Week 3 - Presentation 5 - History of Interior Design (Part 2)

History of Interior Design-II
Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair

Byzantine Empire – 5th Century
• People living under the early Byzantine Empire saw

themselves as Romans, but the culture of the empire
changed over the centuries.
• As it incorporated Greek and Christian Culture, it

transformed into a unique Byzantine culture.
• Additionally, the Byzantine Empire was influenced by Latin,

Coptic, Armenian, and Persian cultures.
• Later on, it was influenced by Islamic cultures as well.
• Byzantine Society was very religious, and it held certain

values in high esteem, including a respect for order and
traditional hierarchies.
Pendentive is the term given to a construction element that allows a dome to be
• Modern day Istanbul, Turkey. placed over square or rectangular spaces. Pendentives are triangular segments
of a sphere that spread at the top and taper to points at the bottom, thereby
enabling the continuous circular or elliptical base needed to support the dome.

Byzantine Empire
Hagia Sofia – located in Istanbul, Turkey.
• The Hagia Sophia is an enormous architectural

marvel in Istanbul, Turkey, that was originally
built as a Christian basilica nearly 1,500 years
ago.
• Much like the Eiffel Tower or the Parthenon, the

Hagia Sophia is a long-enduring symbol of the
cosmopolitan city.
• Byzantine Emperor Constantius commissioned

construction of the first Hagia Sophia in 360 A.D
• The first Hagia Sophia featured a wooden

roof. The structure was burned to the ground in
404 A.D. during the riots that occurred in
Constantinople as a result of political conflicts
within the family of then-Emperor Arkadios. Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair
Byzantine Empire
• Arkadios’ successor, Emperor Theodosios II, rebuilt
the Hagia Sophia, and the new structure was
completed in 415.
• The second Hagia Sophia contained five naves and

a monumental entrance and was also covered by a
wooden roof.
• A little more than one century later, the structure

was burned for a second time during “Nika
revolts” against Emperor Justinian I, who ruled
from 527 to 565.
• Unable to repair the damage caused by the fire, Justinian ordered the demolition of the Hagia Sophia in 532. He
commissioned renowned Architects Isidoros and Anthemios to build a new basilica.

Byzantine Empire
• The third Hagia Sophia was completed in AD 537, and
it remains standing today.
• When Christianity and then Islam both emerged this

building was constructed in the Byzantine Era first
being a church then converted to a mosque and
finally a museum.
• Covered in ornate mosaics and images of important

figures in the Christian religion, the church’s
conversion into a mosque saw a lot of the artworks
being removed or covered with plaster.
• The design of Hagia Sophia makes use of pendentives

as an aesthetic choice that creates harmony and
symmetry.
• The arches between the main building and the dome

break the structure and create a sense of space
through light. Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair
Islamic Design - 7th Century
• Early Islamic architecture was influenced by pre-Islamic
Arab, Roman, Byzantine, Persian, Mesopotamian architecture.
• It was also influenced by Chinese and Indian architecture as Islam

spread to Southeast Asia.
• Later it developed distinct characteristics in the form of buildings and

in the decoration of surfaces with Islamic calligraphy, arabesques,
and geometric motifs.
• Common or important types of buildings in Islamic architecture

include mosques, madrasas, tombs, palaces, public
baths, fountains and commercial buildings
(caravanserais and bazaars), and military fortifications.
• Islamic Design’s use of geometric shapes and patterns also finds

continuity in Greco-Roman-Byzantine's use of geometry in sacred
architecture. Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair
https://www.artefactindia.com/Taj-Mahal-and-its-marble-inlay-art
Islamic Design – Mosque
• The Taj Mahal, a massive mausoleum complex, took more

than 20 years to complete.
Taj Mahal – located in Agra, India
• Today the Taj Mahal is the most famous piece of Islamic
• Up close, the building is richly decorated with Arabic
architecture in the world.
calligraphy and inlays of semiprecious stones. Inside there
are cenotaphs (false tombs) for Mumtaz Mahal and Shah
• The monument is remarkable both for its size (the finial of
Jahan; the actual tombs are in a chamber beneath the ground
the dome of the central mausoleum stands 240 feet [73
floor.
meters] above ground level) and for its graceful form, which
combines elements of Indian, Islamic, and Persian design.
*Mausoleum: a stately or impressive building housing a tomb or group of tombs.
• The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is the oldest extant Islamic • The structure consists of a gilded wooden dome sitting atop an
monument and one of the best-known. octagonal base. Inside, two ambulatories circle around a patch
of exposed rock.
• About 55 years after the Arab conquest of Jerusalem, the design
and ornamentation are rooted in the Byzantine architectural • The interior is richly decorated with marble, mosaics, and
tradition but also display traits that would later come to be metal plaques.
associated with a distinctly Islamic architectural style. Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair
• Mihrab- A small niche on one wall marking the
direction to face toward Mecca.
• Minbar- Pulpit in a mosque where the Imam

(Leader of Prayers) stands to deliver sermons.
• Minaret- A tower (or sometimes several towers)

related to the mosque is known as a Minaret. It
has a specific function as a high point from which
a call to prayer can be made to summon
worshipers to the mosque several times each
Alhambra Palace located in Andalusia, Spain
day.
• The Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex.
• There is often an Open Courtyard with a pool or
fountain for the washing called for by Muslim
• It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic
practice before entering the mosque itself.
architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the
historic Islamic world.
Islamic Interiors
• A marked characteristic of Islamic design is the
avoidance of any depiction of human and
animal forms as elements of design or
decoration.
• As well as no animal figures or statues in

furniture or accessories.
• This necessity compelled the development of

purely geometric and calligraphic elements.
• Furniture was little used in Islamic interiors.
• Low benches or couches were generally covered

by textiles, carpets, and rugs.
• Although mosques vary greatly in design and in size, they share certain characteristics. The enclosed portion of the
mosque is sometimes partly an open space but is also often columned, forming long aisles.
Ummayad Mosque located in Damascus, Syria
• The Great Mosque of Damascus, also known as

the Umayyad Mosque, located in Damascus,
Syria.
• The building retained many of its original

Byzantine Christian details when converted to a
mosque.
• This large triple-aisled space forms the prayer

hall, which, together with the open courtyard
adjacent, forms the basis for the design of many
later mosques.

Ummayad Mosque, Damascus, Syria

Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Kattab Mosque, Safa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Opened in 2011. Has 21 domes. Inspired by the Blue Mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey



Ottoman Empire – 16th Century
• After the establishment of the Ottoman

Empire, new mosques were built with
designs based on the pre-existing
Byzantine work.
• Ottoman Mosques were equally

influenced by Hagia Sophia.
• While Mosques and Külliyes* are the

most characteristic monuments of *Külliye is a complex of buildings associated with Turkish architecture centred on
Ottoman architecture, a mosque and managed within a single institution, often based on a charitable foundation
and composed of a madrasa, a clinic, kitchens, bakery, Turkish bath and other buildings
important secular buildings were also for various charitable services for the community.
built: baths, caravansaries**, and
**Caravansary was a roadside inn where travellers could rest and recover from the day's
palaces. journey

Ottoman Empire
The Suleimanye Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey.
• The most famous Ottoman Architect, Sinan,

was directly influenced by Hagia Sophia and
other Byzantine structures.
• Sinan's greatest work, the Suleymaniye

Mosque completed in 1557, maintains
continuity with Hagia Sophia.
• It was commissioned by Suleiman, The

Magnificent. • The dome has a height of 53 meters and a diameter of 27.5
meters. The mosque is perfectly designed in terms of natural
• Interior surface treatment is based on lighting which is provided through 32 windows.
calligraphic inscriptions.
• The four minarets of the Süleymaniye Mosque represent the four
• There are four different columns inside all sultans who took the throne after the conquest of Constantinople.
brought from different places all around the While the ten balconies on the minarets refer to Suleiman’s being
world. the 10th Ottoman sultan.
Ottoman Empire
• Architectural decoration was generally

subordinated to the structural forms or
architectural features of the building.
• The Ottoman version of colour tile decoration,

deserves particular mention, for it succeeds in
transforming smaller buildings such as the
mosque of Rüstem Paşa in Istanbul into a visual
spectacle of brilliant colours.
• Ottoman miniatures do have a character of their

own, either in the almost folk art effect of religious
images or in the precise depictions of such events as
military expeditions or great festivals.

Ottoman Empire
The Blue Mosque/ Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey
• The Blue Mosque, preserves a layout inspired by Hagia Sophia.
• The interior of the mosque is lined with more than 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles, in more than fifty different tulip designs. The tiles at lower levels are
traditional in design, while at gallery level their design becomes flamboyant with representations of flowers, fruit and cypresses.
• The upper levels of the interior are dominated by blue paint. More than 200 stained glass windows with intricate designs admit natural light, today
assisted by chandeliers.
Gothic Design – 12th Century
• The Gothic Design Style was an evolution from
Romanesque, which was marked by its many
arches, vaulted ceilings and smaller stained
glass windows.
• The Gothic style took these features and

exaggerated them, increasing the scale of arches
and the magnitude of the windows.
• The walls of the buildings became thinner and

were supported by flying buttresses.
• Important features:
• Stretched shapes and forms • The Gothic style of architecture and art originated in
• Everything looks elongated the Middle Ages and was prevalent in Europe between
• Ribbed vault and cross ribbed vault the mid-12th century and the 16th century.
• Large stained glass windows (interior),
• Asymmetrical • It is rooted in French architecture, but can be found all
• Ornately decorated.
over Europe and even in other continents.
Gothic Design
Notre Dame located in Paris, France
• The SKELETON that surrounds the structure of Notre Dame

serves to keep the building together; each arm or support is
known as a FLYING BUTRESS.
• The buttresses allow for interior spaces to remain as open as

possible and clear of column.
Notre-Dame in Paris, France.

Gothic Design
This plan and interior view of Notre-Dame shows the complex and repetitive
structure of a Gothic Cathedral that allowed for as much light as possible to
flood the interior.

Gothic Design – Notre Dame Interior
Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina

Nair
Gothic Design
Saint-Denis Abbey Church located in France

Renaissance – Re-birth/ 15th - 17th Century
• Art was being reborn.
• After the goths deviated away from the

Roman-Greco norms, artists in the renaissance
era worked at bringing back the balance and
proportion.
• Renaissance architecture was intellectual and

based on: geometry, logic, symmetry,
simplicity.

Renaissance – Furniture
• Large, Heavy & Grand Furniture Pieces Chairs

• Four – Post Beds
• Tables
• Storage Cabinets
• Many furniture pieces were made of rich walnut, which was

then intricately carved with architectural details and village
scenes, sometimes even inlayed.

Cassone is a dowry chest decorated with elaborate gilding and painting and
sometimes heavy carving.

• Cassapanca is a type of chair that resembles early dowry • Sedia is a boxy, throne like • Savonarola is a curvy side chair with X
chests but with an addition of a back piece and arm chair. shaped legs.
rests.
• Typically made of walnut wood. Ornately decorated.

Renaissance Interiors – Walls
There were different techniques:
• Painting the walls with elaborate geometric shapes and patterns.
• Trompe L’oeil – three dimensional paintings on the walls of realistic scenes to add depth into the space.
• Moulding and panelling – found around fireplaces, doors or door frames, very thick and sculptural.

Contemporary - Trompe L'oeil

Contemporary - Trompe L'oeil

Renaissance Interiors – Ceilings
• Ceilings were high and ornamental, with decorative beams frequently stretching across the room.
• The most decorated spaces featured: Deep, coffered ceilings with detailed carvings or paintings inside each
ornamental square.

Renaissance Interiors – Floors
Made of brick, tiles, marble. Laid out in geometric patterns.
E.g. The Sistine Chapel in the Apostolic Palace, in Vatican City
Renaissance Frescoes by Michelangelo.
Fresco - A painting done

rapidly in watercolour on
wet plaster on a wall or
ceiling, so that the
colours penetrate the
plaster and become fixed
as it dries.

The Sistine Chapel in the
Apostolic Palace, in Vatican
City, 1473 AD
Frescos by Michelangelo, which

take up the entirety of the vault,
are among the most important
paintings in the world.

Renaissance Interiors – Textiles
• Textiles and decorative accessories were widely used, helped soften the hard lines of the wooden furniture.
• Tapestries (embroidered wall hangings) often

depicted important events in people's lives,
draperies, bed linens, seat cushions
• PopularTextiles: Silk, Velvet, Damask
• Textiles also added more colour and warmth.
• Deep reds, purples, greens.

Baroque 17th-18th Centuries
• Irregularly shaped, the term is used to describe the ornate and
complex.
• A movement began away from symmetry, logic and simplicity.
• Features were huge, rich materials, painting and sculpture
• Taste for dramatic action and emotion:

- Colour and light contrasted
- Rich textures
- Asymmetrical spaces
- Diagonal plans
- Dramatic use of light
- Large scale ceiling frescos
• The basic shapes of walls and ceilings were modified with 3-

dimensional sculptural decoration, figures and floral elements.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini; View to Cathedra Petri (Chair Of St. Peter), Gilded Bronze, Gold, Wood,
Stained Glass; 1647-53 (Apse Of Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Rome).

Giovanni Battista Gaulli, also known as il
Baciccio,The Triumph of the Name of Jesus,
Il, Gesù ceiling fresco, 1672-1685

Baroque Interiors and Furniture
Furniture
• Formal
• Highly Ornate
• Grand Scale
• Comfortable
• Upholstered Back and Seat
• Large Patterns and Velvet Textiles
• Silk Fabrics Used for Draperies
• Ivory & Exotic Wood Inlays
Walls
• Frescoes for Walls and Ceilings
• Elaborately Moulded Ornamental Stucco
• Wallpaper Prints
Flooring
• Marble
• Solid Wood (Herringbone Pattern)
Rococo Style
• Rococo furniture refers to interior design pieces from inspired by the
extravagantly decorated Rococo period in 18th century France.
• Basically translated as ROCK and SHELL. Developed out of Baroque.
• A style of art, especially architecture and decorative art, that is marked by

elaborate ornamentation, as with a profusion of scrolls, foliage, and animal
forms.
Louis XV Console Table
• Foliage Characteristics of Rococo Furniture:
Organic Growth such as Trees and
• Medium to large scale.
Flowers.
• Tufted upholstery with interior springs.
• Symmetrical scrolls and curves.
• Scrolls • C and S curves.
Rolled, Curved and Shell-like forms • Lavish, high-relief carvings of nature motifs.
inspired by SEA SHELLS. • Marble table tops.
• Mahogany, rosewood, walnut.
• Animal/ Organic Forms
Early Middle Eastern influence.
Neoclassical Style
• From the mid 18th century onwards, Neoclassical design

sought to revive Classical Greek and Roman buildings.
• It is characterized by simplicity, symmetry, and grandeur, with

towering columns, triangular pediments, and domed roofs
among its most recognizable elements.
• A marked contrast to over- the-top Baroque and Rococo styles.
• It is a style that suits imposing public building, consider the

U.S. Capitol, the Panthéon in Paris, or the Prado Museum in
Madrid.
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/neoclassical-homes-from-the-ad-archives
https://www.britannica.com/art/Neoclassical-architecture

United States Capitol Building, Washington DC, USA

The Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain

The Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain – Interior Images

English Classical – Early Period
• Tudor Era (1485 – 1603) – end of the Middle Ages in Britain and beginning of English Renaissance
• Elizabethan Era (1558 – 1603)– Late 16th century English joined chair were made of oak & are
descendants of the Tudor era Wainscot chairs only now without the boxed storage area beneath the
seat.
• The front arm supports are baluster turned and protrude through the seat base to meet sloping
arms. Very low stretchers exist as foot supports.
• Actually originating in the Tudor period X-frame folding chairs was commonly seen in the
Elizabethan age in the houses of the rich, especially among royalty. It uses textile coverings, often
velvet, with the seat being a cradle of webbing which takes a squab cushion.
• Jacobean Era (1603 – 1625) – not embracing exotic influences, less ornamentation. A highlight of
the period were Jacobean chairs in particular the Farthingale, and also the development of its
mule chests and long tables.
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English Classical – Tudor Era
Wainscot Chair
• Tall straight backs and sturdy oak wood arm supports.

• Box-like form with an enclosed area beneath the seat often being used for
storage as a kind of cupboard.
Caquetoire Chairs
• Caquetoire, or "conversation chairs", were of lighter build and had no panels

under the arms and seat.
• Caquetoire chairs sported tall narrow backrests and wide splayed arms.

• Beds and Bedrooms: Highly developed

in design terms
• Four poster beds were often of elaborate

design, with a headboard of carved panels,
posts enriched amply with carving, a tester
and valance of embroidered material, and a
coverlet of fine needlework also.
• Four post beds, with their heavy curtains

which really transformed the beds into a
separate chamber.

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• Storage Chests – Oak
• Wooden Chests served as seats and tables in addition

to providing dry storage space.
• Joined Chests.
• Such chests were put together from, usually six, hewn

planks or boards nailed or dowelled together to form
boxes and raised off the floor, thus keeping dry, by the
extension of the end boards to form primitive legs.

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• English trestle tables consisted of large boards

or planks simply resting on top of uprights, or
the trestles.
• The two trestles were joined by a rail held by

oak pegs.
• Most antique trestle tables designs had the

facility of coming apart for easy stacking and
cleaning purposes.

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English Classical – Elizabethan Era
• Joined chair made of oak & are descendants of the Wainscot
chairs but without the boxed storage area beneath the seat.
The front arm supports are baluster turned and protrude
through the seat base to meet sloping arms. Very low
stretchers exist as foot supports.
• X-frame folding chairs uses textile coverings, often velvet,

with the seat being a cradle of webbing which takes a
squab cushion.
• Glastonbury chairs this old antique example has obviously

elbowed arms and a folding framework.
• Buffet Cupboards used to display plates, cans, cups, beakers,

and other manner of plate, and also as service tables. Some of
these tables had two leaves or a draw or drop leaf mechanism
which drew out to form extension tables often doubling the
length.

English Classical – Jacobean Era
• Farthingale chair- armless chair with a wide seat covered in high-quality fabric and fitted with a cushion; the backrest is
an upholstered panel, and the legs are straight and rectangular in section.
• Stoolsand Benches - Still largely made of oak, and of a solid, sturdy construction.
Jacobean Stool Jacobean Oak Bench Farthingale

English Classical – Jacobean Era
• Chair Gate leg tables, made of oak, were semi-circular or octagonal and had 3 to 4 legs depending on shape.
• Their folding function made them especially useful in small rooms. Hinged drop leaf flaps were supported by
moveable gates.
• The Gate leg dining tables of the Restoration period were larger than their immediate predecessors and had two
flaps and usually 2 gates with 8 legs, sometimes 4 gates. The only turning permitted was bobbin turning, for some
reason, as can be seen in the Cromwellianchair.
Jacobean Gateleg Drop Leaf Gateleg Cromwellian Chair

English Classical – Late Period
• Georgian Era (1714 – 1837) – chairs with curving back splats and cabriole legs, usually made
of walnut, and with upholstered seats.
• Victorian Era (1837 – 1901)– decline in popularity of the smooth and relatively simple Grecian style
of Regency furniture and was replaced by more serious furniture, more imposing, rounded, with
ample ornament, decoration, curving, and gloss.
• Edwardian Era (1901 – 1914) – explosion of the antique trade and the habit of buying second
hand furniture for homes. The Avant Garde (unorthodox or unconventional) furniture movement,
called Art Nouveau in France came to prominence in England in the late nineteenth century and
through the Edwardian era it continued to exert an influence although gradually losing vitality.
English Classical – Early Georgian Era
• Features:
• Made out of walnut.
• Cabriole Legs.
• Upholstered chair seats.
• Walnut is a strong, hard and durable wood

that carves well and holds a good shape for
a number of years.
• This makes it is an excellent choice for

ornate furniture that requires intricate
woodworking.

English Classical – Late Georgian Era
• This furniture movement is known as neoclassical style/ English Neoclassicism.
• Features:
• Mahogany wood
• Tapered furniture legs
• Straight lines, logicallyordered
Cylindrical Tapered Legs Hepplewhite Design Sheraton Style

English Classical – Early Victorian Era
• No single style emerged and dominated but

rather designers and manufacturers would
revive earlier styles from earlier periods and
the Gothic being the most important and
noticeable revival.
Gothic Revival Baroque Revival Balloon Backed
Chaise Lounge Glazed Bookshelf Cushioned Sofa

English Classical – Late Victorian Era
• Arts and Crafts Movement – 1888.
• Ebonised furniture was made in the late Victorian era with Japanese painted.
• Fretwork panels and imitation bamboo arms and legs.
• Furniture produced was composed of straight lines, solid wood usually stained black or dark green, and had
not as much upholstery compared to the classical period. Painted decoration was preferred to carving.
Chinese Styled Table Chippendale Revival Tudor Revival

High Victorian – Interiors
• Furniture - simple comfortable upholstery with

multitude of accessories, deep leather
armchairs.
• Characterized by massing of accessories on each

furniture top, areas became a showcase of
collected accessories.
• Walls had wallpaper prints with loud floral

design. Deep warm coloured drapes on walls &
fireplaces with tassels & trimmings to match.
• Flooring - high gloss lacquered parquet flooring.
• Ceiling - highly decorated ceiling.

High Victorian – Interiors

English Classical – Edwardian Era
• One of the main designers of Edwardian era Avant Garde furniture was Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
• Rennie produced furniture was internationally celebrated and consisted of striking and unorthodox designs.
Avante Garde Furniture – Rennie Mackintosh

https://www.furniturestyles.net/european/english/edwardian.html

Arts and Crafts Movement
• Late 19th century to early 20th Century.
• A movement that saw increased

appreciation of craftsmanship.
• Main characteristic is the heavy use of

wood not only in the furniture but the
interior in general.

Nair
Arts and Crafts Movement - Interiors
• Furniture - oak or maple wood

furniture with high lacquer, highly
decorative accessories, solid colour
draperies toned down to
compliment highly printed
upholstery & rugs.
• Floor - parquet (high gloss finish),

hand crafted rugs.
• Walls - strong paint colours, wooden

panels, medieval inspired stained
glass window on mahogany or
walnut wood frame.

Art Nouveau
• Ornamental style of art that took place between 1890
– 1910.
• Characterized by exotic curves and stylized floral

borders.
• Highly organic shapes and forms are utilised.
• Walls - Mouldings or panels of wallpaper.
• Furniture - Plain blinds for the windows, carved and

inlaid furniture pieces from oak or maple wood, in

lacquer finish.
• Floor - Simple wooden plank floor in bleached or milk

finished in hi-gloss lacquer.
Chrysler building built by William Van Alen in
1928, Manhattan, New York, USA
Art Deco
• Art Deco, short for Arts Décoratifs, is
characterized by rich colours, bold geometry,
and highly detailed work.
• Having reached the height of its popularity in

the 1920s - 40s, the style brings in glamour,
luxury, and order with symmetrical designs
and exuberant shapes.

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Art Deco – Interiors
Art DecoStylistic Characteristics:
• Symmetry
• Heavy geometric influences
• Layered shapes, triangular and
trapezoidal shapes
• Intricate line art, straight and smooth lines,
zigzags
• Rectilinear geometry
• Aerodynamic curves
• Loud and vibrant colors as well as metallic
colors like gold & chrome
• Streamlined and sleek forms

Art Deco – Interiors

De Stijl – The Style – Dutch Movement – 1917
Red & Blue Chair by Gerrit Rietveld
• Also known as Neoplasticism.
• A movement that embraced an abstract, pared-down

aesthetic centered in basic visual elements such as
geometric forms and primary colours.
• Partly a reaction against the decorative excesses of Art

Deco.
• A stripped-down formal vocabulary principally

consisting of straight lines, squares, rectangular planes,
and primary colour.
• https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/glossary-terms/de-stijl-style
De Stijl – Schroder House – Gerrit Rietveld
https://www.archdaily.com/99698/ad-classics-rietveld-schroder-house-gerrit-rietveld
De Stijl – Schroder House – Interior
https://www.archdaily.com/99698/ad-classics-rietveld-schroder-house-gerrit-rietveld
Modern Movement
• Started early 20th century.
• Brought about by advancement of machinery &

industrialization.
• Predominantly pale materials create a cool and

harmonious interior.
• Walls - glass, bricks, white-painted or untreated.
• Furniture - has very little or no decorative detailing, hard

geometric style, dark leather upholstered furniture.

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Bauhaus (1919-1933) Form Follows Function
• A school in Germany that combined crafts and the
fine arts, and was famous for the approach to
design that it publicized and taught. It operated
from 1919 to 1933.
• The German term Bauhaus, literally means

“house of construction", stood for "School of
Building".
• Founded by Walter Gropius, the Bauhaus has

come to represent the distillation of the Modern
movement and the fundamentalist design ethic.
• The approach to design was to stress aesthetic

fundamentals and strive for geometrically pure
forms, machines were not disdained as in the Arts
and Crafts movement.

Bauhaus (1919-1933) - Furniture
• Characteristics of Bauhaus Movement – Furniture
• Bauhaus designs are defined by a lack of ornamentation, the use of clean lines, smooth surfaces and geometric shapes.
They also utilised materials that were new and revolutionary for the time (most furniture in the 1920s was made of wood)
– tubular steel, glass, plywood and plastic, for instance.
Marcel Breuer Marcel Breuer Mies Van Der Rohe Le Corbusier

Wassily Chair 1925 Nest of Tables 1926 Cantilever Chair 1932 Confort Chair 1929
Villa Savoye – Le Corbusier – 1929
https://www.archdaily.com/84524/ad-classics-villa-savoye-le-corbusier Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair

Falling Water – Frank Lloyd Wright – 1939
https://www.archdaily.com/60022/ad-classics-fallingwater-frank- lloyd-wright?ad_medium=widget&ad_name=recommendation Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair

Post Modernism
• An attempt to break free from the practical, muted, and often
impersonal approach of modern design. Celebrates the
unconventional, flashy, and the weird.
• Fuelled by the idea that design doesn’t need to follow rules,

mismatching elements to create playfully extravagant looks,
and the definitions of an item’s function became more fluid.
Vanna Venturi House by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott
• Asymmetry increased while at the same time straight lines Brown, completed in 1964, has been described as the first
gave way to odd angles and ambiguous shapes. Post ModernBuilding

Post Modernism – Memphis Milano
• The Memphis Group, also known as Memphis Milano, was an Italian design and architecture group founded by Ettore
Sottsass. It was active from 1980 to 1987.
• Their designs were meant to be funny, warm and engaging.
• The majority of the Memphis furniture was sheathed in plastic laminate.

Post Modernism – Deconstructivism
• If we define deconstructivism, it literally translates to the breaking down, or demolishing of a constructed
structure.
• Deconstructivism is, in fact, not a new architecture style, nor is it an avant-garde movement against
architecture or society.
• It does not follow “rules” or acquire specific aesthetics, nor is it a rebellion against a social dilemma. It is the
unleashing of infinite possibilities of playing around with forms and volumes.
Dancing House,
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Vlado Milunić & Frank Gehry,
Frank Gehry, Los Angeles,
Prague, Czech Republic
California

Deconstructivism – Interiors
• This UA cinema in Shanghai completed in 2018 celebrates deconstructivism, a postmodern architectural
movement that has started since the 1980s.
• Deconstructivism is about moving away from the shackle of traditions, questioning pre-existing rules,
challenging pre- dominating frameworks.

Contemporary Design
• Contemporary design isn’t defined by a single style but is
unified in its imperative to be unconventional, to break with
the past using innovation and imagination rather than
replicating older styles.
• Simplicity, subtle sophistication, deliberate use of texture, and

clean lines.
• Interiors tend to showcase space rather than things.
• Things that are current with the styles of the moment are
contemporary style
• Designers are no longer limited to linear forms as they now

have at their disposal an arsenal of innovative materials and
the ability to design computer-generated curves, or employ
laser-cutting technology and 3D printing to build more
challenging, precise and unprecedented forms.
Contemporary Design
• Sustainability is an important
feature of contemporary
architecture, with the use of
recycled and natural materials and
attention to eco-conscious water
and temperature control building
systems that are ever more
seamlessly integrated and
considered.
• The worlds largest 3D printed

building, Dubai Municipality.
https://www.archdaily.com/930857/dubai-municipality-to-become-the-worlds-largest-3d-printed-building
Contemporary Interior Design
Characteristics of Contemporary Interiors:
o Curved lines
o Rounded forms
o Unconventional volumes
o Asymmetry
o Free-form shapes
o Open floor plans
o Large, abundant windows
o Green roofs, living walls
o Integration into the surrounding landscape

Contemporary Interiors

Industrial Style Interiors
• Taken from the style of industries.
• Common materials: exposed

brick, concrete, glass, metals and
wood.
• Characteristics: exposed ceiling,

use of leather, exposing things
rather than concealing them,
large windows, having a rough or
an unfinished look.

Scandinavian Style Interiors
• Use of white and light woods.
• Kept very simple and minimal.

Asian Style Interiors
• The developments in India, China, Korea and Japan
were not related or connected in any way to western
developments as they began in separate geographical
locations and they progressed without keeping touch
with the western world.
• Buildings are entirely made of wood so they require a

lot of support that includes columns and a raised
platform.
• Other reasons for the raised platform is to protect the • Wood has always been the primary building material.
structure from animals and insects as they would dig a
• Temples, palaces, and houses all shared a basic
hole in the columns which would make it unsteady. system of construction using wooden columns
supporting beams with bracketed connections, often
richly carved. Sloping roofs covered with tiles were
• Also, to show its religious significance, if it were to be a
universally used and buildings were most often only
temple. one story in height.
Asian Style Interiors – China
• Drawing and photograph of Chinese roof construction.
• This drawing shows typical traditional Chinese

building construction.
• Externally, the tiled, sloping roof would have a curved

profile, and would be supported by a system of
horizontal beams with vertical posts resting on them, in
upward steps that relate to the angle of the roof.
• A typical interior view, shows this horizontal and

vertical support system.

Asian Style Interiors – Chinese Furniture
• Earlier the Chinese would use mats or sacks of fabric placed on the floor
for seating.
• But later developed stools, chairs, and chests skilfully made in wood, with
fine joints made without glue or nails.
• Armchairs of great elegance were produced in hardwoods such as

certain rosewoods and sandalwoods.
• Couches, beds, cabinets, and tables were also made to serve in palace
interiors and in the houses of the wealthy. Lacquer finishes in red and
other colours also came into use.

Asian Style Interiors – Korea
In this rebuilt interior of a hall (throne room) of the Changdok Palace, painted columns in red, and other decoration
in red and green, together with hanging lanterns, give the room its air of ornate luxury.
Asian Style Interiors – Japan
• Shinto shrines (Shinto is Japan’s oldest and native

religion) are among the earliest and most admired of
Japanese architectural works.
• Although of wood construction, the custom of

completely rebuilding every twenty years has
preserved the shrine at Ise.
• It is a simple single room, supported by columns

standing on a raised platform.

• Design based on need and function.

• Very geometric. Exhibits Continuity. Uses wood. Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair
• Certain characteristics can help us identify Japanese interior style,
for instance lowered seating and tables or even having cushions
on the ground instead of chairs.
• Another feature is that the flooring has mats made of rice straw,
which are usually light in colour and they are soft allowing people
to sit and sleep comfortably on them.

• “Shoji” translucent paper that allows diffused natural lighting;
used on the sliding doors and usually surrounded with a wooden
frame to replace artificial lighting during the day and brings in a
touch of nature to the interior.
• Another way of reflecting nature within the interior is through

“ikebana” which is a term used to describe the Japanese art of
arranging flowers.

Privacy is an important part of the Japanese culture; this is why in their interiors we tend to spot many panels
or sliding doors that can be closed to give privacy. Their interiors are also designed in a very smart way that
when needed they can open the sliding doors and have many rooms open onto each other hence they have
very spacious interiors, and as shown the panels when opened joins the interior with the exterior giving more
space.

Asian Style Interiors – India
• The Architecture, Art And Design Of India is rooted in
its history, culture and religion.
• Hindu Temple Architecture with structures mostly of

carvings for preaching halls and temples.
• Harappan Architecture, of the Indus Valley Civilisation,

whose people lived in cities with baked brick houses, streets
in a grid layout, elaborate drainage systems, water supply
systems, granaries, citadels, and some non-residential
buildings.
• Housing styles also vary between regions, partly depending

on the different climates.
• With the establishment of Delhi Sultanate, the development

of Indo-Islamic architecture, combined Indian and Islamic
features.

Asian Style Interiors – India
• The rule of the Mughal Empire, when Mughal

architecture evolved, is regarded as the zenith of Indo-
Islamic Architecture & Design.
• Indo-Islamic Design influenced the Rajput and Sikh Styles

as well.
• During the British colonial period, European styles

like neoclassical, gothic revival, and baroque became
prevalent across India.
• The amalgamation of Indo-Islamic and European styles led

to a new style, known as the Indo-Saracenic style.
• Post independence, modernist ideas spread among Indian

architects as a way of progressing from the colonial culture.

https://www.archdaily.com/900027/the-characteristics-of-12-architectural-styles-from-antiquity-to-the-present-day


Week 3 - Presentation 5 - History of Interior Design (Part 2)

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Week 3 - Presentation 5 - History of Interior Design (Part 2)

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History of Interior Design-II

Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair

• People living under the early Byzantine Empire saw

• As it incorporated Greek and Christian Culture, it

• Additionally, the Byzantine Empire was influenced by Latin,

• Later on, it was influenced by Islamic cultures as well.

• Byzantine Society was very religious, and it held certain

Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair

• The Hagia Sophia is an enormous architectural

• Much like the Eiffel Tower or the Parthenon, the

• Byzantine Emperor Constantius commissioned

• The first Hagia Sophia featured a wooden

• The second Hagia Sophia contained five naves and

• A little more than one century later, the structure

Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair

• When Christianity and then Islam both emerged this

• Covered in ornate mosaics and images of important

• The design of Hagia Sophia makes use of pendentives

• The arches between the main building and the dome

• It was also influenced by Chinese and Indian architecture as Islam

• Later it developed distinct characteristics in the form of buildings and

• Common or important types of buildings in Islamic architecture

• Islamic Design’s use of geometric shapes and patterns also finds

Islamic Design – Mosque

• The Taj Mahal, a massive mausoleum complex, took more

• Minbar- Pulpit in a mosque where the Imam

• Minaret- A tower (or sometimes several towers)

• As well as no animal figures or statues in

• This necessity compelled the development of

• Furniture was little used in Islamic interiors.

• Low benches or couches were generally covered

• The Great Mosque of Damascus, also known as

• The building retained many of its original

• This large triple-aisled space forms the prayer

Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair

Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair

Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair

Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair

Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair

• After the establishment of the Ottoman

• Ottoman Mosques were equally

• While Mosques and Külliyes* are the

Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair

• The most famous Ottoman Architect, Sinan,

• Sinan's greatest work, the Suleymaniye

• It was commissioned by Suleiman, The

• Architectural decoration was generally

• The Ottoman version of colour tile decoration,

• Ottoman miniatures do have a character of their

Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair

The Blue Mosque/ Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

• The Blue Mosque, preserves a layout inspired by Hagia Sophia.

• The Gothic style took these features and

• The walls of the buildings became thinner and

• The SKELETON that surrounds the structure of Notre Dame

• The buttresses allow for interior spaces to remain as open as

Notre-Dame in Paris, France.

Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair

Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina Nair

Prepared by: Ar. Rooshina