Archinect
anchor

engineering work

varchitecture

How marketable are intern architects (or established architects for that matter) to engineering firms? Is there a spot for an architect at an engineering company other than CAD/drafting? How far can an architect push into the engineering side of things without having to become an engineer?

I am an intern architect about 1500 hrs into IDP but not getting as much structural experience as I would like. I understand why architecture and engineering have diverged as professions from a liability perspective, but I want structural design to be a bigger part of my skill set than simply making the bare minimum hours required for licensure.

Are there any certifications or post-professional degrees out there that would help better orient me towards working on the engineering side of things for a few years? Or is an architecture degree enough of a marketable asset to an engineering firm?

Thanks for any insight! 

 
May 19, 15 4:27 am
mightyaa

Trick question.  Engineers also cad monkeys...  So, you are qualified, but I doubt that's the direction you want.  Once licensed as an architect, you have value to certain engineering groups.  Example is something like a power plant; it has an office component too, but is mostly an engineering feat.

May 19, 15 10:12 am  · 
 · 
Volunteer

You might want to work for an architecture and engineering firm....just a thought.

May 19, 15 10:23 am  · 
 · 
slowhare414

I believe at least a little time in one of the typical consultants offices would benefit most architects.  Not only would you gain a more in depth knowledge of the particular subject matter, you would also start to understand the workflow and what/when information given to the consultant would be most useful.

As far as structural engineering goes, a lot depends on your aptitude for math, along with your willingness to learn how each material works, and the model codes for each of them and your patience to go through each possible combination of loads and failure mechanisms for all the structural elements.

Even with advanced structural modelling software, learning the effects of end fixity and other inputs, how to find issues and resolve situations where the model gives error messages or results that are not expected (which you'll learn what is expected through experience) can be very time consuming.

I don't know of any certifications for structural, but if you are willing to be 'drafting' and writing reports/project managing most of your time, while slowly learning the engineering (you'll be behind most new engineering graduates on the analysis part, but way ahead on how a building goes together and developing CDs and other typical office procedures, ie shop drawing reviews, transmittal paperwork, timesheets, site visit/reports, whatever...), I think it is possible for you to be productive in the right engineering firm, but learning the analysis/engineering design side shouldn't be taken lightly.

I think that if you can take a Statics course, and then a Mechanics of Materials course before going to work at an engineering firm, that would be extremely useful.  You've  already had a brief introduction to this material, in your structures classes in architecture, but the engineering classes will be much, much more rigorous in the math.  Having taken these classes will also show that you are serious about and are capable of learning it. --note that these courses may have calculus prerequisites.

One hurdle in getting hired by an engineering firm that you'll have to get past is that you are obviously unlikely to be a long term investment (for you to become productive on the engineering analysis/design side will take a lot of non-billable time) and unless you plan to switch over to engineering and possibly stay a while, that time/money is hard to justify in the immediate cash flow/business side.

May 19, 15 11:28 am  · 
 · 
shellarchitect

not sure exactly what you are really looking for - if you want to learn more about how to do the req'd calculations an engineering firm is unlikely to hire you for that.  Better to join a very small firm in which the principle does the calcs and learn from him.  The projects will have to be pretty small or they'll use a struct. eng. 

I recently joined a E and a firm, and am very happy with the variety of work, and have been exposed to a much wider range of projects, but I don't see myself being exposed to struct. calcs - after all there are people who specialize in that.

licensed arch. are valuable to eng. firms as they often have projects with a small arch. component - the power plant mightyaa mentioned is a good example. easier to have arch. on staff then look for someone each time the need appears

May 19, 15 12:15 pm  · 
 · 
varchitecture

Thanks to all for the input. I guess my question really stems from having enjoyed and excelled at math in undergrad, enjoying structures in Arch school, then finding that in practice most-all of it gets outsourced for efficiency, liability and to get the best expertise on the project. I do want to stay on the architecture side and ultimately be licensed as an architect, but want to have solid understanding of projects from an engineering standpoint- both to have a solid grasp on the mechanics of buildings as well as the workflow of an engineering project. I tend to find that the best moments (architecture or otherwise) happen at the limits of what is possible and I feel that while still starting out, I am at a good place to push into that interest and see where it leads. Thank you for the suggestions, I will look into A/e and E/a firms to get started. 

May 19, 15 11:47 pm  · 
 · 

Block this user


Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?

Archinect


This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.

  • ×Search in: