{"id":664,"date":"2020-09-18T03:27:49","date_gmt":"2020-09-18T03:27:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whatblueprint.com\/?p=664"},"modified":"2023-04-14T06:59:20","modified_gmt":"2023-04-14T06:59:20","slug":"is-architecture-school-hard-heres-the-truth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whatblueprint.com\/is-architecture-school-hard-heres-the-truth\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Architecture School Hard? Here’s the Truth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Architecture school is often considered one of the most challenging courses in a university. The time and output demand students to make architecture their life. Many of those aspiring to enroll in architecture school will find themselves dropping out if they do not have the proper motivation for wanting to study architecture in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So is architecture school hard? Architecture school is hard regardless of talent, skill, or motivation. Architecture is a demanding course that requires a lot of time, effort, and a broad skill set. With all this said, anyone can get through architecture school as long as they have the willingness to learn and improve.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, we\u2019ll be going into the objective of architecture school and pretty much everything that a student has to master before he\/she can graduate and become a licensed architect. So buckle up and let’s get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The objective of architecture school<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In the simplest of terms, architecture school requires students to master two main things:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Making creative solutions\/decisions for problems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
To know everything there is to know about a building.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Each project comes with its own unique challenges and problems. The job of the architect is to be able to see the opportunities that are present and come up with an ingenious solution based on the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The architect will be communicating with everyone involved in a project, from the various engineers, the clients, the contractors, the foremen, the local government, the landscape architect, the interior designer, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since the architect has to talk to each and every professional, he\/she has to know enough, not only about architecture but also each respective aspect involved in the entire process, to be able to communicate ideas and instructions properly.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
The pacing of architecture school<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Architecture school is all about foundations, no pun intended. The curriculum is designed to give students the fundamentals and build upon there. The course of architecture is so interlinked that to miss one subject would make you have to wait a whole semester or even an entire year just to catch up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each subject is based on prerequisites, for example, a certain design class will require to pass a class about structurals and utilities, and those classes will require you to pass a few physics classes as well. It\u2019s a very intricate system designed to constantly reinforce the teaching of previous classes into the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are 9 main categories in architecture school, each category also has its own field in the real world. The table below contains the classes and a very brief description of what they teach.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
CATEGORY<\/strong><\/td>
BRIEF DESCRIPTION<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Design<\/strong><\/td>
A compilation of all 8 other categories, design involves not only the aesthetic aspect of the building but everything else applied to one project.<\/td><\/tr>
Structurals<\/strong><\/td>
To learn about how buildings stay up and the forces that affect a building.<\/td><\/tr>
Laws<\/strong><\/td>
To comply with local laws and building regulations.<\/td><\/tr>
Output and Presentation<\/strong><\/td>
To learn how to create drawings, models, diagrams, and how to give project presentations.<\/td><\/tr>
Utilities<\/strong><\/td>
To learn how the utilities (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and etc.) work and how they\u2019re planned.<\/td><\/tr>
Planning<\/strong><\/td>
To learn how to plan the building in accordance with its context.<\/td><\/tr>
Construction<\/strong><\/td>
To learn how a building is constructed.<\/td><\/tr>
Research<\/strong><\/td>
To learn how to do research relevant to a building.<\/td><\/tr>
History<\/strong><\/td>
To learn about aesthetics, past movements, the history of buildings, etc.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Learning about architectural design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Design classes are meant to incorporate each category into building design. Design isn\u2019t just making a building look pretty, contrary to popular belief. Instead, it\u2019s supposed to be a compilation of different creative solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each category of architecture comes with its own problems that need to be solved, oftentimes conflicting, and almost always at the costs of each other. Architecture students have to come up with a way that would make everything work together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In terms of aesthetics, the architect must become their own greatest critique. Every line, space, finish, color, and opening contributes to the overall look and feel of the building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Design always starts with a concept, the north star that the architecture student refers to when making decisions in order to arrive at the final design. A consistent mindset and theme are vital to ensure that the structure turns out as a cohesive unit in all aspects.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Learning about architectrual structurals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
All structures must be able to handle all the forces that may apply to it. There are 3 main forces that affect a building, namely:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Forces of the building itself and the objects inside.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
The forces in this category include the weight of the building and all the fixtures, furniture, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Forces from human activity.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Human activity is also factored in when computing for the structurals. This is especially important for buildings that will have a lot of people in them. Some of these may be active like for a train station, while others may be passive like in an office. Either way, the civil engineer ensures that the building can always handle the intended load.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Forces from nature.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Earthquakes, rain, and wind are forces that can affect a building. Wind and rain may not seem like a particularly strong force but remember that hurricanes and tornadoes can occur in urban areas. Strong winds will cause a considerable amount of load on the building, depending on the direction of the wind and its speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Structural systems are vital when preparing for earthquakes. A good structural system will not collapse immediately when hit by an earthquake; instead, it is designed to fail slowly over the course of hours in order to ensure that people can get out safely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n