Based on the numbers, it sounds like now is a good time to be an architect: Billings are up and many of my friends on the coasts say their offices are hiring. But we all know that the architecture industry is up and down, and the deeper crises radically changing the profession aren't going away.
Which cities which are best for architects? What is the best city for an architect to "put down roots?" When the next recession hits, is it better to be in a small city or a big one? Where is the cost of living lower than average but licenced architecure salaries higher? Where are the jobs? Separately, it's easy to pull information about one factor or another, but I need synthetic thoughts to put all these together.
I am getting married. I would like to start a family, pay off student loans. I have a master's degree and seven years of professional experience in (perhaps too many) architecture firms from the US to Mexico to Germany. I speak Spanish, German, and Revit, but I don't know how to make the first two work for me. Once back in the US, I hope to be licensed fairly quickly.
Why do you work in the city in which you work? If you could do it over, start fresh, where would you go?
where should you move for architecture? i'd probably put seattle, LA, the bay area, and NYC as top locations for work. do you want to raise a family in these places? you aren't going to find cheap living...
If you want to be a part of a real building boom try Southeast Asia. Singapore(where I currently work), Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh, Manila, Jakarta.
NYC may be expensive if you live in it, but NJ and even the burbs in PA are close enough. plenty of recession proof clients here. Spanish good for construction sites. German good for architect.
This time last year I was dealing with a similar dilemma. NYC, LA, and the Bay Area have great career opportunities but the cost of living is truly oppressive. In the Rust Belt, the reverse is true. You can buy a decent house for less than $150k, but your career options will be very limited.
I ultimately settled on Seattle and so far have no regrets. Housing is expensive compared to the Rust Belt but still a bargain compared to NYC or SF. Lots of great firms and a good local design culture, and things are still incredibly busy. Portland, Denver, Minneapolis, and a few other mid-size cities also offer a nice balance between career options and quality of life.
Alec, does your wife have any opinion on this? If you're planning for a family, living near your or her family will make life better for you and your children in many ways.
Of course there are reasons not to live near family too... Beyond that just find somewhere you like the culture and the lifestyle. The future more than 2-3 years off is unpredictable - it's hard to say where the next recession will crush, and no one knows where will be the next growth hotspot. You'll find a way to survive wherever you settle - better if you enjoy it.
there's so much goddamn construction going on in the bay. technology isn't in a big bubble. it'll ebb and flow for a bit, but this is a second industrial revolution. more money and wealth will continue to accumulate here.
though, should probably warn you that it is way more expensive to live here than LA or NY. Seattle's cost of living is a joke.
Zephyr here. Glad to hear you're doing well! SF is a fun place to be right now, and I think firms are hiring here. I'd echo the above - cost of living in and around SF is crazy. LA is also surprisingly high, with (in my opinion) a relatively small number of good firms per capita, but it's easier to find good deals. Seattle and Portland seem to be a good balance, with Portland definitely having more of a small town feel. Chicago, from what I've heard, seems like it has good cost of living but fewer firms hiring.
Thank you all the feedback! Sorry this is such a late reply- I went to the US and got married and then went to Portland to check out the town. We were lucky to have some friends who work there and talked about the business. My wife and I both liked the feel of Portland, our only fear is that it sounds like lots of design people are coming in from more expensive coastal cities: OK property is going crazy, but I can deal with that- what worries me more is competition for jobs in a smaller town. But maybe it's like NYC or LA on a smaller scale- lots of architects and designers in those cities too.
i would want to live in Portland and Seattle if I can. Things seem cheaper there.
I've been working in SF Bay area for past 9 years and now's like a golden age for architects here. I can say this because i went through last recession and know how bad the job market was back then. Landing a job now is so easy that you actually have to turn down offers. The only sucky thing is that architect's pay doesn't seem enough to live in the city.
Portland is also growing through a tech boom and i believe that would generate arch. jobs there. It's really hipster place to live.
As a native New Yorker doing quite well in architecture I have been hearing that Portland and Seattle are off the chain right now. If I wasn't setup here I would split. Seattle has been advertising low rents and booming design industry in the NYC design community and it seems to be working.
Bay Area, I've been here for 10 years now and have been busy except for 09' - lots of great opportunities - cost of living is high, I live in Oakland - its a great place - the Newark of the Bay Area
Where should one move for architecture?
O designers of the habitable environment!
Based on the numbers, it sounds like now is a good time to be an architect: Billings are up and many of my friends on the coasts say their offices are hiring. But we all know that the architecture industry is up and down, and the deeper crises radically changing the profession aren't going away.
Which cities which are best for architects? What is the best city for an architect to "put down roots?" When the next recession hits, is it better to be in a small city or a big one? Where is the cost of living lower than average but licenced architecure salaries higher? Where are the jobs? Separately, it's easy to pull information about one factor or another, but I need synthetic thoughts to put all these together.
I am getting married. I would like to start a family, pay off student loans. I have a master's degree and seven years of professional experience in (perhaps too many) architecture firms from the US to Mexico to Germany. I speak Spanish, German, and Revit, but I don't know how to make the first two work for me. Once back in the US, I hope to be licensed fairly quickly.
Why do you work in the city in which you work? If you could do it over, start fresh, where would you go?
I hear Astoria Oregon has an emerging market in residential and performance buildings. Only one competitor in town and low cost of living.
(i'll show myself to the door now)
where should you move for architecture? i'd probably put seattle, LA, the bay area, and NYC as top locations for work. do you want to raise a family in these places? you aren't going to find cheap living...
If you want to be a part of a real building boom try Southeast Asia. Singapore(where I currently work), Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh, Manila, Jakarta.
New York Fucking City
NYC may be expensive if you live in it, but NJ and even the burbs in PA are close enough. plenty of recession proof clients here. Spanish good for construction sites. German good for architect.
cities are already overly-built out. get yourself a still and move out to the country, where there is plenty of room to build and no developers.
This time last year I was dealing with a similar dilemma. NYC, LA, and the Bay Area have great career opportunities but the cost of living is truly oppressive. In the Rust Belt, the reverse is true. You can buy a decent house for less than $150k, but your career options will be very limited.
I ultimately settled on Seattle and so far have no regrets. Housing is expensive compared to the Rust Belt but still a bargain compared to NYC or SF. Lots of great firms and a good local design culture, and things are still incredibly busy. Portland, Denver, Minneapolis, and a few other mid-size cities also offer a nice balance between career options and quality of life.
The west/southwest has the best of both worlds, good economy, affordable housing, good quality of life...Arizona, Texas, Colorado..
Alec, does your wife have any opinion on this? If you're planning for a family, living near your or her family will make life better for you and your children in many ways.
Of course there are reasons not to live near family too... Beyond that just find somewhere you like the culture and the lifestyle. The future more than 2-3 years off is unpredictable - it's hard to say where the next recession will crush, and no one knows where will be the next growth hotspot. You'll find a way to survive wherever you settle - better if you enjoy it.
there's so much goddamn construction going on in the bay. technology isn't in a big bubble. it'll ebb and flow for a bit, but this is a second industrial revolution. more money and wealth will continue to accumulate here.
though, should probably warn you that it is way more expensive to live here than LA or NY. Seattle's cost of living is a joke.
Hey Alec,
Zephyr here. Glad to hear you're doing well! SF is a fun place to be right now, and I think firms are hiring here. I'd echo the above - cost of living in and around SF is crazy. LA is also surprisingly high, with (in my opinion) a relatively small number of good firms per capita, but it's easier to find good deals. Seattle and Portland seem to be a good balance, with Portland definitely having more of a small town feel. Chicago, from what I've heard, seems like it has good cost of living but fewer firms hiring.
Thank you all the feedback! Sorry this is such a late reply- I went to the US and got married and then went to Portland to check out the town. We were lucky to have some friends who work there and talked about the business. My wife and I both liked the feel of Portland, our only fear is that it sounds like lots of design people are coming in from more expensive coastal cities: OK property is going crazy, but I can deal with that- what worries me more is competition for jobs in a smaller town. But maybe it's like NYC or LA on a smaller scale- lots of architects and designers in those cities too.
i would want to live in Portland and Seattle if I can. Things seem cheaper there.
I've been working in SF Bay area for past 9 years and now's like a golden age for architects here. I can say this because i went through last recession and know how bad the job market was back then. Landing a job now is so easy that you actually have to turn down offers. The only sucky thing is that architect's pay doesn't seem enough to live in the city.
Portland is also growing through a tech boom and i believe that would generate arch. jobs there. It's really hipster place to live.
Chicago- too cold. done with New York (I have outgrown my urges to live there).done with DC.
currently in Central Florida- For some reason I'm not really inspired by Orlando (I have a 3 yo that needs a good city to adapt as his own someday).
Trying to avoid cliche's like the SanFo Bay area, LA etc (too congested, too expensive).
Emerging cities in the Southwest and Oregon is the way to go I think.
Chicago isn't too cold - with Climate Change we're getting warmer! (disclaimer: probably gonna see some -50 windchills too)
Chicago is way too cold. Snow only works for me now when I ski
Has anyone made political affiliation a factor in choosing a place for moving? I'm just curious.
^ yes... that's why I ruled out Quebec and the entirety of the USA.
Phoenix?
As a native New Yorker doing quite well in architecture I have been hearing that Portland and Seattle are off the chain right now. If I wasn't setup here I would split. Seattle has been advertising low rents and booming design industry in the NYC design community and it seems to be working.
This is an interesting link that may or may not translate to higher job markets on our profession
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/wo...
Have you ever been to Loughborough? City is equal to Gary Indiana - except Gary has Micheal Jordan and Joe Stiglitz so is cool.
Bay Area, I've been here for 10 years now and have been busy except for 09' - lots of great opportunities - cost of living is high, I live in Oakland - its a great place - the Newark of the Bay Area
"Where should one move for architecture?"
To get closer or farther away?
Nice one, Miles.
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