Are Interior designers
licensed?
In a very few states interior
designers are now licensed. This (in my opinion) is really an
issue of taxing and finances for the individual state coffers
and has nothing to do with licensing to protect the public welfare
and safety. Every licensed professional has several things in
common; they have long periods of time invested in college, a
professional licensing exam given to prove they can protect the
public safety and welfare plus a training period where they learn
under a currently licensed practitioner. Architects (New York
State but not all others) are considered as licensed structural,
mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineers, because we studied
and passed licensing exams for these subjects as part of the
architectural exam.
Should they be? Because
licensing laws deal with protecting the safety and welfare of
the public, and Interior Designers do not have training or proven
tested knowledge to alter the structure or any component parts
(electrical, mechanical, plumbing) of a building, I believe the
answer is a very obvious -NO! If they do not perform a professional
service that deals with the safety and welfare of the public,
why should they be called a professional and be licensed as a
professional?
What is my interior
design training?
3 years training at the New York
School of Interior Design and 4 years of additional training
at Pratt Institute. Then 15 years experience working in large
and small interior design firms plus for the Federal Government
and teaching the subject at a State college (Rutgers University).
Is there an advantage
to you that I am also an licensed architect? Sure
there is! Almost all interior projects involve some structural
alterations. An Interior Designer is not licensed to alter anything
but as an architect, I can. This means that you are getting additional
value for the same price. I am also a very well know Building
Inspector, Master Planner and Forensic Architect. With me, you
get 5 different capabilities that when combined, form a unique
combination of skills that you benefit from.
Is an interior design
project the same as an architectural project? Not
at all! Interiors projects involve the procurement of interior
furniture, furnishings and equipment and includes programming
of the interior spaces and requirements as part of the basic
services. The authority to reject goods is left in the hands
of the owner rather than the architect, since the procurement
of goods is governed by the Uniform Code (UCC).
Does interior work
require a special contract for service? Yes,
I think it should. I would normally use the American Institute
of Architects (AIA) contract B171, Standard form of agreement
between Owner and Architect for interior design.
Listing of completed projects:
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,
Lincoln Tunnel, Administration Building. (Project Architect for
Space Requirements Report of almost 500,000 square feet of space,
new Administration Complex with Urbahn Lynn Associates)
Entrance Renovation, Phillips Technical
Center, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. ( Architect-Design for ultra hi-tech
entrance of about 15,000 square feet to research facility-with
another architect-Neil Carnow, AIA)
Library Renovation, Main Library, Ossining,
N.Y. ( Architect-Design for total renovation and expansion of
40,000 S.F. Library-with another architect-Neil Carnow, AIA)
T.J. Max Renovation, Hartsdale, N.Y.
( Architect-Design for total renovation and expansion of 120,000
S.F. commercial store with another architect-Neil Carnow, AIA)
Newburgh Public Housing, Newburgh, New
York (Total renovation of DHCR Housing, 9 story high rise project
building, including all electrical, mechanical, bathrooms, public
spaces and grounds with another architect, Ehasz-Giacolone Architects,
P.C.)
Renovation and Alterations, Martha Lawrence
Day Care Center, Peekskill, N.Y. (Principal Architect of 30,000
S.F. renovation of a old school into the largest Day Care Center
in New York State. Meets all ADA requirements.)
Physical Survey "MRI" Building,
St. Francis Hospital, North Street, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (Principal
Architect-Survey to confirm compliance with all NY State Board
of Health and ADA requirements.)
Alterations and Expansion to Renal Dialysis
Unit, St. Francis Hospital, North Street, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
(Principal Architect of 10,000 S.F. alteration and expansion,
while patient care continued, and an additional sky lighted waiting
room was created on a roof top area adjacent to the patient ward.
Meets all ADA requirements.)
ETO Certification of Main Sterilizing
Rooms, St. Francis Hospital, North Street, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
(Principal Architect of new system to bring ETO emissions into
compliance with new international laws for toxic gas dispersal
into the air. Meets all ADA requirements.)
Central Sterile Supply Alterations, St.
Francis Hospital, North Street, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (Principal
Architect of 450% increase to the sterilization capability of
the Central Sterile Unit. Meets all ADA requirements.)
Pediatric/Rehabilitation Evaluation Study,
St. Francis Hospital, North Street, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (Principal
Architect-Study for expansion capabilities and ADA compliance.)
Poughkeepsie Municipal Building, Poughkeepsie,
N.Y. (Designed the total renovation of 300,000 S.F. and three
alternate schemes with another architect-Maxwell Glantz, RA.)
92nd Street "Y" New York, N.Y.
(Designed 65,000 S.F. of office and client user spaces with another
architect-Maxwell Glantz, RA.)
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,
World Trade Center Complex New York, N.Y. (Designed plaza and
public signage, designed building # 2 main lobby rehab, designed
P.A. Police Dept. at the Trade Center, designed all P.A. furniture
standards, redesigned P.A. board rooms, executive directors offices,
staff offices, cafeteria, "oval room", and #1 building
observation deck alterations-Staff designer.
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,
Journal Square Transportation Center, Jersey City, N.J. (Designed
and renovated Police Department Training Academy, 30,000 S.F.-Staff
designer)
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,
Newark International Airport, Newark, N.J. (Designed alterations
to Terminal "C", alterations to Airport Administration,
Police, Crash, Fire, Rescue Building, alterations to terminal
"B"-Staff designer.)
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,
JFK International Airport, Queens, N.Y. (Designed International
Arrivals Building cafeteria renovation, main passenger entrance
area renovation, Parking lots toll booth renovations, Site overhead
road graphics program, Police/Crash/fire/Rescue renovation and
architectural interface at the 150th Street and Sunrise Highway
cloverleaf entrance to the airport-Staff designer.)
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,
La Guardia Airport, Queens, N.Y. (Designed renovations to all
parking lots, toll booths and roadway signage, designed alterations
to Butler Aviation hanger and the old F.A.A. building, designed
alterations to Eastern Airlines Terminal, designed alterations
to Main Terminal, and Police Station -Staff designer.)
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,
George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal, New York, N.Y. (Designed
the total renovation of the two main passenger lobbies, and Police
Station, over 100,000 square feet -Staff designer.)
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,
World Trade Center Complex, New York, N.Y. (Building components
study for energy efficiency including building envelope and windows.-Staff
Architect.)
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,
Journal Square Transportation Center, Jersey City, N.J. (Police
Department Training Academy, building components study for energy
efficiency including building envelope and windows-Staff Architect.)
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,
Newark International Airport, Newark, N.J. (Terminal "B"
building envelope, Police/Crash/Fire/Rescue Building components
study for energy efficiency including building envelope and windows-Staff
Architect.
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,
JFK International Airport, Queens, N.Y. (International Arrivals
Building components study for energy efficiency including building
envelope and windows-Staff Architect.)
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,
La Guardia Airport, Queens, N.Y. (Main Terminal Building components
study for energy efficiency including building envelope and windows-Staff
Architect.)
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,
George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal, New York, N.Y. (Building
components study for energy efficiency including building envelope
and windows-Staff Architect.)
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Lincoln Tunnel Administration Building, Weehawken, N.J. (Project
architect for a study of the expansion/relocation and /or/ renovation
and addition to existing facility including; all administrative
functions, Police Department and jail, Fire Department, tolls,
maintenance, cafeterias, emergency response, and storage facilities.
This was about 350,000 S.F.)
Nyack Seminary College, South Boulevard,
Nyack, N.Y. (Project architect for the alteration of administrative
building and dormitory facilities. 3 buildings of about 90,000
S.F. total -with Schoelfield Colgan Architects)
Nyack Seminary College, South Boulevard,
Nyack, N.Y. (Project architect for the total redesign and rehabilitation
of a 4,964 S.F. church and rectory-with Schoelfield Colgan Architects.)
N.Y.C. Transit Authority Headquarters,
43rd and Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. (Project Manager for
contract documents for 160,000 S.F. of office space.-with another
architect-Henry Meltzer, R.A.)
Warner Lambert, Morris Plains, N.J. (Designed
corporate headquarters building for Chairman and President of
the 92nd largest company in the world. Contains reception/art
gallery/garden on first floor and executive offices above. 15,000
S.F. Staff designer.)
Citibank, N.Y.C. (Project Manager for
the total overhaul of 286 bank branches in 14 months for the
installation of the automated teller Machine (ATM), which myself
and four other architects had developed for Citibank. This was
a 92 million dollar project in 1977.)
Harcourt Brace Jovanavich Inc., 1111
Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. (Designed 300,000 S.F. of office
space with another architect-John Bratichak.)
John N. Bratichak, 101 Park Avenue, New
York, N.Y. (Designed total Renovation of architects penthouse
office.)
Munich American Reinsurance Co., Chicago,
Illinois (Designed and developed standards for all office sizes,
materials, furnishings colors etc. on a nation wide basis. This
was over 600,000 S.F. of space with another architect-R. Markantonio,
AIA.)
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 33
Liberty Street, N.Y. (Designed over 1,000,000 S.F. of offices,
computer rooms, vaults, warehouses etc. as staff designer over
7 years.)
Design for the alteration a private residence
to accommodate a growing, happy family in Monroe, Connecticut.
Alteration to Historic Home to accommodate
a business venture on the lower level with living spaces above,
in Blackwood, N.J.
