Where do you mostly work, and what do you actually do? What kind of people are you surrounded by? Do you have to dress all in black like a mime artist? Are you well paid? Read on for an in-depth look at working hours and conditions in architecture. With the exception of making site visits you will be working indoors, in a modern office. Unless you are self-employed, you will find yourself working alongside at least two or three other people — probably many more — but with a good deal of independence.
Your working week will probably be a standard 40 hours, though you may be asked to do more at busy times. Most architects are paid a respectable salary when compared to other professionals such as teachers. Moreover, there are opportunities for travel, and the profession is highly regarded by the public.
However, architectural work can be stressful because of competing priorities and deadlines, and some architects feel they are not fairly compensated. Architects also take on legal responsibility for the safety of their buildings, which can be a psychological burden.
A perfectly prepared portfolio makes this easier. Feel prepared and confident, and let your portfolio do the talking. Architects spend most of their time at a desk, working at a computer. This could be in an office with others, or increasingly, since early ! Architects also spend time in meetings with clients and other industry professionals, and visiting construction sites.
First, a note on descriptions: the words firm, practice and studio are often used interchangeably to describe any company whose business is architecture, but firm may imply a larger organization while studio suggests a smaller one. A practice could be any size, while office simply refers to the main workspace of a practice. What does it feel like to work at one of these places?
It depends a lot on the size of the company. The trade-offs for this are the high profile of the organization which could really make your CV stand out in future and the excitement of lots of things happening at once. Another option for an architect is to go it alone as a sole practitioner. You might like to read our article, A Guide to Architecture Firms , for more information on the kinds of places that architects work.
Beyond size, something else to consider about architecture companies is what they pick out as their selling point: efficiency, experience, or expertise. Practices that focus on efficiency highlight their ability to complete projects in less time, or at a lower cost, than their competitors, and they are likely to work on buildings like residential units that can easily be replicated.
On a more occasional basis, you will meet with clients and other professionals such as engineers, plumbers, electricians, interior designers , landscape designers, planners, local government officers… the list goes on. Therefore, those with architecture degrees can choose to take more traditional routes—sticking with careers within the architectural field—or nontraditional paths toward external industries that also value their carefully honed competencies.
Many opportunities exist for architecture graduates to practice their unique skill sets in a variety of fields. Here are 22 different jobs in a multiple fields that you can get with an architecture degree, ranked by salary:. They may interface with clients to determine their specific needs and managing proposals of typeset, formatting, color and other details. From here, graphic designers develop illustrative concepts, graphics and layouts for client use.
They may work in the commercial, industrial or residential sectors. Framers are responsible for assessing building needs, drafting plans and taking measurements when necessary.
From here, they cut, shape and install building frame materials to ensure they are structurally sound. They coordinate the workflow of structural duties, interpret blueprints and provide quality assurance inspections. Project coordinators can work in a variety of industries adjacent to architecture, but their principal purpose is to collaborate with engineers and organizations on the oversight of building projects.
They may curate specific materials, decor and lighting to actualize their visions. Interior designers may use drafting and visual design skills to create plans for their projects. While interior designers may work as part of a team, they often provide the direct oversight to see an interior project to its completion. While they often work for lighting companies, consultants may also provide their services to large venues, residential clients, retail spaces, event companies or architecture firms.
They visit project sites, create plans for client specifications, manage budgets and oversee installation efforts. The main objective of lighting consultants is to ensure that lighting systems are visually appealing, installed correctly and operating efficiently.
They create 2D images surface models and 3D images solid models to create such graphics. CAD designers are deeply involved in the development processes within fields like architecture, manufacturing and automotive design. They typically translate complex verbal instructions or conversations into workable models.
They work in many fields, including architecture and engineering. Depending on their specific role, professors may teach undergraduate and graduate students studying in their field, plan curriculum, direct programming, oversee extracurricular efforts, complete research projects, secure grants, publish written work and support student development.
Professors often also advise students majoring in their fields to direct thesis research and career development. They must adhere to specific guidelines from architects and utilize software to prepare their drafts. Architectural drafters must often translate complex and abstract ideas into organized technical plans that building teams can work from.
In our present day, women have begun to get a strong hold on the profession, but thankfully the philanthropic ideal has not died out. Contemporary architecture has a necessary focus on sustainability: environmental, social, psychological, and economic. Founding a sustainable foundation towards a humanitarian aim is never a waste of time. As mentioned previously, architecture and politics are in many ways inherently tied together. The knowledge one gains of people, and the way they interact with their environment, the way they are organized, what makes the human body and psyche feel comfortable; all of these skills contribute hugely to making a good politician.
In fact, in Finland, Anders Adlercreutz, a current first-term Member of Parliament, is educated as an architect and practiced as one for many years before turning to politics, while in Britain Richard Rogers serves in the House of Lords alongside running his practice. Similar to philanthropy, conservation of the environment is becoming a focal point within architecture.
Despite many efforts, our planet is still heading down a path leading to disaster when it comes to our natural surroundings. Using your knowledge of spatial organization to develop a method of environmental conservation is not only intellectually stimulating, but also vitally important for our society.
Becoming a writer or journalist can be a great way to utilize an architectural education; we learn to articulate ourselves using mostly descriptive language and rhetoric, in order to communicate our complex projects to teachers and critics.
Turning that into writing, whether fictional or not, is another way of constructing another world and an experience for others. Problem solving, creative thinking and the art of persuasion are three skills architects and entrepreneurs have in common that you can use to your advantage.
Your experience with abstract concepts and human interaction can make you a stronger competitor with an alternative way of thinking. The list above is of course incomplete, as the careers mentioned here can be combined in many ways, and other, unmentioned vocations can be brought to the table to provide virtually infinite possibilities.
As German educator Kurt Hahn said, "there is more in us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps, for the rest of our lives, we will be unwilling to settle for less. You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.
About Contact Submit Advertise. Change country. Architecture school is very rigorous, and you won't have much of a life during your school years. Projects take much longer than you think they will - figure on two or three times longer than what you estimate.
For the first couple of years, your work will all be done by hand hand modeling and hand drawing. Draw everything and everyday, it is important to draw as much as you can. This will help you in the long run. The later years will introduce computer modeling. Learn how to render well; it is one of the most useful things you can put on your resume and in your portfolio. Try to get as much work experience as possible, as soon as you can.
An excellent place to work is at a construction company, as you will learn a lot about the buildings you are designing and will become a much better architect with that understanding. Develop an appreciation for art and influences outside of the realm of architecture.
Try and keep an outside perspective, it will help open your mind to possibilities and shape your career. Being an architect can be very challenging and competitive.
University does not teach you everything you need to know, but it does develop your creative talents and opens your mind to new ideas. You will learn about business and the technical aspects of architecture when you start working in the field. You will also develop useful contacts and relationships with contractors, engineers and clients.
Practicing architecture for most architects is not about designing per se, but about coordinating projects, solving design problems, and overseeing the details of the construction. All these sometimes mundane and uninspiring tasks will lead to a successful design. Over time, you may prefer either the design aspect, or the technical aspect of the job and may veer towards doing one over the other.
The direction you take in your career will dictate what your typical day will be like. Architectural design focuses on the design of a building, the use of 3d models, sketching, renderings etc.
Technical design focuses on the construction, documentation, and details of a project. There is also the business side of architecture, and if you find you prefer that side of the picture, you can branch out and become a project manager.
Try to get an opportunity to spend some time in an architecture office if you can. See if you like what the people are doing, chat with them and see if they are the type of people with whom you'd like to work with - this is really the best indicator of whether you will enjoy being an architect or not. Both interior designers and architects have specific skills they use to develop design plans for their clients.
However, they perform markedly different design functions. Interior Designer Interior designers use their artistic abilities to reconfigure and decorate interior spaces, and work with their clients homeowners, business owners, etc. Whether designing a home or a business, an interior designer needs to be able to tap into and understand a client's needs and wants.
Spaces can range from indoor and outdoor home environments to restaurants, gyms, dental offices, hotels, and spas. No matter the shape or size, every interior designer works with the end goal of creating a space that is attractive, practical, and safe. An interior designer will meet with a potential client to discuss the scope of the project, and prepare a design proposal.
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