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Any way to combine my programming experience with architecture?

chikipiki

I have experience in programming & systems analysis, as well as bachelors degree in programming. Now I am an architecture student. Is there a way to combine programming skills with architecture skills?

I was thinking earlier that there would be some architectural firms who would value an organised programmer's mindset. However, I have not found such firms yet. For example, with my previous employer during a summer job, a have written a couple of cool Autocad macros that really sped up my work, but nobody was even interested to learn about that. Everybody was just very busy doing their own work.

May there be an opportunity with larger firms who might value an "architectural IT consultant", or maybe with some subsidiary or training provider of Autodesk?

 
Oct 7, 09 10:30 am
not_here

...search harder.

i come from a programming background (b.a. in cognitive science with a computational approaches to cognition concentration), and when interning/all throughout architecture school, my programming skills were invaluable.

Oct 7, 09 11:23 am  · 
 · 
xaia

"May there be an opportunity with larger firms who might value an "architectural IT consultant", or maybe with some subsidiary or training provider of Autodesk?"

Yes.

Programming appears to be a positive for BIM implementors. At architecture firms, construction companies and design-build firms there seems to be an uptick for "BIM coordinators", "BIM Managers" and trainers.

Autodesk seems to have a need for "trainers" with good communication skills. Depending on the firms resources, some BIM managers/architects are also having to run their own projects so prepare to be swamped.

Then there's E-specs, cost estimates, Gehry wannabes, etc. The list goes on.

Be proactive, do a search.

Oct 7, 09 11:24 am  · 
 · 
chikipiki

fluxbound:

how did you use your programming skills?
what kind of firms did employ you? how did they find your programming skills useful?

Oct 7, 09 11:25 am  · 
 · 
not_here

short list:
- i wrote a lot of scripts in Digital Project at SOM.
- i dealt with a lot of parametric models over there too (programming mindset is go).
- one of my first year studio projects revolved around a randomly generated set of surfaces in DP and a very complex parametric part.
- Parametric modeling class.
- Coded a lot of MEL in Maya for my thesis.


Oct 7, 09 11:56 am  · 
 · 
jplourde

In terms of theory, computational geometry, fabrication, ecological and performance analysis and even pragmatic building information modeling, programming scripting and logic flows are perhaps the most profitable, most progressive, and most in demand skillsets.

Here at F+P we have a whole department called the Specialist Modeling Group [smg] and all they do is work on complex aspects of different projects. Whether that entails environmental or performance analysis or complex [parametric, or non-uniform] geometries. As xaia said, it's hugely invaluable.

Here:

http://www.materialecology.com/

http://www.grasshopper3d.com/

http://www.theverymany.net/

http://www.core.form-ula.com/

http://suckerpunchdaily.com/



That said, most smaller firms simply don't have the resources to devote to RnD necessary to invest in emergent technologies and thought processes.

Oct 7, 09 1:04 pm  · 
 · 

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