Abstract
In this paper the movie, The Matrix, is used as a reference to the current situation
experienced by the interior design profession in South Africa. In particular, reference is made to the
scene where the reaction leader Morpheus presents the hero, a computer hacker Neo, with two
options. He needs to choose between taking a red or a blue pill. The blue pill will allow him to
continue the existence that he knows within the computer simulated world; whilst the red pill will
take him on a journey of discovery beyond the world he knows and enable him to explore – how
deep is the rabbit hole?
The paper commences with an explanation into the current debates around the identity and
position of interior design in South Africa and thereafter attempts to explore a deeper
understanding into the role of interior designers in the design sector in South Africa. Through this
deeper exploration, the paper attempts to identify the gaps that exist in industry which require the
attention of the interior design profession as they undergo a process of professionalization. With
this discussion two main research questions are presented. Firstly, what is the matrix which
determines the current position of interior design in South Africa? Secondly, what will the interior
design profession gain if it explores deeper into the real needs that exist within the industry in
South Africa?
The paper is positioned within the context of the interior design profession in South Africa that has
undergone drastic change over the past 10 years. This context is briefly explained and contributes
to the main theme of searching and constructing identify within a profession that is in a state of
flux.