Purpose: Interior architecture is based on theoretical, practical, and practice-based knowledge associated with other design disciplines that form a multidisciplinary framework. The aim of this study is to evaluate the art, science, and technical competencies that form the basis of knowledge and skills for the students within interior architecture…

This design case describes the process by which a private office was renovated using the Working Labs model, which engages students, faculty, and staff in hands-on engagement from project conception through completion and beyond into ongoing evaluation of everyday use. The spaces that follow the Working Labs model are intended to provide students…

This comprehensive study asks what a group of rather diverse disciplines have in common. It involves a cross-disciplinary examination of an entire college, the College of Design at Iowa State University. This research was intended to provide a sense of direction in developing and assessing possible core content. The reasoning was that material…

Designing break-the-mold classrooms--learning spaces that depart dramatically from traditional classrooms--comes with increased risk, especially when the design will be replicated multiple times within a new building. One way to reduce risk is to build a life-size mock-up classroom before making final design decisions. This can help faculty better…

This article describes how Beverly and Martin Ryfa, working with an architect who specializes in accessible design, were able to build a house that is handicap accessible for their 9-year-old daughter, Danielle, who suffered an intraventricular hemorrhage when she was three days old. The article describes the features of their house that make…

Purposeful assessment of space for the understanding and improvement of the academic library is a relatively new area of inquiry. This essay offers a framework to consider different factors affecting such an assessment and insights for undertaking a meaningful inquiry about the relationship of space to an academic library's evolving purpose as…

As campus renovation projects go, the Ohio State University's plan to turn its main library into "a library for the 21st century" is ambitious. The author describes the decade-long, $109 million transformation of the William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library. The overhaul calls for a complete replacement of all mechanical and electrical…

Describes the fields of industrial design and interior design, the curriculum content for both subjects, and the degree requirements. (RK)

The project described in this article addresses the therapeutic use of physical space in an outpatient counseling facility. It was theorized that an improved facility environment could be used as a practice tool when working with a vulnerable population. The authors undertook the project with limited time and finances. The process of the change…

Even at land-grant institutions, faculty seldom work with commercial retailers on community programs. Retailers can help with outreach and engagement programs because they provide the "natural habitat" for consumers the programs seek to address. Allied health, family science, and interior design faculty at the Ohio State University…

This guidebook is designed for use in teaching students enrolled in pre-employment laboratory education (PELE) home furnishing/interior design programs. The first of two major sections includes an overview for teachers on planning, conducting, and evaluating a home furnishings/interior design program. Specific topics discussed in section 1 include…

This curricular framework for the subject area section, Home Economics for Grades K-8, is one of eight Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools (MCPS) Programs of Studies. The Goals of Education adopted by the MCPS Board of Education are provided. A Point of View subsection includes reasons for studying the subject, general outcomes sought,…

This program guide presents the standard fashion production and management curriculum for technical institutes in Georgia. It is designed to relate primarily to the development of those skills needed to become a qualified alterationist, clothing design assistant, home textiles assistant, fashion management assistant, or tailoring assistant. A…

This teacher handbook provides recommended goals and objectives and suggested measures for competency-based courses in the vocational program area of home economics education. A background and overview section contains the philosophy and rationale, discusses thinking skills and programs for exceptional children, and provides notes that explain how…