Readers Respond: The Real Life of an Architect

Responses: 3

1. Describe what you do as an architect?
2. What do you like about being an architect? What don't you like about it?
3. With the proper training, how easy or difficult is it for someone to get an entry level job as an architect?
4. Are you happy you became an architect? Why or why not?

architect

It's a difficult profession. If you're interested in it, you owe it to yourself to work in an architecture office first. There are a lot of misconceptions as to what an architect does, and it's often portrayed as a career that gives people a lot of opportunities for creative expression. Actually, a lot the a typical architect's time is spent on technical issues and coordination, as well as producing construction documents. Schools don't do a good job of telling students what working as an architect will be like, and the practical aspects of architecture as a business (in a fees for service industry) are almost ignored. Finally, every time the economy goes flat architects are among the first to be left unemployed.

—Guest d

Careful

It's a reasonable career providing you don't like time or money, because you'll never have any of either. Most importantly, make sure you have an independent income because most of your peers will--it's the only way they can make ends meet.

—Guest Killian

Architect

Circumstances for architects in 2009 are brutal. We depend on growth; people need new buildings when they outgrow their current needs. A contraction of the economy of course means no growth which means no work. I would expect that our industry will remain depressed through 2010 at least. It will take that long to fill vacant retail, manufacturing and office space to the point that the economy demands more.

—Guest PBStrother