Does anyone else constantly get asked by those outside the industry: “What kind of architecture do you want to practice?”

Now that I have completed my first year at UBC everyone seems to be asking me this. It’s not a big deal when I hear it from friends from business school or relatives, but people in Vancouver LOVE small talk, and I seem to be getting asked this every time a waitress or grocery store clerk etc. discovers my area of study.

I used to explain that we don’t ‘specialize’ in school and while some firms find a niche, many are eager to take on any project that interests them. However, this answer seems to severely disappoint people, most it seems want to hear a basic typology that they imagine makes up a sector within architectural practice: residential or commercial for example.

The first week of summer this question was asked with such an overwhelming frequency that I tried employing the vague response, “Good architecture!” But this didn’t fly with anyone as a legitimate answer.

If anyone has or has heard any funny responses that will keep me from repeating these disappointing explanations to strangers let me know.