Architecture is all around you. The people who design it are not only designers but dreamers and doers. It can require a unique mindset that is not only able to visualize their designs but also computes the numbers, lines, angles, and physics to bring it all together. This requires a lot of intense juggling. Designing architecture requires using all of your brainpower from both your creative and logical sides. This may seem scary but is massively rewarding. Here are a few different ways to know if a career in architecture is for you.
Personality
To work in architecture, you require a certain type of personality. You need to enjoy plenty of uninterrupted time to work independently and intensely. You need to be able to examine complex systems and figure out how to make things work better by tweaking certain aspects. Additionally, you should be open to trying new approaches. Being able to visualize complex frameworks as models will help you in an architecture career.
The MBTI personality quiz has said that INTP traits are the ones who can thrive in architecture. They are adept at summarizing issues, pitching strategic solutions, and determining the problems that are affecting projects. These are essential for architecture careers. If you feel like you have this personality, you may well have the great foundations for an architectural designer.
Smarts
This may sound like a silly one but being smart very much helps when it comes to architectural design. As an architect, you must wear many different hats and possess many different qualities. Firstly, you must know the basic building principles of structural, electrical, and mechanical theories. Being smart does not make you a good architect though. You must also be able to determine the calculations to make buildings work and understand the properties of the materials you are using.
Hard Work
Being dedicated to your career is important but it is doubly important with a career in architecture. You need to put in a lot of time and effort in order to succeed. This will likely mean long hours in the office, or on-site, or even working at home. You will often work to deadlines that must be met and as such need to accept the responsibilities that come with it. It will be your job to make sure that every project is safe and sturdy. This is not something you can whip up in five minutes.
Problem Solving
This is essential for any architect. You will need to solve problems in order to design a building that also meets your client’s needs. A client will unlikely be educated in architectural principles but will nonetheless have a dream of what they want their home to be. You will need to find a middle ground between what is possible and their dream. This means that you will likely come across issues and problems.
Design and structural issues are some of the most common problems that you will come across as an architect. It is down to you to solve these problems using creative and ingenious methods that will not only help the project but can help you develop your career.
Negotiation
Architects need to possess a high level of social skills. You need to have the ability to discuss and communicate with your clients, engineers, interior designers, and any employees that you have. As well as this, you need to be able to share and convince people of your visions and ideas.
Possessing these excellent communication and negotiation skills will allow you to display your ideas in a professional manner that will help everyone to understand them without bogging people down in the details. Pitching your ideas to your clients will be so much easier if you have good communications skills.
Architecture
Being an architect is so much more than just drawing and commissioning others to build for you. It requires social skills, a knowledge of engineering maths, science, and physics. As well as this smarts, you need the drive and determination to persevere in this field. It is vastly competitive and requires a significant amount of time and effort to get to the top of this game but that should not put you off.
Aside from all of this, you need to be able to see the designs in nature as well as in patterns. Having a profound love and deep respect for the natural world. Being able to reciprocate the designs of nature in architecture is one of the key skills required. If this sounds like something for you then a career in architecture may be for you.