I just been offered a place in two master programs: AA - Emtech in London and the UTokyo Obuchi Lab - G30 Architecture in Tokyo. In the middle of March I will have the iAAC - Barcelona decision.
I am a bit torn between both of them, and I would like some opinions about my possibilities. I researched about both of them, and they seem quite similar to me, generally speaking.
I am an recently graduated architect from Brazil, and the line of working in these courses is what I want to do in the future, but do not have the opportunity to learn in Brazil. I want to do the master, work a little in another country and return here to find work - at least today this is my plan. I am almost getting my Italian citzenship, so after the master I will be able to work on Europe without a visa. I want to be able to find a job in a place where I will be part of a team doing big and complex projects in another cities and countries with an interesting design (Here I am doing houses, commercial buildings and interior design in small scale), I do not need to work under a super famous name, but I need a place that can open doors in my future.
So yeah, the master is a chance for me to improve my portfolio since It is a bit impossible to find a nice job right now in Brazil at least for me (econ. crisis) and create a new network of professionals and students.
I did an AA visiting school in London, so I know the facilities there. I have never been to Tokyo, but it is a dream place for me to live at least for sometime. The UTokyo fees are way cheaper than in the AA, and living in Tokyo for me is cheaper than living in London. I can afford going to Tokyo, but London is going to be hard - I applied for the AA bursary and will probably live on a small budget there. Living on a budget is not the problem, I am afraid that maybe not having enough money will decrease the quality of some works because of printing and model costs.
If it was only a monetary decision, I would go to tokyo without blinking. But the AA seems to be more recognized internationally, and having the course will offer me bigger chances of employment on Europe. At least it is what I have been told. I am afraid that studying in Tokyo will decrease my chances of employment in Europe/Around the world even though the course is really good and I am really impressed with the student works and facilities there. I know it is my decision, but my parents think that I will commit the biggest mistake of my life if I do not go to AA - since they will help my pay for my master, I need more info.
I believe that I made my indecision clear... At least I hope so. I am more inclined to go to Tokyo, but I am afraid that this is due to the excitement about having the chance to live in Japan for some years.
So... any help? =) Thanks!
international_applicant
Feb 29, 16 7:16 pm
Tokyo no brainer! Get to know a complete different world and culture you do not easily get to explore. You can work in london later at some point. Dare to differ
nrotelli
Feb 29, 16 8:04 pm
@international_applicant I do believe this as well! Going to Tokyo, not to live there forever but for a while, having the culture shock and a new perspective in living will probably improve me as an architect, besides it is a childhood dream! I really did not imagined that I would be offered a spot in these programs, so I am surprised and more confident as well - I belived that my portfolio was not strong enough.
Thanks for the opinion! It is nice to see that wanting to live in Tokyo because of the culture and the different view of the world is not unique to me!
international_applicant
Feb 29, 16 8:24 pm
It is a dream of mine to study and work for.some years in the US and that is why I decided to only apply there (i am european). If i had a second option it would definetely be tokyo, japan. Amazing culture, amazing architects. The best out there in my opinion. Hope it woks out for you 2! Good luck in this mew adventure
nrotelli
Mar 1, 16 7:03 am
Thanks! I hope you enjoy the States as well!
GNUKABIN
Mar 8, 16 3:33 pm
hi norotelli
i apply for aa too but drl program
how long does it take for them to reply the application?
i just sent all documents around 6th march.
the iaac is already accepted me and the tuition deposit deadlines is on the end of march
btw I think tokyo is one of the great choice too go for it !
nrotelli
Mar 8, 16 10:59 pm
hey! so, the AA I believe it depends of when you submited your application! mine was in december and I got an answer in february. I believe they will give you an answer after the application deadline (if there is one), but I don't think it will be this month. I was offered a place in iAAC as well, and I am still thinking about my options =) Right now I want to go to Japan but I am thinking about job opportunities first, and convincing my parents since they think that japan it is too far from here (but I do not see the point in this concern).
Good luck!
GNUKABIN
Mar 9, 16 4:15 am
i see , it seems like there is low job opportunities in barcelona but more in london
international_applicant
Mar 9, 16 5:23 am
I got some friends working in london currently. Dont do that pal. Really expensive city, really low wages
archiwutm8
Mar 9, 16 5:38 am
I'm in London, admittedly I'm not in architecture however the reason I'm not is because the wages for starting to mid level is so bad you wouldn't be able to rent or even eat, visit /r/London on reddit and you'll see most people wanting to leave because the rents and cost of the city increase is far higher than salaries.
nrotelli
Mar 9, 16 5:49 am
This is new info for me: I knew London was expensive, but I believed that it was possible to live as an starter/mid level architect there. I definetely do not mind finding jobs in other countries that are in a better financial situation at the time, or other cities in the UK that are cheaper. That's why I am researching which school will give me more opportunities after getting the masters! Knowing that the network I will do in London/Barcelona will not the as efficient as I thought is something to think.
Well, I think I must start re-learning japanese soon!
archiwutm8
Mar 9, 16 6:53 am
Japan is notoriously difficult to find work without knowing the language, the capital is also quite expensive and interns don't get paid...plus fuck the AA. Tokyo any day.
nrotelli
Mar 9, 16 7:09 am
I do not plan to work in the country of the master, after graduating if it does not work. First I need to finish the master, of course! Then I will see what my situation will be, it is hard to guess. But today my plan would be to work in a place with interesting project to earn more experience (and money) so I would come back to Brazil and open my own practice with some friends, if the political/financial situation is ok to do so.
So I would not mind graduating and moving to... Italy, Norway, Germany or any European country since my citzenship would help, but finding work here right now it is hard because of the recession. I have a part time as an architect/intern and it is frustrating to not be able to be hired... And a lot of friends are being fired in other cities. At least I have some money of my own, but I have to live with my parents.
In Japan I believe it will be really hard to find something that it is not an english internship in some practices, and true, they do not pay.
Just curiosity, why fuck the AA? Not living in the UK, the AA has a mytical quality when you hear people say about it. I know it is not like this but it would be interesting to hear about someone that knows more about it!
archiwutm8
Mar 9, 16 8:09 am
Extortionate fees that only the very wealthy can pay, it allows for a profession of the utmost rich and they do not allow for government funding and loans to join.
OP have a look at UCL, excellent school and probably the best in architecture in the UK however it is an extremely intense university.
nrotelli
Mar 9, 16 8:34 am
I applied for UCL, but I believe I was not accepted since I did not heard from them until now! I applied in december haha. In an e-mail they told me that my portfolio was accepted but there was some problems with my grades related to the fact that the evaluation methods in Brazil were different from UCL and that they would talk about it in some council. It´s been two months, so I do not have any hopes about it.
archiwutm8
Mar 9, 16 8:42 am
Have you tried calling up?
nrotelli
Mar 9, 16 8:46 am
Yeah, I did send them an e-mail asking, but they answered me saying that there was nothing I could do right now (I said that I could find within my uni here documents explaining the grade system - which is fairly simple 0-100, minimum 60). They said to just wait. Since I need to reach a decision until the end of this month so I organize my life here I'm not counting with UCL =/ Which is a shame since I went there once and really liked what the students were doing.
Hey guys!
I just been offered a place in two master programs: AA - Emtech in London and the UTokyo Obuchi Lab - G30 Architecture in Tokyo. In the middle of March I will have the iAAC - Barcelona decision.
I am a bit torn between both of them, and I would like some opinions about my possibilities. I researched about both of them, and they seem quite similar to me, generally speaking.
I am an recently graduated architect from Brazil, and the line of working in these courses is what I want to do in the future, but do not have the opportunity to learn in Brazil. I want to do the master, work a little in another country and return here to find work - at least today this is my plan. I am almost getting my Italian citzenship, so after the master I will be able to work on Europe without a visa. I want to be able to find a job in a place where I will be part of a team doing big and complex projects in another cities and countries with an interesting design (Here I am doing houses, commercial buildings and interior design in small scale), I do not need to work under a super famous name, but I need a place that can open doors in my future.
So yeah, the master is a chance for me to improve my portfolio since It is a bit impossible to find a nice job right now in Brazil at least for me (econ. crisis) and create a new network of professionals and students.
I did an AA visiting school in London, so I know the facilities there. I have never been to Tokyo, but it is a dream place for me to live at least for sometime. The UTokyo fees are way cheaper than in the AA, and living in Tokyo for me is cheaper than living in London. I can afford going to Tokyo, but London is going to be hard - I applied for the AA bursary and will probably live on a small budget there. Living on a budget is not the problem, I am afraid that maybe not having enough money will decrease the quality of some works because of printing and model costs.
If it was only a monetary decision, I would go to tokyo without blinking. But the AA seems to be more recognized internationally, and having the course will offer me bigger chances of employment on Europe. At least it is what I have been told. I am afraid that studying in Tokyo will decrease my chances of employment in Europe/Around the world even though the course is really good and I am really impressed with the student works and facilities there. I know it is my decision, but my parents think that I will commit the biggest mistake of my life if I do not go to AA - since they will help my pay for my master, I need more info.
I believe that I made my indecision clear... At least I hope so. I am more inclined to go to Tokyo, but I am afraid that this is due to the excitement about having the chance to live in Japan for some years.
So... any help? =) Thanks!
Tokyo no brainer! Get to know a complete different world and culture you do not easily get to explore. You can work in london later at some point. Dare to differ
@international_applicant I do believe this as well! Going to Tokyo, not to live there forever but for a while, having the culture shock and a new perspective in living will probably improve me as an architect, besides it is a childhood dream! I really did not imagined that I would be offered a spot in these programs, so I am surprised and more confident as well - I belived that my portfolio was not strong enough.
Thanks for the opinion! It is nice to see that wanting to live in Tokyo because of the culture and the different view of the world is not unique to me!
It is a dream of mine to study and work for.some years in the US and that is why I decided to only apply there (i am european). If i had a second option it would definetely be tokyo, japan. Amazing culture, amazing architects. The best out there in my opinion. Hope it woks out for you 2! Good luck in this mew adventure
Thanks! I hope you enjoy the States as well!
hi norotelli i apply for aa too but drl program how long does it take for them to reply the application? i just sent all documents around 6th march. the iaac is already accepted me and the tuition deposit deadlines is on the end of march btw I think tokyo is one of the great choice too go for it !
hey! so, the AA I believe it depends of when you submited your application! mine was in december and I got an answer in february. I believe they will give you an answer after the application deadline (if there is one), but I don't think it will be this month. I was offered a place in iAAC as well, and I am still thinking about my options =) Right now I want to go to Japan but I am thinking about job opportunities first, and convincing my parents since they think that japan it is too far from here (but I do not see the point in this concern).
Good luck!
i see , it seems like there is low job opportunities in barcelona but more in london
I got some friends working in london currently. Dont do that pal. Really expensive city, really low wages
I'm in London, admittedly I'm not in architecture however the reason I'm not is because the wages for starting to mid level is so bad you wouldn't be able to rent or even eat, visit /r/London on reddit and you'll see most people wanting to leave because the rents and cost of the city increase is far higher than salaries.
This is new info for me: I knew London was expensive, but I believed that it was possible to live as an starter/mid level architect there. I definetely do not mind finding jobs in other countries that are in a better financial situation at the time, or other cities in the UK that are cheaper. That's why I am researching which school will give me more opportunities after getting the masters! Knowing that the network I will do in London/Barcelona will not the as efficient as I thought is something to think.
Well, I think I must start re-learning japanese soon!
Japan is notoriously difficult to find work without knowing the language, the capital is also quite expensive and interns don't get paid...plus fuck the AA. Tokyo any day.
I do not plan to work in the country of the master, after graduating if it does not work. First I need to finish the master, of course! Then I will see what my situation will be, it is hard to guess. But today my plan would be to work in a place with interesting project to earn more experience (and money) so I would come back to Brazil and open my own practice with some friends, if the political/financial situation is ok to do so.
So I would not mind graduating and moving to... Italy, Norway, Germany or any European country since my citzenship would help, but finding work here right now it is hard because of the recession. I have a part time as an architect/intern and it is frustrating to not be able to be hired... And a lot of friends are being fired in other cities. At least I have some money of my own, but I have to live with my parents.
In Japan I believe it will be really hard to find something that it is not an english internship in some practices, and true, they do not pay.
Just curiosity, why fuck the AA? Not living in the UK, the AA has a mytical quality when you hear people say about it. I know it is not like this but it would be interesting to hear about someone that knows more about it!
Extortionate fees that only the very wealthy can pay, it allows for a profession of the utmost rich and they do not allow for government funding and loans to join.
OP have a look at UCL, excellent school and probably the best in architecture in the UK however it is an extremely intense university.
I applied for UCL, but I believe I was not accepted since I did not heard from them until now! I applied in december haha. In an e-mail they told me that my portfolio was accepted but there was some problems with my grades related to the fact that the evaluation methods in Brazil were different from UCL and that they would talk about it in some council. It´s been two months, so I do not have any hopes about it.
Have you tried calling up?
Yeah, I did send them an e-mail asking, but they answered me saying that there was nothing I could do right now (I said that I could find within my uni here documents explaining the grade system - which is fairly simple 0-100, minimum 60). They said to just wait. Since I need to reach a decision until the end of this month so I organize my life here I'm not counting with UCL =/ Which is a shame since I went there once and really liked what the students were doing.