I become one for the money. I thought that architects earned roughly the same as lawyers, doctors, accountants, bankers, realtors, publishers, brokers, commercial pilots, physiatrists, dentists vets, plumbers, mechanical engineers, car dealer etc. Apparently they earn less than a shoe salesmen, plus they all have students loans that a shoe salesmen doesn't have.

In all fairness, the happiest architects I know are those that have a regular day job that pays the bills and do side projects in their spare time. Then architecture is fun as you can concentrate fully on the things that make architecture worthwhile

i dont know

i'm into sado masochism.

When I told my dad that i wanted to be an architect, he said: "So you don't want to make money?"

smart dad

It may not be relevant, but are you over or under 20 y.o.

you wrote a couple of worthy reasons:

"It appeals to me, because everytime I see a building, I always have a reaction"

"What attracts me to architecture is that it feels real, something solid, and it is both a mixture of science and art;"

now do some homework about the profession, as it's quite different from the public perception (as mentioned above, financial compensation being one of the false perceptions)

Why all the negativity surrounding the salary? It doesn't seem that bad:

http://www.indeed.com/salary/Architect.html
http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/layouthtmls/swzl_compresult_national_DD19000001.html

"It may not be relevant, but are you over or under 20 y.o"

over 27

Salaries aren't bad compared to ALL jobs. But compare it to other professionals with similar workloads and responsibility and we are grossly underpaid...look at architect salaries compared to doctors and lawyers. I mean at least we provide the world with something useful compared to the stacks of paperwork produced by lawyers.

As for why I became an architect (or an architectural intern I guess I have to say since I haven't taken the ARE yet), it is the perfect profession. It combines creativity with reality, it blends art and science, allows us to contribute to greater society and help direct the way people live, work and interact with the world. The job is always evolving and each project has its own set of issues that keeps us on our toes and always learning.

i got into it for the type of peer group and professional independence as compared to law...was accepted into programs for both law and architecture the same year and spent the summer undecided having sent back registrations for both programs...both appealed to me for the intellectual challenge mainly...while i saw architecture as something i would do for myself, i saw law as something i would do for the benefit of society (criminal law)...

after attending a summer orientation session for the incoming law grads, i got a good sense of who my peer group was and just didn't see myself getting along well with the typical law student...too single tracked minded for my taste, and overly concerned with bottom line end goals (money, partnership, prestige)...

also didn't see the idea of slaving away for a shot at partnership too much fun...and to work solo in law means you're just doing mundane paperwork...to do interesting work, you generally need to be part of a larger office...

architecture on the other hand, introduced me to a wide range of people from different backgrounds with different future goals...nothing typical at all...plus the fact that solo practitioners can go out on their own relatively easily, and have the freedom to steer their work in different directions was really appealing...

what really helped make my decision was to talk to people who had been through one or both types of programs and to see what they would have done with the benefit of hindsight...i met loads of lawyers who were staying in just for the money after 5-6 years in the field...once you get into a certain level of spending, it's hard to give it up...and they hated their careers...most people don't make partner at big firms but it's too hard to go start your own practice...how do you do side jobs in law? you don't, really...

so that was my path...

I got into it because I love all creative ventures and was young and naive (somewhere around 14-ish). No regrets, though (well, one or two, but I loved my education).

its pretty much the only "job" i can imagine myself doing for the rest of my life. :) thats what a job really should be! pay the bills and stimulates you (creatively).

i cant stand any job where i sit/stand in an office/site everyday and repeat that for 30 years.

and theres sooo much to architecture than blending arts and science/ money. i think it speaks for itself as it is pretty much one of the oldest professions ever.

"to build" is such a wonderful nature/ability that few possess.

spaceman spiff >>> how far along are you on your path to becoming an architect? any regrets so far?

Maybe Matthew Crawford's "Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into the Value of Work" would help. Slate's review of the book reminded me of one reason I'm training to be an architect:


"The ideal, when working on a bike, is to keep the customer in mind, to realize that messing with the bike (satisfying our curiosity) ultimately needs to be curtailed by consideration of the wider world—i.e., the customer, who doesn't want to overpay. As Crawford points out, much "knowledge work" lacks this element of practical wisdom, of opening out into the experience of others. Just go read a few dissertations."


I draw a connection between working on a motorcycle and working on a building.

I originally studied architecture because I thought it would a good balance of theory and practice. If you are from/are part of/spent time with the working class, you value the work done with your hands and if you pursued higher education, especially the 4+2 (+3) route, then you most likely appreciate higher education in yourself and others despite it being a more roundabout way to architectural practice.

I've met many people in school and in work who are all different gradations of philosopher-mechanic, people who think about the things they make and make it well. Walter Gropius' Bauhaus is the embodiment of that integration, the craftsmen.

Ideally, the practice and the study of architecture is the best of both worlds, the academic and the trades. Though, in business, to obtain the best of both, you slog through the worst of both.

Doubts are constant but it can be a creative driving force. Lou Piniella (a baseball manager quoted here says:

"HE WILL NEVER BE A TOUGH COMPETITOR. HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE."

Early in the transition from student to professional, I mistook discomfort for doubts about my fit for architecture work. It probably takes many more books, talks with other people, and a few classes to figure out if architecture is right for you. Most likely, several years post-schooling.

If you decide architecture isn't for you, don't think of it in terms of loss. Architecture education is amazing and in practice, at least you learn about what makes architecture business so unsuccessful to other types of businesses.