uhm, yeah.

check out the boards of any competition...many architecture firms work with graphic design firms...Diller + Scofidio has worked with Pentagram on board work...not to mention Bruce Mau.

also think about building signage, wayfinding systems, etc. Sometimes architects hire graphic designers to do these things, or they do them themselves, but either way it's an exercise in graphic design.

what about the design aspect of architecture and graphic design,

are they related?

What about French and Italian - are they related?
Painting and Sculpture?
Advertising and marketing?
Peas and Carrots?
Scots and Welshmen?

diapers and depends

OK, so since the answer to your question is quite obviously 'yes', but you don't seem satisfied, how about you give us a little more here. What the heck are you getting at besides a question with a one-word answer?

like the theoretical aspect.

Actually, there is no correlation and no transferable knowledge between the two. None. Two totally different fields. No relation. No crossover. No overlap. They follow completely different timelines, and develop on two separate, unrelated, non-parallel trajectories. There's no connection whatsoever!

jasoncross, I like what I've seen of your graphic design work. How'd you get into that side of things? Just doing freelance work where you could find it? How did you go about finding freelance work? I'm full of questions - so feel free to share your story.

I got into the graphics world living in Austin...I grew up there and always loved the poster art scene and eventually became a part of it. I dropped out of ACC studying graphic design in 1992 and vagabonded around for a few years from Montana to New Mexico. I returned to Austin around 1997, and I began doing web design. I did a ton of web work through 2000 and began doing more of my own work and starting factor27 with a few friends doing graphic design for the music and entertainment industry...this was do in large part to the .com crap out where there we no more web jobs to be had...turned out to be great for me...

long story short i followed my girlfriend at the time to houston while she went to medical school...visited UH and decided to get an architecture degree (still doing posters any chance I can get)

she was matched for medical residency at U of New Mexico so I transfered out here (still doing posters and chance I can get)

so...do what you love and get good enough at it do actually make a half assed living at it...and smooze a lot.

does anybody know if there is a correlation between architecture and engineering?

Soulikeit...there is 'no connection' and there 'is' connection between architecture and graphic design. Some drawings of architects are like graphic design -two dimensional- which is a dilemma between 'construction and design'. If you examine 'End Space' series of Libeskind you may see that those drawings do not represent anything other than itself. They do not express or imply any tectonics, space and technology so that they can not be transformed into an any image in the mind. They stay only drawings. There is a representation but not an architectural representation. Like Dadaist's..They are just drawings then and for some people they might be called architectural graphic design which I mean with it 'two dimensional'. There are so many examples in architecture about it...and its contraversial subject in theoritical discussions...also if the subject is ironically taken some PM architecture by being scenographic is another aspect of this issue etc..

Thanks for that wonderful insight jasmine

There is a connection if you want there to be

Check out the Generative Art and Architecture field. I feel that it is most definitely influenced by graphic design.

I've done both professionally. the last place that i worked for actually did both as two semi-integrated units. most graphic designers think architects are total geeks. one time I had the heirarchiy broken down to me like this by a graphic designer.

1. god
2. art directors
2. artists
3. designers
4. typographers
5. architects
6. draftsman

don't kill the messenger!

uh, that list makes a lot of sense...uh huh

Soulikeit..no problem..I think you are a student of architecture. Which school are you attending? I am happy if it gave you an insight. If you want to eloborate more on this subject or any question let me know and can try to help as much as I know. Good luck

Graphic design and architecture are tied together tightly in various points of the architectural design process. Everything we creat is graphic and must communicate a recipe of sorts for a building. The pure layout and aesthetic aren't as related as the information aspect of it all.

Check out Edward Tufte's work on information design. This is probably the best connection between the two fields. Most graphic designers aren't that familiar with Tufte as his work has nothing to do with fashion trends in the graphic world. Tufte's work has a focus on how to transer large amounts of information efficiently. This usually leads to a form of beauty that is very removed from stylistic judgements. If you ever get chance to see him speak it's worth it a hundred times over as he'll make you rethink everything you assume you should be doing graphically in this profession.

Tufte's website

silvernoise, i agree that tufte's book are great. i disagree that most graphic designers do not know of tufte. almost all of the people in every print, digital, and industrial design place i've worked at know of tufte. your assumption that graphic designer are only interested in fashion trends is flawed. graphic designers, like any other designer, are not just interested in the way something looks but also the way it functions. the organization of information is an enormous and integral part of the role of a graphic designer.

E, I completely agree and didn't mean to ruffle any feathers. My comment using "most" graphic designers was pretty bogus. I only said that because I have a lot of friends in graphic design and none of them are familiar with Tufte. They're much more likely to know Pentagram and the like. Although I know quite a few graphic designers it was pretty piss poor of me to make that generalization. I apologize to any graphic designers out there.

If you're not familiar with Tufte check him out no matter what visual occupation you're in or pursuing. His PowerPoint essay especially rocks. It'll give you words to describe many of the problems of using PowerPoint to convey information.

no ruffled featers at all silvernoise. i just wanted to clarify. peace.

jasoncross, thanks for the info. I've always dabbled in graphic design, but haven't done any "real" jobs... I've only had friends as clients. Any tips on getting jobs? Postings on craigslist?

something over there, i might try to do some work for a local non-profit over craig's list. craig's list postings receive tons of hits and inquires. your chances will be slim to get work and in will most likely not pay that much [at least what i've seen of them]. maybe try seeking out some non-profits that you like and approach them. they may or may not be in a position to pay. if they can't, at least you know you are helping someone out for a good cause and building your portfolio. this will help you in the future as you get other paying clients too. i still do a bit of work for non-profits who's causes i like. i do it for a reduced rate and somethings for free. my paying clients often express their appreciation of the fact that i do this.

e - good advice, thanks. Approaching non-profits didn't even cross my mind as a way to get into thing. I'll have to look into that.

environmental graphic design is a field that few are aware of, but it is booming and combines elements of architecture and graphic design into one. Firms that have been successful in this field are Gensler, Perkins + Will, Pentagram, Sussman/Preja, InfiniteScale Design to name a few. I am an environmental graphic designer with an architecture degree. Many people mistaken this field to be just signage, but it is more than that, it creates branding and identity for a building/corporation. And most importantly, it helps people navigate, a building alone will never efficiently be successful in navigating its users/visitors. Although many architects have the ability to create awesome graphics, when it comes to application of these in or around buildings it is often put on the back burner in terms of budget and actual design.

Check out SEGD.org for examples of environmental graphics...

this thread need some spanking on the butt

Consider this...sounds like an exercise in graphic design...seemingly very intimately related. One of the most important responsiblities of an architect is to represent things graphically, conveying as much information as concisely as possible. They must design their graphics to do so.

"Architects don’t make buildings. They make models and drawings of buildings."

--Vito Acconci

Whats the point that "Architects don’t make buildings. They make models and drawings of buildings."?? What is behind that models and drawings? The builders are building according to that representational tools. There are lots of argument behind the correlation of graphic design and architecture..if its harder than architecture or not....This is funny! Architects need graphic design as a tool in order to represent their idea and thus their design with its tectonical, spatial aspects and so on...