The more and more I get into this profession, the more I realize that no architect thinks that they are the "typical architect". But what the hell IS the typical architect? And I mean this is a *mostly* lighthearted manner....
In my mind it is the person who:
1) Doesn't sleep because of a project
2) Worries too much
3) Freaks out over details
4) Squabbles/complains about price of materials/systems.
5) Drinks coffee in surplus
6) Pretends they are really great/misunderstood artists
Feel free to add your own to the list, take some off the list, or contribute to the typical architect IS a typical architect conundrum.
Mystykal, there is no "typical" architect. I sat in an AIA meeting this morning that had a broad range of practitioners in the field. You could look at the clothing and listen to the comments and figure out who did healthcare design, who was a construction geek, who did interior design, who was a rebellious sole proprietor, who headed a firm of 100...
I will say those attributes you listed in your post are fairly typical of a lot of architects, but will temper that by adding that those attributes are typically more intense among the young in the field than among the old (like myself).
Also, I think #6 is not common to architects but is commonly believed about architects; but if you said "Sometimes wistfully wishes they could pretend to be a great/misunderstood artist but know in their heart they aren't so generally just stop daydreaming and get on with it" that would be more accurate.
happy well-adjusted family types with a passion for design and arts and an interest in improving the built environment. feel lucky to be able to be so personally engaged in what they do for a living so that it's not just a 'job'. ; )
I think from the outside world architects appear to be trendy money makers who are immune to a bad economy.
I was at a mandatory career seminar (to keep my unemployment) and we all had to introduce ourselves. My friend and I both said we were architects and a woman turned around and said "Even architects don't have jobs? I'll never be able to find a new job then!" We could not help but to laugh at her.
Often have a overinflated sense of their intelligence, power, importance, and ability to affect the built environment. Also a somewhat homogeneous profession, even more so than law or medicine, for some reason.
Typical Architects?
The more and more I get into this profession, the more I realize that no architect thinks that they are the "typical architect". But what the hell IS the typical architect? And I mean this is a *mostly* lighthearted manner....
In my mind it is the person who:
1) Doesn't sleep because of a project
2) Worries too much
3) Freaks out over details
4) Squabbles/complains about price of materials/systems.
5) Drinks coffee in surplus
6) Pretends they are really great/misunderstood artists
Feel free to add your own to the list, take some off the list, or contribute to the typical architect IS a typical architect conundrum.
sounds more like the archetypical than typical.
osnap
, typ.
1) adequate at everything, excels and little
2) produces in bunches and is easily distracted
3) symbolically intellectual
4) verbose
excels at little that should say
The typical architect has a cool job; casual and relaxed while earning a lot of money. At least thats what I hear.
So what are YOU that isn't typical?
I am silver-grey felt, oversized on account of jubilant circumstances, and bedazzled.
Yes - I am that.
And, your trousers are apparently yellow-green.
Mystykal, there is no "typical" architect. I sat in an AIA meeting this morning that had a broad range of practitioners in the field. You could look at the clothing and listen to the comments and figure out who did healthcare design, who was a construction geek, who did interior design, who was a rebellious sole proprietor, who headed a firm of 100...
I will say those attributes you listed in your post are fairly typical of a lot of architects, but will temper that by adding that those attributes are typically more intense among the young in the field than among the old (like myself).
Also, I think #6 is not common to architects but is commonly believed about architects; but if you said "Sometimes wistfully wishes they could pretend to be a great/misunderstood artist but know in their heart they aren't so generally just stop daydreaming and get on with it" that would be more accurate.
Also, just for you, here is an old thread with some mystical jello
You forgot controlling. On some level. And Opinionated.
i agree with you libertybell....i am just interested in what people think about the subject in general :-)
always right
indecisive
anal
oh yeah and a perfectionist
two general types:
1) egotistical genius
2) depressed slave
intense, only wants to hang out with other architects, touchy.
I oscillate more between a egotistical slave and a depressed genius myself. Perfect.
I think there are a lot of really insecure people in this profession...
I'm more of a depressed slave these days
ya at a $1.78 a square foot there is good reason to feel like a depressed slave.
why would you say that toaster? I mean I would, but only if you agree.
typical architect or designer....
Can work with a lot of variables in concert ike an orchastra conductor.
Can't spell for beans!
listens to bricks and lets them be what they want to be
listens to pink flloyd and then decides not to listen to the bricks and puts bricks in the wall...
i'm with bigblobs...\/
two general types:
1) egotistical genius
2) depressed slave
Always have a better idear.....(with heavy boston accent)
Scare people when they say, "Oh Shit"
happy well-adjusted family types with a passion for design and arts and an interest in improving the built environment. feel lucky to be able to be so personally engaged in what they do for a living so that it's not just a 'job'. ; )
both eg and ds depending on the mood
I think from the outside world architects appear to be trendy money makers who are immune to a bad economy.
I was at a mandatory career seminar (to keep my unemployment) and we all had to introduce ourselves. My friend and I both said we were architects and a woman turned around and said "Even architects don't have jobs? I'll never be able to find a new job then!" We could not help but to laugh at her.
Often have a overinflated sense of their intelligence, power, importance, and ability to affect the built environment. Also a somewhat homogeneous profession, even more so than law or medicine, for some reason.
All think they can design well
to bigblobs' categories...what if we invert those into:
1) depressed genius
2) egotistical slave
I know a few of both.
I used to be an optimist.
Now I'm an absurd optimist.
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