Who is responsible for the majority of the design at places like Gensler, AECOM, SOM, Hargreaves Associates, etc.? I know that a lot of people will have a say in minor aspects here and there but who makes the big decisions? Is it one principal, a few project architects, a lot of designers?
In Architecture School we get to design every project top to bottom which is what I really enjoy. I know this isn’t what professional life is like but I would like to know how close (or not so close) to reality that this is. I love designing and hope to do as much design as I can in my career, obviously. While I do enjoy the technical aspect of architecture, I love sketching designs and improving on those via models, more sketching, etc. What is the ideal career path for someone like me?
spiketwig
May 7, 18 7:20 pm
95% of new grads want the same career path as you - because that's all you know from school. Pick an entry level job in a design-oriented firm, and just start learning. You'll discover in a few years if it's what you really want and if you're competitive for the positions. There's not much variation between entry level jobs, honestly, so just pick one that seems to have a good culture and see where it goes.
As far as who makes the big decisions.. probably a 25+ year principal. Then executed at various levels trickling down. The juniors get the restroom details.. if you're good at it, you move up.
Rusty!
May 7, 18 7:24 pm
"In Architecture School we get to design every project top to bottom"
But you don't really. A truly terrific school project is perhaps 50% Schematic Design level of development at best. This would equate to roughly 5% of total effort needed to have actually constructible documentation.
To answer your question, it really depends. Sometimes a really rigid programming requirements will shape the buildings by themselves. Lead designer will propose a number of different schemes and go with the flow based on client feedback. How does one become a lead designer? I have no idea. People who occupy these roles really don't have any special skills or talents when it comes to design. They do have inflated egos. So start developing an insufferable ego. That gives you a 10% chance of succeeding. At least.
Miles Jaffe
May 7, 18 8:06 pm
Top to bottom, LOL. How big is a 2x4?
Rusty!
May 7, 18 8:13 pm
"How big is a 2x4?". I often forget that this forum is mostly residential designers who actually use wood for framing.
Miles Jaffe
May 7, 18 9:59 pm
OK, how big is a steel stud?
randomised
May 8, 18 1:40 pm
2x4's are of course 38x89mm
Rusty!
May 8, 18 1:58 pm
I am trying to think of another example beside 2x4 which is not actually 2x4. Gages come to mind. How thick is 16 gage? WRONG! I never specified if it was steel, SS, aluminum, sheet or wire. Each one has a different gage measurement scale.
JLC-1
May 8, 18 2:37 pm
How big is a W12x35?
Wilma Buttfit
May 7, 18 7:42 pm
First day on the job after graduation I did the big design ideas for a large project. It was at a small/medium shop though. I do a lot of design, always have - you got to be good at it, produce whole and useful concepts, and fast - no modeling a single idea in your software for a week. Sketch it in 20 minutes.
zonker
May 7, 18 8:22 pm
Dwhite1017
You'd best get you head out the clouds and just learn to be a good functioning team member first -
Dwhite1017
May 7, 18 10:37 pm
I’m just asking a question about the profession I’m hoping to enter. Sorry.
..
randomised
May 8, 18 1:35 pm
X just wants you to be a mindless Revit drone like himself, getting instructions from inexperienced PAs, thereby spreading the suffering instead of you ultimately becoming his boss.
Dwhite1017
May 8, 18 2:16 pm
That’s encouraging to here.
I hope not everyone is as bitter about the profession that he and a few others in this forum seem to be..
homme_du_jura
May 7, 18 9:19 pm
In big offices, design decisions are led by a design principal or design director. He or she meets directly with the client and responds to their feedback. This individual usually has a number of years (12-25) of experience unders their belt, some spending it all either on just doing pretty pictures and models and talking about them persuasively (and playing smart politics) or else falling into it after paying their dues managing projects in all technical aspects but not being particularly skilled at any of these technical tasks. Usually they are assisted by a staff often referred to as "design support", consisting usually of a somewhat experienced junior designer and several interns who are good at modeling, rendering, and photoshop. The good news is that if your portfolio is decent, you'll likely be enlisted for design support, learning from the director on designing for real clients on real sites, with some of your labor showing up in media outltets. The bad news is that design support is essentially grunt work of a special kind, since your hourly billable rate is low, the hours can be long (because your deadlines or so quick because the fee is very limited), and you spend so much time on a buildings' presentation (renderings, color diagrams) that you fail to learn how it is constructed, how it actually works and the how budgets and contractors influence the final result. My firm believes that it does no young professional any good to stick them into design support roles for a long time. Instead, we place them in the role of a job captain the opportunity arises, so that they can assist the project architect in mainting the BIM models, create the drawing set, and draft details, and even manage construction administration for the entire duration of the project. We believe that time spent on the technical aspects of a project makes for a better designer in the long term. As others have written, school projects barely scratch the surface, and a semester's worth of work condenses to about a week in a busy office.
randomised
May 8, 18 1:37 pm
The technical aspect IS a design challenge, if you can figure that out, you'll be able to apply design thinking throughout most of your career.
Dwhite1017
May 8, 18 2:26 pm
I like this. I hope that this mindset keeps me motivated even during what should be mundane parts of the job.
JLC-1
May 8, 18 2:44 pm
who makes the big decisions?
First and foremost, the owner or developer
Then his wife
Then the city/county planning dept.
Then the code(s)
Then the HOA (always have something to say about those window cladding colors)
Then the interior designer
Then the principal of your firm
Then you.
(somewhere along the line you must consult with Yeezy to be 1000% sure)
Who is responsible for the majority of the design at places like Gensler, AECOM, SOM, Hargreaves Associates, etc.? I know that a lot of people will have a say in minor aspects here and there but who makes the big decisions? Is it one principal, a few project architects, a lot of designers?
In Architecture School we get to design every project top to bottom which is what I really enjoy. I know this isn’t what professional life is like but I would like to know how close (or not so close) to reality that this is. I love designing and hope to do as much design as I can in my career, obviously. While I do enjoy the technical aspect of architecture, I love sketching designs and improving on those via models, more sketching, etc. What is the ideal career path for someone like me?
95% of new grads want the same career path as you - because that's all you know from school. Pick an entry level job in a design-oriented firm, and just start learning. You'll discover in a few years if it's what you really want and if you're competitive for the positions. There's not much variation between entry level jobs, honestly, so just pick one that seems to have a good culture and see where it goes.
As far as who makes the big decisions.. probably a 25+ year principal. Then executed at various levels trickling down. The juniors get the restroom details.. if you're good at it, you move up.
"In Architecture School we get to design every project top to bottom"
But you don't really. A truly terrific school project is perhaps 50% Schematic Design level of development at best. This would equate to roughly 5% of total effort needed to have actually constructible documentation.
To answer your question, it really depends. Sometimes a really rigid programming requirements will shape the buildings by themselves. Lead designer will propose a number of different schemes and go with the flow based on client feedback. How does one become a lead designer? I have no idea. People who occupy these roles really don't have any special skills or talents when it comes to design. They do have inflated egos. So start developing an insufferable ego. That gives you a 10% chance of succeeding. At least.
Top to bottom, LOL. How big is a 2x4?
"How big is a 2x4?". I often forget that this forum is mostly residential designers who actually use wood for framing.
OK, how big is a steel stud?
2x4's are of course 38x89mm
I am trying to think of another example beside 2x4 which is not actually 2x4. Gages come to mind. How thick is 16 gage? WRONG! I never specified if it was steel, SS, aluminum, sheet or wire. Each one has a different gage measurement scale.
How big is a W12x35?
First day on the job after graduation I did the big design ideas for a large project. It was at a small/medium shop though. I do a lot of design, always have - you got to be good at it, produce whole and useful concepts, and fast - no modeling a single idea in your software for a week. Sketch it in 20 minutes.
Dwhite1017
You'd best get you head out the clouds and just learn to be a good functioning team member first -
I’m just asking a question about the profession I’m hoping to enter. Sorry.
..
X just wants you to be a mindless Revit drone like himself, getting instructions from inexperienced PAs, thereby spreading the suffering instead of you ultimately becoming his boss.
That’s encouraging to here.
I hope not everyone is as bitter about the profession that he and a few others in this forum seem to be..
In big offices, design decisions are led by a design principal or design director. He or she meets directly with the client and responds to their feedback. This individual usually has a number of years (12-25) of experience unders their belt, some spending it all either on just doing pretty pictures and models and talking about them persuasively (and playing smart politics) or else falling into it after paying their dues managing projects in all technical aspects but not being particularly skilled at any of these technical tasks. Usually they are assisted by a staff often referred to as "design support", consisting usually of a somewhat experienced junior designer and several interns who are good at modeling, rendering, and photoshop. The good news is that if your portfolio is decent, you'll likely be enlisted for design support, learning from the director on designing for real clients on real sites, with some of your labor showing up in media outltets. The bad news is that design support is essentially grunt work of a special kind, since your hourly billable rate is low, the hours can be long (because your deadlines or so quick because the fee is very limited), and you spend so much time on a buildings' presentation (renderings, color diagrams) that you fail to learn how it is constructed, how it actually works and the how budgets and contractors influence the final result. My firm believes that it does no young professional any good to stick them into design support roles for a long time. Instead, we place them in the role of a job captain the opportunity arises, so that they can assist the project architect in mainting the BIM models, create the drawing set, and draft details, and even manage construction administration for the entire duration of the project. We believe that time spent on the technical aspects of a project makes for a better designer in the long term. As others have written, school projects barely scratch the surface, and a semester's worth of work condenses to about a week in a busy office.
The technical aspect IS a design challenge, if you can figure that out, you'll be able to apply design thinking throughout most of your career.
I like this. I hope that this mindset keeps me motivated even during what should be mundane parts of the job.
who makes the big decisions?
First and foremost, the owner or developer
Then his wife
Then the city/county planning dept.
Then the code(s)
Then the HOA (always have something to say about those window cladding colors)
Then the interior designer
Then the principal of your firm
Then you.
(somewhere along the line you must consult with Yeezy to be 1000% sure)
truth