Interior Design as a profession has gained prominence in the construction industry of UAE and the Middle East Region in
the last two decades. The complexity and the nature of buildings being constructed in this region has forced design
consultancies and the construction companies at looking into Interior Design as a specialised consultancy. The dearth of
Interior Design Professionals has led to dependence on architectural and engineering consultants taking over this crucial
role in executing interior projects.
This has led to a renewed demand for locally trained Interior Design Professionals. The education sector has responded to
this demand through the emergence of regionally and state funded universities and foreign universities opening their
branch campuses in the region and offering a range of Interior Design Programs. The curriculums reflect the values of
universities and the focus of the programs range from understanding Interior Design through the core area of Arts,
Construction Science and Engineering.
Construction Project Management is a core area being given renewed importance by design consultancies and the
construction industry in a deadline oriented market. Though engineers have had a traditional forte in the area of
Construction Project Management; Architects and Interior designers have slowly made inroads into this area in the past few
decades. Interior Designers specialising as construction project managers are in demand world over. The education sector
has responded to this demand through programs in design education that has a focus in the area of Construction Project
Management.
The paper looks into the relevance of Construction Project Management in the Interior Design Curriculums for the Middle
East Region.
Research Methodology for the paper included literature review, questionnaire for students of Interior Design & Interior
Design Consultancies and the construction industry, Group discussion with Academia and the industry
http://www.aleeshainstitute.com/interior-designing-course.php
The UAE as an education hub is witnessing a
diversification in the choice of majors with design
programs including interior design, landscape
architecture and construction project management
gaining prominence [1]. Interior design in specific has
gained prominence with the building and construction
industry of UAE and the Middle East gaining
prominence in the global scenario. Complex building
typologies have been executed in this region in the past
decade including the latest, the tallest high-rise in the
world, Burj Khalifa which is a testament to the vision of
the leaders of this region.
The increasing complexity of the building typologies has
led to renewed introspection at the nature and scope of
the built environment design consultancies, and interior
design has gained prominence as a specialized
consultancy, in addition to architecture and the other
prominent specialized consultancies that are involved in
this development. Prominent universities at the regional
level with state funding and foreign universities with
branch campuses have responded to this demand by
offering interior design programs. The curriculums
offered by the universities reflect their vision and mission
with reference to UAE and the Middle East region in the
age of globalization. The focus of the programs also has a
prominent range from understanding interior design
through the core area of arts, construction science and
engineering, thus looking at both the regional aspirations
as well as the global challenges for the interior designer
of the future.
Construction project management is a core area being
given renewed importance by design consultancies and
the construction industry in a deadline oriented market.
The direct impact of time bound completion of projects
has been felt by various consultancies including urban
design, architecture, landscape design, interior design,
MEP and civil engineering involved in construction
industry, with the bridge or communication medium for
the above consultancies being the construction project
manager. Though engineers have had a traditional forte
in the area of construction project management;
architects and interior designers have slowly made
inroads into this area in the past few decades. Interior
designers specializing as construction project managers
are in demand world over, but the response to this
demand has been slow within the education sector in
UAE. One prominent university has responded through
coursework in design education that has a focus in the
area of construction project management [2]. There are
graduate programs in the area of construction project
management but the focus of these programs is towards
the construction of the built environment.
Comments
Post a Comment