Architecture college is an intense experience, but a definite advantage is the eclectic mix of knowledge gained during this trying, caffeine-fueled journey. Part of this knowledge is specific to the course, like how to design functional spaces; a part is peripherally related, like knowing which printing shops are open at 2 a.m.; and some are essential life skills picked up along the way out of sheer self-preservation.
Transforming Ideas to Reality
The most vital part of Architecture is learning how best to communicate ideas to other people. Sketching is often the best way. Many students tend to worry that their sketching is deficient, or not as appealing as their peers’. However, sketching allows greater freedom to express ideas, and the only necessity is that they are clear enough to be understood by other people.
Aesthetic appeal can improve over time with practice. Model-making is another skill that people are initially wary of, but over time grow to depend on. Models help to understand project scale and the interaction of spaces, and are therefore worth learning how to do, despite taking some time. Sketching and model making are important aids in clearly explaining the initial ideas of the project to other people.
The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Known
Many people enter architecture college with a fear of public speaking or a fear of being judged. This fear does not last long before it gets ruthlessly crushed under the weight of constant studio discussion, juries, and crits for every class.
Before the end of the first semester, most architecture students have become accustomed to presenting and defending their work multiple times to peers and mentors alike and receiving input from various sources. Also, traveling to and from the studio with massive models, sheets, etc., in public spaces ensures that any self-consciousness stops quickly. This erasure of bashfulness is particularly effective if public transit is involved in the travel.
Architecture is a very interactive profession. Communication happens between members of a team, with clients, and with vendors and contractors. There is often no time for inhibition when working on a project, and the ability to talk to people without any hesitation when required is an important skill that college teaches both for the profession and for life in general.
Collaborative Work
Architects interact with various people for a single project – other architects, consultants, and vendors, to name a few. One of the best skills that are picked up in college is collaboration. Studios are designed to promote collaboration and group study and work, and even individual projects are completed with input and aid from peers and friends.
The Importance of a Line
Graphics are essential to architecture. Every line that is drawn means something, and must be given the appropriate weight or line type to be legible to other people. Since every line drawn represents an important aspect of the design, great care must be taken to depict them accurately, since mistakes may have structural consequences.
Drafting is, therefore, an essential skill that architects learn, either physical or digital. Drafted drawings help other members of the team to understand and interpret the design. Therefore, these drafts tend to be made in a standard representation that any architect can understand. A clear understanding of line quality aids in creating clear designs, both for yourself and others.
A Different Perspective (Metaphorical and Literal)
One of the first things taught in architecture college is perspective drawing. It is a useful skill that comes into use frequently, but architecture college also teaches us another important skill – how to see spaces in a new light. It becomes second nature to look at spaces from an architect’s perspective; to pay attention to materiality and similar characteristics of the space.
Observation is an important ability for an architect, and it develops over time into something that becomes automatic, probably to the consternation of non-architect friends and family. There is a definite change in mindset between how spaces are experienced before and after joining architecture.
Another aspect of architecture is learning to design for the user. This means that another important skill is to imagine the space from the viewpoint of the different end users of a building. This constant need to change the perception of the building to accommodate different types of people means that a sense of adaptability and empathy also develops.
History Matters
Case studies are an important part of Architecture. It is extremely useful to critically analyze buildings that already exist, to understand what works and what can be improved. Proper analysis of case studies provides building blocks for similar projects and designs. Learning from the past is and has been a major part of architecture.
Historic architecture still inspires many design concepts even today, and understanding how Architecture has evolved helps to understand changes in trends today. Learning history also results in a better understanding of different architectural theories, which in turn results in better design.
Architecture colleges work by teaching a range of subjects that add up to a cohesive understanding of architecture and design, and therefore it makes sense they tend to range from architect-specific to more general skills that would be an asset in multiple fields.
