The days of becoming an architect without a college-level formal education is nearly extinct in many states where you can't possibly get licensed in that state without a college level formal education in architecture.
Due to those reasons, plus architectural firms not interested in teaching at all. Most just want to assign you tasks and you do it. With that in mind, most firms want people with degrees (NAAB accredited preferred).
ah, so no GSD superstar status in your future then? The reality is in most of the world, you need formal accredited education if you want a chance at a job. There are no shortcuts.
Architecture can be broadly defined - what is your career or professional end game? - do you want to be an entrepreneur such as a future business owner? - A real estate developer? - A project consultant? - A design-build contractor? - An instructor? - Front an architectural and/or planning firm? - Be a registered architect? - architects can be consultants much like consulting engineers (classified as Architects-of-Record) where they provide drawings and seal your projects - if you want to be a residential or interior designer then you can be self-taught as a non-traditional student as many of us are - talk to us ...
That is where do you want your career "Wheel of Fortune" to stop? - create an Educational Plan to follow - I wish you good luck on your life journey ...
You can self teach architecture if you have a core background of consruction knoweldge, building knowledge or anything similar. Otherwise I dont see how you can learn architecture without that core basic knowlege. You have to learn the rules, to break the rules, thats what Architcture is, knowing the rules of building materials and how to manipulate them into space. Also a big part of becoming an archiect is learning the ropes and paying your dues, usually working for other architects, so dont see how you can develop that craft by yourself. Maybe you can be a fiverr archiect, but nobody in the real world will hire you.
My grandfather was an engineer who designed many buildings in the craftsman style - both him, my grandmother and father an engineer were self taught architects - they in turn taught me stuff, mid century houses. I did go to college for architecture get an M.arch and 17 years so far in practice.
I did most of, but didn't complete, a 2-year architectural technology certificate and had a decent career including eventually getting licensed. I think this is about as close as one can get to being self-taught and actually working in architecture (in modern times).
I DON'T recommend doing it this way if you have other options! It was very hard the whole time; I didn't have nearly the career success people with the degrees had, and it ended in debilitating burnout.
Jan 7, 25 1:18 am ·
·
Non Sequitur
Atelier, the OP is likely in USA given their earlier request about the number of groupies GSD grads get. Are there any official self-study paths?
Basically, if you pursue licensure in a state where you can get licensed without a degree. So you would be complementing your working hours under an architect with self-directed learning or some hybrid of self-directed learning and mentor/apprenticeship style learning.
None are officially referred to as self-study path to licensure. You don't get academic credit in the licensing but you do need to basically do it to improve your ability to work and do the tasks at work and also prepare for the ARE exam. You need to learn the stuff in some fashion.
Since the days of FLW maybe not possible anymore, practically. But there are modern examples outside of north america. Heatherwick is probably the most famous non architect lately. Used to be Ando.
When I first moved to Japan in mid-90s 50% of my office did not go to uni for architecture license. They worked for 7 years and took the exam. Nominally a version of that is still possible as far as I know, but I dont know anyone who would consider it lately. The ecosystem is not what it used to be and finding a professional path is harder than ever no matter the regulations.
FWIW, Ando's twin brother is a real estate developer and he grew up with some amount of social privilege that made things more possible. The moral of his story I think is less that hard work can take you anywhere and more that being born into the right family can change everything. Ando still worked hard and did a lot of important things, like going to Europe in the 60s to teach himself about modernism. But that was not a normal working class option at the time. With inequality much worse now I cant help think it is harder than ever to do anything outside of the system without having someone at your back pulling strings. If not government then family. If not family, then who?
self taught architecture
Getting a job.
The days of becoming an architect without a college-level formal education is nearly extinct in many states where you can't possibly get licensed in that state without a college level formal education in architecture.
Due to those reasons, plus architectural firms not interested in teaching at all. Most just want to assign you tasks and you do it. With that in mind, most firms want people with degrees (NAAB accredited preferred).
ah, so no GSD superstar status in your future then? The reality is in most of the world, you need formal accredited education if you want a chance at a job. There are no shortcuts.
Architecture can be broadly defined - what is your career or professional end game? - do you want to be an entrepreneur such as a future business owner? - A real estate developer? - A project consultant? - A design-build contractor? - An instructor? - Front an architectural and/or planning firm? - Be a registered architect? - architects can be consultants much like consulting engineers (classified as Architects-of-Record) where they provide drawings and seal your projects - if you want to be a residential or interior designer then you can be self-taught as a non-traditional student as many of us are - talk to us ...
That is where do you want your career "Wheel of Fortune" to stop? - create an Educational Plan to follow - I wish you good luck on your life journey ...
You can self teach architecture if you have a core background of consruction knoweldge, building knowledge or anything similar. Otherwise I dont see how you can learn architecture without that core basic knowlege. You have to learn the rules, to break the rules, thats what Architcture is, knowing the rules of building materials and how to manipulate them into space. Also a big part of becoming an archiect is learning the ropes and paying your dues, usually working for other architects, so dont see how you can develop that craft by yourself. Maybe you can be a fiverr archiect, but nobody in the real world will hire you.
My grandfather was an engineer who designed many buildings in the craftsman style - both him, my grandmother and father an engineer were self taught architects - they in turn taught me stuff, mid century houses. I did go to college for architecture get an M.arch and 17 years so far in practice.
I did most of, but didn't complete, a 2-year architectural technology certificate and had a decent career including eventually getting licensed. I think this is about as close as one can get to being self-taught and actually working in architecture (in modern times).
I DON'T recommend doing it this way if you have other options! It was very hard the whole time; I didn't have nearly the career success people with the degrees had, and it ended in debilitating burnout.
Atelier, the OP is likely in USA given their earlier request about the number of groupies GSD grads get. Are there any official self-study paths?
Basically, if you pursue licensure in a state where you can get licensed without a degree. So you would be complementing your working hours under an architect with self-directed learning or some hybrid of self-directed learning and mentor/apprenticeship style learning.
None are officially referred to as self-study path to licensure. You don't get academic credit in the licensing but you do need to basically do it to improve your ability to work and do the tasks at work and also prepare for the ARE exam. You need to learn the stuff in some fashion.
In architecture school, you might be able to take some sort of "directed study" course but you don't get degrees in most schools by self-study.
Since the days of FLW maybe not possible anymore, practically. But there are modern examples outside of north america. Heatherwick is probably the most famous non architect lately. Used to be Ando.
When I first moved to Japan in mid-90s 50% of my office did not go to uni for architecture license. They worked for 7 years and took the exam. Nominally a version of that is still possible as far as I know, but I dont know anyone who would consider it lately. The ecosystem is not what it used to be and finding a professional path is harder than ever no matter the regulations.
FWIW, Ando's twin brother is a real estate developer and he grew up with some amount of social privilege that made things more possible. The moral of his story I think is less that hard work can take you anywhere and more that being born into the right family can change everything. Ando still worked hard and did a lot of important things, like going to Europe in the 60s to teach himself about modernism. But that was not a normal working class option at the time. With inequality much worse now I cant help think it is harder than ever to do anything outside of the system without having someone at your back pulling strings. If not government then family. If not family, then who?
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