Architect, Designer, Interior Designer…What’s the Difference? Part 1

“Do you do the inside or the outside of the building?”
“Who does the actual picking of materials?”
“I have an architect for my project, but I need a designer.”

If you’re new to the building industry, it can definitely be confusing to know who does what on a project, whether you need one or all or none of these professionals, how much each one of them costs, etc. So I’ll help clear it up here!

Full disclosure, this got pretty long, so I split it into parts…so here’s Part 1.

The short answer is, an architect can do all of the things in that list of questions above, while an interior designer can’t. But, not *every* architect offers all of those services, and/or has talent or skill at interior design. And…an architect IS a designer!

The Stone House, where we provided full architectural and interior design services. More on this project here.

Let’s dig a little deeper.

One of the main differences between architect, designer, and interior designer is level of education and formal training. Architects have the most training, and to call oneself an architect, you need to be licensed. Licensure is handled at the state level, and varies a bit, but generally requires:

• A master’s or professional degree [5-8 years of higher education, in an accredited program]

• Completion of “Architect Experience”, which is about 5000 hours of on-the-job training in over 15 different experience areas, all under the guidance of a licensed architect

• Completion of the Architecture Registration Exam, a 6 part exam covering everything from structural, civil, and mechanical engineering, construction, design, code, ethics, etc. Each part is about 3 hours, and is closed book.

For some perspective, it took me 13  years from when I started undergrad to when I earned my license…that is slower than many, because I had some forays into construction and academia, but it does take most people 8-10 years. It’s like getting a PhD.

Once you have your license, each state requires you’re licensed in requires continuing ed credits, and if you’re a member of the AIA [American Institute of Architects], there can be additional requirements as well.

Once you have your license, you may now “stamp” drawings – this is a literal stamp that architects place on a completed set of drawings, *accepting liability on behalf of their clients* by certifying that, to the best of their professional ability and to a reasonable standard of care, the drawings and design meet applicable codes. Most buildings other than single family homes [and some single family homes, too] require an architect’s stamp.

“What’s the difference between an architect’s stamp and an engineer’s stamp?”