IACC    ♦   An Interdisciplinary Approach to Color

Thanks to the IACC International Association of Color Consultants for providing this information about the organization.

The IACC began in Hilversum, Holland in 1957. Founding members included approximately 50 architects, interior architects, designers, scientists and artists from 12 countries.

The inspiration was an acute shortage of professional color consultants. Furthermore, there was an absence of competent training in the field. Therefore, in 1958, Dr. Heinrich Frieling established the the IACC interdisciplinary education/accreditation program. Dr. Frieling, the first IACC President, was already a renowned color authority, psychologist, biologist, and philosopher. The IACC calls this original program in Salzburg, Austria the  “Salzburg Seminars for Colour and Environment.”

The unique education and accreditation program we know as the IACC Seminars for Color and Environment has had a presence in the United States in San Diego, California, since 1991.

Meanwhile, interest in the organization has expanded. In 2000, the author and international lecturer Frank H. Mahnke became the second President of the IACC. He then founded an Asian branch in Japan. The Asian program is known as the IACC School for Colour and Interior Design in Nagoya City, Japan. Furthermore, Mahnke also founded the American Information Center for Color and Environment, in San Diego. In 1994, graduates from the San Diego courses established the North American chapter of the IACC with the new name of IACCNA.

The IACC International Association is also instrumental in giving guidelines to various universities internationally about how to construct their core curriculum for the subject of using color in the built environment.

The organization is now also referred to as the IACC-NA (North America)