I've recently been trying to do some research about architecture, especially how it would/could be like in the work force and well... I really don't know if I can handle it; I'm afraid that it might make me hate it.
Some background.... I've done a year of Fine Arts and am going into my first year of Archi...
Since I was young it's something that I always wanted to do (it's always been something that I admire, take notice of and appreciate). I love all creative arts/crafts but wanted to pursue architecture because it seemed practical and for my graphics projects I always was far more interested in buildings rather than product. However in my final year of college(what some call high school), it was pretty rough: mentally, emotionally, physically etc... I was in some sort of a slump. As someone who used to be on top of things, this hit me hard and from my senior years progressively got worse. In general, my will and motivation dwindled, but more so with my graphics project. I think it was the fact that I knew I could do better but was so far behind that I just couldn't get myself to do better which frustrated me so much. Why wouldn't I listen to myself? Anyway this scared me... caused me to question whether I really wanted to do architecture, if it was still meant for me, if I still had passion for it and if it was something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life. I wasn't sure anymore, I wondered if I ever seriously considered anything else; if my sights were too narrow. Due to this hesitation, I missed the deadline for my first choice of universities for architecture, I then went ahead and applied to the other 2 that were available in my country and got into both. But then again I wasn't particularly sure about the university and architecture itself as a profession.
If you don't want to read so much you can start here (but the background will give you a better idea).... So I did Fine arts, I figured this would open my horizons and I'd learn new skills along the way. While I did and I enjoyed it, met a lot of interesting people and found myself in a much better head space... I wondered where it could take me and if I had really given up on architecture too easily based on one bad experience. Last year I got in to the desired uni and I'm currently on my second week of my first year, I have until the end of this week to decide whether I want to go back to fine arts or just give archi a go. I can also go back to fine arts next year if I find that archi really is not for me. I just would like to avoid having to start over 3 times if possible, but I also don't want to give up without really trying. What kind of sucks is that the first year for the university I'm in, focuses more on the "finding your own process of designing" and really opening us up rather than give us insight of how it's like to be an architect and I get it... I really do, but I'm not sure if it is going to help me figure out what I need to.
SO... I'm someone who has crazy ideas and actual projects in mind that I would personally love to work on. I'm sort of worried if I can make them practical, but I definitely want to make them possible. I'd rather work on public spaces rather than residential, just because it's natural to want to create cool buildings (right?) and to do that for residential properties it just seems like I would be making the rich richer, letting them live in luxury, which there is nothing wrong with that... I just feel that doing it for public spaces allows for more people to experience it.
I kind of also want to keep/dabble in my own creative practice at the same time as an artist (if possible) and create architecture that at times question whether it is work of art in itself.
How exactly do I eventually be able to do that? What are the realities of the workforce? Alternative routes of a career that is not an architect with an architectural degree? Should I give it a go? Any other advice?
I know I probably seem pretty naive with all these loft ideas... but that's why I'm seeking for info and advice from in practice architects.
Thank you if you have taken the time to read this, any response is appreciated!
Non Sequitur
Mar 6, 18 2:32 pm
Lots in there.
Take a breath, it's not all that bad... at least for those who can disassociate grand utopia ideals from professional practice. What country/city/university are you applying to?
Architecture school will allow you to chase these designs you have in mind and might very well give you the tools to turn them from ideas to decent projects. It may also not and you may graduate and find yourself in a world dictated by drafting convention and membrane details. Both extremes, but both are possible. You get what you put into your design studios.
The real question is, do you like building design enough to commit to learning how all the pieces go together or do you prefer looking at things from a grand gesture point of view?
To anyone who will listen,
I've recently been trying to do some research about architecture, especially how it would/could be like in the work force and well... I really don't know if I can handle it; I'm afraid that it might make me hate it.
Some background....
I've done a year of Fine Arts and am going into my first year of Archi...
Since I was young it's something that I always wanted to do (it's always been something that I admire, take notice of and appreciate). I love all creative arts/crafts but wanted to pursue architecture because it seemed practical and for my graphics projects I always was far more interested in buildings rather than product.
However in my final year of college(what some call high school), it was pretty rough: mentally, emotionally, physically etc... I was in some sort of a slump. As someone who used to be on top of things, this hit me hard and from my senior years progressively got worse. In general, my will and motivation dwindled, but more so with my graphics project. I think it was the fact that I knew I could do better but was so far behind that I just couldn't get myself to do better which frustrated me so much. Why wouldn't I listen to myself?
Anyway this scared me... caused me to question whether I really wanted to do architecture, if it was still meant for me, if I still had passion for it and if it was something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life. I wasn't sure anymore, I wondered if I ever seriously considered anything else; if my sights were too narrow.
Due to this hesitation, I missed the deadline for my first choice of universities for architecture, I then went ahead and applied to the other 2 that were available in my country and got into both. But then again I wasn't particularly sure about the university and architecture itself as a profession.
If you don't want to read so much you can start here (but the background will give you a better idea)....
So I did Fine arts, I figured this would open my horizons and I'd learn new skills along the way. While I did and I enjoyed it, met a lot of interesting people and found myself in a much better head space... I wondered where it could take me and if I had really given up on architecture too easily based on one bad experience.
Last year I got in to the desired uni and I'm currently on my second week of my first year, I have until the end of this week to decide whether I want to go back to fine arts or just give archi a go. I can also go back to fine arts next year if I find that archi really is not for me. I just would like to avoid having to start over 3 times if possible, but I also don't want to give up without really trying.
What kind of sucks is that the first year for the university I'm in, focuses more on the "finding your own process of designing" and really opening us up rather than give us insight of how it's like to be an architect and I get it... I really do, but I'm not sure if it is going to help me figure out what I need to.
SO...
I'm someone who has crazy ideas and actual projects in mind that I would personally love to work on. I'm sort of worried if I can make them practical, but I definitely want to make them possible. I'd rather work on public spaces rather than residential, just because it's natural to want to create cool buildings (right?) and to do that for residential properties it just seems like I would be making the rich richer, letting them live in luxury, which there is nothing wrong with that... I just feel that doing it for public spaces allows for more people to experience it.
I kind of also want to keep/dabble in my own creative practice at the same time as an artist (if possible) and create architecture that at times question whether it is work of art in itself.
How exactly do I eventually be able to do that? What are the realities of the workforce? Alternative routes of a career that is not an architect with an architectural degree? Should I give it a go? Any other advice?
I know I probably seem pretty naive with all these loft ideas... but that's why I'm seeking for info and advice from in practice architects.
Thank you if you have taken the time to read this, any response is appreciated!
Lots in there.
Take a breath, it's not all that bad... at least for those who can disassociate grand utopia ideals from professional practice. What country/city/university are you applying to?
Architecture school will allow you to chase these designs you have in mind and might very well give you the tools to turn them from ideas to decent projects. It may also not and you may graduate and find yourself in a world dictated by drafting convention and membrane details. Both extremes, but both are possible. You get what you put into your design studios.
The real question is, do you like building design enough to commit to learning how all the pieces go together or do you prefer looking at things from a grand gesture point of view?