Even the COA’s most recent statement on the anniversary of the architect act stirs up controversy among many architects and students. Everyone is wondering what good it does to work hard for five years in school if there is no protection. Architecture education is thought to be one of the most difficult and time-consuming courses, and it changes every year. It is now a multidisciplinary field rather than a solitary field. Although one of the oldest professions, architecture has only recently gained widespread recognition. Before that, it was all about aesthetic work and was acknowledged as a component of art. Later, it became a component of technology, and as time went on, additional fields were added. The same is true for architecture education.
Today’s architectural education goes beyond just teaching students how to create 2D and 3D drawings. It has now been incorporated into several fields where students must first grasp a wide range of concepts before completing their design. With a clear understanding, architecture education is a door towards nature and scope of study with an appreciation of people from a social, economic, and natural environment perspective.
The evolution of architecture education in India
The transition is challenging due to the frequent identity changes that architecture education experiences. As a part of the J.J. School of Fine Arts, which embodies the perception of architecture as a part of fine arts, architecture was first introduced in India as a formal education in the twentieth century. Architecture has advanced, placing more of an emphasis on structural stability than aesthetics, and as a result, it now forms a part of technology. later decades of the 20th century. A second perception of architecture as a field of technology is created by the introduction of architecture courses at IIT Roorkee and Kharagpur, which symbolizes the conversion of the architecture field toward the field of technology. But as the twenty-first century begins, a new perspective on the field of architecture emerges. The course now includes new topics, considers architecture to be a component of people’s lives, and includes humanities, politics, and psychology as learning objectives.
Today, architecture is not just a field of the arts and sciences. It develops a new identity, which prompts the opening of distinct architecture college departments. The way we perceive people as a whole evolves, and today’s architectural scene has developed its own identity as a result of the entire forced historical process.
Architecture education as a multidisciplinary field
Unrestricted by art and science, architecture is a multidisciplinary field. It is a composite discipline that applies ideas from various disciplines to explore all aspects of human existence and life. Architecture is the process of designing the built and natural environments to meet human needs and understand their psychology and thought processes. A building’s architecture truly reflects the aspirations and dreams of its user and takes on his identity. It is possible to say that architecture is a product of people’s abilities and perspectives.
This all adds to many subjects in architecture education. An architecture student cannot design anything in one shot; they must go through a lengthy process. To design an environmentally friendly building, it is essential to comprehend the topic of climatology, which is essentially a branch of geography. In architecture programs, humanities and psychology are also covered to help students understand user characteristics and governmental regulations. Without the subject of structure, which is a nightmare for students, architecture education cannot be considered complete. It can be said that being an architect requires not only the artistic ability but also technical prowess, as a student will experience many ups and downs.
Students in architecture education
Architecture is regarded as the most stressful profession, as is architecture education. Architecture students feel under a lot of pressure to do well in their classes, which raises their stress levels. Many institutions and universities work regularly to improve students’ mental health and help them cope with stress. Students who perform well in front of others but suffer alone because they are afraid of their poor performance level are under a lot of stress. Understanding students’ perceptions, behaviors, and performance in the classroom are essential to figuring out how well they are doing in class and whether they are in better mental health or experiencing stress.
Conclusion
There are many topics to discuss in architecture education, such as the growing number of architecture schools, which increases the number of architects in the country, but each school has a unique teaching style, which is easily visible in their students’ work. However, the situation of the students is the same everywhere; they are under stress, and to lessen this stress, the institutes must offer new things to create a new environment.
Every decade brings with it a new challenge for architects as technology advances with time. Education in architecture is a lifelong process of learning. However, the education system needs to be changed over time to make it simpler. This change must be psychological as well as theoretical. The student is stressed due to the burden of various subjects is almost always stressed after graduation. The educational system needs to be changed so that students can learn without as much stress so that they can be thoughtful adults after they graduate and foster innovation.
