i'm in my second out of three years at a well-known 3-year m.arch1 program. i'm at a crossroads and don't know what to do with my life. here's what's going down. let me know what you think.
(1) i'm not really a 'design' guy. i've always been okay at design but really struggle to make anything awesomely outstanding of the level of spatial resolution that many of my peers do. i guess this makes sense because i came to architecture out of a fascination for buildings and cities and an interest in studying them - i had very little artistic background before majoring in architecture as an undergrad.
(2) my design instructors, while always giving me pretty good grades in the end and considering me a very good student and thinker, have never been particularly excited by my designs, but have never been able to give me any feedback that really helps me get better. it's probably more my fault than theirs, although i dunno - i think design can be taught but they haven't been teaching it to me. i just keep getting subpar feedback on my designs.
(3) i am really excited by the study of certain buildings and cities and think it would be really interesting to get to do academic visual-verbal studies as part of a career - and i've been told i am a good writer, at least stylistically - but whenever i try to sit down and read / think about / discuss / write about theory, i just can't wrap my head around the dense stuff, haven't gotten to the point of being able to proficiently discuss all of it, haven't been able to write outstanding papers that would qualify me for more academic type pursuits like a ph.d.
(4) i am really interested by the idea of doing these academic studies but would also like to design stuff, i.e. have my own practice - how can i do both, if at this point i doubt it could get into a phd program and with the way my portfolio looks and i doubt i could get a job at an interesting firm?
(5) i know i am a smart, intelligent person with a lot of potential! i've gotten good feedback on a lot of stuff in my life. this design stuff and this theory stuff just isn't working out, even though i've been doing it for the last 5 years. i want to keep doing architecture somehow, though. i'm hooked on it and nothing else like law or business etc interests me anymore.
Your story sounds like mine. One thing I've learned over time: just because you don't do design work giving hard-ons to classmates or getting gasps from instructors and jurors does not mean you're not a good designer. Maybe just not a trendy one. Big, big difference.
Also, consider getting a second masters--in planning, or architectural history, or urban history. This would provide both subject matter and training for you in writing, thinking, and re-writing.
Architectural training in combination with the ability to research, obverve, analyze and write is powerful. You sound as though you have the drive and interest, but are still looking for the specific direction.
I wish I could write more, but it's a busy day. (Yea! I still have a job... today, at least.) Please feel free to email me if you'd like. Also, I've blathered extensively on this subject of design-cum-scholarship on other threads, mostly under the headings of "urban design/ planning/ cities." Search the threads if you'd like to read more of my brilliance ;-)
Don't be discouraged, but keep looking around, asking questions, and talking to people who do want you'd like to do!
There are many different kinds of architects out there and I can sit around here in my office and look at many (who are very successful) whose stories sound exactly like yours.
thanks for the responses. citizen and archmed, that was very helpful.
perido: yes, i have some professional experience. i worked one summer and then one full year at firms - while i was at those firms, i was mostly working on real buildings. one was a large project where i was mostly doing massing models for the whole summer, and then for the entire i guess i was doing mostly small-scale stuff like furniture and exhibitions within the context of the larger buildings they were working on.
Ryan, these are all perfectly legit concerns and questions. The fact that you are asking them now is a good indication how alert you are about where you see yourself in the profession. I've seen a lot of people blindly walk into the profession who already think they're architects and they are just given a well deserved rude awakening.
It can't be emphasized any stronger, but the profession is different from school. i'm sure you've witnessed it in your internship experiences... And always remember that in the profession, there is absolutely no such thing as a "model architect." Everyone does things differently and can be successful in many different kinds of capacities -- whether they're badass designers, great planners, or incredible specification writers. People truly wish they were good in every single aspect of architecture but -- with a few rare exceptions -- architects generally find themselves stronger at a few aspects of the profession than others.
It seems that you're learning a lot in your education experience and I would just keep going down that road. Don't get too discouraged about the strength of your colleagues. If you truly want to be like them, learn from them and figure out what drives them to their creative exploration and realize that maybe sometime down the stretch you may be the one who ends up being the incredible designer. Likewise I've seen many of my former grad school colleagues who were solid designers shift more into construction administration and QA/QC roles.
Archmed brings up an important point, Ryan, about how many different kinds of practice there are out there, for you to find (or make) your particular niche.
My recommendation for a second, more academically oriented masters comes from my own experience. I knew that I wanted to learn how to do scholarly research and writing, but I also knew that I'm not disciplined enough to pursue it on my own, after work, so to speak. So I did the master's and PhD knowing I would be able to do such work full time.
This is, of course, not for everybody. Others --you, perhaps-- are disciplined enough to carve out time for research and writing on their own, without more schooling.
Jan 8, 09 5:20 pm ·
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Not another what to do with my life thread...
hi!
i'm in my second out of three years at a well-known 3-year m.arch1 program. i'm at a crossroads and don't know what to do with my life. here's what's going down. let me know what you think.
(1) i'm not really a 'design' guy. i've always been okay at design but really struggle to make anything awesomely outstanding of the level of spatial resolution that many of my peers do. i guess this makes sense because i came to architecture out of a fascination for buildings and cities and an interest in studying them - i had very little artistic background before majoring in architecture as an undergrad.
(2) my design instructors, while always giving me pretty good grades in the end and considering me a very good student and thinker, have never been particularly excited by my designs, but have never been able to give me any feedback that really helps me get better. it's probably more my fault than theirs, although i dunno - i think design can be taught but they haven't been teaching it to me. i just keep getting subpar feedback on my designs.
(3) i am really excited by the study of certain buildings and cities and think it would be really interesting to get to do academic visual-verbal studies as part of a career - and i've been told i am a good writer, at least stylistically - but whenever i try to sit down and read / think about / discuss / write about theory, i just can't wrap my head around the dense stuff, haven't gotten to the point of being able to proficiently discuss all of it, haven't been able to write outstanding papers that would qualify me for more academic type pursuits like a ph.d.
(4) i am really interested by the idea of doing these academic studies but would also like to design stuff, i.e. have my own practice - how can i do both, if at this point i doubt it could get into a phd program and with the way my portfolio looks and i doubt i could get a job at an interesting firm?
(5) i know i am a smart, intelligent person with a lot of potential! i've gotten good feedback on a lot of stuff in my life. this design stuff and this theory stuff just isn't working out, even though i've been doing it for the last 5 years. i want to keep doing architecture somehow, though. i'm hooked on it and nothing else like law or business etc interests me anymore.
any advice? thanks!
Ryan,
Your story sounds like mine. One thing I've learned over time: just because you don't do design work giving hard-ons to classmates or getting gasps from instructors and jurors does not mean you're not a good designer. Maybe just not a trendy one. Big, big difference.
Also, consider getting a second masters--in planning, or architectural history, or urban history. This would provide both subject matter and training for you in writing, thinking, and re-writing.
Architectural training in combination with the ability to research, obverve, analyze and write is powerful. You sound as though you have the drive and interest, but are still looking for the specific direction.
I wish I could write more, but it's a busy day. (Yea! I still have a job... today, at least.) Please feel free to email me if you'd like. Also, I've blathered extensively on this subject of design-cum-scholarship on other threads, mostly under the headings of "urban design/ planning/ cities." Search the threads if you'd like to read more of my brilliance ;-)
Don't be discouraged, but keep looking around, asking questions, and talking to people who do want you'd like to do!
There are many different kinds of architects out there and I can sit around here in my office and look at many (who are very successful) whose stories sound exactly like yours.
(4) - have you any professional experience?
do you....
there's too much b.s. that goes along with 'labels'
thanks for the responses. citizen and archmed, that was very helpful.
perido: yes, i have some professional experience. i worked one summer and then one full year at firms - while i was at those firms, i was mostly working on real buildings. one was a large project where i was mostly doing massing models for the whole summer, and then for the entire i guess i was doing mostly small-scale stuff like furniture and exhibitions within the context of the larger buildings they were working on.
Ryan, these are all perfectly legit concerns and questions. The fact that you are asking them now is a good indication how alert you are about where you see yourself in the profession. I've seen a lot of people blindly walk into the profession who already think they're architects and they are just given a well deserved rude awakening.
It can't be emphasized any stronger, but the profession is different from school. i'm sure you've witnessed it in your internship experiences... And always remember that in the profession, there is absolutely no such thing as a "model architect." Everyone does things differently and can be successful in many different kinds of capacities -- whether they're badass designers, great planners, or incredible specification writers. People truly wish they were good in every single aspect of architecture but -- with a few rare exceptions -- architects generally find themselves stronger at a few aspects of the profession than others.
It seems that you're learning a lot in your education experience and I would just keep going down that road. Don't get too discouraged about the strength of your colleagues. If you truly want to be like them, learn from them and figure out what drives them to their creative exploration and realize that maybe sometime down the stretch you may be the one who ends up being the incredible designer. Likewise I've seen many of my former grad school colleagues who were solid designers shift more into construction administration and QA/QC roles.
Archmed brings up an important point, Ryan, about how many different kinds of practice there are out there, for you to find (or make) your particular niche.
My recommendation for a second, more academically oriented masters comes from my own experience. I knew that I wanted to learn how to do scholarly research and writing, but I also knew that I'm not disciplined enough to pursue it on my own, after work, so to speak. So I did the master's and PhD knowing I would be able to do such work full time.
This is, of course, not for everybody. Others --you, perhaps-- are disciplined enough to carve out time for research and writing on their own, without more schooling.
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