Architecture Jobs

This career is about Architecture jobs including what architects actually do and where they are employed?

What is Architecture?

Architecture is both the art and science of designing buildings and structures. It is the art of designing the built environment from the macrolevel of town planning, urban design, and landscape architecture to the microlevel of furniture.

What Do Architects Do?

The term Architect is legally protected in Canada where it specifically refers to a licensed professional. Non-licensed practitioners may be draftsmen or architectural technologists (architectural technicians).

An architect, or building designer, is a professional involved in the planning, designing and oversight of a building's construction. The architects’ role is to guide decisions regarding aesthetic, cultural or social concern.

Architects must make building design and planning decisions that affect the safety and well-being of the general public. Architects are needed for complex building types such as the hospitals, churches, stadiums, airports and for less complicated projects such as commercial or residential buildings and development.

What Do Qualifications Do Architects Need?

Architects need to be creative, independent and critical thinkers. An architect needs to have a basic ability to produce freehand drawings of architectural forms and space. A balanced undergraduate education that includes study in the arts, sciences, humanities, and physics, computing and advanced writing skills will be beneficial for the architect. Historically an architect has been expected to be knowledgeable in music, astronomy, and philosophy. Contemporary architects may be expected to have preparation in the visual arts, such as drawing, sculpture, graphics, photography, film, or other media.

What Areas Do Architects Cover In Their Courses?

There are three types of accredited professional degrees in architecture in the United States. Bachelor’s degrees in Architectural History or Urban & Environmental Planning are considered to be pre-professional degrees in most countries. Architects must take a professional licensing exam prior to beginning work. The basic graduate program in architecture includes a foundation in history, land, and building. Graduate schools have different areas of emphasis but common ground includes knowledge in theory, technology, ecology, society, and professional practice.

Coursework includes traditional and digital modes of drawing and conceptualization. Graduate studies include issues of programming, building structure, materials and assembly, design and conservation, development control and enforcement, development planning & policy and ecologically and culturally sustainable practices as a foundation for design.

What specializations may architects choose?

Some architects specialize in “green building” which involves design and construction in accord with the environment, to minimize the impact of the project and ensure its sustainability and energy conservation capabilities are maximized.

Masters degrees in Architectural History, Architecture Professional Degree, Landscape Architecture, Urban and Environmental Planning are antecedents to the doctoral level of architectural studies. Specialty areas include: Historic Preservation, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture, Real Estate Design and Development.

Where do architects work?

Many architects work independently as private contractors. Universities, institutes, governments and corporations all need the skills and knowledge of architects. Sometimes it is in the process of design, other times as teaching or exhibition or planning.

Architect Jobs