General Chat / The Future Architects' Thread

So I figured that I could revive this. After reading some of the previous pages in the topic, I saw that memebers like Cork, Nate, and Pbob used this thread as a way to talk about their experiences as architecture majors and various projects, and I'd like to continue on that same vein in this thread.

This project was a final for our first semester here (I'm a first year). The assignment was to design a "modest dwelling" for a famous person of our choosing off a list of masters, including Phillip Glass, Muhammad Ali, and Che Guevara. My client was Emeril Lagasse. We needed to research our client, learn about their personal background and achievements, and then base a house and site off of the person's career and/or life. The site was a sloping site, dropping 60 feet over a 300 foot range. We also had to landscape the site to both fit the concepts and the house. I have pictures of my house model, but not of my site model at the moment. For my house, I used an oven as the central focal point of the design, in that the kitchen is the focal point of his life. The shape of the house, mainly the curved retaining walls, remedied an issue I had with creating more curvilinear shapes on the upper terrace, and indirectly could reference the shape of a shrimp, an important ingredient in Emeril's cooking. In the model, any open space is a glass wall, as our studio advisor didn't want us using plexiglass quite yet.





Not the best quality work ever, but I was rushed to finish this model, so I spent a lot less time on my craft for the chipboard base.

It does show room for improvement but its certainly not bad,
This takes me back to the days I had to build these crazy ass designed Pavillions for school
some turned out pretty good^^

But yeah I can see you becomming a great architect robbie this stuff shows a lot of designing potential.

So recently I've been doing some life thinking, as always, and there are two options in life I wish to explore.

#1 Degree in Architecture.

#2 Degree in Art History.

I know this is a thread predominantly about Architecture, but I was just wondering if anyone had any major insight into either area. I mean this will be my 3rd attempt at a degree and so like I want it to be enjoyable, as that is the main reason for the previous 'drop-outs'. Anyone care to shed some light?

Well, I don't have much factual knowledge about degrees and stuff, but as far as I know Art History isn't really the market where jobs come to you. While it will most likely be very fun and interesting I'm not sure if you actually achieve much with that degree.

I don't know much about architecture but to me it has always seemed like a lot of fun and I think you'll do quite good at it because of your rct career. Just don't look at it as something curricular ;p.

Perhaps you can sort out what the reason was that you didn't find the other two degrees enjoyable and look which of these two options will be, with that knowledge, more enjoyable.

So recently I've been doing some life thinking, as always, and there are two options in life I wish to explore.

#1 Degree in Architecture.

#2 Degree in Art History.

I know this is a thread predominantly about Architecture, but I was just wondering if anyone had any major insight into either area. I mean this will be my 3rd attempt at a degree and so like I want it to be enjoyable, as that is the main reason for the previous 'drop-outs'. Anyone care to shed some light?

Architecture school is not a place where you go to have fun.

Fun may happen while you are there, every once in a while.
You may find the studies fulfilling on the rare occasion when the professors were clear, you have enough time to finish a project, and you actually care about the subject matter.

If you have any doubt that an architecture degree is not for you, just don't put yourself through that mess. People do not finish an architecture program and then not do architecture; they just quit mid-program. You should also be prepared to graduate without a job offer.

I'm just finishing up my third year of Landscape Architecture which is a great program if you want to get into designing theme parks and water parks... I'm still trying to figure out if I want to stick with it after I finish the degree or go a completely different route and pursue writing in the entertainment business (like screenwriting).

But for anyone that is scared of math, take LA... there is verrrry little of it and it's completely awesome for those theme park junkies

Architecture school is not a place where you go to have fun.

I'm not an architect, but this can't be emphasized enough. As a structural engineering student (Master's and soon PhD), I've worked with M.Arch students on a few projects, and they were always about 2-3 times more stressed out than we (engineers) were when it came time for midterm and final reviews. After witnessing this and going through that project experience, I was glad that I chose engineering (and structural engineering is probably one of the toughest varieties). I probably wouldn't even have made it into NC State's architecture school anyway.

On the other hand studying Art History will be very relaxed. At least what my experience from my Uni tells me. I'm studying history, but i've taken some art history classes and they consisted mostly of old ladies sitting next to me and telling me where you can get the best coffee next to this or that wonderful monument in venice or rome.
I'm obviously exagerating, art history is very interesting, and you can obviously always put more work into it, but people wont expect you to be very serious about your studies.
Might be completely different at other universities though.
And yeah jobs are not really coming to you in masses, i suppose. but there is a very wide range of things you can work with then.

Are there actually any architecture students who would say: "Studiyng Architecture is great! Do it!"? Cause I've been half-seriously thinking the last few days if I shouldt switch to architecture, and everything I've been reading on the internet was soooo negative...

Architecture school is not a place where you go to have fun.

THIS

JUST THIS!

If you're looking for something fun where you'll still have time to go out and night then don't go for architecture. If you're looking for something you'll literally have to devote most of your time to and can handle doing annoying things without getting much reward for it then go for architecture.

Are there actually any architecture students who would say: "Studiyng Architecture is great! Do it!"? Cause I've been half-seriously thinking the last few days if I shouldt switch to architecture, and everything I've been reading on the internet was soooo negative...

I don't study architecture or anything but I think people who do study it, don't do it for the study itself but for the result. I think being able to design buildings well is their reward for the hard work they've done over the years.

So this is a really cool thread to look back on, especially looking at where a lot of us were at when we still were looking at schools and exploring architecture as a career option. It'd be cool to see who's stuck with it, what they've been up to, or if there's any newer members in the community who are looking at architecture as a career option. NE's style of RCT playing has historically seemed to lend itself pretty well to cultivating and retaining members who're interested in architecture or similar design-oriented work, so it'd be interesting to see how the community is trending now, over 13 years since this topic was first opened.