• 1. The Pay Comes Really Late. Be Prepared.
• 2. Architecture is About 10% Creative and 90% Technical.
• 3. Out of the Textbook, into the Market.
• 4. Architecture is a Service Business. Learn the Business and the Numbers.
• 5. Architecture is Not the Solution to All Problems.
• But isn?t This All Too Much?

When I heard that Architecture school is a five-year-long adventure, I thought it would be extremely thorough. On my first day of college, our faculty announced ?There are about 35 of you in this room, and an equal number in the next one. And yet, probably only four or five of you will continue as an architect once you graduate.?

Although I had been warned, the aimlessness after graduation hit me hard. Despite graduating from one of the most prestigious institutions in the country, I had no idea how to be an ?architecture?. I asked around and realised it was true for most of my peers as well! So I did the only thing I knew? reached out, to friends, seniors and professionals for guidance on how to make a career in architecture. 

Through their experience, and now mine, I present to you five things that every architect should know at the onset of their career. As you read ahead, do remember that the question here is not ?why choose architecture?, but rather how to survive in it. 

1. The Pay Comes Really Late. Be Prepared.

I wish I could say that?s a myth. It?s not; unless you start to run your own practice right after you graduate. But even then, the first few years are usually a lot of struggle and losses. That?s just the nature of the job. Not to mention that most architecture graduates are not confident enough to start anything of their own, and so end up working jobs. 

Architecture is never a solo endeavour, it is always a team effort that requires inputs from multiple disciplines to make even the smallest of projects a reality. That combined with the general undervalue of the profession and a lack of business acumen makes it extremely tough for even the most creative of architects to earn good salaries in the field. 

Please note, that nowhere does this say that it is not possible to earn in architecture. It depends on the path of your architectural career; just beware, you?re in it for the long haul.  

2. Architecture is About 10% Creative and 90% Technical.

Despite the majority of the five-year course being focused on ?making things pretty?, the field is about how to make things a reality. Realising a beautiful stone skirting is only the first step; beyond that comes the detailing of the processing and laying, followed by the tasks of sourcing, procurement, processing and execution. Grand scales and traditional elements are of no use to a project if you are not able to get it executed, where the most common of materials and details might be the perfect fit due to their practical feasibility. 

The design concepts, presentations and pitches that take up most of our time and effort during our semesters at school account for barely 5% of the journey of a project. They are usually down in the first few weeks, while the execution takes up the next few years. Learning about the practicality of things, hence, becomes integral to the architectural job requirements, more than how to show them best in the render.

3. Out of the Textbook, into the Market.

The bachelor?s course is quite thorough, but it is also pretty outdated. Utilising the latest technology and trends becomes very crucial to becoming an architect and run a sustainable practice. 

The way to be caught up with the ongoing trends in materials and techniques is to study them first-hand through market surveys, case studies, site visits and internships. Bear in mind: these studies are not just about architecture, but architectural practices as well. What are the rates for architectural services in the market? What kind of materials should be used in that project, and how? Do I make it with Brick, AAC block or Fly Ash? 

Learning not just about material properties, but the ageing and maintenance of these different types goes a long way toward defining the lifecycle of a project, and hence your image as an architect.   

4. Architecture is a Service Business. Learn the Business and the Numbers.

An architectural practice is essentially a service business, where you offer the client a certain set of services for them to avail in exchange for a fee. Surprisingly, this doesn?t even see a hint in architecture education. 

Learning how to design is important, but perhaps more crucial is how to run the numbers in a project? how to determine a fee structure that you can take care of the consultant fee, site visits, material surveys, logistics, and other office costs involved, and still make profits? How to deal with clients, carry out negotiations, and resolve issues related to business and management???

Dig a little into the systems being used by people trained in finance and business administration to familiarise yourself with such situations. How do other industries run, and can we use them as collaborators and inspiration? 

5. Architecture is Not the Solution to All Problems.

The profession offers one of the most fundamental aspects of development to the world; in fact, it is often the sole definition of it. It has been around for ages, and its nature is so profound that it has often been romanticised, sometimes beyond its attributes, purely for amusement. 

And so it becomes crucial to understand that architecture is not the answer to all problems. It can be the medium, but not the means in itself. It can be a representation of a culture, but not become the culture itself; it can give refuge, but not replace a policy of respite. There are numerous systems and fields in the world, and if we want to make a change in society, it is suggested that we understand them for what they are and try to integrate them with our work as architects and designers. 

But isn?t This All Too Much?

Design, services, layouts, function, form, aesthetic, details, integration, working, execution, contractor, consultant, client, costing, business, legal…How does one keep up with so much at once?   

One of the questions I asked my peers was about retaining sanity in the chaos, to which Ar. Chaitanyaa said,  ?I feel as an architect, you have to constantly balance too many things at the same time, creativity vs practicality, you have to be unique but not arrogant, emotional but not stupid, you will be questioned, harassed by everyone’s opinions, and your own opinions, so having boundaries is very important.?   

There is too much to juggle, but never seems to be enough time. Exposure to the field, directly or indirectly seems to be the best way to learn. One of the most important skills architects and designers acquire is to ask the right questions; perhaps it is time they start questioning themselves.??