Architecture is a vast field that combines the art and technique of building design. Architecture can fulfil both practical and expressive requirements, meeting both utilitarian and aesthetic ends. One who has pursued architecture would have developed a range of creative, visual, and design-based skills. Architecture graduates often pursue other fields of design. The architecture curriculum provides a base for all design-related fields, enabling individuals to pursue other design fields of their interests. Apart from architecture-related areas, there are other careers related to art and design that an architect can consider.
Industrial Designer
Industrial design focuses mainly on objects of smaller scale, which are mass-produced. Many architecture firms have branched into industrial design due to their close creative ties. As it focuses on a smaller scale and detailing, most people find it less intimidating and challenging compared to large-scale buildings designed for a specific context.
Textile Designer
Textile design requires sensitivity for colour, tactility, construction, patterns, and forms. All of these are developed by a student at an architecture school. High fashion is reminiscent of architecture. Style has adopted geometric and sculptural constructions of contemporary buildings.
Graphic Designer
Graphic design is a way of identifying the world. It has become a mode of communication. It is visually and aesthetically pleasing as well. An additional or supplementary degree after architecture can open up many graphic design opportunities.
Video game designer
It provides opportunities for an individual to design a virtual world from the person’s imagination. Architects are generally known as individuals with vivid dreams. Constructing the architecture of a video game is a way of letting imagination roam free, but it also helps to add depth to spatial reasoning.
Photographer
Architecture photography is becoming increasingly popular. Photography requires capturing the aesthetics of a structure. It also requires a visual understanding of the objects to be captured by the camera lens.
Production Designer
Sets or stages are similar to designing video games. One uses imagination to recreate or create scenes that form part of a story or a narrative. Set design demands imagination and conceptualization skills. Sets are designed as part of films as well. Ramji Rao’s film city, Hyderabad, is an example of a collection of several movie sets. It demands the designer’s imagination and creativity as well as precision and an eye for aesthetics.
Apart from careers in art and design, there are other fields that an Architect can consider as well. The essence of architectural education can be utilized in these disciplines as well. It may even make one a stronger candidate in the professional sphere.
Teacher/Professor
The teaching profession is something that still needs individuals in Architecture. Most people opt for working in the construction industry itself once they graduate. Architecture demands more professors, as the number of candidates pursuing architecture has significantly grown. At architecture schools, teaching is always a two-way process. Both students and professors learn from each other. Teaching is another way of expanding one’s horizon and broadening knowledge.
Politician
Architecture and politics are often tied together. Knowledge gained from people, how they interact with their environment, organization, what makes the human body and psyche feel comfortable, etc., contributes to making a good politician. Architects spend a lot of time learning, observing, and understanding people’s behavior, how they respond to several stimuli, etc. Both built and unbuilt environments are designed according to the needs of the individuals of specific areas. They also have to keep in mind a particular region’s religious and cultural sentiments while creating spaces for the people. Hence architects can make good politicians and help in a country’s policy-making decisions.
Conservationist
Conservation of the environment is becoming the focal point of architecture these days. Despite several efforts made to protect the environment, it continues to degrade at a rapid pace. Architect can use their spatial organization skills to develop a method of conservation that isn’t just intellectually stimulating but also important to society.
Writer
Writing or journalism is an excellent way of utilizing architecture education. Writing could also be used as a platform for expressing imagination or thoughts. Architecture journalism is becoming popular these days. Skills acquired to criticize and appreciate art and architecture as an individual can use by a student for writing critical appraisals, journals, etc. Architecture journalism is an ever-growing field and demands more individuals. Publishing of works of several firms often requires such individuals to write about their projects for them to be published in journals, magazines, etc.
What career to pursue is an individual’s own choice. The interests of everyone pursuing architecture are different. It would vary across individuals. Sometimes, the interests are similar initially, but it would change over time. It’s essential to choose a career depending on one’s interests. Each career has it’s own relevance whether it be in the field of architecture or any other fields.
References
- Indeed Career Guide. (n.d.). Types of Architects and Architectural Jobs. [online] Available at: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/types-of-architects.
- Collier, S. (2017). What Can You Do With an Architecture Degree? [online] Top Universities. Available at: https://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/careers-advice/what-can-you-do-architecture-degree
- sankash.architect (2020). 23 Alternative Career, Architects Can Be Successful In. [online] Available at: https://sankashnarvekar.com/alternative-career-architects/ [Accessed 13 Nov. 2022].
