T2FX Practice

Which of the following represents the golden proportion?

A : B :: B : (A + B)- When a line is divided so that the ratio of the smaller length to the larger length is the same as the ratio of the larger length to the whole, that ratio is the golden proportion.

Organic, humanistic interior design of houses is BEST represented by the work of

Frank Lloyd Wright- Of the designers listed, Frank Lloyd Wright is the one whose work was the most connected to human scale and nature, and who used materials and derailing that are considered organic and humanistic. Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, and Walter Gropius were all part of the modern movement begun in Europe. Their designs were sparse and mechanical, with little detail. Although history is not specifically covered on the NCIDQ exam, there are questions that assume a knowledge of historic styles and significant names in the history of art, design, and architecture.

Which architect developed the Modulor system?

Le Corbusier- Le Corbusier developed the Modulor system, a set of harmonious lengths and proportions based on the proportions of the human body and designed to be used in architecture and manufactured items.

A designer wants to give visual weight to a sofa. Which of the following color combinations would be the BEST choice for the sofa and the surrounding walls?

a color with a warm hue and a dark value for the sofa and a much lighter color for the walls- Warm colors tend to advance, and darker values tend to make objects look heavier. This makes a sofa with a warm hue and dark value (option C) the best choice, especially when the sofa can be contrasted with a much lighter background. A light-colored sofa contrasted with a much darker background (option B) is the next best choice; however, option C is the best choice to make the sofa appear heavier.

Which design element could be used to make a ceiling appear lower?

a dark, highly textured ceiling- Dark values tend to make surfaces seem closer, as do heavy textures. The two in combination would make the ceiling appear lower.

Colors near each other on the color wheel are called

analogous colors- Analogous colors are near each other on the color wheel. Complementary colors are opposite each other on the color wheel. Monochromatic colors have the same hue but differ in value and intensity. Triad colors are any three colors that are equally spaced around the color wheel.

An interior designer is creating a color-coding system for use in a housing facility for the elderly. Which of the following color combinations would be the MOST vivid and easily perceived?

complementary colors of high saturation- Highly saturated complementary colors reinforce each other, so the second combination would create the highest contrast and be the easiest to see for people of all ages. Option D could be the next best combination, depending on how the colors and white were used. For example, a sign with yellow lettering on a white background would be very difficult to see.

A rational approach to design that emphasizes human-environment interaction would MOST likely be based on

environmental design research- The goal of environmental design research is to study scientifically how the environment affects human behavior and attitudes. Functional requirements, while usually rational, do not necessarily take into account the effects of a functional design on the users of the design. Gestalt psychology is a theory of perception rather than a study of the environment. Social influences, while an important consideration in design, are so varied that a completely rational approach to design could not be solely based on them.

An interior designer talking with a client could justify the use of bright colors in an elderly care facility by referring to

evidence from research- To justify using bright colors in an elderly care facility, the interior designer could refer to evidence from research that suggests that bright colors have a positive effect on the health and well-being of the elderly. Using evidence from research to support a design decision is an example of evidence-based design. Design theory, Gestalt psychology, and historic precedent would not have much relevance to this particular design choice.

In an art gallery, an interior designer has provided space for hanging art by using partitions that are completely separate from one another, never meeting at interior or exterior corners. What element of design has the designer utilized?

form- A series of separate two-dimensional walls would be perceived as planar forms. Combined with the floor and ceiling planes, these would create a strong impression of interlocking planes.There is no inherent pattern to the walls, and the scale would depend on the height of the ceiling, the size of the wall, and the size of the artwork. Volume would not be a strong design element because the walls are not connected to define three dimensional shapes.

At a casual restaurant, the dining tables have identical bases, but the tabletops are in different shapes and colors. The tables are equally spaced and distributed evenly within a square space. Which design principle does this configuration BEST illustrate?

harmony- Because the different tabletops are related to each other by a common characteristic (the identical bases), this configuration best illustrates the principle of harmony. The symmetrical balance of the equally spaced and distributed tables would probably not be as visible as the difference in tabletops.

A designer wants to emphasize one particular item in a client's retail store. Which of the following design features would BEST achieve this goal?

locating the item on a main circulation axis and highlighting it- Although all four options could emphasize the object, option A uses location, position, and lighting to focus attention on the item. Option C may be the next best choice, but depending on what the item is, making an oversized model may distort its image.

Functionalism emphasizes the use of all the following EXCEPT

neutral colors- Functionalism emphasizes providing simple, rational solutions to design problems. Although neutral colors are often used in functionalist approaches to design, the theory of functionalism itself does not emphasize their use.

In interior design, the MOST difficult element of form to convey is the

point- As a basic design element, a point has no dimension and depends on scale and distance to be perceived. For this reason, the point is often difficult to convey as a fundamental building block of form, especially in three-dimensional space. The other basic elements of form-line, plane, and volume-are more easily conveyed.

An interior designer is creating the design concept for a home. In addition to satisfying the program and meeting the specific needs of the client, the designer would typically be MOST responsive to the influence of

regionalism- Typically, designers are influenced by regionalism, which is the idea that the design of a home should reflect the unique characteristics of its geographical region. This can be accomplished while still responding to the unique needs and spatial requirements of the client.

A client has asked a designer to create an intimate seating area for a hospital waiting room. Which of the following will be MOST important in achieving the client's goal?

scale- Manipulating scale through the physical placement of walls, ceilings, and ocher architectural elements is the strongest way to create the feeling of intimacy. The use of pattern, texture, and color, while important elements in setting a mood will have little effect if the physical size of the space is too great.

Which of the following should an interior designer FIRST take into account when designing a church's interior?

symbolism- Religious beliefs and ceremony are strongly connected with the use of symbols; there fore, an interior designer should first take symbolism into account. While cultural attitudes, proxemics, and regionalism could also be incorporated into the design concept, symbolism has the strongest relevance.

A college dormitory room shared by two people contains two identical sets of furnishings, symmetrically positioned. Which of the following psychological needs is this arrangement attempting to satisfy?

territoriality- Territoriality is the human need to lay claim to the space one occupies. The two sets of identical furnishings, organized around an imaginary (but perceived) line, divide the dormitory room into two equal territories. Each roommate could then personalize one of the territories.

Architectural mesh is MOST commonly used to create

texture- Although architectural mesh, or woven wire mesh, can be used to show pattern and give a sense of scale, it is most commonly used to create texture. Mesh is available in a wide variety of sizes and weaves. Whether viewed at a distance or at dose range, mesh can give a rich texture to any surface.

Proxemics would be MOST helpful to a designer who is deciding on the

type and spacing of seating in an audiovisual presentation room- Proxemics is the study of personal space needs and the application of chat knowledge to actual space planning. Of the four options, determining the design of seating where people will be very dose co each other ·is the situation where proxemics would be most helpful.

Which pair of design elements does a Parsons table primarily make use of?

volume and plane- A Parsons table has a thick square or rectangular top with thick legs set flush with the edges of the top. Such a table is very volumetric but also has a planar quality.