So, you’ve watched all these great programs on the TV and you are thinking of embarking on a long and successful career as an Architect.  You have chosen your options at school, you’re working hard towards your GCSEs and thinking what your future may hold.

Well not to put too much of a dampener on things but you have 7 long years of training ahead, and that’s after you’re A Levels … but don’t worry – here is our SEVEN short steps to getting there.

 

ONE – don’t let your careers advisory tell you that you NEED maths and you NEED physics to become an architect.  We would recommend a design subject or art as these are the subjects that help with the process and delivery.  Other than that, do subjects you enjoy … you need good grades these days for University so go out and get them.

TWO – throw yourself into it … after all you only get out what you put in and enthusiasm is key to selling even the craziest of ideas.

THREE – architecture is not all glitz and glam, high rise buildings and big pay cheques.  It is about the love of design and the ever-changing world in which we all live.

FOUR – Money, clients and yes planning authorities exist – they are there to add constraints to even the most elaborate of projects … our advice is to embrace change and learn to love it.

FIVE – when faced with even the strangest of requests from a university lecturer never say never – they are there to tease out of you your most creative solution so let your imagination go wild.

SIX – concept is key, once you’ve got a concept hold onto it, it will inform everything from scale, layout and design to landscape and even access.

SEVEN – I know seven years seems like a lifetime after all just think back seven years from now to see what you were doing then … but believe me when I say those seven years will fly by in a heartbeat and boy will you look back on them as some of the best of your life.

 

It’s a profession that will never leave you and if you are that person that walks down a High Street walking into people and lamp posts because your looking up rather than out … architecture is for you.