There are many jobs that shape the world around us, and one of those jobs is that of a design architect. Design Architecture may seem like a time consuming, boring, and tiresome job, but it is very far from that. Design Architects are very creative individuals who design everything from our homes to our favorite places, therefore all design architects have the responsibility for designing safe and functional buildings. Since more and more buildings are being created, a need for design architects is also rising. Design Architects have chances of employment, several advantages and disadvantages, as well as specific qualifications and educational requirements.
Architectural designer’s have varying work nature but they all have the same overall duties: Designing the interiors and exteriors of buildings where people play, eat, work, etc. In “How to become an Architect”, it is given that Architects spend most of their time in offices where they develop plans, and meet with clients, engineers, and other architects. Specific duties needing to be completed include preparing structure specifications, giving estimates of cost and construction time, and meeting with clients to discuss objectives and requirements for structures. The design, materials, colors, and equipment of the design are all under the responsibility of the architectural designer (“How to become an Architectural Designer”). Architectural designers could also possibly visit construction sites to prepare their drawings and review their progress. I chose Design Architecture for my essay topic for the reason that a design architect is what I aspire to be in the future. I have always loved designing and have been a very imaginative person since childhood. Having a career where I’d have to design and use imagination/creativity would be a dream come true.
Design Architects are very important individuals knowing that they design everything from our home to our favorite restaurants and in view of that fact, there is a rising demand for design architects. There is an expected job growth of 7% between the years of 2014 and 2024 (“How to Become an Architect in 5 Steps”). Currently, there are great employment opportunities. With the right education, training, and level of experience, it’s possible to get the job one wants. A demand for architects with knowledge of green design/sustainable design is expected to continue. There are a high number of students graduating with degrees in architecture, so strong competition for internships and jobs is also expected. Employers look for architects who use environment friendly designs, specifications, and materials. Currently, employers prefer design architects who can efficiently use resources, such as water and energy conservation, in their designs (“How to Become an Architect”).
Architectural Designer’s spent plenty of their time working hard on their projects. Their work is not easy, and is very time consuming, but there are benefits strung along with all of the hard work they put in. Architectural Designers earn an annual salary of between forty-eight thousand, and twenty dollars, and one hundred thirty eight thousand, and a hundred and twenty dollars. The salary typically depends on the amount of experience the individual has acquired, so after college, entry-level salaries have always been lacking, and long hours are required. Many architects don’t start seeing decent money until after they become somewhat experienced, licensed, and accomplished, and this generally takes 5-10 years out of college. Other than the salary, there are also many rewards such as never being bored due to all the creative work, and paid insurance for some architects in particular. Working conditions are also considerably a great advantage for architects. Most architects spend their time in offices, construction sites, or even at home. As construction continues, architects might visit building sites to make sure that contractors follow their design and schedule, use the specified materials, and meet quality standards. Their job is not complete until all construction is finished, all needed tests are conducted, and construction costs are paid. The work environment is typically calm and relaxed, since there is a need to be focused while doing detailed work as they do. There are many ways that one can move up in the career, and advance. After many years of work experience, some architects advance and become architectural and engineering managers. These managers usually keep track of the activities of employees, making sure everyone is on task and working, and they could also work on larger construction projects. If someone has been in the architectural designing field for a long time, they can work their way to become licensed. Being licensed has many benefits such as getting more freedom, but with freedom also comes more responsibility (“Becoming an Architectural Designer”).
For every career there are certain characteristics that an individual should have that will help them succeed in their career. I believe that I have great characteristics for becoming an architectural designer that will make me best for the job. The best architectural designers have organization and visualization skills, as well as creativity. Analytical and technical skills are also highly valued in the career (“How to Become an Architect”). To be able to make an attractive building, design architects need to have an eye for design. This includes being able to put colors together, and which materials looks good. The only physical requirements for design architects is being able to have artistic skills (mainly being able to sketch). Having all of these skills, I feel as if I would be very qualified to be an architectural designer. I’ve always loved and enjoyed sketching since I was a child and I would also consider myself a very organized person. I am constantly redecorating and organizing furniture and looking for ways to become more organized. Another quality to help one succeed in this career is to have a great understanding and good grades in math and science. It is also compulsory to complete college and internship with passing grades. All state architect boards require experience hours, so it is necessary to get those hours (“What does an Architectural Designer do?”).
As stated before, architectural designing does require school/training. A college and high school level education is of course required, and internship is also needed. The first step would be to earn a bachelor of art’s degree, then apply to an architectural school accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board. Every design architect will need to have skills on the computer and be confident and comfortable with computers and designing projects on computers. After this point, every aspiring architectural designer will go different paths-depending on what level of architectural designing they want to achieve. If one wishes to require additional training they can get a masters and train for an extra 3 years to become licensed. Licensed architects will need to attend educational classes/on the job training to keep their license even after graduating (“How to become an Architectural Designer”). Achieving all of the education necessary could be pretty costly though. The total cost will typically rely on if the degree was acquired by a public or private institution, and if the student was in or out of state. In spite of that, the average annual cost of a bachelor’s degree would be around $15,000 to $60,000, including tuition, fees, and books. Along with money, a lot of time is also spent achieving degrees for design architect (“How to become an Architect in 5 Steps”). Considering that architects’ designs have to be spot on perfect, the education for becoming one is also very detailed. There is a lot of time spent in studying to become an architect for that reason. Even in high school, it is important to take specific courses to stay on track and succeed in the architecture career. Some of those courses include geometry, algebra, pre-calculus, and physics. Taking art classes will also be beneficial to build creativity and art skills. A lot of modern architecture is designed using computer-aided design (CAD) programs, so getting familiar with technology and computers in high school will be helpful (“How to Become an Architect in 5 Steps”).
There are many jobs that shape the world around us, and one of those jobs is that of a design architect. I feel like design architects are very important-knowing that they literally design our favorite buildings, and buildings that we go to on a daily basis. I chose design architecture for my essay topic for the reason that it is what I aspire to be in the future. With the right education, training, and level of experience, it’s possible to get the desired job. Considering that architects’ designs have to be spot on perfect, the education for becoming one is very detailed. For every career there are certain characteristics that an individual should have that will help them succeed in their career. I believe that I have great characteristics for becoming an architectural designer that will make me best for the job. Architectural designers are needed to create safe buildings that everyone goes to and makes memories in, on a daily basis.