Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone reading this! On the 25th, I gave up and watched the movie Polar Express again, and I cannot help but use it in this analogy. Studying architecture for me was like getting onto the Polar express, I was a non-believer. Like many others, I gave the standardised test as a safety net and got the ticket to get on board. Making a practical decision, I chose to do so with all my prejudice and doubts regarding the field, we were just glorified drafting technicians I thought.
The first semester only reinforced my beliefs; architecture design studio was all over the place, to say the least, building construction was as dry as coarse sand, allied design was like I was back in kindergarten studying shapes and colours, I only found a bit of sanity in math (theory of structures) and theory of architecture.
The five years were utterly packed with action without a moment of respite. I met a few Hobos along the way who guided me, made a few friends, and went along with the ride nonetheless. It is painstakingly easy to get buried underneath the pile of KTs, creative dissatisfaction, and burnout that makes the role of your friends irreplaceable.
And do not forget the voice of the Scrooge throughout the journey keeping your imposter syndrome in check. But being on the journey for five years gives you a lot of time to grow, learn, change, and reinvent. Here are a few things a non-believer like me learned along the way.
Walking a Tightrope
Nothing, I repeat, nothing prepares you for what you will face during the avalanche of expectations that is architecture. An average week could consist of a standard three to five deadlines with a minimum of three group projects, a couple of site visits across the city, not to forget at least one group discussion a day. What about the architectural design studio?
I somehow managed to perform relatively well in other subjects, but architectural design was like wading through knee-deep snow on the top of a moving train in the middle of a blizzard. Twice a week, I was expected to out-perform my previous discussion, coming up with a better design each time. For many, design discussions were linear, always adding to the design each time. It wasn’t the same for me, I constantly reworked my solutions to develop the most optimized composition to achieve my priorities.
The soul-crushing expectations from new students to be magical and innovative to only then hit them with a train full of practicalities pulling carriages of construction knowhow, feasibility, costing, building codes, and so much more that isn’t a part of the course but relies solely on your inquisitiveness and resourcefulness.
Curating a Debate of Massive Egos
Every group project ranges from five to ten members, each with their priorities and methods. And group projects are usually last on their list of priorities only to finish the deed and get away quickly. This practice usually results in group discussions that are partly based on what is best for the project but majorly based on what takes up the least amount of time and effort. It probably gives us a tiny glimpse into what happens in collaborative practice.
However, in school, you are expected to have productive brainstorming sessions and bring out the best in yourself and your colleagues. The sessions always consist of debates on architecture theory and its application in the project.
Here, everyone comes from a different school of thought; some expect the design to take a sustainable stand, some expect it to ease social tensions, some expect innovative building construction, some expect efficiency, some expect the design to take an abstract iconic status while others dread complexity to keep deadlines in check. Despite the many hurdles, it is essential that the project represents everyone and adds to their experience and skill-set.
Writing a Manuscript
The holy grail, everything since the beginning of an architecture student’s journey culminates here, in the fifth year, writing your highly anticipated thesis. Design dissertation is such a massive part of the students’ lives that it is a recurring topic in many conversations. How much ever you’ve prepared, a design thesis is a considerable undertaking; thus, it is quite intimidating to most of us.
After four years of rigorous training in all aspects of architecture, students are finally given the one thing they yearned for, a choice. A choice between the many disciplines within architecture, to design their brief, narrative, and client.
Design dissertation one and two (semester nine and ten) is a very personal experience for everyone. It is a representation of themselves; hence some go into it well equipped and prepared. I, for one, was quite excited about my dissertation; however, my experience of part one was quite different from part two.
I began the dissertation to radicalize the urban design practice in Mumbai but settled by suggesting an alternative method to design public space. It is a journey of contemplation; some hate it, some love it, but in the end, everybody is proud of it.
Not to Lose Yourself
As students, no one believes in you, not even yourself. One is constantly bombarded with creative expectations that you are bound to burn out or get influenced by your peers, teachers, and professionals. It is imperative that every architect has their philosophy and purpose informed by their person and not get lost in someone else’s.
And just like in the movie, the end of architecture school is disappointingly anticlimactic; the only thing you want to see walking out the door is not Santa but relief. Relief for finishing this lengthy but incredibly fulfilling journey.
