What Should An Architect Know?

7 THINGS ALL ASPIRING ARCHITECTS SHOULD KNOW

 

As striking and inspiring as any architectural masterwork, a beautiful, purposeful building can be. It's easy to be drawn to a profession with as much creative freedom and the potential to impact communities as architecture. But being a successful architect can be a hard-fought battle; it can even take several decades to become a successful architect

 

Architects tend to be late bloomers. It takes years of practice, training, and self-refinement to get certified, let alone to distinguish yourself from others once you've become a proper architect. If you want to be an architect, it's important to be prepared early; a little bit of experience goes a long way.

 

1. UNDERSTAND​ ​HOW​ ​ARCHITECTURE​ ​INTERSECTS​ ​WITH​ ​OTHER​ ​FIELDS.

The artistic masterminds behind some of our greatest projects are architects. They inevitably work with many other groups of practitioners because of the nature and size of these projects. Learning how architecture intersects with other fields will provide a greater understanding of the role of the architect. You will also better understand the interests, aspirations, and needs of other stakeholders

 

For the architect, skill, imagination, and hard work are obviously important. The ability of the architect to have constructive and substantive interactions with bureaucrats, engineers, industrial designers and planners, lawyers, investors, and many others who have a key role in completing any project is just as important

 

If you're considering applying to an architecture program, it's important to note that changing majors is incredibly common for undergraduates. If you know, like many, that your degree program is not for you, a detailed understanding of the roles and careers that overlap with your interests will.

 

2.​ ​START​ ​EARLY​ ​AND​ ​DEVELOP​ ​SUCCESSFUL​ ​HABITS.

While this is good advice for all, it is particularly true for architects. Architecture is a profession that takes a great deal of effort and patience over time. Before you can, you must learn essential creative and technical skills, find the right school for you, and gain critical workplace experience

 

In sketches and in written form, it is important to document and express your ideas; it is particularly prudent to carry a sketchbook. Pradeep Attri emphasizes that aspiring architects are wise to master pencil and paper before moving on to higher-tech resources such as Autocad or Photoshop.

 

3.​ ​FIND​ ​THE​ ​RIGHT​ ​PROGRAM.

If you choose to study architecture, you have to select the best accredited architecture school as a student for your particular needs. 127 American and 11 Canadian colleges are identified by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture as having accredited architecture programs. 

 

This may sound like a lot, but 3,039 four-year colleges in the United States were identified by the NCES in 2013-14, and 4,724 total degree-granting institutions. Thus, schools offering accredited architecture programs constitute just a small fraction of American colleges.

 

It will also be prudent to train aspiring architects for jury evaluations, both intellectually and mentally. It can be difficult to have your work assessed, probed, even attacked by peers and mentors, but architect Bob Borson provides some practical advice for stressed students: consider the major idea behind stressed students.

 

4.​ ​UNDERSTAND​ ​KEY​ ​MOVEMENTS

Earlier, during the course of a project, you learn about the other practitioners that architects work with. Architecture and art history are no exception; an architectural project is a representation of the creative paradigm through which it was conceived.

 

Therefore, from the classical architecture that influenced Romanesque architecture at the turn of the millennium to the Gothic architecture that still typifies our vision of the medieval aesthetic today , it is important to learn about it. In the same way, Renaissance architecture gave way to Baroque and eventually ​the​ ​flamboyant​ ​rococo​ ​movement.​ ​Gothic revivalism​ ​was​ ​similarly​ ​a​ ​cornerstone​ ​of​ ​Victorian​ ​architecture.

 

Architects and artists alike are experimenting today with modernism, postmodernism, structuralism, and other distinctive contemporary forms, while also taking inspiration from the rich European tradition. 

 

Not only did these trends in architecture lead to shifting artistic preferences, but also social shifts, such as the shift away from religious architecture as the inherently dominant form. Material considerations are equally important; ​historically,​ ​architects​ ​had​ ​to work​ ​with​ ​whichever​ ​natural​ ​materials​ ​were​ ​at​ ​hand.​ ​Today,​ ​steel​ ​construction​ ​and​ ​glass facades​ ​are​ ​ubiquitous.

 

5.​ ​WORK​ ​ON​ ​YOUR​ ​SOFT​ ​SKILLS.

At least half a dozen technical abilities that architects rely on, such as sketching, logic and problem solving, and mathematics, will probably be called. Soft skills are just as critical, such as being able to pitch ideas to others, describe complicated ideas in clear and concise terms, and be able to share ​cramped​ ​co-working​ ​spaces​ ​without​ ​issues.

 

Hajira Qazi emphasizes the significance of connecting with teachers and mentors; this will not only help you get references later on, but you will get the most out of their input by getting a strong working relationship.

 

6.​ ​TRAVEL​ ​WIDELY,​ ​AND​ ​WITH​ ​OPEN​ ​EYES.

Architects have come up with some very innovative solutions to issues of architecture that are both distinctly local and more common. Traveling gives fresh insight into how things can be done; you will always be introduced to something you have never seen before. It doesn't matter if you're sketching the skylines of the famous ​metropoles​ ​like​ ​New​ ​York​ ​or​ ​Chicago,​ ​or​ ​are awestruck​ ​by​ ​the​ ​living​ ​history​ ​of​ ​the​ ​​Kölner​ ​Dom​​ ​or​ ​the​ ​​Bibi-Khanyim​ ​Mosque​.​ ​Traveling allows​ ​you​ ​to​ ​discover​ ​new​ ​approaches​ ​and​ ​ideas​ ​while​ ​immersing​ ​yourself​ ​in​ ​the​ ​culture they​ ​originate​ ​from.

 

7.​ ​STAND​ ​ON​ ​THE​ ​SHOULDERS​ ​OF​ ​GIANTS

Architects have an opportunity for the world around them to leave an indelible mark. In order to become icons in their own right, some architects create a sufficiently notable legacy. In their discipline and within their societies at large, architects from Frank Gehry to Phil Kean have developed

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loyal followings. Each master architect has his or her own collection of lessons to teach to the next generation.