- Do you want to be an Architect? Maybe you already are an Architect and wondered if you made the right decision? Times are weird and the economy is making a lot of people who thought they knew they wanted to be an architect re-evaluate their thought process. Since I get so many emails asking for advice, I’ve made a test that will definitively let you know if you have what it takes to be an architect..
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Can you see an X-acto blade from where you are sitting?
… You might be an architect
.
If you cut your finger with an X-acto blade, do you worry about bleeding on your model and not your finger?
… You might be an architect
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As an adult, do you still buy LEGO’s for yourself?
… You might be an architect
.
Have you ever slept under your desk?
… You might be an architect
.
Do you like wearing wigs and really large shoes?
… You might be a clown
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Do most of your books cost at least $79?
… You might be an architect
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Are those books mostly picture books?
… You might be an architect
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Do you have more than 2 calculators on your desk?
… You might be an engineer
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Do you hate the question: “What do you think of my house?“
… You might be an architect
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Have you ever gone out to a restaurant and thought: “The scale of this space is off.”
… You might be an architect
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Have you ever said: “Are you going to be using all your cardboard?”
… You might be an architect
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Can you name more than 100 architects but less than 5 interior designers?
… You might be an architect
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Do you know the names of 30 different shades of blue but not the actual size of a 2×4?
… You might be an interior designer
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Do you only use a particular type of pen?
… You might be an architect
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Do you either have a messenger bag or really, really want one? A black one??
… You might be an architect
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Do you drive a really nice car, have more money than you need, vacation 4 weeks a year, and sleep well at night?
… You might be a Developer
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Have you ever worn an entire outfit of black clothing?
… You might be an architect
.
Have you ever dressed up as Le Corbusier at Halloween?
… You might be an architect
.
Have you ever said with pride: “I haven’t been to sleep in 3 days.“
… You might be an architect
.
Do you plan vacations to go see certain buildings?
… You might be an architect
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Have you ever thought: “How is that cantilever doing that?” but then realized you don’t care?
… You might be an architect
.
Do you know when to use Elmer’s Glue and when to use rubber cement?
… You might be an architect
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Do you dream in theory but cry in reality?
… You might be an architect
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Have you ever said: “Nobody but you will notice that it wasn’t built right.“
… You might be a contractor
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Have you ever said: “Yo trabajo muy duro por lo que me pagan.“
… You might be a subcontractor
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Have you ever spent 70% of the fee on the first 20% of the project?
… You might be an architect
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Do you complain about the reliance on computers and miss the days of hand drafting?
… You might be an old architect
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Did you go to school for a really long time, go through a lengthy internship, and take a bunch of hard tests to get licensed?
… You might be a doctor
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Do people think you are a great person, that you have a fantastic moral compass, and trust you with watching their kids despite just having met you?
… You might be an architect
.
I’m quite sure there are some other tell-tale signs that I’ve forgotten or left of the list … in fact I know of a few. Do you have any to add? Let me know in the comment section below…
Cheers
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.
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… You might be an Architect
The designation between House and Home
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Sketching during Schematic Design
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Do your family and friends get tired of you sharing your observations regarding sight lines, traffic patterns, exiting and accessibility in every building you go into?
…you might be an architect
Omg… they hate when I do that. But I do that often :p
if you’ve ever complained bitterly because the contractor was 1/16″ off from aligning your building with a river 4 miles away
yet when your wife points out the wood fence you built is leaning because you were too lazy to put the footings below frost depth, and you say it’s ‘whimsical’
you might be an architect
Dang! I guess I’m still an architect despite having spent the last several years in construction 🙂
Do you draw walls with two lines, thus giving the wall a thickness?
When sketching, do you draw each line with one bold stroke? Bonus question: With emphasising the beginning and the end of the line?
When rolling up a large drawing, do you do it with the drawing facing out?
Can you apply the exact amount of pressure required on an Exacto knife to make a score for bending the thinnest of paper without cutting through the paper itself?
Does a pair of 12″ shutters on double 3′ wide window bother you?
Have you ever rigged a camera with a cardboard pin hole aperture (model depth of field related here).
Does it bother you upon reading about a newly constructed house in your area that the article mentions everyone from the plumber to the landscaper but not the architect? Bonus question: Does it bother you if you’re the architect but for reasons beyond your control the house turned out horrible?
Does the phrase “My nephew, who’s taking a drafting course, has these suggestions….” cause your knees to go weak?
Well, you just might be an architect!!!
Doug
100% with you on shutters and newspaper articles!
Doug Patt? My cybermentors… Bob and Doug
Hey Doug,
cheers to your list – these are all great additions. I could imagine this list getting into the thousands if we locked a handful of architects in studio up and left a keg behind. Open that door two days later and you would have GOLD!
I think I speak for everyone with a resounding YES on all points, Doug. awesome! 🙂
Hahaha! All great. How about this: If you can’t part with your tackle box full of manual drafting tools, that no one under the age of 25 can identify, you might be an (old) architect OR interior designer. Or some kind of weird antiques collector.
This is sadly true. I am only 24 and just graduated and I absolutely LOVE hand drafting- will take it any day over the computer, but sadly most of my classmates thought it was a waste of time and that it had no redeeming value. In fact, some of the tools I used were from when my dad went to school or were from old stores that I had to find with much difficulty, and most of my classmates did not know how to use them. My heart sank when a classmate asked me how to use a scale…
I think everyone should start out their training with drafting for at least the first year. Let those youngins start with the ‘antiques’ to appreciate what the computer allows.
I love hand drafting and I’m only 16. Mind u the fact that I don’t have a computer wih auto CAD might have something to do with it
I still have all my old drafting tools, I might have been the last generation to come out of school having done nothing but hand drafting (19 yeas ago…) People in my office ask me all the time why do I still have them.
I don’t really have an answer for them of other than “because”
I have my old drafting tools too… everytime I start on autocad, I open my desk drawer, look at my drafting tools longingly and think…”someday… I am gonna design a complete project with those.. someday… but right now, I’m in a hurry… deadlines!! but someday…” and turn back to my autocad screen!!
I have ALL of my kit from University including the table, horse hair brush, all the pens, leftover charcoal and conte. I still have all my brushes etc etc. But I can proudly say I graduated in 2001 and that was still how we worked. When I left we still only had about 30 computers for a school of 300+. I know it is different now though.
i actually have my original horsehair drafting brush, purchased with the 1978 ‘entering freshman architecture student’ bulk supply package. it’s all worn down on the upper right-hand corner at an approximate 30 degree angle. haven’t touched it in years. i feel i should gild it, but gold is too crass, brassy & glaring to the senses. do they make a soft gray gilt?
Only being out of school just under 10 years, I have within easy reach on my drafting board:
assorted triangles, ellipse template, circle template, compass, colored pencils, various micron pens, lead holders, butter paper, drafting tape, pencil sharpener, 2 scales (engineering and architectural), a brush and a lead sharpener. oh, and my stack of sketch books.
Anyone worth their weight in architecture should have and know how to use these tools before going anywhere near a computer.
Only being out of school just under 10 years, I have within easy reach on my drafting board:
assorted triangles, ellipse template, circle template, compass, colored pencils, various micron pens, lead holders, butter paper, drafting tape, pencil sharpener, 2 scales (engineering and architectural), a brush and a lead sharpener. oh, and my stack of sketch books.
Anyone worth their weight in architecture should have and know how to use these tools before going anywhere near a computer.
we are still using ’em here in my college. i always carry talc powder (for drafting) with me and get stares from friends when i rifle through my bag
i totally agree.in my university we all hv to hand draft till 4th year.
I’m a photographer, but planning to go back to school for architecture. I enjoyed this thoroughly.
If you have ever undressed a building with your eyes…
you might be an Architect
I’ve flashed a few … does that still count?
Only counts if you’re talking about Adobe Flash
And no one needs to see that anymore either
or maybe a camera flash!!
Bob, that is NOT the image anyone wanted in their mind. :-
How do you know he wasn’t refering to photography…perverts! 🙂
I laughed out loud! Thanks. By the way, I just returned from a trip to Columbus, Indiana to see guess what? BUILDINGS!!
Hope you enjoyed my home town!!!!
Of course you did – you are genetically predisposed to do that!
Hey, I’m an interior designer and I know the actual size of a 2×4
really?…i mean, REALLY?
really?…i mean, REALLY?
tell me , 2 x4….?
tell me , 2 x4….?
Yes, I knew it was a cheap shot but it was meant in fun.
But all kidding aside – do you know the actual size of a 2×12?
😉
Hello Bob,
The actual dimensions varies. The actual dimension is in itself whatever dimension the wood is after surface and edge planing is done at what the given moisture level the wood is cut at. It actually expands and contracts. So the reality is Nominal should be referred to as Nominal Rough Cut Dimension and the so called “Actual Dimension” should be denoted as the “Nominal Post-Surfacing dimension”.
A 2×12 that is S4S (surfaced on all sides and edges except the ends) on some mills will surface out at 1-1/2″ x 11-1/2″ while others may varie by approximately an 1/8″ in most cases. It really depends on the mills but certain species are milled in certain mills and they have a certain amount of surfacing planing thickness.
I usually stick with denotation: 2×4 Nom. (meaning the Nominal label but not caring whether it is rough cut or surfaced which is usually whatever the surfaced lumber at the lumber yard in the area that meets the grade). If I want to be specific, I state: 2×4 Rough
I might say:
#1 & BTR 2×8 Nom. D.Fir @ 16″ o.c.
or
#1 & BTR 2×8 Rough D.Fir @ 16″ o.c.
Just the way it is.
You’re a structural engineer aren’t you?
I believe that architects should become familar with the construction industry. When I was an intern architect and beyond I would be embarassed often by someone in construction saying to me that it wasn’t done the way I had drawn it. After a while I decided not only to learn from contractors and tradesmen but to work in as many areas of construction as I could. I didn’t become an expert in all of them but I did learn how they worked and related to the designs I would be creating. Of course it does take a number of years to do but that why us “old” architects can still be of some use today. By old I mean 55 and up.
Hello Bob,
The actual dimensions varies. The actual dimension is in itself whatever dimension the wood is after surface and edge planing is done at what the given moisture level the wood is cut at. It actually expands and contracts. So the reality is Nominal should be referred to as Nominal Rough Cut Dimension and the so called “Actual Dimension” should be denoted as the “Nominal Post-Surfacing dimension”.
A 2×12 that is S4S (surfaced on all sides and edges except the ends) on some mills will surface out at 1-1/2″ x 11-1/2″ while others may varie by approximately an 1/8″ in most cases. It really depends on the mills but certain species are milled in certain mills and they have a certain amount of surfacing planing thickness.
I usually stick with denotation: 2×4 Nom. (meaning the Nominal label but not caring whether it is rough cut or surfaced which is usually whatever the surfaced lumber at the lumber yard in the area that meets the grade). If I want to be specific, I state: 2×4 Rough
I might say:
#1 & BTR 2×8 Nom. D.Fir @ 16″ o.c.
or
#1 & BTR 2×8 Rough D.Fir @ 16″ o.c.
Just the way it is.
These are GREAT! I have worked for Architects and with Interior Designers for a very long time and yes …. these comments fit to a T ….
we made a shirt of these type of statements in college…
If you wake up with wet hair from the shower you took the night before…
If you know the difference between a party and a parti…
If you have not written in cursive since you were old enough to vote… (I don’t even remember how)
If you have ever driven 2 hrs to take pictures of an empty field…
we made a shirt of these type of statements in college…
If you wake up with wet hair from the shower you took the night before…
If you know the difference between a party and a parti…
If you have not written in cursive since you were old enough to vote… (I don’t even remember how)
If you have ever driven 2 hrs to take pictures of an empty field…
I knew if I didn’t included one about never writing in cursive someone else would come through for me! Whenever I write “fast” it is this hybrid mess of cursive and block printing but even at that, people tell me I write like an architect. I suppose filling 24″x36″ sheets with letters as a freshman in school made a lasting impression.
we made a shirt of these type of statements in college…
If you wake up with wet hair from the shower you took the night before…
If you know the difference between a party and a parti…
If you have not written in cursive since you were old enough to vote… (I don’t even remember how)
If you have ever driven 2 hrs to take pictures of an empty field…
Do people think you are daydreaming or perhaps having a seizure, when in fact you are actually mentally summarizing the ceiling design of a restaurant?
You might be an architect.
Upon leanring what you do, do others often say to you, “I wanted to be an architect, but I wasn’t good at math.”You might be an architect.
Ifind myself doing the first one all the time.
that last one is absolutely true!
Would you enjoy racking up a crushing school debt
So you can go out and put your masters degree to use at an UNPAID internship
To complete the required 3 year internship that will instead take 10 years
(search Matthew Arnold architecture internship)
Devoting more of your time studying for the 7 part (or is it 8 now?) license exam
Chasing a career in a field facing 30% unemployment
Because you love working 70 hour weeks but only getting paid for 40?
You might be an architect… if the billing index ever comes out of decline
Hopefully your mileage will vary, but watch out for the skeletons in the closet
Do you pause movies to point out the dicrepancies between the interior and exterior shots?
You might be an architect.
Are you a HUGE fan of John Hughes, not because of the amazingly sweet stories, but because his floor plans ALWAYS match the exteriors?
You might be an architect.
Do you spend hours on end spinning the globe in Google Earth to see your projects from space?
You might be a pool designer.
Haha! I drive my wife crazy pointing out that the interior of Don Drapers house doesn’t make the exterior every-single-time… she sighs and say “yeah, I know … you might of mentioned that before”
have you ever suddenly realized on friday that you’ve been wearing the same all black outfit since tuesday? you might be an architect
do you determine what’s for dinner based on who delivers past 230am? you might be an architect
have you ever glued your fingers together or to a piece of your model? you might be an architect
are you a guy? you’re probably not an interior designer :-O
are you a woman? you’re probably not an architect :-O
haha! ok, those last two were purely for shock value. please don’t shoot me, ladies. 🙂
I would object to those last two – except I had a female architect friend who went to work for HOK in the early 90’s. She was assigned a desk in the interiors group –they said there were not available desks with the architects (who were on a different floor). After several weeks she discovered there was a male interior designer had been assigned to a desk with the architectural group. Guess HOK was having a hard time overcoming those stereotypes. She eventually negotiated a trade.
Oh Dude!! That’s just wrong. But funny (in hind sight). I would HOPE that this is MUCH less common these days. We need more women in the profession, and licensed women.
the delivery one is hilarious – although it’s been a while since I could claim that one. I did think about including one re: loaf of white bread and a jar of peanut butter…
I almost feel like the last two Q+A could be switched…
Do you never or seldon have more than 10 feet to the next cup of coffee?
You might be an architect student
Does your friends say “We’ll just let you call us when you are available in the future”?
You might be an architect student
Do you know more glue brands than you do car brands?
You might be an architect
Do people make more comments about them being happy your school partly burnt down than they give condolences?
You might be a Swedish architect student
that last one is a zinger!
Do you write “an” when you are supposed to write “a”?
You might be an architect.