Role of Town Planner & Interior Designer

Role of Town Planner

The role of a town planner is a constructive one, for new developments and urban renewal. Town planning provides a framework for the expected development for urban and rural settlements. Development is done through the government and private agencies. The number of years for the total development de-pends upon years required for the preparation of the plan, implication of the plan, procedure related to various permissions, availability of resources and interest, awareness created in the minds of the people and actual participation of private agencies, industries, etc.

Today most of the towns need urban renewal as well as new development plans related to new areas as per residential and industrial demands. Town planners are supposed to deal with complex issues for which there may not be simple, single solutions. Town planning involves the allocation of scarce resources such as urban land and services and is therefore seen as an aspect of economic and social factors which create the demand for different types of land use and development. Land is required for residential and industrial requirements and for planning effective transportation systems. Traffic is one of the biggest problems for town planners. It is generated everywhere, anywhere, where people live and work, and around transportation centres , bus and railway stations. Land acquisition is a major problem in our country. Planners deal with space. Space organisation itself expresses meaning and has communicative properties. It is expressed through planning for different zones, transportation network, streets and squares, open space systems, signs, materials, colours, shapes, street furniture, and land-scaping.

Landscaping is essential to integrate all physical requirements. Plants and farming bring man closer to nature. It is rightly stated that “how people should behave” is the hidden thought behind a design. This is an indirect way of educating the masses. Hence town planners require an ability to look at the whole situation, both causes and effects. They are also supposed to act as team leaders coordinating specialists, experts such as ecologists, highway engineers, architects, landscape architects and government authorities. The overall result is a pleasing townscape which gives a pleasant feeling of a well developed area, provides satisfaction and happiness to all sections of society has the quality of commercial attractiveness, has plantations around buildings to soften hard layouts, add colour to the townscape, provides shelter along roads and river banks. Cities, well developed villages and regions are the wealth of a nation.

Role of Interior Designer

Interior design today is more of a science rather than the aesthetic or artistic decoration of a room or space. An architect deals with the total built-up space according to the function, area of the plot, FAR permissible, budget, etc. He makes designs for the total space which is to be enclosed, divisions of the internal space, location of doors and window, etc. An interior designer deals with individual internal spaces formed by the members of enclosure walls, roof and floor.

Interior designing like architecture involves a deep study of living and social patterns and habits of the users along with culture. The designer would therefore be required to study the cultural and social habits of the people for the space to be designed and the intended use of the internal space. Interior design includes the study of the ultimate use of the area concerned, proper use of body dynamics, ergonomics (scientific study of man in his working environment), anthropometrics (scientific measurement of man), etc. in order to achieve good proportion and improve physical and psychological comfort. Controllable comfort in light, ventilation, temperature, and flexibility in furniture arrangement is expected from and also is the aim of comfortable built-in environment.

An important quality of an interior designer is having knowledge of structure, architectural planning and construction. He/she should study the construction of a building by visiting the site and by studying working drawings of load bearing or framed structures. Consultation with the architect, the structural designer and with building services consultant is a must to get acquainted with structural conditions of loading and the loading pattern. It is found that serious accidents have occurred due to negligence related to structural design. It can be concluded that architectural education is a background for interior designing and for civil engineering with emphasis on structural stability.

The subject of interior design includes various considerations related to the interior space, interior planning, layout and design of various parts. Different elements related to the design includes, forms, shape, colour, texture, light, proportion, scale, balance, harmony, unity and variety, rhythm, emphasis and relationship of these elements visual with the qualities of human visual perception. Study of design elements related to the creation of internal space includes walls, floor, roof, doors and windows, and furniture for seating, dining, beds, work surfaces, tables, storage, lighting, accessories such as artistic objects, indoor plants,colour, flooring, wall treatment etc. In addition to this, a study of environmental systems such as plumbing and building services, their layout and functioning, etc. is also essential.The present trends demand services of an interior designer before the commencement of the construction process or during the construction of basic skeleton work, RCC and walls.

Major specifications related to the specifications of materials for flooring, flooring patterns, toilet finishing, plaster finish and treatment for walls and ceilings, materials and fixtures and fastenings for doors and windows, glazing, electrical installations concealed or otherwise, stair treatment, colour scheme of internal space related to the flooring, etc. is specified by the internal designer. These decisions are essential to save time and money; hence, this system of appointing an interior designer is found essential for both public and residential buildings.

The considerations and components of interior design are:

1. General scope and purpose.

2. Elements and materials of structural forms— Walls, floors, ceilings, windows and doors.

3. Elements of heating and lighting.

4. Elements of utility— Treatment of walls, floors and ceiling, coverings and finishing, furnishing, upholstery, etc.

5. Elements of visual pleasure— Colour, indoor plants, ceramic relief on wall. etc.

Hence, the interior designer has to think of:

(a) Spatial Planning

(b) Colour

(c) Materials

(d) Furniture

(e) Lighting and

(f) Ventilation

The main consideration in interior design is its relation with the personal taste of the owner. The final success of the interior design depends upon how the feeling or “utility” is created through the different units of furniture and colour schemes—colour of the wall, curtains, carpets, etc.