In architecture school design seems to make up 90%+ of the work load, but from poking around the internet it sounds like most real architects only spend about 10% of the time designing. I'm trying to decide if the career is for me, so I thought I'd ask you guys here.
So, what exactly are the main tasks that the average person with the title of "Architect" or "Senior Architect" get up to? I'd imagine that it would include some combination of: dealing with clients, making/checking over construction documents, maybe making renderings/marketting type images... Is there anything that dominates the Architects day?
It sounds like architecture school doesn't really represent what you do in the profession, so I'm curious exactly what that is?
^by bs he means talking to people and getting work by joining clubs and going to social events with people you want to network with.
my boss is heavily involved with the schematic and conceptual phases, and while the construction documents are being produced he adjusts as necessary. construction administration is also a hug piece of time believe it or not, especially when things get uncovered in the field that necessitate changes. we're a small firm though. contracts, money... creating schedules is HUGE, especially for commercial or retail project, and they need to be accurate (worrying about lead times, shop drawings... things like that)
lower and midlevel staff architect: E-mailing and phoning other people that are on the job like engineers, contractors, suppliers and bidders, government or utility agencies, owner's reps, product salesmen. All provide more information to the project, then you interpret and integrate that info in your design and documents. The next day, do it all again, as information is added you keep updating.
Alright, cool. Thank you folks, there are some great responses here!
I wanted to ask though: with regards to actively seeking clients, is that common for mid-level staff? I had always imagined that the Principals and Associates would spend their time designing, managing and networking but that the typical "Architect" would be more doing the left-over type of work. Are networking types of activities done during work hours, typically?
"We complain a lot. Really, that can fill most of the day"
Curtkram - I think you hit the nail on the head with that one. If you like design - be a GC, or do product design as a hobby and hope it eventually becomes a viable job opportunity. The disappointment for me in the industry has been that 90% of my day is spent essentially running in circles. Sometime I think I should have done computer science - make twice as much and spend less time with BS.
Seems to me that one's take on this question depends heavily on one's perspective about our "purpose" as architects.
a) If our primary aim is to achieve fame as the designers of heroic architecture(a view largely propagated by the academy) then what most of us do on a day-to-day basis can be mundane and disappointing.
b) However, if we think of ourselves as the people who serve clients by both designing and making possible the actual construction of good and useful buildings, then otherwise mundane tasks take on real meaning.
I fall into this second category and every day when I go to work I find the many and diverse tasks before me both interesting and rewarding.
I can tell you with absolute certainty that the vast majority of clients see our "purpose" as b) above -- and that's vitally important because it is those people who pay our fees and provide us with a future.
Stone - you are correct. The main purpose of architects seems to be organizing construction. So - organizing purchases of light fixtures and specifications for various furniture pieces and reviewing the choices with the client. Basically, laying out the options for the client and letting them choose.
I think I've come to the conclusion that my skill set is geared for a different field, perhaps. I want to try my hand at fabricating/manufacturing architectural products, and do some GCing as well. The architects just seem to be middle men who organize options anymore, and I'd rather design the options.
So, besides designing, what exactly does an architect do all day?
In architecture school design seems to make up 90%+ of the work load, but from poking around the internet it sounds like most real architects only spend about 10% of the time designing. I'm trying to decide if the career is for me, so I thought I'd ask you guys here.
So, what exactly are the main tasks that the average person with the title of "Architect" or "Senior Architect" get up to? I'd imagine that it would include some combination of: dealing with clients, making/checking over construction documents, maybe making renderings/marketting type images... Is there anything that dominates the Architects day?
It sounds like architecture school doesn't really represent what you do in the profession, so I'm curious exactly what that is?
school = 98% design, 2% presentations
real world = 5% design, 95% b.s.
^by bs he means talking to people and getting work by joining clubs and going to social events with people you want to network with.
my boss is heavily involved with the schematic and conceptual phases, and while the construction documents are being produced he adjusts as necessary. construction administration is also a hug piece of time believe it or not, especially when things get uncovered in the field that necessitate changes. we're a small firm though. contracts, money... creating schedules is HUGE, especially for commercial or retail project, and they need to be accurate (worrying about lead times, shop drawings... things like that)
lower and midlevel staff architect: E-mailing and phoning other people that are on the job like engineers, contractors, suppliers and bidders, government or utility agencies, owner's reps, product salesmen. All provide more information to the project, then you interpret and integrate that info in your design and documents. The next day, do it all again, as information is added you keep updating.
Alright, cool. Thank you folks, there are some great responses here!
I wanted to ask though: with regards to actively seeking clients, is that common for mid-level staff? I had always imagined that the Principals and Associates would spend their time designing, managing and networking but that the typical "Architect" would be more doing the left-over type of work. Are networking types of activities done during work hours, typically?
5% design
10% mindlessly rotating around a revit model for hours
15% thinking what you would like for lunch at 10am
20% wondering why you suddenly started dressing in all black even though you hate the color
20% wondering what is the best way to ask your boss for a salary raise
30% wondering how and what you would do if the boss says no and why in the hell you would choose architecture in the first place
We complain a lot. Really, that can fill most of the day
Some pimping, a little dealing, whatever is necessary to make ends meet.
"We complain a lot. Really, that can fill most of the day"
Curtkram - I think you hit the nail on the head with that one. If you like design - be a GC, or do product design as a hobby and hope it eventually becomes a viable job opportunity. The disappointment for me in the industry has been that 90% of my day is spent essentially running in circles. Sometime I think I should have done computer science - make twice as much and spend less time with BS.
Seems to me that one's take on this question depends heavily on one's perspective about our "purpose" as architects.
a) If our primary aim is to achieve fame as the designers of heroic architecture (a view largely propagated by the academy) then what most of us do on a day-to-day basis can be mundane and disappointing.
b) However, if we think of ourselves as the people who serve clients by both designing and making possible the actual construction of good and useful buildings, then otherwise mundane tasks take on real meaning.
I fall into this second category and every day when I go to work I find the many and diverse tasks before me both interesting and rewarding.
I can tell you with absolute certainty that the vast majority of clients see our "purpose" as b) above -- and that's vitally important because it is those people who pay our fees and provide us with a future.
Stone - you are correct. The main purpose of architects seems to be organizing construction. So - organizing purchases of light fixtures and specifications for various furniture pieces and reviewing the choices with the client. Basically, laying out the options for the client and letting them choose.
I think I've come to the conclusion that my skill set is geared for a different field, perhaps. I want to try my hand at fabricating/manufacturing architectural products, and do some GCing as well. The architects just seem to be middle men who organize options anymore, and I'd rather design the options.
i pretty much masturbate.
to relieve all the stress.
I tend to My Harem, when I'm not designing.
Ever look into landscape? I personally find it to be much more rewarding. There is far less bs to deal with. Wish I did my masters in LA.
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