INTD 211 History and Theory

of Interiors I
University of Bahrain
Department of Architecture and
INTERIOR DESIGN
SEM I 2019-20
Dr. Anamika Jiwane

What is History of Interior

Design?
Contents of lecture:

 What is History?
 Why study History?
 Why study history of Interior design?
 What is society, culture and civilization?
What is History?
What is History?

Definition: History is the discovery, collection, organization, and

presentation of information about past events in a sequential
order.

Historical evidences: These include each and everything that is drawn, written,
made or constructed of the past to tell us the story of the past.

Writing history means documentation of the past by an individual based on the

historical evidences.
Historical Evidences
Why study History????????

History Helps Us Understand Change

and How the Society We Live in Came to
Be.

The second reason history is

inescapable as a subject of
serious study follows closely on the first.

The past causes the present, and so the

future.
Why study History?

•For knowledge and information.

•To understand the sequence of events.
•To understand the relationship of those events.
•To preserve such events for the future.
•To understand oneself.
• To answer the question: why we are where we are?
•To understand the reasons behind these events.
Like- Why a nation grew stronger or why a nation suddenly disappears?
Why a war started or why a battle was lost?
•To gain the knowledge of our culture as well as the culture of other parts of the
world.
•History teaches analytical skill and problem solving skills.
•It improves fine writing skills.
•Not to repeat the mistakes of the past
•History reveals the trial and error methods of the past.
Study of history:

 It acts as source of
information.
 It helps to learn from
mistakes.
 Makes aware of the tools
and techniques of past.
 History has an influence on
Interior design.
Is History accurate??????????
Accuracy of history:

History is not accurate because:

•Lack of evidences
•Historian’s perspectives/ background
•Historian’s prejudice
Documented history is a view of what may have happened and
not what actually happened.
History and Interior Design ????

The way a space was used, and

the environment and materials
available, constrained the way a
space was structured and
limited the way it was designed.
The values and aesthetics of
various cultures and individuals
influenced the way in which
spaces were decorated to
express their values.
Why study History of Interior design?

 History is a source of inspiration

 One learns from mistakes
 History helps to relate design to other issues.
Study of art as a way to understand history?

•Art as a documentation method:

All the pre-history written periods are studied through its arts.
Cave images, paintings in the churches
•Study of art helps to understand the historic culture:
•Scientific development: Glazed tiles during Babylonian period,
Use of perspectives during Renaissance period, construction
techniques during Gothic period.
•Socio-cultural development: Islamic idea through geometric
patterns, paintings of churches explains the faith in Christianity,
pyramids talk about the faith of Egyptians in afterlife.
Historical periods:
•Prehistorical culture: 400,000 years 15,000- 5000 years B.C.
•Syria and Mesopotamia: 8000-2000 years B.C.
•India: 4,000- 5,000 years B.C.
•China: 4,000- 5,000 years B.C.
•Ancient Egypt: 4,000- 1,000 years B.C.
•Greece: 1,000- 400 B.C.
•Rome: 400B.C. - 400 A.D.
•Early Christian: 300 A.D.
•Middle dark Ages: 400-1200 A.D.
•Gothic period: 1200-1400 A.D.
•Renaissance: 1400-1600 A.D.
•Baroque Period: 1600-1700 A.D.
•Number of styles: 1700 A.D.
•Industrial Revolution: End of 1700, Early 1800 A.D.
•Victorian era: 1800’s
•Aesthetic movement: 1800’s
•Art Nouveau: 1800’s
•Eclecticism: 1800’s
•Modern Movement: 1900 (first half of 20th century)
•Post modern Movement: 1970’s
What to study in the in the history of Interior Design?

- Any documented interiors of structures through time

- Different historical periods
- Different types of structures: Residential, Religious, Monumental
How to study the interiors?

Each period is studied separately according to the following sequence:

•Political, cultural, social, background of the period
•Artistic development of the period
•Main structures/ buildings of the period
Spatial composition
Structural composition
Treatment of surfaces: walls, floors, ceilings
Details and decoration
Furniture
SOME INTERESTING REASONS TO STUDY HISTORY:
Those who study history become Good citizens

1
2
Stories of the past: lessons

3
Learn about the people who changed the world

4
Improve and develop Critical Thinking Skills

5
What is Society, Culture and Civilization??
What is Society?
What is culture?????

"a culture" is the set of

customs, traditions, and
values of a society or
community, such as an ethnic
group or nation. Culture is the
set of knowledge acquired
over time.

Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group

of people, encompassing language, religion, cuisine, social habits,
music and arts.
What is Civilization?
Culture vs Civilization
Culture vs Civilization
Indus valley civilization (IVC) was one of the most advanced
civilizations regarding planning, arts, culture, and standard of
living.
SKETCH BOOK TASK 1:

a. Define Culture, Civilization and Society

b. Give the difference between culture and civilization by mentioning

some examples and pictures.

c. Stick the map of world in your sketch book and mark the location of
important civilizations of the world.