Theory and Criticism... What are they anyway?

When asked the question... What is Theory? My mind goes blank. I thought I knew. But in just the first few minutes of class I realize I only have a vague understanding. I can come up with some specific geometric theories like the Pythagorean Theory and The Golden Mean and others like Gravity and Relativity... but what is theory? So, I go to the dictionary. Merriam-Webster defines theory as "a plausible or scientifically acceptable general principle offered to explain observed facts". Well that really helped.

In class we discussed the two types of theory, positive and normative. A positive theory describes behavior as it really. Positive theories are logical, testable and descriptive. On the other hand, normative theories describes a norm or standard of behavior. They are more about ways of doing things or convention then they are about absolutes. Additionally, theories can be categorized into Big "T" and little "t" theories. Big "T" theories are scientific and global in nature such as Color Theory where mixing two colors will always give you the same outcome. However, Color Theory can also be a little "t" theory as well. It is personal in nature when we talk about how a color makes us feel. This is subjective and can vary from person to person, across cultures and genders. Interior Design theories fall somewhere in between.So, what are the roles of theories in Interior Design? I believe, that theory helps the Interior Design practice to have generally accepted practices and ways of doing things that guide and aid the industry.

Going back to the dictionary, Merriam-Webster defines criticisms as " a judgement or review". I quickly learned what criticism was about in one of my Residential Design courses during my first design degree. While others cried over the harsh "critical" words my professor would use, I learned to not take it personal. I understood that design is very subjective and although there are design principles that aid in good design... criticism is an entirely different thing. Criticism should be an evaluation of the work that is delivered in a subjective and non-judgemental manner. It does not any personal or value judgements. This process is useful to the Interior Design industry in order to challenge us to think about other options and look at things we did not consider.

Lastly, what is environment? You would think this one would be easy; however, it encompasses many different things. In relation to Interior Design it refers to the surroundings and things within a space. It is about function of the space and how it is experienced by a person. It is about scale and proportions.