The five-year architecture course promises many alternative career opportunities for an architect. Many graduates confuse themselves where to start or choose a different path due to their reasons. Our architecture degree helped us develop creative, visual, practical and design skills which can be used in other fields also. Theory of design alone is practised in many other creative fields. Mentioned below are some of the most commonly chosen career pathways involving bigger scale of architecture, design and art involving smaller scale with great detail practices.
1. Urban planner (M.Arch UD)
Soon after the industrial revolution and world wars, the importance of urban design was drastically changed. While the population rapidly grows with urban areas, the quality of living has to be ensured. Urban cities plans are updated and improved with intervals to meet the needs of the dynamic urban environment. It involves a large scale manner requiring problem-solving skill and creativity at the same time.
2. Landscape architect
People who are interested in environmental restoration, creating recreational areas, stormwater management and environmental conservation can opt-in through this pathway. It not only includes designing outdoor landscapes but also includes infrastructure, public areas, agriculture and forestry while creating bonding between urban and rural spaces and takes responsibility for globalization and climate change.
3. Restoration architect
If you are a person interested in the history of architecture and maintaining heritage, then this career option is well suited for you. Conservation and restoration will play a vital responsibility in this career while keeping in mind not to change the original essence of it. A promising career while monuments are restored and preserved continuously by the government.
4. Town Planner (M.Plan)
Development, regeneration and sustainability are the key roles for the town planner. Town planner must be a socially well-connected person as it involves emotion, economy involving large, divergent scales of population.
5. Interior designer
Architects generally have a keen sense of design, on every scale possible. Architecture and interior design is the best combination of qualification and needs a more organized planning mind to survive. Interior design comes after major planning is done and it opens out great responsibility and important processes in the construction process.
6. Artist
In history, there are many architects turned into an artist and vice-versa. While architecture involves art and function bonded together, while an artist’s works revolve around art, sculpture, spatial experiences rather than concentrating on functionality.
7. Research architect
Advancement in computer and technology made a lot of improvements in the field of architecture. Building Information Modeling (BIM), computational design and many other advanced tools are existing and many more tools enhance practicing architecture to the next level while giving more design options and also cutting down manpower to a greater extent.
8. Building surveyor
Building surveyor jobs are related to conserving, modifying, fixing, renovating and restoration of existing buildings, structures involving different and apt methods for each work. It requires immense experience and material knowledge is recommended.
9. Structural engineer
People who are good in problem-solving and aesthetic mind can opt-in as a structural engineer. While having an undergraduate degree in architecture and having a masters in structural engineering degree, the demand for such qualification is well appreciated in the field. Involving mathematics and engineering, designing structures becomes a major role in this practice.
10. Extreme architect
Since scientists discovered global warming and climatic changes, extreme weather conditions are increasingly noted. Being an extreme architect involves designing in extreme weather conditions as nature has diverse unpredicted plans. Shortly, tackling these types of design problems is to happen continuously and the need for such practice is much demanded.
11. Industrial/Product designer
As the name pertains, the practice focuses on the smaller-scale design of mass production involving large production of products. It suits the need of products in a large scale manner which greatly involves small alternatives. Innovative products in the industry greatly show interest among people which are then manufactured in large numbers. It also includes toy designing which alone can be considered as a separate career option.
12. Furniture designer
Many consider this practice as an underrated one, but it also meets the existing demand in the market. Several architects have designed furniture for their projects while some became full-time furniture designers too.
13. Graphic designer
Since architects have good creative minds this career well suits for people who are good in infographics, visual communication and related works. Though the course is a small supplement, it opens up wide opportunities in this digital world.
14. Fashion designer
Institutions like NIFT offer master courses for fashion design, which can be opted when you have an architecture undergraduate degree. It requires a fashion sense of colour, tactility, construction, patterns and forms, sure you can have heard these terms in the first year of architecture. While architecture and fashion design share many similarities it will not be a difficult step to cope in.
15. Video game designer
Architecture is well appreciated and a needed sense in-game design platforms. Designing a virtual world is always interesting since it allows our imagination to expand, well not considering gravity in some cases, it is considered a more fun and interesting career one can proceed with.
16. Photographer
Capturing a moment is delightful. Architecture photography is becoming popular, as everyone has a camera in their hands and the need for talent demands a good sense of photogenic mind. Workshops and many online classes are available for becoming a professional photographer.
17. Production designer
As you are already an architect, handling projects is not a hard job at all. Television, film industries, theatre sets involve a lot of stage creations and design sets, production designers come handy. They take part in designing, managing every stage of construction while accounting appropriate costs. A strong accounting and creative mind can shine easy.
18. Professor
Teaching careers are increasingly seen in young architects today. Few take up part-time or visiting faculty kinds of teaching jobs as they find time to practice architecture in their other time. This career can promise steady money to help initial years of practice. Teaching is a two-way road, where both teacher and student learn from each other.
19. Entrepreneur
When you excel in every aspect of practising as an architect, entrepreneur skills are well developed. These skills such as problem-solving, creative thinking, persuasion and communication skills develop people to be a successful entrepreneur. Indian industrialist Ratan Tata holds a degree in architecture, stands a perfect example.
20. Writer
People who are good in language, communication skills and literature, writing and journalism can suit. In this digital world, words can travel faster and it creates a different experience for readers. Many architects are good in words, where they influence people through words, creating blogs, books, journals and other means of writing.
21. Politician
Architecture creates good communication, understanding people and environment and urges to influence people. These skills can be utilized to become a successful politician. Architects like Anders Adlercreutz, Richard Rogers do better serve as politicians also.
The mentioned careers are commonly seen choices, there are so many other feasible fields where an architect can blossom. The term architecture gives rise to many professional choices as it circles a lot of money-making skills.
