Research Process

Interior design is a multi-faceted profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment.  These solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants, and are aesthetically attractive.  A professional interior designer is one who is qualified by means of education and experience, and some countries even require designers to pass professional examination, in order to protect and enhance the health, life safety and welfare of the public. In Hong Kong, a professional interior designer is involved in various stages of the design and construction process including but not limited to the following:

• Research and analysis
• Formulation of design concept
• Selection and specification of furniture, fixtures and other building services and materials
• Provision of project management services, including preparation of project budgets and schedules
• Preparation of construction documents
• Preparation of construction documents that adhere to building codes and fire regulations
• Coordination and collaboration with other allied design professionals
• Observing and reporting the implementation of projects while in progress and upon completion

The types of projects performed by Hong Kong interior designers also cover a wide range of areas, such as:

• Retail (shops, retail outlets, showrooms, department stores, food markets, shopping centres, etc.) Food space (cafes, bars, lounges, restaurants, canteens, etc.)
• Work space (reception areas, offices, studios, warehouses, factories, etc.)
• Public space (galleries, museums, concert halls, theatres, exhibition venues, places of worship, educational institutions, health centres, medical institutions, libraries, community centres, consulates, law courts, parliamentary buildings, atriums, forum spaces, airports, railway stations, etc.)
• Installation & exhibition space (gallery exhibitions, museum exhibitions, promotional displays, set design, trade exhibitions, sales offices, marquees, installations, merchandising, etc.)
• Living space (apartments, private houses, housing developments, etc.)
• Leisure & entertainment space (spas, swimming pools, casinos, clubs, cinemas, health clubs, gyms, fitness centres, etc.)
• Hotel space (commercial hotels, budget hotels, city hotels, resort hotels, etc.)
• Sample space (showflats or offsite prototypes to promote property sales)

In view of the ever-increasing scale and complexity of projects that Hong Kong interior design professionals undertake, it is important to have a set of common standards for evaluating the skills and knowledge of interior designers. Such standards are already in place in many different parts of the world, including the United States, Europe and parts of Asia, which set out the curriculum for interior design education as well as the education and experience required of interior design practitioners. Some of the national and international bodies that promote interior design professionalism are as follows:

Global: IFI

IFI Interiors Declaration

Signed by 100 invited interiors leaders in New York City in 2011, the IFI Interior Declaration articulates the value, relevance, responsibility, knowledge and identity of the interior design profession. In particular, the Declaration states that it is “the responsibility of interior designers and interior architects to define the practice and the required expertise, educate ourselves and the public, and to position ourselves in the public realm as experts in the built environment”.

Regional: ECIA

European Charter of Interior Architect Training

Founded in 1992, the European Council of Interior Architects (ECIA) currently represents 16 members of national organizations, with over 7,500 practicing interior architects. In 2000, the ECIA member organizations signed and published the first version of the European Charter of Interior Architect Training, which aimed to serve as a reference document for the interior architecture profession and educational institutions to define objectives and scope of interior architecture training. The Charter was revised in 2007 and again in 2013 to take into account the changing circumstances of the interiors profession as well as the increasing cooperation among European nations. The latest version of the Charter, published in 2013, introduces a three-part training structure. Parts 1 and 2 define interior architect’s education acquired through academic study, while Part 3 refers to a period of professional practical experience under external guidance.

National: ASID and NCIDQ

American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), the national association for interior designers in the United States, requires that its professional members pass rigorous acceptance standards, including undertaking a combination of accredited design education and/or full-time work experience and passing a two-day accreditation examination administered by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ). In addition, members are expected to complete six hours of continuing education and certify such completion every two years. The NCIDQ Examination consists of two multiple-choice sections and a drawing practicum entirely focused on health, safety and welfare. The content of the examination is based on a blueprint developed after an assessment of the profession, called “practice analysis”, which is conducted every five years to ensure that the exam reflects changes in interior design practice. Through the practice analysis, the NCIDQ determines that seven content areas characterize the work of interior design:

1. Building Systems
2. Codes
3. Construction Standards
4. Contract Administration
5. Design Application
6. Professional Practice
7. Project Coordination

Professional Guideline for the Interior Design Industry in Hong Kong

The development of the Professional Guideline for the Interior Design Industry in Hong Kong is a multi-step process that took place over 12 months, encompassing literature review, consultation with local and international experts, stakeholders and focus groups, and questionnaire distribution and analysis. The research team referenced authoritative international documents on interior design professionalization including the IFI Interiors Declaration, European Charter of Interior Architect Training, and NCIDQ’s practice analysis. This information was then presented to the steering committee consisting of prominent local educators, practitioners and other stakeholders, who decided that the Professional Guideline for the Interior Design Industry in Hong Kong should be modeled on the ECIA training system, with modification made to reflect Hong Kong’s practice conditions. Two practice analysis questionnaires, one for practitioners and one for educators, were developed. Based on the list of skills, knowledge and competences listed in the European Charter of Interior Architect Training, the questionnaires were designed to validate the European system of interiors training. Local practitioners, educators and students were asked to rate individual skills, knowledge and competences on a four-point scale from “essential” to “not relevant” vis-a-vis their own practices and education programs. In addition, a total of 14 focus groups were held with local interior design practitioners, educators and students from various levels of experience and academic backgrounds to gather their views on interior design professionalization in Hong Kong. At the same time, a panel of international advisors were consulted on the content of the questionnaire surveys as well as the conditions of interior design professionalization in their respective countries. They gave valuable advice and insight into the way Hong Kong should move forward in this matter. The results of the questionnaires and focus groups were presented to the steering committee for vetting and analysis, which recommended a system of total training for Hong Kong interior designers based on a three-part structure. A list of skills and knowledge for interior designers of different levels of experience (Junior/Assistant Designer, Designer/Senior Designer and Management Level Designer) was also devised. A first draft of the Professional Guideline was presented to the steering committee for approval and amendments before a final draft of the guideline was produced.