Architect Ambitions.... help?

[TheWay]

I have recently graduated with a degree in graphic design and computer science, but really love architecture. I read about it, listen to lectures

((3 from here) http://www.princeton.edu/WebMedia/lectures/ ) and I do alot of designing. I have read up on aCAD and ADT and have done a little work on them. I have some 3ds max skills from a while back. I plan on doing the 3.5 yr program but would like to know more about the profession, Like how many different areas are there with the title "Architect". is the title more designer or more construction? What should I be reading, carpentry and masonry books or history, form, theory and design books, or all of the above? I really like to do things in advance so I would like to go into the 3.5 yr program and already know what they will teach me, so I can go beyond that standard of education. I love to learn so I am looking for any information, or any place I can find it. please suggest anything and everything that you think will help me in my quest.

 

Thank you for listening and any advice that you leave

[ZFact]

Architecture really has many different forms. But the 2 that

stand out would be the design side and the technical side.

 

Decide yourself which one you want to pursue and where your

strengths are. That said you will need to learn it all to be at

the top of your game.

 

I work with architects who are great designers but cant build

up production information drawings and architects who are

paper pushers and cant design or detail. Personally, i am a

technologist by trade and should know all there is to know about

detailing and building regulations but all I do these days is

3D modelling and rendering. I cant remember the last time

i had a flick thru the building regs or came up with an innovative

construction detail.

 

All is not as it seems... bad pay... and long hours.... but it is very

rewarding... just dont believe all the hype.

[Devin Johnston]

The school you choose will have a big impact on the type of architect you become. Some schools are all design oriented with minimal exposure to the technical side of the business, while others focus on the more technical aspects of how a building goes together. In either case you should realize that there is a big difference between what you will learn in school and what the real world of architecture is like.

While in school you are free to explore your ideas of design, this can be very misleading when compared to the real world. Most of the time graduates will be involved in very little if no design work and will be mostly a CAD monkey. There is a very good reason for this, despite the fact that you may be a talented designer you still have very little understanding of all of the nuts and bolts that go into designing and building a building even after all of your schooling. As you build your knowledge in your internship you will be given the opportunity to show what you can do, first on little projects and then as your skills grow on bigger ones. Many interns find this 3 to 5 year period after graduation very frustrating but it is a necessary step to gain the knowledge you need to become a true architect.

My advice would be to try and get a job working for an architect ASAP, and learn what it is like first hand instead of only getting the school experience. You may find that it's not as glamorous as it seems to be.

[TheWay]

What knowledge should I obtain in order to have the skills to work for an architect before I attend school? What sort of things would I be able to do or what would they expect me to know? Is it a sofware thing or more of a building know how.

 

Also if you know of any links that might assist me in my quest can you please post, anything that is worth reading or looking at.

 

Thank you

[ZFact]

Top of the list id say is get to know CAD inside

out... that'll make you employable. Probably

Autocad, i think thats the most widely used.

 

Then really look at how buildings are put

together. And understand what each element

is doing. Every part of a building generally

serves a purpose. That said; some buildings

are very ornate and these elements serve

no purpose other than decoration.

 

Hope this helps and doesnt confuse matters

for you.

[Frosty]

Although knowing AutoCAD "inside and out" is often considered the easiest way to become employable, it is also the surest way to be labled a cad monkey. It's difficult to break out doing grunt work if an employer has labled you as such.

 

This isnt a slam on drafters, they are an important part of the industry. This is simply an observation from someone navigating the internship process.

 

Another place you may want to checkout is http://www.archinect.com

[AJLynn]

Fortunately these are good times to be looking for a job in architecture - there seems to be more work at a lot of firms than there are people to do it, which will make it more likely that you'd get a job without architecture-specific credentials. Not a good job, mind you, but a job. At this point I wouldn't worry too much about getting pidgeonholed as a drafter or a 3D guy (which is usually more interesting than a drafter, but probably not as good a way to learn things like details and construction) because whatever you do, if you want to become and architect you'll be going to grad school, which will remove you from whatever employment you get in the meantime and will lead to different opportunities.

 

It sounds like you want to be prepared, so do try to learn what you can about the work, and also about the schools you consider, from whatever angles you can find. Start with the ACSA and their book on architecture schools, then do some more investigating, look up schools' core curricula and electives to get a feel for what the teach, and look at recent work coming out of their M.Arch. studios and theses. See what the professors are publishing. From the other side, Design Intelligence magazine does a survey of practicing architects on their opinions of schools (don't take it too seriously but it's a way to get another angle).

[Devin Johnston]

What knowledge should I obtain in order to have the skills to work for an architect before I attend school? What sort of things would I be able to do or what would they expect me to know? Is it a sofware thing or more of a building know how.

 

Also if you know of any links that might assist me in my quest can you please post, anything that is worth reading or looking at.

 

Thank you

 

The knowledge you gain from working in a Firm is what makes you an architect, going to school is just going to expose you to design concepts and give you the basics needed to understand the technical issues you will be faced with. Working for a firm as an intern will involve doing everything from CAD work to filing drawings, and they are probably only going to expect that you know how to use CAD. BIM is becoming the next big thing so it would be a good idea to at least be familiar with how it works.

[notamondayfan]

Although knowing AutoCAD "inside and out" is often considered the easiest way to become employable, it is also the surest way to be labled a cad monkey. It's difficult to break out doing grunt work if an employer has labled you as such.

This isnt a slam on drafters, they are an important part of the industry. This is simply an observation from someone navigating the internship process.

Another place you may want to checkout is http://www.archinect.com

 

this is so true. when i joined this architects practice i didnt know autocad at all, and thats the way its stayed. i probably could learn it, but ive never had the desire to become a CAD monkey!

[Vince Paske]

Having gone through a 4 + 2 graduate program, 4 years of being an "intern" with the supposed goal of becoming an architect - the advice I would give you is mold your career around what you like to do, there are so many things you can do.

My experience has been there are a few different "flavors" of profesionally licensed architects.

 

One is the Project Architect. This is the person that has a great understanding of the building process, has a lot of techincal skill with regards to construction and coordinates with a team consisting of interns and technitions. They do "design" work, but usually its a matter of tweaking and working out of the details under the guidance of the following...

 

Second is the Design Architect. This is the person that has a great portfolio and can really put togther a nice looking building from sketching and just has a knack for design - aka talent. This is the type of architect, depending on the person and work environment, that can fill any role the architect provides - techincal, client relationship, managerial..etc. These are the guys who usually ended up as Principles in firms and have great social skills.

 

Third would be the Project Manager - aka the "bean counter". These are the people that have close realtionships with clients and their money. They don't draw, usually wear ties a lot and you may confuse them with accountants. Well...maybe not all PM's, but these are the guys that spend most of their time on the phone, going over contracts, looking over spreadsheets and making sure the team is creating the deliverables on schedule.

 

Its far more typical for an "architect" to be a messy combination of those things though. As for what to read before school - read everything. Architectural education is one of the most diversified learning experiences you could jump into. You'll learn everything from Law, History, Philoshophy, Physics....etc.