Contemporary cityscapes vary greatly from their early precedents, hosting urban life in sprawling interior spaces like mega-hotels, shopping malls, and transportation hubs. Soaring atriums and expansive concourses are now a normal part of the urban experience, allowing for public activity 'inside' the city. Interiors and urbanism are often considered at far ends of the spatial spectrum, with architecture serving as a mediator between the two. The growing significance of 'interior urbanism' in the functioning of the built environment demands the question - how can cities be reinvented from the inside out?
The phenomenon of increasing indoor urban space - termed as Interior Urbanism - depicts how urbanization extends beyond external city boundaries to influence the design and dynamics of interior spaces, particularly public interiors. The concept encompasses the notion that interior spaces, particularly public spaces, are essential elements of urban life, shaping and mirroring the changing design of cities. It can also be perceived in continuous and interconnected interior spaces in cities such as mega structures, arcades, underground pedestrian walkways, above ground link bridges and infrastructural spaces.
The juxtaposition of interiors and the urban environment challenges traditional spatial practices. Interior Urbanism transcends conventional notions of public and private spaces where internal spaces are recognized as part of the 'public realm.' The evolving nature of museums, libraries, and other communal spaces within the urban context point at the growing importance of interior spaces in fostering public activity and community interaction. As shopping malls and buildings like libraries take on diverse public functions, interior spaces are starting to look much like outdoor public spaces. Office buildings also offer a range of amenities in shared ‘public’ spaces such as sky gardens.
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The roots of Interior Urbanism trace back to the works of John Portman and Associates in 1960s and 70s America. Charles Rice, in his book Interior Urbanism: Architecture, John Portman and Downtown America, identifies the influence of Portman's projects, such as Peachtree Center in Atlanta and the Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. These developments, marked by expansive internal atriums, reimagine not just hotels and commercial spaces but the very essence of American downtowns amidst the turmoil of the time.
Portman's buildings, like the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta and the Renaissance Center in Detroit, emerge as solutions to the crises facing urban centers. The atrium, with its circular and enclosed design, symbolizes a paradigm shift in architectural and urban philosophy. Under Portman's influence, hotel lobbies transformed into climate-controlled communal spaces, encouraging both guests and visitors to stay for long hours. Many urbanists expressed dismay, arguing that these expansive indoor areas formed an enclosed, artificial island, dissuading occupants from going outside and engaging in urban street life.
Portman's intention was not to cut buildings off from outdoor living, but to serve as an "urban lung" to decongest crowded and hectic downtown neighborhoods. He imagined the lofty atriums as "the heart of the city" that circulates its energy out to the rest of the city. His model proposes an interrelationship between indoor and outdoor public space, where urban life seamlessly flows between both realms.
Interior urbanism will only grow more significant with time. In his article Some Notes Towards an Interior Archipelago, curator Brendan Cormier posits “90% of our lives are spent inside - urban life is an interior affair.” Lifestyle changes across generations, coupled with the desire to avoid certain weather conditions, serve as catalysts for the sustenance of interior urbanism. The phenomenon is widely noticed in cities with extreme climates, such as Toronto's 24-hour run eateries, libraries, and city-run community spaces. Citizens of tropical cities flock to air-conditioned "public" spaces like malls and theaters.
In a time when interior spaces have become emblematic of urban landscapes, concerns about the authenticity of a city's public life have emerged. Most indoor urban spaces are owned by private entities or public-private partnerships. Generally, public interiors are viewed as undemocratic and exclusive spaces. This raises questions about accessibility, civic rights, and collective custody of interior urban areas.
People are increasingly spending more time indoors, whether due to the threat of infectious diseases or the escalating impacts of climate change. There is a pressing need to address larger scale design issues brought to light by phenomenon like Interior Urbanism. It is now more crucial for the field of interior design consider concerns of urbanism, livability, and equity in the creation of public indoor spaces.
