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Pratt Institute
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Contemplating on switching my major to Architecture
Hello, Im thinking about majoring in architecture, specifically sustainable architecture. I'll start with a little backstory. I love all things design related. I always used to draw things and doodle in class. I eventually started messing around with Adobe aftereffects and adding vfx to some videos my brothers and I did. After a while I started doing photomanipulation and graphic design on Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. After a few years I started messing around on cad software like Maya, 3ds max, and occasionally AutoCAD. I fell in love with 3d modeling. I realized I can make more more money pursuing a career in animation and game art and decided to major in animation so that way I can pursue a career in game art or animation. During my classes I felt unfulfilled, I enjoyed doing it but I thought I could be doing something more. I really loved modeling and designing and eventually started 3d printing my models so I could bring my models to the real world. Im now teaching my self how to draft and design technical linear perspective drawings so I can get a better understanding of volume and shape and expand my creativity. I really love modeling and designing and seeing my designs being brought to life. I realized that my drawing and designing skills can be brought into the real world and help people. That's when architecture started to appeal to me. I want to major in sustainable architecture/design because I think it would be awesome to design buildings, bridges, parks, or whatever else that would contribute to our Earth's sustainability at the same time giving people a place to relax in or play. I've been doing research on architecture and all I have heard is horror story's. Everything I read is basically telling me to stay away from architecture, it's hard, long hours, bad pay, and the worst thing that I read is that there isn't so much design in architecture but more site planning and researching building codes etc. I know it's a difficult major and career but I got great work ethic and am extremely self motivated and I'm going to be doing something I believe in and like doing(design), but from everything I read I feel like I will just screw myself over. I want to hear more about architecture from students and people in the architecture career. One big question I have about architecture is how much designing there involved and what makes architecture difficult? I heard it's difficult and a hard major but I don't know what makes it hard. Sorry for the long post but any advice would be really appreciated. Thank you!
Second, it’s not that architecture is generally difficult, it’s that it’s rather tedious and anal retentive in a good day. You have to ask yourself if you really love detailing buildings (ie material / construction sequencing) or do you love the romantic idea of broad stroke design. Only one of these is common, the other exists primarily in school.
There is certainly design value in completing a sound building even though it may not be a sexy blob or whatever but your assumptions on the % of design vs real work are correct. Especially within the first many years following graduation.
For example, I racked my brain all week to deal with a fire separation in one of my project. None of the effort will ever be visible to anyone but me and the city inspector but that’s one of the aspects I excel at. Everyone thinks they can design and do the easy fluffy stuff. Few can actually handle the day to day work with the same flair.
The cynicism in architecture is palpable these days, especially on this forum. Its true that architects sometimes work long hours and fall victim to the tedium that long project schedules and unruly clients can bring. But its not always the case. If you set boundaries and communicate effectively, you can maintain a healthy work-life balance wherever you are.
If you want to be a designer, work at a design-oriented architecture firm so you can be involved in the design phases of a project. By the way, site planning and researching building codes are part of the design process, and if you want to pursue sustainable architecture, I imagine a lot of your design process will involve some amount technical coordination with consultants and research into new sustainable technologies, for example. Architecture is as much about coordinating the technical aspects of construction and technology as it is about "design". So you need to be prepared to do both. If you just want to design in terms of sketching /modeling/ animating or whatever, perhaps a visualization career is actually more aligned with your interests.
If its what you want, go for it. I would suggest not going into too much debt for your education, however; It's not worth it given the relatively low pay you can expect in the first 10 years-ish of your career (maybe longer). But if you can afford it, do it.
If you don't mind my asking, can you be more specific about you mean by relatively low pay? I expect pay rates to start significantly lower than what you'd make 10+ years in. But how much do you mean?
noambeaudoinderoca,
I think you've got the right mindset for studying architecture. My advice to you is finish what you started by completing your undergraduate degree in animation, then apply to a 3-year MArch program using your prior animation design work in your portfolio. It's always better to have something solid to fall back on in case you discover that architecture isn't your cup of tea.
listen to the podcast. Then decide.
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