie (product manager interview) and I (the one who blabbers in other videos).

[@gracious.2419]

Career Insights okay thanks👍🏽👍🏽

[@nodice100]

She's cute 😍

[@keerthanak2636]

can an interior architect call himself or herself an architect and have the abbreviation Ar. in their name ?

[@careerinsights2430]

Hello. I personally haven’t heard of this abbreviation before. Letters after your name are typically associated with professional bodies i.e. RIBA for Architects or MRICS for Surveyors. University qualifications can also be used i.e. BSc or MSc depending on your qualification. If Ar is representative of a body it’s probably best to speak to them about it’s use as you wouldn’t want to misuse or misrepresent yourself. All the best.

[@yvonnestrong3856]

I thought "architect" was a specific designation that could only be used by someone who'd gone through years of undergraduate and postgraduate training, exams, work experience, and membership of a professional organisation. She seems to be describing the job of an interior designer - it seems unfair to architects for interior designers to make their job sound more important by borrowing the "architect" designation without going through everything an actual architect has to do.

[@careerinsights2430]

Hi Yvonne, If you take a look at the UCAS website you’ll see the majority of the undergraduate courses now state Interior Architect which is what we link to on our website. Not sure when the change occurred but a number of people we know in the industry refer to themselves as interior architect so it seems to be an industry shift both professionally and academically. I understand your point around architects but landscape architects have been around for as long as I can remember and at the end of the day the depiction is in the title (landscape and interior) so I don’t think there’s going to be much confusion in determining the difference between the professions. Hope this helps, CI Team

[@cee8226]

Emily actually has everything down except that she wasn't elaborating more about architectural work. But that's how it is in this field of work. If you're a newbie architect, you get to handle all the dirty work mostly architectural such as cad works, detailing, site meetings with contractors and engineers. As you progress higher up the ladder such as Emily, you begin to do more client facing and be more involved in the design side than the technical side. You still go to site meetings to check tho but usually they let the junior architects handle the job as part of their training. When you're new in the job, it's basically learning the technical side and process of architecture first before you move up to the creative side of architecture, which is interior designing stuff which she did mentioned, the soft fittings aka "Styling" the room as interior decorator

[@vengeanceisessence]

@@careerinsights2430 Architect Act 1997 in the U.K. clearly states that it is illegal to use the title ‘Architect’ unless you are registered with the ARB.

[@careerinsights2430]

We ask interviewees for their job title that’s it, nothing more, nothing less. People are free to do whatever they wish with their time but surely there’s better time to be invested elsewhere. If it really does gripe you this much then my advice would be to double down with your efforts and see what you can do to have a real influence on it. Speak to RIBA on it - personally can’t see them not being aware of universities offering interior architect degrees so they must have an opinion on it. All the best

[@bismahilyas3562]

No you're slightly wrong there, interior architecture includes interior design too. Dantier and Balogh design studios have a great video explaining it kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWOsqGiQoqaBqtU

[@hatzlmike1]

Teeth?