Architecture is such a skills specific profession that I think it'd be hard to find a job without any kind of training. I don't think painting will be a convincing enough skill for employers to take you in unless you have mind blowing watercolouring/ sketching/ drawing skills. Some firms seem to be looking for people who can do that well, but I can't say that's the only thing they're looking for.

I'm actually looking for jobs right now too. I'm aiming for a student position like "architectural assistant", "junior architect assistant", "student architect", whatever they call it. And from what I've seen, this is what employers generally ask for in their job descriptions:

1. Proficiency in AutoCAD
2. Students with a minimum of 2 years of education in an architecture program (they say 2nd years are ok, but most of the time they prefer 3rd years or up)
3. Previous office experience

I'm finding it rough because I don't have experience with AutoCad or any previous experience working in a firm. In your case, it's even more difficult because you have no architectural training or education.
Considering these things, my suggestion to you would be to get into a M.Arch program if you're really serious about entering the architectural industry. It's only 2 or 3 years and it'll be good fun if you like this stuff.

If you're really determined, then go ahead and try cold calls, sending out resumes and portfolios, etc. I'm not sure what results you'll get, but it might be worth seeing what response you'll recieve.

BTW, do you have any particular firm you want to work for in mind? Or even what sorts of tasks you want to take on?

Awww.

Good luck to you! I hope you'll stumble on a great little firm that loves you and hires you!

I'm just looking for exposure to the field, and practice. Really ANY position that deals with Arch [ie I don't want to go get lunch orders and send faxes] would be great. Since I have not spent hours on mindless projects [not yet!] even drafting and building models for hours and hours would be fine.

Can you suggest any great firms [not to apply, butmostly just to look at great work]?

Thanks! Good luck to you too on all of this madness (I say madness, because that's all I've experienced in the past 3 months).

I still think it's going to be hard to be hired without any training or education in architecture. Those sorts of jobs, as low on the totem pole as they are (even photocopying and answering the phone), tend to go to students and recent graduates from what I've seen so far . You could try taking some courses at a community college on AutoCAD and that could help you with the job search, but I only see it being a dead end sort of career if your education stops there.

Great firms? I personally like Stephen Teeple (teeplearch.com or something), the Patkau's, Brian Mckay-Lyons, Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, Lo/Tek (I haven't quite decided yet if I really like their work, but I think it's interesting), Rem Koolhaas (OMA), Wil Alsop (who does some weird things like OCAD), Morphosis, Steven Holl, Zaha Hadid, Tadao Ando, Shigeru Ban, etc. etc. Those are the typical big names (some not so much). Can't say I love them all, but they're worth looking into.

Try also flipping through some magazines like Architectural Record, A+U, Metropolis Mag, whatever. Those are good places to look if you want to find information on contemporary work that's drawing attention. Even browse around this site and read some of the articles they have. It'll lead you to discover some interesting firms.

If you want to look into a general history of great architecture, then go to a library and look up Scarpa, Mies Van Der Rohe, Le Corbusier, Aalto, Schindler, Boullee, etc. Just go to the library and devour all their books and magazines about architecture and architectural discourse. I did that when I was in high school and I'm still doing it now when I find time. It's great.

Anyway good luck to you whatever path you choose to take!

lizok -

you should def. go take some courses offered locally in AutoCAD and other software. it was extremely hard for me to get my foot in the door with a BA in Art and Design but managed to since i did have some formal education in architecture and an incredibly helpful pair of profs that knew people.

right now though, focus on developing the basic practical skills and butter any connections you might have.

good luck tho. if you're really interested in the practice, call local firms and see if you can't get a look around and poke your nose in.

simply let them know you love to learn, use your hear to learn.. i don't have any experience before, but i got my internship this way..

Ms Pudding-
thanks! Since I don't have a BA in Arch, I've been spending hours and hours at the Berkeley Environ. Design Library looking at books. And I will definitely check out the firms!

A Center for Ants- I'm going to take an AutoCAD and some visual presentation [Photoshop, Free Hand, etc] class at a local college in the spring quarter, :) Yay, I'm on the right path!

Bubble- CONGRATULATIONS! I have a question for you- is it worthwhile to specify ALL the art skills I have [i.e I can make cardboard models, I can sauter metal model component, oil paint, et etc etc], or will that just make me look depseperate for things to list?

lizok, i'd send them a few pages of sample works.. then they called me for interview, i was kinda lucky, find such a decent firm and they're willing to train me (i'll have my BArch in a month, but when i applied, i'd no experience at all, never work in my life)
which city you're in?! i'm in LA, you can contact me via email, i can tell you more..

Bubble- I'm in the Bay Area, near SF, and I'd love to be able to ask questions outside of this forum- I feel like most people are NOT really in the same position as I am, so it is not really a relevant "discussion." My email is [email protected] If you'd like, you can just send me a message there, so I'll have your email address as well.