I am a registered architect, almost 60, have a supreme knowledge of building technology, can design excellent, context-sensitive buildings, put together construction documents and details for my designs or wet dream by other architects who like twisted, weird angled buildings without a interior wall that is vertical preventing any painting/photo or bookshelf from being mounted. I was a Senior Architect with my last employer and one of the last who could design and prepare construction docs without Revit and the like. Now Revit dictates the how and when buildings are designed so the freedom and creative control of building design is gone. Architecture firms will be spared from teaching interns how buildings are assembled (if they ever did before). I was laid off last year just before Christmas (not the first time this happened). Don't be fooled that architects are a sensitive bunch, why not lay of staff on Christmas Eve? I was given the opportunity to design only within the last 10 years, all building addition projects. Now it appears impossible to find other architecture employment, anywhere with to possible exception of Afghanistan or other combat zones. Why anyone would want to become a registered architect anymore is beyond me. The salaries are at starvation levels, the firm principals or officers are usually manic-depressive, crazy, megalomaniacs, recluses, stupid (and that was a college of architecture dean), bullies, or treat everyone (interns and senior architects) like children and architects whose main form of communication with interns is screaming. In my architectural career I've known precious few "normal" people type architects. If you want to experience the joy, prestige, and job security of being an architect..think again because they do not exist. If it weren't for money inherited from my parents and relatives, I would have shot myself long ago. Why I persisted to this point...just stubbornness and love of punishment.
Wow! I was stunned by the video. I'm an architecture student, yet the video seems to make me feel disgusted when it comes to my future career. The so-called architect in the video might have been so unlucky with his career that he wanted to discourage a aspiring architect.
Well, I see nothing wrong in staring at the computer for hours, doing AUTOCAD designs, dimensional measurement and even conducting inspection services. Revisions of designs are normal, but one should not set aside the safety of the building. After watching the video and hearing a disaster story of an architect, I can still say that I will be an architect someday.
this is exaggerated, and the stilted speech used in xtranormal combined with the poorly written dialogue makes it all the more hysterical.
however, it highlights some of the very real issues that most in the profession have to face. it misses a few even bigger issues, being the huge risks that most will Architects face during their career, particularly in their own business, of litigation from clients and builders, malpractice suits, now OH&S and implied use adds to the growing threat over our heads (any misjudgment made accidentally or deliberately either by you, your client or a consultant) renders the Architect liable from now until they die. add to that the mix of comparatively low pay for the industry (check any career/job search website for figures), the stress and emotional and intellectual energy devoted to your projects -- solid reasons for being here are rare indeed.
ultimately the commitment of years of study and accumulated experience ensures that most Architects never leave the profession -- even after reaching the realization of how unvalued their profession is, and how better their life would have been if they had never so much as touched a scale ruler -- all we can do is instruct our kids to NEVER BECOME AN ARCHITECT. :-P
oh i am so going to embed this on my blog!!
ReplyDeletei hate how much depressive his words are :-D and she is soooo ridiculous!gehry hah.
ReplyDeleteThis video does notheing to help the proffesion...some of us actually love what we do and do not live in a box by the freeway!
ReplyDeleteI'd embed this to my blog, hope u dont mind. I'm an architectural student, not yet an architect but I really do can feel you. -_-
ReplyDeleteI am a registered architect, almost 60, have a supreme knowledge of building technology, can design excellent, context-sensitive buildings, put together construction documents and details for my designs or wet dream by other architects who like twisted, weird angled buildings without a interior wall that is vertical preventing any painting/photo or bookshelf from being mounted. I was a Senior Architect with my last employer and one of the last who could design and prepare construction docs without Revit and the like. Now Revit dictates the how and when buildings are designed so the freedom and creative control of building design is gone. Architecture firms will be spared from teaching interns how buildings are assembled (if they ever did before). I was laid off last year just before Christmas (not the first time this happened). Don't be fooled that architects are a sensitive bunch, why not lay of staff on Christmas Eve? I was given the opportunity to design only within the last 10 years, all building addition projects. Now it appears impossible to find other architecture employment, anywhere with to possible exception of Afghanistan or other combat zones.
ReplyDeleteWhy anyone would want to become a registered architect anymore is beyond me. The salaries are at starvation levels, the firm principals or officers are usually manic-depressive, crazy, megalomaniacs, recluses, stupid (and that was a college of architecture dean), bullies, or treat everyone (interns and senior architects) like children and architects whose main form of communication with interns is screaming. In my architectural career I've known precious few "normal" people type architects. If you want to experience the joy, prestige, and job security of being an architect..think again because they do not exist. If it weren't for money inherited from my parents and relatives, I would have shot myself long ago. Why I persisted to this point...just stubbornness and love of punishment.
Wow! I was stunned by the video. I'm an architecture student, yet the video seems to make me feel disgusted when it comes to my future career. The so-called architect in the video might have been so unlucky with his career that he wanted to discourage a aspiring architect.
ReplyDeleteWell, I see nothing wrong in staring at the computer for hours, doing AUTOCAD designs, dimensional measurement and even conducting inspection services. Revisions of designs are normal, but one should not set aside the safety of the building.
After watching the video and hearing a disaster story of an architect, I can still say that I will be an architect someday.
this is exaggerated, and the stilted speech used in xtranormal combined with the poorly written dialogue makes it all the more hysterical.
ReplyDeletehowever, it highlights some of the very real issues that most in the profession have to face. it misses a few even bigger issues, being the huge risks that most will Architects face during their career, particularly in their own business, of litigation from clients and builders, malpractice suits, now OH&S and implied use adds to the growing threat over our heads (any misjudgment made accidentally or deliberately either by you, your client or a consultant) renders the Architect liable from now until they die.
add to that the mix of comparatively low pay for the industry (check any career/job search website for figures), the stress and emotional and intellectual energy devoted to your projects -- solid reasons for being here are rare indeed.
ultimately the commitment of years of study and accumulated experience ensures that most Architects never leave the profession -- even after reaching the realization of how unvalued their profession is, and how better their life would have been if they had never so much as touched a scale ruler -- all we can do is instruct our kids to NEVER BECOME AN ARCHITECT.
:-P
Hats off !! This was an outstanding post!!
ReplyDelete