How to become an architect?

An architect in his professional activity must understand many areas related to architecture, such as:

- architectural structures - to preserve the aesthetics of the architectural image, but at the same time based on real building materials and the bearing capacity of certain structural elements;

- heating and ventilation - to provide a comfortable microclimate for a person in the building during all four seasons;

- water supply and water disposal (sewage) - for normal life in the designed building or structure;

- power supply, low-voltage networks and systems - to understand the modern parameters of comfort and vital electrical equipment;

- technologies and specifics of the object - for a clear understanding of both the construction process and the features of the operation of the object, determining the interaction of a person or a group of people with surrounding objects, the relationship of internal processes in the building and beyond;

- mathematics and economics - to understand pricing and budgeting for future projects;

- marketing - to promote their ideas and professional services in the labor market;

- psychology - for competent communication both with the customer and with contractors, taking into account all the specifics of the diverse education and qualifications of specialists at the construction site.

Therefore, if your goal is to become an architect, I will allow myself to give some recommendations and advice based on my personal experience.

1. You need to clearly understand that architecture is the most difficult specialty. It intertwines not only acquired knowledge and skills, but also dozens, hundreds, and sometimes thousands of lives of other people. This is not said for the "red word" - it is a reality and very often sets you such difficult tasks that you may not even be aware of at the institute.

2. The official title of "Architect" can only be obtained by graduating from a specialized university. The specialty "Architecture of buildings and structures" is a field that requires a state license or certificate of an architect. Therefore, having completed any courses, even in the specialty, it is impossible to become a licensed architect without a university diploma.

3. Given the current trends that are detrimental to the industry, to reduce teaching hours and specialized subjects in an architectural university, I already wrote about this problem earlier in the article - "Why?", It is vital not to approach the learning process lightly. If you think that after entering a university, you will definitely be taught a profession - this is not so. The learning process does not turn into problems for teachers, who must rush in and provide the student with the proper level of knowledge - this is a fatal mistake. Learning is a process of co-creation, the application of knowledge and experience on the one hand, and the desire to learn on the other.

4. You need to look for a teacher who will inspire you, both with their teaching methods and with useful tips based on real practice. Sometimes, simple life advice will save you years and give you guidance in the complex, multi-level structure of your chosen specialty.

5. Try to constantly monitor core subjects, in terms of clarity and clarity of presentation of the material by teachers, their own understanding and misunderstanding of the basic foundations of the profession. Only if you understand what you are striving for, what set of knowledge and skills a real architect should have, you can clearly identify gaps in training and take additional specialized courses, or get professional advice.

6. For becoming a profession, real work under the guidance of a practicing architect is vital. This will help to quickly structure theoretical knowledge and focus on the priority of solving tasks, which will not only allow you to gain your own experience, but also provide an opportunity for independent earnings, which is especially relevant for students at all times. The first money earned in a professional environment always inspires and inspires faith not only in your own strength, but also in the fact that you have not made a mistake in the direction.

7. Try to create a high-quality portfolio during the training period. Beautiful, spectacular images of your layouts, visualizations, projects - will ensure the proper level of attention from potential employers.

Of course, all these tips and recommendations are not a dogma, and you can add to this list based on your own experience. In fact, that is how it should be. It is impossible to absolutely clearly repeat someone else's path, because each person must develop, as her inner voice tells her, and bring her own achievements into this world. I had a chance to go from an architecture student and a simple hired worker to the head of my own architectural studio, as well as create my own teaching methodology. I know the problems of the architectural profession from two sides - from the side of a student looking for a job and an employer looking for professional staff.

You must understand that even specialized courses will not replace many years of comprehensive training at the institute, but they can enable schoolchildren and graduates to get acquainted with their future profession, students - to fill in the gaps and shortcomings of classical education at the university and create an effective portfolio, and mature individuals - bring understanding of the processes of interest to them in the field of construction and repair, as well as quality education in the field of architecture and design already for their children.

That is why, in 2021, the TVOYCREATIVE School of Architecture and Design was created, to which I invite you. See you!