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… You might be an Architect

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  • 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

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    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

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    Have you ever slept under your desk?

    … You might be an architect

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    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

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    Have you ever dressed up as Le Corbusier at Halloween?

    … You might be an architect

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    Have you ever said with pride: “I haven’t been to sleep in 3 days.“

    … You might be an architect

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    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

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    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

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    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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  • If you have a son in Boy Scouts, and for the cake auction you guided and helped him to build a Church on a lot with sidewalls, and a marque sign, you might be a sticky fingered pop.

  • Ashley Pinkard

    The wearing all black always annoyed me….until passing by another studio’s jury seeing EVERY student wearing all black. At that point I assumed they were going to their own jury-funeral. I never wore all black- felt it was like death instead of expression. And, for the recent graduates from architecture school….GO WORK A FEW YEARS FIRST. It will bring both a sense of maturity, realism (gasp!!!), room for incredible creativity, and more financial breathing room if you do. The link between education and practice is crucial….

  • Kimberly Anne G. Dieterle

    Hi Sir Bob. Some of the questions just dont fit me. I was looking at your posts because a year from now I will be studying on college but Im not so sure on being an architect. I mean I want to bean architect but I dont know if I have the guts to. I love everything about on being an architect but Im not just sure If I can even pass it. Im no good at drawing.

  • harshang kale

    sir this is soo very true.

    i need to know i just graduated as an architect from an Indian university, now i am confused that should start practicing under an architect(who seek experienced people) or apply for a masters program.

    • if you can get a job now, taking a small break between undergrad and graduate school might be a good idea.

  • Klaudia

    Do you drink more coffee than water?…you might be an architect

  • Jess Hopkin

    Have you ever used masking tape to wrap a present as you own 6 rolls of different sized masking tape but no regular sticky tape?… you might be an architect

  • Mwnarch

    Have you ever glued yourself to your model…….You might be an architect.

    Have you ever glued your fingers together with super glue and then used an x-acto knife to separate them?…..You might be an architect.

    Has an x-acto knife ever rolled off your desk and stuck in your leg?…..You might be an architect

    Have you been to the emergency room at 2am with a severe x-acto knife wound and the in-take nurse asks you if you’re an Architecture Student?…..You’ll be fine when you are an Architect.

  • Ack

    I enjoyed your posts until this one. Do you really need to put down other people’s professions? Seriously? Especially in a post chock full of grammatical errors.

    • are you talking about how I put down architects, clowns, or interior designers? Pretty sure architects got the worst of this one and I don’t see anybody else complaining. I also think it’s amusing that as you admonish me for putting down others, you felt the need to comment on my grammar …

      • David F

        Why does the subcontractor speak Spanish? Asinine.

        • KNN

          I thought it was hilarious…I really did LOL

      • J.B

        The one about interior designers not knowing the real size of 2 x 4s is completely wrong. It might happen to interior decorators but not designers as for it is actually interior architecture. Therefore we have to learn how the interior and exterior walls are built, know how the exterior walls (materials: brick, sheathing, different types of insulation, etc..) are placed together. 🙂

  • Alexia

    Are you overly concerned with the way your glasses look…or how “cool” they look?
    You might be an architect ^_^

  • Amat tajudin

    If you refer to people, trees and cars as “Entourage”,
    You might be an architect

  • DragonGrrl

    Ran into this story and it describes architects beautifully! =D

    A fellow came into a diner and said to the waitress, “I want a club sandwich with one slice of white bread, one of pumpernickel, and one of whole wheat, toasted medium. Put the bacon and cheese on the bottom layer, the chicken, lettuce, and tomato on the top layer. Put mayonnaise on each layer. Trim the crusts and cut it up into fourths, with a sliced pickle on each part, and a toothpick to hold each part together. Got it?”

    “Gotcha,” said the waitress. Then she yelled into the kitchen, “One club–for an architect. I’ll be right in with the plans.”

  • Sana Nasikwala

    if u knw the difference between ‘handwriting’ and ‘lettering’…u mite be an architect. 🙂

  • intensive

    Are you teetering on the brink of defaulting on your student loans because you cannot find work to finish your internship? In this economy you are more than likely an architect.

  • Jasmin

    Loved the one with the calculators…so true 🙂

  • If your other half come to you at 11:51pm and said “honey, its been a week, its either me or the computer tonight!” then you stop to actually think about it, then you hear “hiss teeth, @#%” and bedroom door slams …….

    You might be an architect. (on your way to divorce court)

  • Les

    1) Do you use Masking Tape for everything… from shortening the length of
    your pants – to applying a bandage over your latest wound from your
    X-acto knife… then you might be an Architect!

    2) When in a new building you are the only one taking pictures of the CEILING… then you might be an Architect! 🙂

    • Amat tajudin

      So true about the masking tape! I’ve done all that…usually at around 3 a.m. I was just telling some of my colleagues that masking tape and Kleenex were the only bandages I ever used while in Architecture school!

  • ToTheMoonNeil

    If you can plot on the defpoints layer… you might be architecture.

  • pk

    Not all interior designers are created equal: check out Pratt’s program. I just graduated, most certainly know the actual size of a 2×4 and when I cut my finger with an x-acto, there wasn’t a drop of blood on the model and the ER trip was postponed until after my presentation. Just saying…

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My “Serious” Disclaimer

The complimentary advice provided on ‘Life of an Architect’ is based on an abbreviated examination of the minimal facts given, not the typical extensive (and sometimes exhaustive) analysis I conduct when working with my clients. Therefore, anything you read on this site is not a substitute for actually working with me. Following my casual advice is at your own peril … if you want my undivided attention, I would recommend hiring me. Cheers.

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