Not being an Architect, I was wondering what leisure time hours are like among Architects? Do you have just as much free time as the next 9-5 working individual or perhaps much less?
leisure time is if your working on CAD all day you switch over to 3D stuff, and vice versa. Their are no sports, physical fitness, or social activity. which is really funny because a lot of architects talk about architecture as being a social thing.
i know architects who work 90+ hours a week, and architects who work 40 hrs a week...I think it depends on the firm, what kind of work they're doing, how many people are employed, office policies etc. I don't think there's always a set hour work week..but more like depending on when whether a deadline is coming up, or if something needs to be fixed etc.
oh, it's not that bad. totally depends on the firm you work with and where you're going with your career. i've known plenty of architects who typically work eight hour days. of course, i'd guess that the majority probably works 50+ hours in a typical week, and much more for a deadline...
there's no reason you can't have a life outside architecture. of course, architecture becomes such a subculture that it can sort of take over your life, but those who spend all their time working choose that lifestyle.
For me, it's crucial that I have access to 2 nights training a week and ideally a day or two on the weekend to go. I'm just trying to find out how architecture is in practice, i.e. beyond applying for a degree and thinking "I want to be an architect".
Asking this question i imagine you haven't been through school, where, while it again depends on many factors, you are typically still liable to put in MANY MANY hours. I have known people who can come in, crank something out, and go out or go rock climbing or whatever, but they don't TEND to be the strongest students (exceptions yada yada).
I think for the most part the most exciting work corresponds with more hours and less pay. Anyone with more time in the field care to corroborate or maybe completely disagree?
Actually, just read the forums for awhile and you'll get an idea. Or, maybe become a huge movie star and then do a movie where you play an architect, it's like a back door into the industry.
Work = more or less your typical job--what you would imagine you'd put in if you like your job and you're dedicated. The vast majority of my peers put in right around 40 hours a week, sometimes more, sometimes less. If you're in a high-design place, it will be slightly more on average; like you'd be there from 9am to 7pm, about. But then most firms who are committed to their employees will ask them to put in crunch hours at competition / drawing set deadlines and then let them head home early that friday or take a long weekend or something. Honestly it's about what you'd expect of a professional job.
Most wall street types I know put in way more hours watching the stocks, frankly.
I have indeed been through university once already and achieved a first.
Not being an architecture degree, I'm just intrigued as to how the field holds up. I can't think of anything worse than becoming an inactive, obese office dweller, which is why I care to do some research and ensure that that does not happen!
school is way more time consuming. i managed to go to the gym some towards the end once i learned how to better manage my time. but in the work world, there's no reason you can't rock climb two evenings a week as an architect. just choose the kind of firm that doesn't expect insane overtime.
One thing about architecture is its a profession that cannot be forced. We don't build widgets and aren't able to crank up the assembly like and crank out a few more before the closing bell. For that reason many of are forced to work past 40 hours/week.
That said most professionals today could only wish to have a 40 hour work week. If that's what you're after get a union job that demands that in the contract. When a deadline is near work hours can swell, but generally speaking I think you can have a exciting and prosperous career in architecure working 50hr weeks or less.
most architects have a little something else that they do, but this profession does tend to consume you to a much greater extent than other professions.
but then again, most of us like architecture in general if not our specific present situations.
i actually like my present situation, and the most stressful part of my work is taking vacations. i would rather just work.
The one thing I have noticed from all of the comments here is the ultimate passion which you all possess. Was this passion there before you started your UG degree, or did it progress through time?
Right now, I find it difficult to envisage being as committed to architecture as I am to climbing. That's not to say I wouldn't wish such a transition to occur, it's just another one in my life perhaps.
I think it also goes hand-in-hand with my philosophy to enjoying an active and healthy lifestyle which climbing helps facilitate.
Thanks for all your sentiments, it has been most enlightening.
I have plenty of leisure time. I'm into skiing, all things outdoorsy. i make art too. In general, after 40 hours here, theres more than enough time for a normal life. whoot.
I think the type of people who post on archinect tend to be your more committed, eager architecture-lovers out there--which is a great deal of why I like this forum. We *are* passionate--but that doesn't mean we're necessarily the greatest representative sample of the profession at large. I would say we seem to represent the more passionate end of the spectrum--with certainly many others who put in a day of work and go home and stop thinking about architecture and turn on the TV or what have you. Those types definitely exist. But obviously, we're the type who can't stop thinking about architecture and design, and it even creeps into our off-hours ANYWAY even if we do have off-hours--witness ochona, I think a lot of us are like him--soooo... Don't get too scared. If you want to have a typical officey 9-5 job, that certainly exists in abundance in this profession. Just don't expect to be working on particularly interesting projects. Expect car dealerships and parking garages and strip malls.
monolith, you are quite right. during school climbing was important and my schoolwork suffered, not that I regret it. currently the fire of climbing has cooled and architecture has become more important.
And by the way, as much as I love it, I do a ton of non-architecture off-hours stuff, too. I bet we all do. We tend to be over-achievers that way. :) Join the ranks, monolith!
I went to school and got a BArch with a guy who is now not an architect but rather a premier designer of climbing walls. He took his two passions and combined them.
it all depends on the frim you work for and your passion for your job.
in school i spent countless sleepless nights and missed alot of stuff for projects i was really into
at the office i stay late if i need to, but that is rare, and there is the occasional saturday, but i work for a large firm and i find that the free time is ample for a healthy social life, and hobbies
i acctually have a friend in the office super passionate designer, spends alot of time working, and has plenty of time to climb year round
So I guess this leads us onto another issue as well. There really do seem to be a lot of climbing architects! Fantastic news.
Thanks for your patience guys. I'm just a little nervous about starting my second degree (pending an offer) and as to what the future holds within the profession. I'd hate more than anything to be content with just designing malls and car parking quarters. I know I have a passion for Architecture as I've always been fascinated by it and now completely want to commit to it.
I'm certainly not scared by working long hours. Once again, thanks for all of your insightly comments and long may youir passion thrive!
I can count on one hand the number of times I've worked more than 40 hours in a week and have worked on plenty of "interesting" projects for several different firms. I've never worked on a single car dealership, parking garage, or strip mall and I've never worked for a firm that ever did any of those types of projects. I really wish people would stop spreading the myth that banality of the design is inversely proportional to hours worked. Your own time management and your firm's ability to appropriately staff and manage their projects are much bigger factors.
Well said, bryan. I cannot agree more that overtime is unnecessary and can easily be avoided if you are concerned about making the yoga class at 6, but the vast majority of those who do work over 40 hours/week do so strictly by choice - more out of attachment than love - which I guess translates into passion. Lets all acknowledge the fact that passion, after all, is an irrational emotion that can't be restrained by little hands on a clock!
I would be COMPLETELY useless as a designer of anything worthwhile if I didn't take time for biking, snowboarding, friends, & outside life in general. I liken it to a relationship where a person ceases to follow their individual interests in order to 'give themself' to the relationship; as a result they stop being an interesting person and the relationship dies. So even if architecture is your bride, you gotta keep the love alive...
You need to balance things, as best you can. Just a general rule of life (at least to keep sane and somewhat happy)
BUT this is not the case in school. I would count on your hobby being "when all projects are done and I have 3 days to sleep", not having 3 times a week you can go.
Honestly, I don't know if anyone could have made it through the undergrad I had had they attempted something like that (I know folks that thought they could do a bunch of things, but they dropped out fast).
School is where the brutal time is. By grad school, most people have it figured out, as far as time management, and professors aren't weeding out the bunch with insane assignments.
My continual advice, though, is that if you are questioning it, either on a time basis, money basis or if you have the passion, it ain't for you. Passion got me through school (and continues to drive me today), but the reality of the $ killed the passion for the profession.
Just be fully aware of all 3 before you make any decisions.
school is difficult if you want to be a good student. and if you want to be a top student then you'll likely even compromise the amount of time spent eating/sleeping...
professionally, i've had jobs that have required all-nighters at the office but generally i have found the idea that "architects work harder than other people" to be a bit of a myth. i've known plenty of non-architects who work theirs asses off, even in exciting fields like insurance and automoble industry analysis. and i've known plenty of architects with ample leisure time.
and you can change the pace too. although i've worked hard in the past, i've presently shifted into a job which barely requires 40 hours per week and leaves me ample time for brunch, posting on archinect, and running marathons. maybe in another year i'll be ready for a change...but for now i'm enjoying it.
Architects & leisure time
Not being an Architect, I was wondering what leisure time hours are like among Architects? Do you have just as much free time as the next 9-5 working individual or perhaps much less?
any one want to field this one?
I had one job which required 115 hours per week on numerous occasions. sleeping & eating becomes optional to some in this case.
leisure time is if your working on CAD all day you switch over to 3D stuff, and vice versa. Their are no sports, physical fitness, or social activity. which is really funny because a lot of architects talk about architecture as being a social thing.
That's insane!
Is that typical of most architectural practices or was that a one-off? The prospect of working so many hours is intimidating I have to say!
Being a devoted rock climber, it sounds as though it wouldn't fit in with my evening training sessions!?
i know architects who work 90+ hours a week, and architects who work 40 hrs a week...I think it depends on the firm, what kind of work they're doing, how many people are employed, office policies etc. I don't think there's always a set hour work week..but more like depending on when whether a deadline is coming up, or if something needs to be fixed etc.
I have plenty of free time, which I waste watching t.v. But then I'm not all that important at my office, so not much overtime. Yet.
oh, it's not that bad. totally depends on the firm you work with and where you're going with your career. i've known plenty of architects who typically work eight hour days. of course, i'd guess that the majority probably works 50+ hours in a typical week, and much more for a deadline...
there's no reason you can't have a life outside architecture. of course, architecture becomes such a subculture that it can sort of take over your life, but those who spend all their time working choose that lifestyle.
For me, it's crucial that I have access to 2 nights training a week and ideally a day or two on the weekend to go. I'm just trying to find out how architecture is in practice, i.e. beyond applying for a degree and thinking "I want to be an architect".
Move here.
Asking this question i imagine you haven't been through school, where, while it again depends on many factors, you are typically still liable to put in MANY MANY hours. I have known people who can come in, crank something out, and go out or go rock climbing or whatever, but they don't TEND to be the strongest students (exceptions yada yada).
I think for the most part the most exciting work corresponds with more hours and less pay. Anyone with more time in the field care to corroborate or maybe completely disagree?
Actually, just read the forums for awhile and you'll get an idea. Or, maybe become a huge movie star and then do a movie where you play an architect, it's like a back door into the industry.
School = no free time, whatsoever
Work = more or less your typical job--what you would imagine you'd put in if you like your job and you're dedicated. The vast majority of my peers put in right around 40 hours a week, sometimes more, sometimes less. If you're in a high-design place, it will be slightly more on average; like you'd be there from 9am to 7pm, about. But then most firms who are committed to their employees will ask them to put in crunch hours at competition / drawing set deadlines and then let them head home early that friday or take a long weekend or something. Honestly it's about what you'd expect of a professional job.
Most wall street types I know put in way more hours watching the stocks, frankly.
I have indeed been through university once already and achieved a first.
Not being an architecture degree, I'm just intrigued as to how the field holds up. I can't think of anything worse than becoming an inactive, obese office dweller, which is why I care to do some research and ensure that that does not happen!
work until 5:30. Go to yoga at 6. Go home or back to office (rarely). Go to bed. Wake up. Repeat
See this thread I started a year and a half ago...
http://www.archinect.com/forum/threads.php?id=19982_0_42_0_C
school is way more time consuming. i managed to go to the gym some towards the end once i learned how to better manage my time. but in the work world, there's no reason you can't rock climb two evenings a week as an architect. just choose the kind of firm that doesn't expect insane overtime.
One thing about architecture is its a profession that cannot be forced. We don't build widgets and aren't able to crank up the assembly like and crank out a few more before the closing bell. For that reason many of are forced to work past 40 hours/week.
That said most professionals today could only wish to have a 40 hour work week. If that's what you're after get a union job that demands that in the contract. When a deadline is near work hours can swell, but generally speaking I think you can have a exciting and prosperous career in architecure working 50hr weeks or less.
most architects have a little something else that they do, but this profession does tend to consume you to a much greater extent than other professions.
but then again, most of us like architecture in general if not our specific present situations.
i actually like my present situation, and the most stressful part of my work is taking vacations. i would rather just work.
The one thing I have noticed from all of the comments here is the ultimate passion which you all possess. Was this passion there before you started your UG degree, or did it progress through time?
Right now, I find it difficult to envisage being as committed to architecture as I am to climbing. That's not to say I wouldn't wish such a transition to occur, it's just another one in my life perhaps.
I think it also goes hand-in-hand with my philosophy to enjoying an active and healthy lifestyle which climbing helps facilitate.
Thanks for all your sentiments, it has been most enlightening.
I climbed this in my leisure time:
I have plenty of leisure time. I'm into skiing, all things outdoorsy. i make art too. In general, after 40 hours here, theres more than enough time for a normal life. whoot.
I think the type of people who post on archinect tend to be your more committed, eager architecture-lovers out there--which is a great deal of why I like this forum. We *are* passionate--but that doesn't mean we're necessarily the greatest representative sample of the profession at large. I would say we seem to represent the more passionate end of the spectrum--with certainly many others who put in a day of work and go home and stop thinking about architecture and turn on the TV or what have you. Those types definitely exist. But obviously, we're the type who can't stop thinking about architecture and design, and it even creeps into our off-hours ANYWAY even if we do have off-hours--witness ochona, I think a lot of us are like him--soooo... Don't get too scared. If you want to have a typical officey 9-5 job, that certainly exists in abundance in this profession. Just don't expect to be working on particularly interesting projects. Expect car dealerships and parking garages and strip malls.
nice work snooker, durance?
monolith, you are quite right. during school climbing was important and my schoolwork suffered, not that I regret it. currently the fire of climbing has cooled and architecture has become more important.
it boils down to priorities.
And by the way, as much as I love it, I do a ton of non-architecture off-hours stuff, too. I bet we all do. We tend to be over-achievers that way. :) Join the ranks, monolith!
snooker, i ate that mound of mashed potatoes in my free time...
I went to school and got a BArch with a guy who is now not an architect but rather a premier designer of climbing walls. He took his two passions and combined them.
So there ya go.
Free time is taken up with Family life, skiing, mt. biking, building a house for my family. Each week presents a different balance of priorities.
I have plenty of free time.
and a good social life too.
man you can have as much free time as you want
it all depends on the frim you work for and your passion for your job.
in school i spent countless sleepless nights and missed alot of stuff for projects i was really into
at the office i stay late if i need to, but that is rare, and there is the occasional saturday, but i work for a large firm and i find that the free time is ample for a healthy social life, and hobbies
i acctually have a friend in the office super passionate designer, spends alot of time working, and has plenty of time to climb year round
So I guess this leads us onto another issue as well. There really do seem to be a lot of climbing architects! Fantastic news.
Thanks for your patience guys. I'm just a little nervous about starting my second degree (pending an offer) and as to what the future holds within the profession. I'd hate more than anything to be content with just designing malls and car parking quarters. I know I have a passion for Architecture as I've always been fascinated by it and now completely want to commit to it.
I'm certainly not scared by working long hours. Once again, thanks for all of your insightly comments and long may youir passion thrive!
I can count on one hand the number of times I've worked more than 40 hours in a week and have worked on plenty of "interesting" projects for several different firms. I've never worked on a single car dealership, parking garage, or strip mall and I've never worked for a firm that ever did any of those types of projects. I really wish people would stop spreading the myth that banality of the design is inversely proportional to hours worked. Your own time management and your firm's ability to appropriately staff and manage their projects are much bigger factors.
Well said, bryan. I cannot agree more that overtime is unnecessary and can easily be avoided if you are concerned about making the yoga class at 6, but the vast majority of those who do work over 40 hours/week do so strictly by choice - more out of attachment than love - which I guess translates into passion. Lets all acknowledge the fact that passion, after all, is an irrational emotion that can't be restrained by little hands on a clock!
I would be COMPLETELY useless as a designer of anything worthwhile if I didn't take time for biking, snowboarding, friends, & outside life in general. I liken it to a relationship where a person ceases to follow their individual interests in order to 'give themself' to the relationship; as a result they stop being an interesting person and the relationship dies. So even if architecture is your bride, you gotta keep the love alive...
You need to balance things, as best you can. Just a general rule of life (at least to keep sane and somewhat happy)
BUT this is not the case in school. I would count on your hobby being "when all projects are done and I have 3 days to sleep", not having 3 times a week you can go.
Honestly, I don't know if anyone could have made it through the undergrad I had had they attempted something like that (I know folks that thought they could do a bunch of things, but they dropped out fast).
School is where the brutal time is. By grad school, most people have it figured out, as far as time management, and professors aren't weeding out the bunch with insane assignments.
My continual advice, though, is that if you are questioning it, either on a time basis, money basis or if you have the passion, it ain't for you. Passion got me through school (and continues to drive me today), but the reality of the $ killed the passion for the profession.
Just be fully aware of all 3 before you make any decisions.
I fill timesheets in my leisure time.
school is difficult if you want to be a good student. and if you want to be a top student then you'll likely even compromise the amount of time spent eating/sleeping...
professionally, i've had jobs that have required all-nighters at the office but generally i have found the idea that "architects work harder than other people" to be a bit of a myth. i've known plenty of non-architects who work theirs asses off, even in exciting fields like insurance and automoble industry analysis. and i've known plenty of architects with ample leisure time.
and you can change the pace too. although i've worked hard in the past, i've presently shifted into a job which barely requires 40 hours per week and leaves me ample time for brunch, posting on archinect, and running marathons. maybe in another year i'll be ready for a change...but for now i'm enjoying it.
i sold my t.v. 2 years ago......
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