Does Degree Matters in Arch Viz

[pullpoolfool]

Hello

Friends,

 

Recently I applied to some international firms for the position of architectural visualiser. I was surprised to know that many Architectural Firms have a company policy and they require Architect for handeling Architectural Visualisation. and they do not consider experience or work samples important if the candidate doesnot have degree in architecture.

Guys, I am in this field for almost 8 yrs. now. and really very upset with these type of experiences.

I totally believe that only some STUPID HR MANAGERS can implement such policies.

Is it really that necessary to have a degree in architecture. Can we find some solution on it.

I think i have made a wrong career choice and I strongly feel that I should upgrade myself in some other domain.

How many of you guys really have degree and currently working in an architectural firm. (Freelancing can be done by any one so theres no prob. with freelancing.)

I have missed 3-4 opportunities just because I dont have degree or diploma in architecture. Really need some guidance from you especially from the moderators & jeff

[kippu]

welcome to the forum , i am sure members would pitch in with their replies , but till then you can go through this

 

http://www.cgarchitect.com/vb/32084-do-i-need-architecture-degree-visualization.html

[pullpoolfool]

Hey kippu,

 

Read the thread, I am still confused. There is one funda in Economics, it is knows as Proper Allocation of Resources. If we apply this funda here then I feel An Architect will be allocated properly when some Designing work is given to him. Visualising the design is some what off the track.

 

Any ways.. What Should I Do Now. I am afraid I wont be able to survive in this field.Can You VISUALIZE What will be the scenario after 5 yrs.

[STRAT]

calm down dude!

 

companies have the right to implement any policy they wish. sometimes it's good sometimes it's not good, but you must respect their way of doing things. Different firms and different countries will also have different ways of doing things, and again, it's up to them and you must respect it.

 

you've just come up against those that require visualisers to be architects. this is not always the case. some just require experience in architecture. some dont. some just require a good portfolio whatever your qualification.

Also, whatever the company policy, it's up to you to push yourself and market yourself no matter what the job requires. make yourself a job position. show the prospective employer he cant do without you. Dont just look at the job description and qualifications and walk away because you dont tick all the boxes else you'll never get anywhere.

 

Dont take your current searches as stet. Keep looking. in my experience most architect firms require a good portfolio of work and generally some architectural experience or basic qualification. Not many (if any) require a full architectural degree/qualification just for visualisers.

 

But, your search might not be too fruitful in today's current global financial crises im afraid, no matter how good your are.

[kippu]

after 5 years a better market than this atleast

[jhiler]

Is a degree necessary? Probably not. Some firms however do not want to hire people unless they can technically be an architect or interior designer and that means they need a degree. What also happens is sometimes a firm doesn't understand visualization as an occupation and thinks that only architects should be doing it because they are the trained professionals designing the buildings.

 

Does it make it fair, probably not, but what can you do? Arch Vis has a place in the architectural realm, it is just very hard to find the firms that appreciate/understand it as a separate entity that aren't full staffed at the moment. Your best bet is to try and find a company that does visualization as its primary business. This economy is one of the worst things to try and fight the battle of licensed vs. non-licensed professionals in a firm. From what I have heard some firms are cutting back on employees that can not be licensed because they want to keep those employees that are trying for their licenses or that can be licensed in the future. Is it true for all firms, nope, but that is only what I've heard from friends in the same boat I am.

 

IT's tough out there, but keep your head up and keep looking. Good luck in your search.

[Frosty]

What also happens is sometimes a firm doesn't understand visualization as an occupation and thinks that only architects should be doing it because they are the trained professionals designing the buildings.

 

I disagree. From my experience most firms want flexible and adept staff - people that are a capable designing as they are at illustrating. If you are not trained to design, you become somewhat single purpose as an illustrator.

 

The work flow/load of any office will vary depending on what stage the current projects are in. There may be viz work. The may be CDs. There may be design. There may be a combination of design and viz at the same time. The more skills any staff member has, the more valuable they become. A very large firm may have a dedicated viz department, most do not.

[Crazy Homeless Guy]

If you are not trained to design, you become somewhat single purpose as an illustrator.

 

Quoted for agreement. There are very good reasons for having a design degree. Often you are given very vague direction, which can be interpreted many different ways. This information is given with a sketch, or in cryptic language, or just asking you to capture the essence of something. If this information is given to someone who has not studied design, or doesn't understand what it is that the design is trying to communicate then it becomes a problem. You don't necessarily need a design degree to understand the concept, but a design degree shows that you have exposure and experience in dealing with design, and understand what the design intent is, and not just how to build it in the computer. Design Viz is more about communicating a mood, concept, or atmosphere than it is about interpreting a set of drawings.

 

....though it is about technical accuracy of the design at times too.

Edited May 27, 2009 by Crazy Homeless Guy

[nymn]

It seems that especially in this economic climate that most firms are not going to support one-dimensional staff members. You need to be able to benefit the production in more than one way, ie... visualization, contract documents, specs, etc... which is why most firms prefer candidates with traditional architectural education backgrounds... factor in the abundance of candidates in our field still looking for work and you have a highly competitive market... advantage HR department...

 

as far as upgrading your skills that depends entirely on what type of work you want to do... i dont think we can afford to be pinned to just arch-Viz... either you can pick up on the other aspects of architectural production or you can focus on "viz" work and expand to other markets outside of architecture... alot of "Arch-Viz" firms are now doing more and more product visualization, marketing, and medical visualization work too... and others are doing gaming work... so if you want to upgrade, its just a matter of what direction you want to expand to... either way you go its going to remain competitive

 

just my 2cp

[pullpoolfool]

Thanks strat & Jhiler..! That was Bang on Target..! The Global economic crisis, I totally overlooked this issue, thanks for reminding me.

May be because of Economic crisis companies are not recruiting new people and those who are hiring are looking for Multi talented people who can design, draft, and visualise, or make presentations using CAD (A GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY VARIENT ) - totally agree with you nymn.

But I still believe I should upgrade myself in some another domain ,at this stage it is really not possible for me to go to some college and spend 3-5 yrs. in learning ARCHITECTURE. GAMING is the option, in which i can upgrade myself relatively in short time.

any ways competition is always there and m not afraid of it , what I dont like is "if you donot have a degree you cannnot compete" kinda attitude of many firms (mainly middle companies.)

 

CRAZY HOMELESS GUY - I never thought the otherway now I know y Degree is a must for some Biggg companies..

 

Thanks guys.. I was feeling very low..and desperately wanted to discuss this issue with some one thanks again for your comments.

[STRAT]

and because of this bad economic market, more and more companies are pulling in their belts and being more reluctant to outsource to the like of me and you and deciding to have a bash at doing stuff in-house. quite understandable really. but thats where your clever marketing and selling of yourself comes in

[jhiler]

I disagree. From my experience most firms want flexible and adept staff - people that are a capable designing as they are at illustrating. If you are not trained to design, you become somewhat single purpose as an illustrator.

 

While I don't disagree with you, from my personal experience I will disagree. I have been in architecture for 10 years, I've done construction documents, design documents, construction admin, IT and visualization in those 10 years and I am a licensed interior designer. I am very flexible in my skill set, but lost my job. In my opinion I lost my job because I don't have that architectural degree. In my office there were 4 people that were doing design/visualization type work and of those 4 I was the only one that didn't have that arch degree and the only one that has lost their job so far. Since I focused on vis for 5 years and less of the other aspects of architecture I feel that my office forgot the flexibility I provided to them. The other 3 guys are very talented and are better designers than I am, partially because of their education but also because I am more technical than design oriented. But I was trying my best to learn and be a good designer. I think I could have fit in anywhere in the office, whether it was design or documents and been a valuable piece, it just happened that what I was doing was too crowded. I am actually looking into going back to school for a Masters in Architecture so I can be more valuable wherever I end up.

 

While I am speculating as to why I was let go, I do think flexibility is important in this sort of job market. I think my former employer is looking for internal people that can be licensed architects to fill the roles of those that were let go that could not be licensed. And as for visulization, they still do some internal, but they have dicussed outsourcing more and more visualization as they let most if not all of their vis department go.

Edited May 28, 2009 by jhiler

[ihabkal]

my degree only helped me get a work permit, I haven't used it for any other thing in the last 10 years. it is nice to call yourself an architect when introduced to people, but I think these days the glitter of this profession is gone. everything is about money, and who makes more. I wish I was a doctor, 300K/year, immigrating anywhere would take a few short weeks, they are always needed especially in North America. I had a skin condition while in the states in 2004, and no dermatologist could see me before 30 days. I had to wait to get back to Lebanon in 2005 to see one.

 

Well to be 100% honest, I did use my degree once. Last year I signed a doctor's office plan so that he can get an operating license for that office. I got 100 dollars for my signature. He tried to lower that by telling me that in the future if anything is wrong with me he would treat me at lower fees.

Funny Lebanese doctors. I wish he would need one not me.

Edited May 28, 2009 by ihabkal

[ihabkal]

Hello

Friends,

 

Recently I applied to some international firms for the position of architectural visualiser. I was surprised to know that many Architectural Firms have a company policy and they require Architect for handeling Architectural Visualisation.

 

I am 110% sure that the company in question is DarGroup.

I worked there for a year in Egypt, in 2001, I had my degree and everything, I was immediatly drawn to the graphics design team and asked to be put with them, the director refused and he said you are an architect so we will put you in here with us. later I found out that Architects are not paid overtime there. Graphic designers are. so in these third world countries they use that as a reason to make you work 80 hours week and pay you for 40 hours. which is one of the reasons I quit within the year.

 

so it might not be your fault, they might be only seeking to save monry by not paying overtime.

[Crazy Homeless Guy]

I haven't used it for any other thing in the last 10 years.

 

I bet that is not true. When you look at a sketch by a designer, what do you see? I am guessing you are able to visualize that sketch as a fully built structure with ease. Now think about laying that same sketch in front of someone who has not studied architectural design. They will not be able to see it as easily. That is using your degree. Maybe not in the direct design sense, but it is still using your degree.

[ihabkal]

you're right, for sure. I also met my wife while getting my degree, she was in the same major only one year younger/behind me, so it did benefit me a lot after all.

[pullpoolfool]

I am 110% sure that the company in question is DarGroup.

 

 

You are absolutely right ihabkal . They dumped my profile because I am not an architect.

 

But How did you guess it. there are many other companies in middle east who have the same policy ..

[pullpoolfool]

so it might not be your fault, they might be only seeking to save monry by not paying overtime.

 

 

Might be true

 

But you are a genious . Nice to hear that you worked with Dar Group.

[ihabkal]

Thanks, but I am no genius quite the contrary, I am closer to a simpleton,

It was easy to guess who the largest international firm in the middle east

[pullpoolfool]

hahaha gr8.

[Nic H]

these dar people sound awful tbh.

 

any decent studio would employ on the basis of folio i would have thought.

[ihabkal]

these dar people sound awful tbh.

 

any decent studio would employ on the basis of folio i would have thought.

 

if you think like that you won't stand a chance where I live.

People here are classified according to political connections, militia connections, ...etc.

[paragsm]

hey ppl,

 

We are sailing in the same boat.. [] M tired of sailing .. I want Different Boat..Can any one help!!!

 

Thanks for your support in advance. Even I am looking for a job in Middle East.

 

I am Done with Google Search and was not able to find suitable one.

I have find some vacancies there but they look fake to me.. Like the company name was not disclosed Official Email was not given. In fact these people use yahoo & hotmail for emails. (I find it strange.) ..

 

Ihabkal - can you tell me whether these type of jobs are real ? and whether any risk is there?

 

Pool - many of friends warned me to do thorough search before joining any company in middle.. (Which is not well known Of course). So u also take care in that respect.

[paragsm]

I have heard many stories about these type of small firms.. (Not very sure whether all of them are real or not) but when there is smoke there is fire..

[kippu]

put up a link to your portfolio , i am sure someone will help you out