Do you or dont you?

[STRAT]

heya guys, just trying to gauge something here.

 

May be a silly question, but how many members here are architects, or training to be architects, or students of architecture, or run their own practices?

 

Reason for this question?

Well i trained as a architect technician about 13 years ago. i did 3 years in college. The days before 3D progs and when CAD was really in it's infantcy.

Then 3dstudio DOS Rel.1 was released, and so was autocad rel.10, so i left college and got into architectural visualising full time and have been doing it ever since.

 

I've worked for a few big firms of architects and a few CG beuraux's doing architecture all the time. But i have never designed or constructed or modelled up or visualised any of my own work in all this time.

My portfolio consists soley of other ppl's designs. not one design of mine. (other than free hand art).

Now this doesn't bother me 1 bit, because i've a wealth of architectural experience if i ever need employment, and a wealth of CGI experience.

 

Am i the only (or one of the only) ppl here then who isn't or doen't espire to becomming an architect, and am quite happy drawing up other ppl's designs for a living?

 

btw, i still have a deep passion for architecture tho.

 

[ June 12, 2002, 02:30 AM: Message edited by: STRAT ]

[samp]

/me is in first year universiy

Studying ... Don't realy know how to call it ...

In belgium, we have "Architecture" But that's not at a university.

What I do is called "Burgerlijk Ingenieur Architect". I think I can translate it as "Engineer Architecture" ...

Both are 5 years studying, and then 2 years working as an intern.

 

Don't realy know what I want to do in the future, if I'm able to finisch university ...

Maybe become an architect, maybe something else

 

Who know, maybe I'll start doing visualisation for my dad (who's an architect) LOL

[nisus]

Hi strat,

 

I am a qualified architect who moved to full time cg after a three year trainee ship in two different firms (where I used to do everything from design, visualisation up to visits to construction sites...)

 

Meanwhile (and even before my trainee ship) I was freelancing 3d-jobs and graphics, which eventually became us running a full-time cg-firm. So at this moment we are only visualizing other ppls work too, but that's ok.

 

I like designing a lot but as it is very hard to set your own ideas - without forced changes by clients - into reality I am not really interested in construction. I still 'design' a lot, but it's all about color schemes, light setups, scripts, working methods and other things...

 

rgds

 

nisus

[nisus]

Hi strat,

 

I forgot one thing. Why not ask Jeff to set up a poll to know what people do?

 

Here is a rough idea:

 

Training/Education:

* architect

* architect (traineeship)

* student of architecture

* engineer

* hobbyist

* anything else

* ...

 

Daytime Job:

* architect

* visualiser

* teacher

* ...

 

CG relationship:

* freelance cg

* hobby cg

* full-time cg (dayjob)

* half-time cg (combined)

 

rgds

 

nisus

[STRAT]

thnx for that answer nisus. most interesting to read. yup, i'll e-mail jeff in the morning.

 

but being a qualified architect im curious why you chose the cg line of work :?

 

i know several collegues who are qualified architects and they wouldn't give up the prestige or 'power' of freedom of design (even where clients are involved usually) for any thing.

 

i mean doesn't it piss you off the fact you're quallified yet stuck with realising other designers work day in day out instead of your own?

 

maybe not. interesting tho.

 

Personally i think if you enjoy something that much then persue it. thats what i did.

[Lanni]

I am a recent graduate with a degree in interior architecture. I am currently doing freelance work as an architectural renderer. I'm also in the process of starting a company with three architects/interior designers, I am an equal partner and have input on all designs but my main job function is (by choice) doing basically everything that has to do with computers; architectural rendering, CAD plans and elevations, hardware and software purchases, network maintance, and researching ways to make production more efficant. I don't plan on making any original designs other than personal hobbyist work ( I can't get enough of CG ) oh and I am designing my own new residence, which is truely the only design I really want to be my own.

[Wojciech Klepacki]

Hi

I'm freelance full time architect with 10 years of experience. CG occasionally.

[kid]

As I only work in an architectural firm part time and so are not there to be able to do any day to day project management (and the fact that I'm the only one in the office who can do any 3d at all) most of my time is doing visualisations of their designs. While I'm happy with this while studying I would prefer to be doing my own stuff once I graduate. I'm not that bothered about licencing/registration and have passions beyond buildings - graphics, clothing, sculpture, etc. So being an intern slave is probably not going to be my first move and I doubt I would pursue CG visualisation for others designers as a main focus, but I do really enjoy fleshing out my own ideas...

I know a few grads/interns who have moved into 3d vis freelancing because this is the only interesting thing they are exposed to early in their career - welcome break from meetings with engineers, typing letters on behalf of your boss, typing specifications, quantity surveying, etc.

[HeDaCoM]

I am studying architecture in Spain. 2 years left to finish. next year I am going to ETH Zurich university for an exchange. If there is someone from there. please contact me

 

oh.. yes I love CG also.

[nisus]

Hi strat,

 

Here are some replies on the questions you asked.

 

I do not want to do architecture because thoses clients bore me a lot. You do not have much freedom in design (or you don't have a job).

Do not forget that I live in Belgium where there is a horrible tradition of building.

 

As I am very concerned with towns and cityscapes I find it very interesting to keep our patrimonium from being destroyed by those horrible buildings. Being a visualiser I have more impact on the looks of cities then I could have being an architect. The reasons for this are simple. First we have impact on several bureaux's instead of only one, this means we got a longer actiradius as so to speak. Second is that we are in a position where we can suggest 'better' things to the architect: another type of meansonry, another color,... Third, we help architects during the design, because we always find details that would not work, things that do not look great. Being an architect myself, I am often asked to solve these things myself and because we have our images to base/reinforce our thoughts the architects are very keen on our prepositions. I much feel like a teacher of architects who are always very pleased because their designs even gets better after previsualisation.

So all of this is a perfect way to 'control' the look of many new projects in cityscapes...

 

Eventually I also like to work with the people I admirer, not to work against them as a concurrent/competitor.

 

Being an architect/builder it would be impossible to know/work with all those great - but few - belgian architects. They would see you as an intruder, where as now we feel like collegues/buddies.

I also do not want to waste my time on contractors screwing things up, as I've seen so many times before. Few people are proud on their work here in Belgium...

 

And do I miss the design? I don't have to miss it! Because I help architects designing in previsualisation a lot or we design visualisation solutions for projects-to-be-build. I also design the workflow, lighting-solutions and scripts in our firm...

 

rgds

 

nisus

 

Another reason is that I just don't want to get stuckon a project for years.

[STRAT]

nisus - thnx for your reply.

 

it's great to hear different ppl's attidudes/reasons behind the business of architecture from around the world.

[nisus]

hi strat,

 

idd it's great to hear these things, but the most important thing to me is whether people are happy with what there doing.

 

I can't stand people who keep on complaining about the fact that they don't like their job. I always tell them to change jobs, but that is almost always to hard. People should be able to motivate themselves. If they think it's to hard to change, they should not complain: they should be happy with their choice. If not, they'd better make another choice!

 

And here on the boards, it's nice to hear different views and perspectives from people in the same business.

Much like the interviews section too.

I hope Jeff got some spare time to do new interviews, because I just love to read them.

 

(Jeff *hint* *hint* are you reaching? :-p )

 

rgds

 

nisus

[Jeff Mottle]

I hope Jeff got some spare time to do new interviews, because I just love to read them.

 

(Jeff *hint* *hint* are you reaching? :-p )

 

Well look at that, one post and WHAM a new interview. I've tolf Nisus this already but I have two more coming, I'm just waiting to get them back. I also have two more on the side lines, so they will keep coming.

[STRAT]

Jeff - yeah, ...*hint,hint*... interviews, ...*hint,hint*... no UK ones yet?... *more hints*... *free coffee and chocky biccys, hint,hint*...

 

(STRAT hoping JM corrupt to bribes) ;p LOL:)

[alexandre]

hi nisus,

I can't stand people who keep on complaining about the fact that they don't like their job. I always tell them to change jobs, but that is almost always to hard. People should be able to motivate themselves. If they think it's to hard to change, they should not complain: they should be happy with their choice. If not, they'd better make another choice!

 

now that's some pretty tough talk!

in the word "moderator", there's "moderation", remember ? and btw i can't stand cellphone rings with the darth vader theme, pudding and patronizing people, but who gives a damn ?

 

rgds,

 

alexandre

[camby]

i love the 'tough talk' nisus!! keep it up. i agree that if you aren't happy with things, than change them. there is nothing worse than somebody giving you their sob story to then stay where they are and do nothing about it.

if you just want to complain, so you can complain..then fine with me, but i have too many things to do in my life to just sit around and complain about things that i am not willing to change. life's too short and too free to not be happy!

in respone to the topic..i get to do both! i design the project, then turn around an work on the cg for the client. wouldn't have it any other way. love the design too much to give it up and love cg too much to do the same.

[nisus]

Hi all,

 

strat: looool!

 

alexandre: was I not moderate? I thought I was :-pp hum hum... btw... I don't like any mobile-tunes at all, except for one: the old time telephone 'ring' from the 50s and before. Now that was a telephone sound! I have a hard time finding it though... don't know if it exist anyway... And in full respect of old telephones, I'd like to own a mobile with a turning wheel... :-p

Anyway... You should be able to program your own songs... One beep, only recognisable to the users should be enough... Don't know why people want to share their knowledge of populair classical music to the world... :-ppp hum hum...

 

camby: yeah I always wonder why people put lots of energy in complaining but none in actually solving their problems...

 

jeff: big tnx for the new interview sessions

 

rgds

 

nisus

[Guest heavybones]

I am a full time architect doing commercial office buildings, some residential in phoenix.

[mbr]

Education:

Bachelors in Architecture, University of Florida

Masters in Architecture, UCLA

 

I am foremost a designer and architect (although not 'legally', as I am not licensed), but the field his extremely demanding and short on rewards. 3D visualization, web design, etc., pays better and you can work normal hours.

My partner (with MBR Studios) and I (a good friend from undergrad who practices architecture in Dallas) have begun entering competitions as an outlet for design. We got an AIA Honorable Mention for our first attempt. More to follow...

The dream is to do it all and to try to integrate these overlapping but separate professions.

[jucaro]

When I graduated from Highschool, I dropped my first semester in college (Computer science) to pursue my CG interest. At that time it was still 3D Studio DOS R4, afterwhich i got into freelance jobs doing product prototype visualizations and animations and graphic designs. 3 years after, with autocad and a lot of DTP software knowledge under my belt, I went back to college to pursue a degree in Advertising arts while doing freelance jobs for architecture students and architecture firms and found out my passion for architecture, hence i've been doing architecture related things ever since

[Buttman]

Hi, this is kinda personal for me. I'm in my final year of my degree course (Architecture) and I really don't know what to do for next year. I don't know if I wanted to pursue to become an architect. I have to make a confirm what I'm gonna do for next year. I never worked in architect's practice before - I have been trying to contact them to work as an intern since 4 years ago! But been there for a 2 weeks work experience in local architect practice, which I was told to sit and watch, that's all. I had several chat with architect and he scared the crap of me. He was telling me the horror stories of being architect. I've tried to talk about the positive side but he kept on the negative side. He didn’t even encourages me to become architect. Also, when I got to see his designs and buildings which is awful – most of them are like a shed, steel portal frames with corrugated cladding. He kept saying “within budget and within time” which I believe it too but there’s no creative side, no exciting aesthetic ideas - that’s what bored me. I like to work like Norman Foster, Daniel Libeskind, Richard Rogers, Nicholas Grishaw, etc. But then, I thought what’s the odd working like those architects so I’m lost here. I don’t have much confidence to become one but in my back of my mind which is to work as an AutoCAD technician because the pay is so tempting. Again, I can’t decide what to do

[Sawyer]

Buttman -

 

This one is kind of near to my heart. Wish I could say that there was a clear way through these kind of decisions but really this is what makes the trade. Legal issues are huge here in California an Architect is liable for 10 years for EVERYTHING that happens to a project. And I have been told that there are lawyers who wait till the 9th year on a project and then call up the owner and ask them what is wrong. Professional liability is a huge issue no different than being a Dr. And something I think no-one gets taught in school is how many architects make a living doing ugly buildings. I actually worked on a baseball dugout once. Many people hire an architect for the legal experiance an architect brings not the creative stuff. That said I also know architects who specialise in REALLY AWSOME SPACE!!! I was talking with one architect who was defending his choice for a material for a project. This material was going to cost $260,000 more than the alternative and the architect would not back down. Did not even think to offer it up. For the building it was the right choice the owners were not happy but this building may become one of the nicest in town. This was a really big deal and the architect was not going to compromise. That is a set of balls. But this arichtect makes less than I do a year and may not have a great image in town.

 

 

My advice is to apprentice. really hunt down a good firm and pick up as much as you can. Also remember everyone has already make the mistakes try to figure out what works and what doesn't.

 

Cheers

[Chaz]

Building Designer, non licensed architect. Over 30 year’s experience, of that 25 years running my own firm.

We have started doing cg visualization in the past year. After seeing the reply from our clients, modeling will become part of our standard package.

After all the years, the up and down, the clients, I still enjoy my work.

Some thing I once read, “When you’re being compare to the competition, don’t be an apple be an orange”.

Chaz

[Buttman]

I'm thinking to give a try to work in architect's practice for a year. It just that all I hear is the bad stuff of being an architect. That's what saddened me, I don't have any encouragements nor have any mentor to become an architect.

[Fernando Lino]

I'm an architect from Peru, but in USA for now I am a Designer because I don't have the registration yet(I'm close to get it)...My CG experience started when I had to present my project to the clients (Housing) and the wives didn't understand the plans ...You know, they are more visual than the husbands...well, the good part of this problem was I needed to show my ideas in different way (3d studio-DOS) :gebigeek: ...I did it and now everything is much easier for me!!!!! :ebiggrin: :ebiggrin: