Architecture is a wonderful thing. We all use it, see it and interact with it every day, whether it be in our homes or the spaces we work and play in. Great Fort Lauderdale architects drives passion, awe and marvel in those that see it, inspires those that use it and brings security to those within it. We live in it, work in it, eat in it, play, move interact and experience in it. It’s through our relationships with the buildings and spaces (and partly due to Kevin McCloud) that our collective love affair with architecture grows, and every year the number of students wishing to pursue a career in architect increases.
Today, I want to try and convince the majority of those applying to university to study architecture not to bother. If architecture is your passion, your life long dream and ultimate goal, then read something else on habitables. If you’re on the fence and feeling over inspired by Kirstie Allsopp, then read on for our 10 reasons you should NOT study architecture.
The architecture student is a special breed of human being, they have to be to make it through years of late night/early morning study sessions, with only the dream of late night/early morning work sessions that pay to get them through university. If you enjoy a good social life, go do something easy like dentistry, cos quite frankly, you wont have time to socialise and fraternise whilst studying architecture (even if you do manage to find a free moment, we predict it’ll be impossible to find a class mate who isn’t catching up on last months sleep).
If you don’t know your Wright from your Foster, your Khan from your Ando, and you think functionalism comes standard on your iPhone, this isn’t for you. Architecture is about being completely and utterly absorbed in the built environment, understanding the great masters and their masterpieces. If you’ve learnt everything you know from Grand Designs, you’d be better off finding some other course.
I LOVE Grand Designs, I just don’t think it should be the main reason one goes to study architecture. Grand Designs is about exactly that, grandeur, its special work, worthy of being on TV. the majority of architects don’t work on one off original works such as those featured, a lot of life as an architect is about hard work on smaller projects that require just as much attention as if you were designing the Empire State Building. I know it’s inevitable that after watching James Bond 95% of the male population dream of going to spy school – they soon realise they’d suck as a spy, clever boys.
Attending tutorials shouldn’t feel like the morning commute; too many people, most of them smelly and hungover reading the metro. It’s meant to be inspiring, a chance to learn and interact with like minded people with a love for architecture (and an addiction to sleep suppressant drinks). The last thing any dedicated student wants is to listen to is the story of how you puked all over your sheets, which were subsequently eaten by your dog. Being an architecture student is hard enough without the distractions of the class idiot, GO AWAY.
Thanks to all the drunks attending (or not attending but joining the course) the universities are taking on more staff to handle the increase in the students. Super? Not really. All tutors are not created equal, and unfortunately for every great tutor you encounter, you meet a couple of misguided souls intent on highlighting the construction qualities of cheese (true story). The less students means the retention of quality teaching and the trimming of staff fat. Please, no one should have to be taught by a man who believes its OK to leave final crits in the middle to go get coffee… bastard.
Maybe that was slightly harsh, but by the end of the year, the architecture student body is made up of young people with a dangerous reliance to caffeine drinks, and tempers fray very easily. Seriously though, it is a really trying period in any architects career. The long hours, constant criticism and lack of sunlight lead to a collection of people on their last legs. Don’t take the decision to study architecture likely, its a serious commitment, and if you’re in, its all the way or not at all.
