In Search of the Relationship Between "Interior Architecture" and "Architecture"

"Interior architecture" as a professional and academic discipline, despite having an independent position, is mixed and intertwined with “architecture”. It can be said that until about a century ago, when "interior architecture" and "interior design" had not been formed, the arrangement and design of interior spaces were mainly related to the specialty of "architecture" and architects had the main responsibility for this work.  But after the changes and transformations that took place over the last two centuries, especially in the social, professional, and academic systems, specialties were formed with the names of "interior decoration", "interior design", and "interior architecture" respectively, and its specialists became the main bearers of the responsibility related to the arrangement and design of interior spaces. Today, interior architecture or interior design has such an independent position in the professional and education system that few can ignore its legitimacy. However, it is important to consider that despite the formation of an independent position for "interior architecture" (or "interior design"), due to its common nature and institution, it has a close and intertwined relationship with "architecture". Therefore, the relationship between interior "architecture" and " architecture" is the subject of this research. This research has been carried out in four steps. Since this article is about the position of interior architecture in relation to architecture, the recognition of interior architecture has been first discussed with a brief overview. Therefore, in the first part, a review of the formation of this specialty has been done in order to gain knowledge of interior architecture through genealogy and examine the course of its evolution. In order to achieve this purpose, it was investigated how the three specializations "interior decoration", "interior design" and "interior architecture" emerged. In the second part, there is a review of opinions in the field of the relationship between "interior architecture" and "architecture" and an attempt has been made to categorize these opinions. To better achieve this, abstract models have been used to explain these opinions. In the third part, by examining and analyzing these votes, the relationship of these votes with each other in a comprehensive model structure was examined. Finally, in the fourth part, with a critical look at the mentioned models, a new conceptual model has been explained to analyze the relationship between "interior architecture" and "architecture". The type of research is qualitative, and its methodology is analytical interpretive, and logical reasoning. This research concludes that the relationship between interior architecture and architecture from the angle of the concept of inside and outside is in the form of a spectrum that interior architecture from inside to outside, and architecture from outside to inside, are intermingled and have no boundaries. At the same time, these two specializations form a whole in a complementary relationship. This research can contribute to a more accurate understanding of interior architecture and clarify its relationship with architecture.