In this article you will learn about:
- An overview of architecture as a major
- How to know if architecture is right for me or not?
- What are the skills required to become an architect?
- Why Architecture Is Not A Good Career Option For Every Individual?
- Conclusion
Looking to plan a career as an architect? But confused whenever it’s the right industry or not? If yes, then you have landed on the right article where we are going to highlight some of the important points on why architecture is the best career choice? Skills and license required to become an architect and more.
With an increasing population and developing countries, demand for new construction is high as it has ever been around the world. Mostly in countries like India, China, UAE and more the demand for new construction is increasing. But before getting started with the construction on the project, one should have an architect that can help in getting all the design and other plans translated on the paper.
Whether you’re looking at houses, shopping centers, factories, or skyscrapers, chances are an architect was involved in creating the designs. If you’re looking for a college major that allows making use of subjects like math and business and also design, then you might want to consider taking architecture as the college major.
Becoming an architect can be an interesting and challenging career choice because the pay scale of an architect is always higher than a normal engineer. But the complexity of the industry makes it challenging for every individual to land in a position where they are able to make contributions to society with a good paycheck.
That is the reason why before you start planning a career in architecture it’s essential for you to identify whether architecture is the right fit for you or not? In this article, we have also mentioned what skills are required to become an architect. So, make sure you stick till the end of this article.
What is an architecture major?
Architecture is considered as the mixture of math, business, and design as it requires the individual to have a robust background in different subjects. Apart from that it also requires a five years course of study than the other four-year course required to complete other majors like computer science, mechanical, civil and more.
Students that are interested in taking architecture major have two options to select from: a five-year National Architectural Accrediting Board-accredited Bachelor of Architecture degree that asks graduates to take up the workforce or a four-year bachelor’s degree in architecture studies. Later the individual needs to earn a NAAB-accredited Master of Architecture degree to get a license and work as an architect.
During the five years, professional bachelor’s degree students get training on design, theory, and other technology along with learning history of architecture. Some of the programs ask students to take up courses in the design studio where they get training or experience in representing their views on drawing and structure models.
While pursuing careers in architecture you get to explore areas like:
- Maths (algebra, calculus, trigonometry, geometry, and more)
- Science (physics and engineering)
- Statistics
- Computer Science (linear programming, 3D modeling, and more)
- Arts (art history and drawing)
How to Know If Architecture Is the Right Fit for me?
Not only you but many others are confused about whether architecture is the right major for them or not? Before we move ahead you need to know, those who wish to have a career as an architect in their future should have creativity listed in their soft skills. That means apart from hard skills you are going to need soft skills to be a good architect.
Undoubtedly every architecture student has good hands and knowledge about geometry and physics. Apart from that calculus is also included in the list so that you are able to produce accurate, safe, and functional designs. Being an architect you need to give strong details to every tiny detail to make things perfect.
An architect’s job is not just to complete the work but to enjoy their work so that they are able to bring out more creativity. A career in architecture will allow you to explore various aspects of the industry like collaborating with clients, other engineers, and architects.
Another important thing you need to know about the architecture industry is that there are a lot of criticisms as well as appreciation involved. With a bad design, you will face a lot of criticism in the form of feedback. On the other hand, a well-structured design can make your name popular in the industry.
Students who aren’t aware of the working culture should also know that an architect works for long hours, especially during production when they have a deadline. So we have highlighted almost everything about what you need and how architecture life looks like. Before you make your final decision you can ask yourself some questions:
- Am I able to solve complex problems? Do I enjoy solving maths problems?
- Do I want to have a career in the industry that requires focusing on multiple subjects?
- Am I able to handle criticism well? How do I reach when someone gives feedback about my work? Regardless of whether it comes from parents, professor, or mates
- Do my priorities allow me to work for long hours? Until I am finished completing my work
- Am I able to work as a team or lead a team with a positive impact around me?
- Am I able to adopt new things, learn new subjects, and remember them for a long time? Because once you land in your college you will be working for long hours learning new topics and working on different projects.
What are the skills required to become an Architect?
1. Designing Skills
When it comes to the architecture industry then designing skills are something that every architect should have. When you plan to create something then it needs to be practical and also meet client needs that’s the reason why it’s essential to have a good understanding of the designing process.
The creativity you have should be combined with the design process to produce some appealing designs. Yes when you land in the architecture industry you will start developing the artistic side of your but still before you choose architecture as a career measure you need to idefy whether you enjoy design concept, drawing, drafting, innovation, and more
2. Analytical and problem-solving skills
When it comes to selecting a career in architecture you need to analyze whether you have problem-solving skills because once you land in architecture it will not just about type the equation into the computer program. Instead, you need to know how the calculation is done practically not in the theory. Whenever a design relates issue, you are the one who needs to be adaptable as well as flexible to solve the issues. Apart from that you also need to have good analytical skills so that you are able to analyze why the numbers are not working for your project.
3. Computer Skills
Gone are those days when every designer related task was performed on papers. With the increase in the number of software and tools, it has become essential for every architect to have good hands-on computers. These days most of the designs are other drawing part is done on the computer with the help of various drafting software. You can plan to develop skills on how to effectively use software like AutoCAD, computer processing, architecture rendering, Revi, and many more.
4. Team Working Skills
Team working skills are something that is needed in every industry and when it comes to the architecture industry you might collaborate with multiple people within your organization and that’s when you will need it the most. Most of the time you will be the one taking care of the designing part but when you work on a big project you might need to collaborate with an internal team who can pitch contracts or create the blueprint.
Apart from that, you may also work with the construction team so that the design and cost of the material remain the same without any disturbance. Some of the top architects also work with surveyors and planning officials to ensure that every all the legislative demands are met. This way you will be working with multiple teams that is the reason why it’s important for you to have team working skills.
5. Visualizing Skills
Visualizing skills are another essential skill that every architect should possess as it can help in getting a better understanding of what actually the client wants? Whenever a client offers a brief about the project the architect starts to visualize the clients’ requirements. It helps in getting a better understanding of what the project will look like and depending on that top architects offer better suggestions to clients.
So visualizing skills is something that every professional architect should have. It’s obvious that the final project sometimes looks better than how it was visualized in the beginning but without visualization translating the design onto the paper can be difficult. Apart from designing skills you also need to have good visualization skills to become a top architect.
6. Communication Skills
Most of the individuals that are planning a career in architecture think that they are only responsible and limited to building construction. But in reality, every architect should possess good communication skills because an architect needs to communicate with construction managers, contractors, lawyers, government officials, and most importantly the clients.
Having good communication skills is vital as it can help you to commute your ideas to your clients and also give a response to your client’s needs. Being an architect you might work in any part of the world so without having good communication skills you will not be able to work on your project efficiently which will directly affect the final delivery.
What kind of technical skills do architects need to have?
As mentioned earlier today most of the designing and drawing part is carried out on computers that are the reason why it’s important for an architect to have good knowledge on how to create designs using the software. You can also start with using simple software like SketchUp, Trimble, and more that can give you a brief idea about how the software is used to produce design and drawings.
Today having technical knowledge in the architecture industry is more needed than ever. There is various software like sefira that helps architects to create evidence-based and data-driven design. These programs help the architect to analyze how the design can meet key performance indicators. There are multiple tools used by top architects for 3d printing, virtual reality, sustainable modeling programs, and more.
It is not widely adopted by every architect but sooner or later we can expect this technology to influence the architecture industry. Every top architect keeps themselves updated with the latest material, software, management system so that they can become more technical in today’s technology-driven world.
Why Architecture Is Not A Good Career Option For Every Individual?
By now you might be aware of the benefits of selecting architecture as your measure. But we are also going to highlight some of the points on why architecture is not a good career choice for everyone. Compared to other fields architecture is considered a bit rough that is the reason why we said it’s not a profession for everyone.
Undoubtedly architecture can offer you a high paycheck but for that, you need to get more exposure and work experience in the industry which is difficult to find. Unlike other occupations, architecture can be more of a lifestyle than a job. So below we are going to walk you through some points on why an architect is not a major for every individual:
1. Money differs depending on country and company
Mainly freshly graduated face difficulties due to low entry-level salaries and long working hours. That’s why most of them either think of switching to another profession or plan to start a new business in a different field. Most of the architects start seeing decent money after they gain a license and experience in the industry.
If you wish to plan a career as an architect then make sure you are passionate about it because it will take a minimum of 5-10 years to gain experience and license in the industry. Another reason why people think of a career switch is that they see other people work less and earn more money while working in a different industry.
No one wants themselves to be left behind but if you are passionate about being an architect then there are many ways out. Being patient and focusing more on gaining experience, building skills and network will help you to grow in the industry.
2. Most of the architect doesn’t get to design
Most of the individuals who are passionate about working as an architect focus more on creating the design. Even College graduates spend most of their time designing, building, making different prototypes, and more. Some of them even become the star architect of their batch. But the harsh reality of becoming an architect is that you don’t get to design new projects with full freedom and independence in the first 2-3 years.
After graduating from college you get to execute other designs and work more on the production side of the company. In short, you work more on someone else’s project where the execution side is done from your side and decision making for designers’ side. Not only that but there are architects who spend their entire life implementing someone else’s design.
Yes in the beginning you need to earn a lot of experience after entering the industry and working under a good architect helps you to learn a lot about the industry’s functioning and designs. With the right strategy and efforts, one can make its way to make executive decisions for future designs and projects.
3. Not a career option for people bad at Maths
Well, maths is something that is needed everywhere i.e in every industry but when it comes to architecture, you are going to need it at every step. Most of the architects are constantly doing math calculations without taking the help of calculators most for calculating beams, floors, and more. SO if you think you stink at maths then architecture is not a good choice for your career.
Most of the people who struggle with basic maths face difficulties after entering into the architecture industry. If you feel you struggle with maths and calculation then it’s important to know that you are facing major parts of physics, calculus, statistics, and general structure. Not only that but you will also come across how to calculate columns in wood, beam, floor, and more.
So, being an architect you have to be skilled at design as well as maths. Because architects do quick maths at every step of their work-life to produce better results.
4. You need to fulfill all the licensing requirements
The licensing process is long and extensive and highly regulated. It focuses on understanding and protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Getting a fancy, expensive architecture degree does not allow you to call yourself an Architect. Moreover, it does not allow you to solicit architectural services to clients.
It is actually not appropriate to call yourself an Architect until you have met all the requirements and passed the Architect Registration Exam. After college you can call yourself a: Designer, Architectural (fill in the blank), anything flies, as long as it is not “Architect”. Architectural staff may practice architecture under the supervision of a licensed Architect, who will be the Architect of record.
If you solicit design services that fall into the realm of architecture, or if you identify yourself an Architect, you could potentially be punished by your state’s board. Some state boards are more aggressive than others, and I highly recommend looking up what the limits of providing design services as an unlicensed Architect are in your state.
There is always a lot of controversy around this topic. After completing the exhaustive process of becoming a licensed architect, my opinion has changed. It is very clear how and why these rules exist. Architects carry a tremendous responsibility for protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Identifying yourself as an Architect should be protected similarly to calling yourself a Doctor, Lawyer, or a Police Officer.
Conclusion:
By now you might have a good idea about why individuals should plan a career in architecture? and different skills required to become an architect. Architecture is one of the most desirable career options for most high school students. But it’s not a career option for every individual. To know more about the different opportunities the architecture industry can offer we recommend you to take the help of our AI-driven career assessment platform.
