Interior Design Is Not Decoration: And Other Ideas

George Washington University architecture professors Travis and Anderson (25 Concepts in Modern Architecture) deliver an occasionally illuminating examination of the many factors architects and interior designers consider when creating or styling a room. Presented as a glossary of sorts, the account defines and briefly explores the role that contrast, lighting, patterns, sensory balance, and other factors play in the design process. Emphasizing the technical aspects of the discipline, Travis and Anderson expound on how anthropometrics (the measurement of human physical dimensions in relation to a space), ergonomics (using anthropometric data to facilitate productivity in a workplace), and proxemics (“the amount of space deemed comfortable between a person and others”) inform designers’ work. Entries covering how architects generate ideas explain that many start by researching the history of the location and then play around with possible designs by sketching, writing, or making 3D models. There’s some informative background on the nuts and bolts of architectural design, as when the authors discuss how designers work with plumbing engineers to ensure that pipes have the proper slope to convey waste to sewer systems. Unfortunately, many of the brief entries are superficial (the main takeaway of the entry on wood is that the material “has a natural warmth”). It’s a mixed bag. (Aug.)