I recently graduated with a BArch which was mostly design oriented. I'm later interested in an MSRED degree and hopefully a career that includes design and financial analysis.
Before grad school, I would like to get some professional experience. I'm currently considering two offers: one is with a general contractor and the other is with a design studio. My bachelor's degree has mostly been design oriented so I think working with a contractor would cover the technical aspects? However, I'm hesitant because I don't think I'll be learning much and that these technical aspects can be covered on the longer term in a design studio.
I'd be curious to hear different opinion about this Thanks! :)
gruen
Oct 3, 15 8:08 am
The contractor will be drafting. You will learn exactly how buildings (prob houses) go together and the things that contractors want to have happen. It probably won't be on architect designed buildings. It will be a good technical-and "other side of the table" education. Other architects may see this as "lesser" experience and by proxy assume you aren't as good either.
The design studio may offer you similar experience in technical drafting-especially if you ask for it. Or if they are more design oriented you may be doing models, 3d rendering, sketching. Have you considered getting a position for a developer ?
file
Oct 3, 15 1:17 pm
mnja24: Please tell us what the contractor says your duties will be? And, how long would you would expect to work there?
Carrera
Oct 3, 15 2:15 pm
The thing that is of greatest value to the profession are people who have learned how the whole process works.
mnja24
Oct 4, 15 6:57 am
Thanks a lot for your replies.
My main current role is drafting, up to a year, but I was promised going on that project's site later on. The project is large scale mixed use tower (about 50 floors) designed by a renowned architecture firm and is being executed by a reputable contracting firm.
The other firm is a small design studio where I'll be working on residential/office buildings or competitions.
Also greun, I've already worked part-time with a developer's design unit. My involvement was limited to mundane design tasks (furniture layout, 3d modeling...)
I think the best thing to do now is clarify my role in the contractor's office and whether I will be going on site soon which would be ideal for seeing how the whole process works (as Carrera pointed out) which is what I'm ideally seeking.
Thanks again for your replies! :)
Beepbeep
Oct 4, 15 11:09 am
"My main current role is drafting, up to a year, but I was promised going on that project's site later on. The project is large scale mixed use tower (about 50 floors) designed by a renowned architecture firm and is being executed by a reputable contracting firm."
Take this option if you ant to work in RE Development this would be great experience, then go get your MSRED or MBA. If you work in the architecture firm you will just become a drafting minion if you work on the tower you could be on site a lot and really learn how things go together you don't want to just be the pencil it sounds anyway. Take the construction job is my opinion.
file
Oct 4, 15 2:51 pm
Few experiences improve an Architect's capabilities as does meaningful exposure to the conditions general contractor's encounter in the field. It seems to me that staying with the GC for at least a year will provide you in-depth knowledge that will benefit you greatly for the rest of your career.
null pointer
Oct 4, 15 3:41 pm
Gonna sound like a dick, as usual, but if you're in a major city, everyone and their mother is a GC. Stick to the design studio. If you want to get really meaningful experience, try working at a larger firm where you can become a specialist in some part of the discipline. Specialists get all the money... Generalists only get paid when they start their own firms.
Carrera
Oct 5, 15 1:33 pm
^“…everyone and their mother is a GC” and everyone and their mother is also an architect, the idea is to learn both so you don’t become “everybody”.
mnja24
Oct 5, 15 1:45 pm
I fully agree to Carrera's point and to what file and beep beep mentioned .
I talked to both firms with these concerns. The current job task at the GC's is drafting which is not the experience I'm looking for with a contractor. This design studio is very collaborative and I'll be working on projects from scratch. I think for now, it's better I take on that job while my next step would be to start with a contractor on site and take it from there as it will give me better awareness of costs and timing which are both essential in development. Thanks again for the insight, it was really helpful! :-)
Hello everyone,
I recently graduated with a BArch which was mostly design oriented. I'm later interested in an MSRED degree and hopefully a career that includes design and financial analysis.
Before grad school, I would like to get some professional experience. I'm currently considering two offers: one is with a general contractor and the other is with a design studio. My bachelor's degree has mostly been design oriented so I think working with a contractor would cover the technical aspects? However, I'm hesitant because I don't think I'll be learning much and that these technical aspects can be covered on the longer term in a design studio.
I'd be curious to hear different opinion about this Thanks! :)
The contractor will be drafting. You will learn exactly how buildings (prob houses) go together and the things that contractors want to have happen. It probably won't be on architect designed buildings. It will be a good technical-and "other side of the table" education. Other architects may see this as "lesser" experience and by proxy assume you aren't as good either.
The design studio may offer you similar experience in technical drafting-especially if you ask for it. Or if they are more design oriented you may be doing models, 3d rendering, sketching. Have you considered getting a position for a developer ?
mnja24: Please tell us what the contractor says your duties will be? And, how long would you would expect to work there?
The thing that is of greatest value to the profession are people who have learned how the whole process works.
Thanks a lot for your replies.
My main current role is drafting, up to a year, but I was promised going on that project's site later on. The project is large scale mixed use tower (about 50 floors) designed by a renowned architecture firm and is being executed by a reputable contracting firm.
The other firm is a small design studio where I'll be working on residential/office buildings or competitions.
Also greun, I've already worked part-time with a developer's design unit. My involvement was limited to mundane design tasks (furniture layout, 3d modeling...)
I think the best thing to do now is clarify my role in the contractor's office and whether I will be going on site soon which would be ideal for seeing how the whole process works (as Carrera pointed out) which is what I'm ideally seeking.
Thanks again for your replies! :)
"My main current role is drafting, up to a year, but I was promised going on that project's site later on. The project is large scale mixed use tower (about 50 floors) designed by a renowned architecture firm and is being executed by a reputable contracting firm."
Take this option if you ant to work in RE Development this would be great experience, then go get your MSRED or MBA. If you work in the architecture firm you will just become a drafting minion if you work on the tower you could be on site a lot and really learn how things go together you don't want to just be the pencil it sounds anyway. Take the construction job is my opinion.
Few experiences improve an Architect's capabilities as does meaningful exposure to the conditions general contractor's encounter in the field. It seems to me that staying with the GC for at least a year will provide you in-depth knowledge that will benefit you greatly for the rest of your career.
Gonna sound like a dick, as usual, but if you're in a major city, everyone and their mother is a GC. Stick to the design studio. If you want to get really meaningful experience, try working at a larger firm where you can become a specialist in some part of the discipline. Specialists get all the money... Generalists only get paid when they start their own firms.
^“…everyone and their mother is a GC” and everyone and their mother is also an architect, the idea is to learn both so you don’t become “everybody”.
I fully agree to Carrera's point and to what file and beep beep mentioned .
I talked to both firms with these concerns. The current job task at the GC's is drafting which is not the experience I'm looking for with a contractor. This design studio is very collaborative and I'll be working on projects from scratch. I think for now, it's better I take on that job while my next step would be to start with a contractor on site and take it from there as it will give me better awareness of costs and timing which are both essential in development. Thanks again for the insight, it was really helpful! :-)