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Back to the Drawing BoardIf you want to have a hand in shaping the way our homes and cities look in the future and make an impact on the way people live, a career as an architect could be right up your street.
Architecture is all around us, from high streets and office blocks to inspiring modern art galleries. If you’ve ever watched Grand Designs and thought “I could do that” or walked through town and admired some of the more unusual buildings then a career in this challenging sector could be for you. Architecture encompasses many different areas of expertise – which explains why it takes seven years of training and professional practice in order to qualify – and architects need to be multi-skilled since their role encompasses aspects of management, engineering, art, conservation and property development, to name a few! Although seven years of combined study and practice sounds daunting, architects need this level of training because of the amount of skill and knowledge required to design a building. Once qualified they can reap the rewards of their hard work, with the opportunity to take part in exciting projects as respected professionals. Another attraction of architecture is the profession’s balance between creativity and practicality, as architects need to have artistic skill as well as technical expertise. And if you decide part way through that you see yourself going in an alternative direction, there are many opportunities to use what you’ve learned – people with architectural qualifications can go into fields like graphic design, theatre set design, conservation, sustainability or consultancy. THE QUALIFICATION PROCESS So what does it take to become an architect? The seven years of training are usually made up of two degrees along with two years of practical industry experience. It’s important to choose courses that are validated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and prescribed by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) – these are available at the University of Dundee, the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh College of Art, Glasgow School of Art, the Robert Gordon University and the University of Strathclyde. The first degree usually lasts for three years and is followed by a paid year in industry (at the University of Edinburgh this is rolled into the first degree, making the course last four years). After this, students with a good portfolio can continue to a second degree lasting two years. The final part of the training process is a further year’s paid experience in an architect’s office followed by the RIBA Examination in Professional Practice and Management. Once this is completed, graduates can register with the Architect’s Registration Board (ARB) and finally call themselves professional architects; and also apply to become Chartered Members of the RIBA. Although the degree programme and method of qualifying can sound complicated, universities will be able to explain the system further and you’ll find that the process of training will become much clearer as you make your way through your studies. THE BUILDING BLOCKS As part of an architecture degree you’ll study a range of theories and issues and learn how to understand different working methods and production processes through practical projects. “It’s an extremely varied course and there’s no typical day,” says Tom Fotheringham, a second year student at the University of Edinburgh. “You can be doing anything from drawing and making models to creating 3D animations or writing.” Because of the range of issues covered, students study hard. Tom’s coursemate Richard Collins is enjoying the course but admits it can be tough: “There is a huge workload and it often seems never ending. The level of commitment and the late nights are a big strain but the rewards are definitely worth it.” One bonus is that Richard has developed a very close-knit group of friends who all go through the same long hours in the studio and enjoy celebrating together when their projects are complete. Many architecture courses are based on the concept of ‘learning through doing’ and the work students create in studios and workshops – such as initial designs on the drafting table and models made of concrete, wood, plaster, steel or wax – is a major part of the degree. Most university architecture departments have well-equipped facilities – the Glasgow School of Art, for example, has wood and metalworking workshops as well as a lighting laboratory which helps to give students a better understanding of how to manipulate natural and artificial light in order to make the most of their designs. And studios and workshops can be great creative melting pots. “There’s a very strong studio atmosphere,” says Tom Fotheringham. “We spend a lot of time working together so you get to know everyone quite well – it’s very different to courses where you just have lectures and tutorials together. The atmosphere in the studio between 3am and 9am is particularly unique to architecture!” In addition to the hands-on side of the course, many universities use lectures and tutorials in order to teach the more theoretical aspects – like architectural technology, history and sustainable development – and computer labs give students the chance to learn 3D modelling and design software like form.Z and InDesign. Then of course there’s the opportunity to work out in the field, be it on work experience placements, with real clients or on field trips abroad. Students on the University of Strathclyde’s BSc in Architectural Studies course often travel abroad as part of their third year and have studied at schools of architecture in Prague, Barcelona, Berlin and Rome, while architecture students at Glasgow School of Art take part in the ‘Interact’ programme in their third year which involves working with students of engineering and quantity surveying as part of a design team. Assessment for architecture degrees is carried out in a number of ways via a combination of continuous assessment in the studio (students undergo what’s known as a ‘crit’ – or criticism – of their work), exhibitions of projects and written exams which test what students have learned during lectures. HAVE YOU GOT THE POTENTIAL? The people who eventually become architects are obviously hard grafters – you’d need to be after seven years of training! But you don’t necessarily need any experience in order to get onto an architecture degree. Richard Collins started his course at the University of Edinburgh with only a little experience: “I had worked as a labourer on a building site and had spent a week in an architect’s office but I wasn’t nearly as well read in architecture as I probably should have been,” he admits. In general, architecture departments look for students who are all-rounders with good grades across a range of subjects as well as an artistic streak. Some universities don’t interview students for admission to architecture courses and accept candidates based on the grades they’ve achieved, while others like to meet prospective students or see examples of their work. For example, the University of Dundee operates an interview system for which candidates are required to present a portfolio of freehand drawing work to allow staff to evaluate a prospective student’s 3D drawing skills and spatial perception. Dr Stephen Cairns, Head of Architecture at the University of Edinburgh, recommends the following preparation if you’re considering undertaking a degree in architecture: “Firstly I would read – try and read contemporary journals and see what’s being done. The other thing is to look around the environment you’re in. Wherever you are there’s always architecture around you – look at it, think about it, photograph it and draw it. It’s not just about making a lovely picture, it’s about the kind of thinking it encourages.” REACHING GREAT HEIGHTS The prospects for architects have been good – and remarkably stable – for several years, and this situation doesn’t look set to change any time soon. Graduates from the University of Edinburgh have gone on to work in local practices, in larger firms based in London or across Europe, and even in Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Beijing because of the large number of projects going on there. Architects who underwent their training at the University of Strathclyde have been employed by Sir Norman Foster (responsible for the Gateshead Sage concert hall and the new Wembley Stadium) and Zaha Hadid (who designed Glasgow’s new riverside transport museum and the aquatics centre for the London 2012 Olympics). With prospects like these and plenty of rewards, a degree in architecture will give you the building blocks you need for a successful career. WHAT ABOUT ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGY? If you’d like to work in architecture but don’t want to train for seven years to become a fully chartered architect, there are other options out there. Working as an architectural technologist or architectural technician gives you the chance to work within the practical side of construction while still having your finger on the pulse of the design side of things. These roles are relatively new within the architecture and construction industries but they are becoming increasingly important. The job of the architectural technologist is to provide a link between the architect’s office and the construction site by using architectural and construction knowledge to manage projects and construction contracts as well as advising on building technology, conservation and refurbishment. In order to practice as a chartered architectural technologist, you’ll need to undertake a degree which is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists – in Scotland these are on offer at Napier University and at the Robert Gordon University. Architectural technicians usually support an architectural technologist on site, working with architects, surveyors, engineers, and other construction professionals to apply their specialist technological knowledge to a building project. Many people enter this role after studying on the job, but UHI Millennium Institute, the new west of Scotland university formed by the merger of the University of Paisley and Bell College, and several other colleges and universities offer degrees and HNDs which give you the knowledge and skills to work in this field. Find out more Architect’s Registration Board 020 7580 5861 www.arb.org.uk Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists 020 7278 2206 www.ciat.org.uk Edinburgh College of Art 0131 221 6000 www.eca.ac.uk Glasgow School of Art 0141 353 4500 www.gsa.ac.uk Royal Institute of British Architects 020 7580 5533 www.architecture.com Robert Gordon University 01224 262 728 www.rgu.ac.uk Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland 0131 229 7545 www.rias.org.uk University of Dundee 01382 384 160 www.dundee.ac.uk University of Edinburgh 0131 650 4360 www.edinburgh.ac.uk University of Strathclyde 0141 548 2814 www.strath.ac.uk |
| Last Updated on Wednesday, 16 December 2009 16:46 |
