Architecture is a gruelling and grinding process. When I began my journey to become an architect I was excited along with being very nervous. My first year went by really fast because of how much I enjoyed it, our faculty made it fun and interesting. I learnt so many new things. It will only get better right?
There are always two sides to a coin. With good comes bad. My experience was a little like that, a little different. For me, it all went downhill along the years.
I did not seem to enjoy it as much as I should have. I lost interest in it a little bit more every year that went by. I had a lot of fun with my friends, but I also feel like I was not able to give my 100% to my work. The faculty didn’t seem to enjoy it and working only got exhausting. Maybe this is because of where I studied and I wouldn’t generalise it. But architecture is a fun field and we are all creative people who are over-enthusiastic about their work and that enthusiasm should never be curbed.
A few that I learnt a few things as the years went by:
1. Staying Up Overnight for Submission is Unnecessary.
I think this is a very unhealthy culture which is enforced upon students by their teachers and peers. Many cannot give their 100% because of lack of sleep which affects their creativity. Most mportantly it also adversely affects the health of many students.
With good time management and understanding from your faculty (which should be expected but is not followed through), it should be a walk in the park. However, it is quite the opposite.
2. Not All of Your Teachers Can Teach.
In your five years, you go through many teachers. I have realised after a lot of self-doubts that it’s not me, it’s them. As a student, it’s your job to do your best and learn, but they have an even bigger responsibility to teach and most importantly to teach well.
In my experience, I had a series of guides who had petty demands with regards to submissions. I felt suffocated as a designer and this lowered my interest to learn.
Criticism is good but there is a technique to do it and discouraging or insulting a student is not the right way to go. However, there are a few treasures that have your best interests at heart while teaching. They are genuinely interested in your work and they help you grow into better architects.
As a student, you need to identify them and take their guidance throughout your architecture days. One must know who to take seriously and who not to.
I might seem too negative about architecture as a field. However, I would always consider the result of my five years of architecture to be great. I came out being a more self-aware adult which I think is just as great an accomplishment. Along with architecture I also learnt a lot of life skills.
Let me mention the good parts.
3. Working With People.
There are a lot of things that I did for the first time as an architecture student. I would be apprehensive to do many of these things otherwise. To name a few, I learnt how to talk to random people on the street.
I have learnt that strangers are usually helpful and that it is okay to feel dejected even if one of them is not. But if you ask for help you will at least have one hand helping you.
4. Talent Is A Myth.
You have to realise that not everyone is born talented and that is okay too. You can hone your skills. I say this with experience and observation. If you want to be good at something you need to work hard on that particular skill and eventually you see results.
Find that one thing you love and explore till you find it. To be good at something you have to make an effort and it is usually on your 99th try that you’ll succeed at it and maybe it still won’t be perfect but imperfection is beauty.
5. Architecture Is Not Your Only Choice.
You’re even told this in your architecture school. Not everyone enjoys designing, some prefer more technical aspects of architecture. And THAT IS OKAY!
There are so many sub-fields of design and architecture that you’re exposed to during your student days which makes it so easy for you in the future. I understand why architecture schools are preferred to be called schools.
Once you’re out there is a whole world which is waiting for you. You can be an architect and at the same time do so many other things like graphic design, product design, textile design; you can be a project manager or a landscape architect or an architecture journalist. Your study in architecture creates a wonderful base and scope for you to step into any creative field.
6. Looks Are Not Everything.
A very important lesson I learnt was from one of my external jurors during my final year thesis jury. Before the jury began he told us all that design is very subjective. Sure there are standards for design but you cannot judge a design based on how it looks. If someone has great rendered drawings does not mean his design is good. There is no perfect design and there is always scope for improvement.
7. To Be Proud of Your Work
I learnt not to be ashamed of my work. It was not easy to gain confidence in my work. So explore, make mistakes and learn. Just because you think someone else has a better design don’t diminish your work. I learnt not to follow blindly and to have a clear understanding of my work and defend my work and opinions. If you don’t respect your work you cannot expect anyone else to either.
Architecture takes a lot out of you but you have to be patient. You find things to love. So choose your architecture school wisely. Where you study makes a big difference in how you grow as a student into a professional.
Overall you learn from the good as well as the bad. Learning is a process and you learn from everyone and everything around you, right from your building to your teachers and friends.