Читать книгу Professional Practice for Interior Designers - Christine M. Piotrowski - Страница 18

The services of an interior designer have an impact on facilities of all kinds, from private residences to the wide variety of commercial and public spaces. As a professional, interior designers through designs and specifications impact the environment and the economy both at home and even abroad. Our designs create interior environments that can excite the users of a space, sooth individuals, create a pleasing home environment, establish productive work environments, and satisfy other goals presented by the client and project.

Professional responsibility means that a designer understands the consequences of his or her designs and specifications. For example, removing and disposing of carpeting that still has some useful life is a poor choice if there is a place in your community that can utilize this material.

Professional responsibility also implies a consideration for designing spaces using proper codes and building standards. Adhering to an ethical standard is also critical to professional responsibility. Being committed to solving the problems presented by the client in such a way to satisfy the client rather than the designer's own ego is also a professional responsibility.

A professional also needs to keep him or herself current on important topics and professional practices that can impact work with clients. Issues of sustainable design, designing for aging in place, universal design, and the impact of cultural influences are only some of the contexts that involve the profession today.

Professional responsibility also means social responsibility. It is important to understand that designers need to give back to the profession, the community, and to some degree to humankind. As professionals we can affect the communities we live in, through volunteering services that use our skills and problem‐solving ability. Service on community boards, such as design review boards, historic sites, community development boards, and many other city or county boards, can be a particularly good use of the designer's volunteer time. Local government depends on volunteers to take part in these commissions to help city management make living in a city or town better for the whole of the community.

If you have an interest in a particular type of nonprofit organization, your public service will provide you with enriching opportunities to help your community and beyond. Not only are you helping out these nonprofits but you are also going to have the opportunity to meet many new people you might otherwise never meet. Just as you are encouraged to join and participate in a professional association, it is beneficial for you to participate in some sort of public service role.

You may have heard the term pro bono, which means providing something at no charge. Interior designers often provide their services at no charge to a community, church group, or nonprofit organization such as Habitat for Humanity. Pro bono work can be personally rewarding, in addition to helping these groups obtain top‐notch design services for little or no expense.

Another part of giving back comes in the form of working with students. As a student, you want to hear from working professionals. Not to challenge your professors, but to see how the academic meshes with the world of interior design. Lectures, guest critiques, tours of the designer's office facilities, and helping to arrange tours of significant design projects in the area are all examples of this important type of service.

The practice of interior design is a continually growing and changing profession. Our professional and social responsibility in this complex world will test both the individual entering the profession and the experienced professional. These challenges should be embraced, not shunned, as professional interior designers continue to lead the way in the design of exciting and satisfying interiors. Involvement in the interior design profession is in itself very rewarding. That satisfaction grows immensely.