John Picacio's cover art for Mark Chadbourn's AGE OF MISRULE: WORLD'S END

Is it too late to get out of Architecture?

On July 11, 2010, in Career, by Bob Borson

John Picacio's cover art for 'AGE OF MISRULE: WORLD'S END'

Within the last few months, the number of emails I have received from people asking whether or not they should get out of architecture has been staggering. Equally surprising are the emails I receive that ask for direction on whether or not they should go into the field of architecture. The answer to both questions is easy -

Maybe.

For some people, the first question I ask them – the ender question, is always the same:

“Why do you want to be an architect?”

If the answer is I have always wanted to be an architect, I move on to the next few questions. A person’s motivation for becoming an architect is singularly important. I went to college to become an architect while my friends simply went to college. My resolve and dedication towards becoming an architect was tempered by many all-nighters, 207 credit hours (187 required for my degree), no fraternity for me – nobody who graduated from the University of Texas School of Architecture the same time as I did was in a fraternity (or sorority) - you didn’t have the time.

It was hard to get to where I am at right now and the people who were doing it because they thought it would be cool, for the money, or some other reason other than ‘I have always wanted to be an architect” didn’t make it. If there is something else out there calling to you, architecture probably isn’t for you. I haven’t regretted my decision ever.

Ever.

Sure, there have been loads of times when I wished I didn’t work as much as I do, made more money; I even get tired of the ladies who are “architect groupies ” following me around. It’s tough but I have always wanted to be an architect.

This is a portion from an email I recently received which actually got me thinking about this post. The person who sent this I know loves to design and thinks about it all the time. It’s how she spends her free time, she travels to locations and looks at the buildings, she tracks down designers in these locations and goes and meets them.

I really love this stuff, but know that I might have problems working for clients. I can see my temperament not quite matching up with that process. I’m a bit stubborn. And also impatient.

It’s hard, I always wanted to be an artist, and now I can’t figure out how to be a designer.

The traits that she describes won’t keep her from becoming an architect or designer – in fact, I would also suggest that these are important traits that any successful designer should have. Also, if her (your) stubbornness and impatience are so uncontrollable as to be a real problem, she’ll have issues in any profession other than ‘Hermit’. In my response email to her, I included a list of quality architecture programs near her and should she decide to pursue a Master’s degree in architecture, I think she’ll do really well.

As to the emails that are asking if they should get out out of architecture – that one is more difficult to address. Architects aren’t the only professionals that are suffering right now. In my mind, it’s similar to changing jobs because you don’t like someone where you are working – not a real good reason if it’s the only one because you probably won’t like someone at the next job either.

I still like to try and find out why a person who has gone through the process to become an architect is thinking about leaving. Have your motivations for being an architect changed? Is it circumstantial? Maybe it’s simply that you want to make more money or you simply hate the job that you do. I can appreciate why someone would like to make more money but are you worth more money doing what you currently do? For example, in my circumstance, I am well paid for a 10 person residential firm considering my name isn’t on the front door. If I wanted to be paid more, my first couple of possible moves would involve looking at larger firms or more commercially focused production firms, not becoming a personal injury lawyer. For me it would be about trying to find a balance and still continue practicing architecture, not changing professions.

I’ve always been pretty good at shooting the bull and have been told I would have been awesome at sales. The very idea of selling anything just to be selling anything would literally make me shrivel up and die. To my way of thinking, I would be better served by investing ALL of my time and resources into winning the lottery before selling paper or plastic o-rings. While both would probably ruin me and force me into living in a cardboard refrigerator box in some alley, going into sales would probably add “crazy” and ”pavement licker” to my resume.

When trying to select an appropriate image for this post, my mind started wandering a bit and it landed on John Picacio. John and I went to UT Architecture School together and we both spent time in Europe traveling together in 1990. John and I were never all that close but even 20 years later I still remember John’s sketches; they were ridiculously good. I still see one sketch in particular in my mind’s eye. John and I were in Siena, Italy and John was drawing the Piazza del Campo and he was using the white of the paper as much as his sketch pen to bring the buildings to life. Unbelievable. We lost touch after awhile but I always thought he was so good at drawing, why would he be an architect? Apparently John came to the same conclusion and is a internationally recognized and award winning illustrator.

And I say good for him.

John could always draw better than the people teaching our drawing classes and he figured out that this was something he would rather do than pursue a career in architecture and it’s worked out pretty well for him I’d say. So if you’re interested in becoming an architect because it’s all you’ve ever wanted to do than I would heartily urge you to continue on towards your goal. If you want to become an architect for the groupies, money and fast cars, you might want to reevaluate your options. I’m not suggesting that it can only be one or the other but if you’re already unsure, you’ve got one of the more difficult roads in front of you. It isn’t great for me right now but I’m terrible and I’m pretty awesome *Air Punch*

What would you say to someone contemplating a change? Things will get better but will it be worth sticking around? Doctor’s are starting to run into problems but we’ll always need them. Lawyer’s have their issues too, but unlike architects who are working themselves towards irrelevancy, at least Lawyer’s make it so we can’t get rid of them. Architecture defines me and I wouldn’t like to have to envision myself doing something else – but what about the people who don’t know? What would you tell them?

About the author

Bob Borson

Dallas architect who specializes in modern design. I'm AIA, Leed AP, NCARB certified, and previous Dallas AIA Young Architect of the Year (2009).

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  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6XH2VIHAHZWD2AMOWFTXO73O74 Joe

    My problem with architecture is that it takes money to sustain interest in it in the way we were taught in school. New books, new equipment, etc

    I foresee a very difficult time trying to maintain a love for the profession knowing I would have a hard time keeping my tools for the trade up-to-date and sharp.

    As one progresses in architecture (and I was lucky to skip the drafting stage and went straight into conceptual design and meeting clients), I find it increasingly becoming an issue of Management and Business than design.

    It is inevitable.

    Many go into architecture believing that once they become an owner or a Director, they will do the design as they want it. I’m sorry to say, that is not the case. The client calls the shots, the budget calls the shots, the deadline calls the shots – Even when you become a Design Director, you will likely delegate design to a fresh grad while you stand behind him judging and correcting the design. And while you get the credit for the design, it’s unsatisfying on a personal level to go to sleep knowing it wasn’t “really” “your design” – you have been overtaken by a young graduate fresh from Columbia/Harvard who has Rhino/Revit chops (or whatever people will use in 10 years time)

    And even if you are the young grad with design chops, you don’t call the shots nor do you get to present to the client -your boss does. Once you do get higher up into the profession, your time is taken up by managing people, managing contracts and negotiating with clients.

    Your EXPECTATIONS will NEVER be met.

    The ONLY way to be satisfied as I have observe is that you are not the top 5% of designers in your school (i.e. those who couldn’t be bothered to pull an extra all-nighter to do an extra rendering/model for the design detail.) But if you have a talent for design, and you care for it, I guarantee you – you will be frustrated for the rest of your life.

    My solution? Be Ambidextrous.
    In school, be a kick-ass designer, but take business classes.
    In professional life, do kick-ass design, but ditch the design-speak, use business talk to justify your design (only if you’ve taken business classes in school)

    But even if you do all that, I found out by experience that in the architecture industry, you’d still have a great obstacle.

    As a manager, You’d be comparing your pay with your non-architecture peers. Many earn more than you do, have time for other interests, and put in less time at the office. The worst part is: you’ll lose ALL respect from your designer colleagues because you are seen as a betrayer of the design profession by dabbling into business – politics will ensure your life is miserable; and part of the joy of being an architect is being recognized by your peers as a great architect – design and all.

    * MORAL OF THE STORY: You can’t have your cake and eat it.

    +1 with Scottish Architect – I suggest people DON’T go into architecture for love of design/art. The conflict of interest is irreconcilable.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6XH2VIHAHZWD2AMOWFTXO73O74 Joe

    Yes, you can’t try your luck in 2 fields at the same time…

    Keep doing architecture but take night classes in business.
    Economics, Marketing, Management.

    If you hate numbers and are intimidated to all the business talk, start with marketing. Marketing is a fun subject.

    When you understand the concepts and be able to apply them in architecture AND see the results. You will get a greater understanding of how stuff works and business will become increasingly fun and interesting. It’s not boring once you really understand it.
    Once that happens, leaving architecture doesn’t become so much a difficulty because those concepts apply whether you are selling a shoe or a building and you won’t feel as if being a manger is boring. **There are creative aspects to it as well.

    Once you know the concepts, you will know what your clients are thinking. I had one time where a (big contract) client would rather talk to me and ask me questions than my directors who were also in the meeting room. My directors remained silent when posed a question from the client and made our company look really bad and incompetent. I knew I had to say something or our client might lose trust/faith in our company even though I’d risk damaging my directors’ egos. I spoke up and my client lightened up and spoke to me the rest of the meeting and asked me questions about all her fears (all regarding money and business talk resulting from the new design).

    Fortunately, my directors didn’t do anything to me after and I might add that I gain a little respect from them. It was my proudest achievement in architecture. I was fairly young back then too.

    I feel sad about the insanity in architecture. I LOVE IT so much, but everything about it is insanity and we are not running the business well enough to be qualified to tell people to stick to it.

    Google Michael Porter’s Harvard Business Review PDF: “The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy” to understand why the architecture industry is crap.

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