Me as an Architect

Architecture is a very challenging career and there are many ups and downs… It is true that college will not teach you everything you need to know about the profession. In my experience, I found that school was an environment that developed my creative talents while real-life practice has taught me much about business and technical aspects of the field. This is a service-based profession, and you will find that you will not always be the master designer on the next big breakthrough project in Architectural Record.

I graduated B.S Architecture in 1996. Becoming an architect is a long process; spending years as a draftsman or researcher leads those without patience to grow frustrated and dissatisfied with their choice of career. Even after the gruelling “weeding out” period, surviving as a working architect is difficult. Finding a job is a real mission and when you finally have one you work your ass off,   what you are doing is not even fun and you don’t always agree with your boss’s designs. You don’t coordinate the consultant’s work — you practically babysit the consultants. All this for little money and you never have time for anything. Your boss has the opinion that you’re not allowed a private life and you do overtime quite often, without being paid for it. Additionally your boss knows that you don’t have many other options and cannot quit and use all tricks to manipulate you in their favour. Studying architecture is fun, but the real job is not.

My typical day as an architect includes tasks as:

• Meeting with clients to discuss the purpose and objectives of the project
• Various pre-design services such as conducting feasibility and environmental impact studies, and specifying design requirements
• Preparing initial drawings and reviewing them with the client
• Developing final construction plans
• Researching and complying with local zoning laws, building codes, fire regulations, and other legal requirements
• Re-evaluating plans according to client needs, budget restrictions, or contractor problems and implementing any necessary changes
• Visiting construction sites to oversee contractors
• Handling any post-construction or close-out issues

If you will ask me why do I like being an architect and think it’s the best job in the world?

Let’s get it started with –

1.     Personal relationships with  clients

When I work with a developer, the bottom line is really the client because that’s what driving the decision making process. It is motivated by the individual who is paying for the work – it’s their money and the level of emotional/ personal involvement is proportional to that end. In other words, clients care about the final product disproportionately with their hearts compared to their wallets.

2.     Opportunity to teach

This can mean several things; for some, it’s a balance between their professional working lives and teaching at a institution of higher learning. For others like me, I have the ability to work with younger architects and interns at my office and help guide them along their process of becoming an architect with quality skills (at least I hope). This puts me in a position to  try and help them who work with me understand what they are being asked to do, rather than simply sketching it out and telling them to put it into cad. I enjoy this aspect of my job probably as much as any other and I have found out that I’m pretty good at it. The opportunity to teach people has helped me stay on my toes knowing that anyone who will ask me “why?” and I’d better have an answer.

3.     Good for Ego

I feel constant gratification from the clients and my boss’s for the work I do and for the time I spend on the projects. These people are paying me for my time but they know that I am just as invested in the success of the project as they are – and as a result, I feel appreciated.

4.     Job is constantly evolving

Architects have to address new building technologies. Building codes and ordinances, and there are constantly evolving materials and construction methods out there. We are also required as a profession to address the demands of the public at large when it comes to building performance, energy consumption, incorporating recycled materials, etc. On a good day, Architects can create new design concepts that push how modern day construction is executed – and as a result, architecture is one of the few professions that are never static.

5.     Experimentation is expected

Despite architecture having to contain building sciences and technology, the final esoteric product does not have a definitively right or wrong answer. Because no two architects will ever come up with the exact same solution given an identical set of parameters, there is a liberating sense that you were hired for the purpose of imparting your own personality on the project. We are expected to try new things, explore different materials, and incorporate emerging technologies into every project.

Despite having days when I really don’t feel like coming to work, I consider myself extremely lucky to do what I do for a living. Being an architect is rewarding in ways that I don’t think could be easily replicated in a different field of work. My heart goes out to anyone who is miserable in their job – if they are lucky enough to have one these days. If I find myself out of work, I’m not sure what I would do. It’s not my intention to tell people that being an architect doesn’t have its challenges; there are widely accepted concessions you might be forced to make – hours worked and low salary generally being the top two. The real objective is doing what you make you happy and allows you to provide for your family in some measurable capacity. However, that’s easier said than done … but for me, I’m glad I made the decision to become an architect.

Good luck.

 JOANNE