This letter is in response to the Alligator editorial about the interior design profession. While the paper acknowledged making an error regarding interior design licensing in the state, the editorial perpetuates a commonly held stereotype about the profession.
Designers are not decorators.
Think about it this way. When you receive your schedule of classes for the semester, do you prefer a classroom in one building over another? Does the quality of the interior space matter to you? Would you prefer to receive medical treatment in a sterile but cold hospital room or a warm and comforting environment? Upon graduation, would you prefer to work in a windowless office or in one flooded by natural light with inviting meeting spaces and conference rooms, perhaps even a coffee bar?
UF interior design students work on projects like these, including solving design issues at the Career Resource Center, Levin College of Law, P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School and the Harn Museum. Our program, which recently was recognized as third in the nation, teaches students creative problem-solving in areas ranging from space planning to construction documentation and technology to lighting.
Interior design is not an intuitive process. We do pre-design research and conduct post-occupancy evaluations. We not only have accredited bachelor's programs, but also offer master's degrees and Ph.D. specializations. Interior design is both an art and a science. Today more than ever, we need spaces that not only comply with building codes, but also address functional requirements in innovative and inspiring ways. We seek out memorable spaces that are authentic and reflect a sense of place.
Not only have our students engaged in projects on campus and across the state, but our upper-division students were an integral part of the student design team from building construction, architecture and public relations who designed, built and promoted a fully solar-powered house for the Solar Decathlon competition, traveling to Madrid and most recently competing in Washington, D.C.
Our students have received national awards and recognition for their work. We might be one of the best-kept secrets on the UF campus. To find out more about the profession of interior design and the UF Interior Design Program, visit our website at www.dcp.ufl.edu/interior or stop over in the Architecture Building to see firsthand what we do.
Margaret Portillo, Ph.D.
Department Chair
UF Department of Interior Design
