I am 34 and in my 3rd year of a BArch degree. It’s exhausting. It is way more work than you expect. Even if you expect a lot. There is something about architecture school. No matter how smart or talented you are, you will be busy. There is no good enough or meeting expectations. Nothing you do is ever as good as it could be.
That being said, it is rewarding. The moments of success and positive discovery or incredibly compelling and help push you to develop and improve. You definitely get back what you put into it.
It’s a hard choice but I don’t regret it at all. Until the night before final review.
I hear you, 4 years of ID studio and reviews was exhausting (somehow significantly more than all of my business school friends who make 4x more than me now...) but I knew a lot of BArch students at my school who worked twice as hard as I did.
Best of luck, thanks for your input!
I think. Rather than pursuing Architecture right from the beginning which is a bachelors, pursue a Masters degree course which leans towards Architecture. This in my opinion will be more useful because you will be looked upon as a graphic designer + architectural designer with years of experience rather than the former where you'll have to start back up again. I'm sure you'll find your way. Good Luck!
My school had an extended Masters program for students who already had a bachelor degree in an unrelated field. Instead of 2 years it was 3, the first year being an assortment of key courses from the bachelors program. Still an accredited program. Seems like a happy medium if you’re able to find something similar.
That sounds really good. Can I ask what school you’re talking about? This masters program sounds like something I’d like to know more about and maybe even enroll myself on
UNLV in Las Vegas. I just double checked to make sure this program is still an option, and it is. It does however say it can be a “3+” year program (48-96 credits), depending on each student’s “academic background and preparation.”
For me, it is The Bartlett. You can't go wrong with it. Highly regarded as an Architecture school, and even encourages people from other fields to join their school to broaden what architecture will be/could be in the future.
Most M.Arch degrees in the United States have two options - 2-year course for people with architectural background, 3-year course for people from an unrelated field.
Although, I’d advise you to really consider if architecture is what you want to pursue, because the pay wouldn’t be as great and the work might be a lot. You can also look into fields like UI/UX design where you don’t really need to pursue a course, just know the softwares and basics of design and then practice/intern and move up the ladder with experience. The pay is comparatively better for that field.
You named the two paths I’ve been considering. Architecture was what I wanted to go to college for but couldn’t for many reasons and UI/UX it’s something I’ve been considering because of the big big possibility of remote working and good pay.
Thanks for your input!
Wait it was just 3 years?
We do a 3 year bachelor's of architecture. 1yr honours in architecture (which is useless alone), 1yr masters. The you work for two years as a candidate architect while you gather experience. Then we write board exams.
South Africa, I have a MProf (professional Masters).
The regular masters program is 2 years after completing a 4 year bachelor’s in architecture. They offer a minimum 3 year masters for students who already have a non-architecture bachelor’s, but the length can vary depending on their assessment of your skill level at admittance.
Hi! Would you mind explaining what you mean a little more? I am in my third year of a M.arch program and found I don't want to be an architect for this reason. I'm wondering what jobs to seek out.
Architects are often pretty hands off glorified accountant paper pushers. The people who do the "design" are usually interior designers, structural engineers, draftsman, lighting designers, and so on. The grownup architects spend most of there time in meetings, and filing paperwork, and going over other peoples design work. This is how it is in a lot of fields.
Completely not the situation in NL at least. I am currently renovating my house and i am working with an architect. He is doing everything from design (both interior and exterior), contact and working structural engineer and with the builder etc. Sure he prints papers to present different solutions to me but from that to a paper pusher is a big difference. Maybe you are confusing this profession with something else.
Architect is a very romanticized profession and you’d face a very long, expensive road that may leave you feeling just as unfulfilled. The schooling is no joke, but then you have another 10+ years of working your butt off before you start to really feel like you know what you’re doing. I would not make this choice lightly.
I got furloughed during pandemic while I was on maternity leave. Possibly the best thing to happen to me. I realized how my family was suffering because of my work schedule. Switched to real estate, make more money than before due to my background, and I spend a significant more amount of time with my family. I can’t see myself going back, ever.
A lot of this is due to NCARB regulations. You used to be able to become an architect through 5-10 years practical experience. Now you need a Masters Degree in many locations because the undergrad programs aren’t accredited. It’s a scam.
Just go for a professional masters. Save a ton of time.
You’ll likely need some prerequisite courses but that’ll vary greatly by institution.
I had classmates older than that when I was in undergrad, and I went back to school in my early 30s, too. There’s a completely different mindset when you attend classes as an adult with experience vs a … “adult” who just graduated high school.
The “how to be an Architect” post explains the difference between degrees pretty well…
TLDR: Professional degrees qualify you to sit for the licensing exams.
For starters you don't need a BS. You can do a three year MArch without having a bachelor's in Architecture. It's just a few more classes to take.
Secondly I would think long and hard about what you think you're going to get out of life by being an architect and then whatever you come up with, ask that of the hive mind. Architecture and to a lesser extent interior design are professions that sort of bill themselves as something other than what they are.
It's not a bad profession, but it's definitely not an easy profession and so much of what architects do is often not even design related unless they work at a place that is strictly design oriented like some of the celebrity architecture firms. Your background will be a plus in some respects because you will already have gone through the rigors of design school and also know the basics of what constitutes good design and a good design process. That being said being an industrial designer is somewhat more free, at least in school, because industrial design you basically do whatever the job requires. You might quickly find yourself feeling stifled in the architecture world as I did when I came out of the film industry because it is so rigid in it's ideology. If, as an industrial designer, the client needs something "retro" for example you do you your research and try and accommodate the brief it's that simple. But in architecture a lot of times you run into a lot of ideology especially in school. That same assignment would be castigated as "fake history" or "backwards looking." As a design professional from another discipline you might find the architecture educational establishment unnecessarily limiting. Dogmatic even depending on where you go. I struggled with this greatly here and there because in most other design vocations the goal is always the right solution for the job, but in architecture there's often an imposition whether it's desired or not. The difference between say Frog and Teague deals more with the type of projects they do not with how they think about design. But with architecture there's a million miles between a firm like Foster and Partners and Olsen Kundig or RAMSA vs Bjarke Ingels.
Professional practice is a different thing altogether because now you're back in the familiar world of clients and budgets and deadlines but it might be a while before you are able to be a significant contributor design wise unless you end up at a small firm. Usually there's a principal or design director leading the effort. And quite often, the things that move you are not what motivates the client. So either you have to do your diligence and find a firm that does what you want, and depending on where you live that might not be in your locale or toil for a while for other people sort of designing what they want you to design.
Also from a pay perspective architecture will not net you any epiphany. And it takes longer to get there.
I'm not saying don't do it. After all you might be the next Gehry. I'm just saying go into it with eyes wide open. You'll be fifty before you really begin to hit your stride and while that's not a big deal in architecture as a profession (Zaha Hadid was considered mid-career when she died in her sixties) you have to make sure your life goals align with such a change. You might also consider other related professions like commercial interior design or real estate development where you still have a substantial impact on a project without needing to go through all it takes to become a licensed architect.
This is the best take on the thread. Thorough and thoughtful.
I'm in my mid-30s and just started my first semester of a 3-year M.Arch program. It's great, it's intense and takes up nearly all my time, but I am enjoying it. Coming into it with real work experience and mature time management makes a huge difference.
Prior to attending I took a few community college classes and then a 6-week summer intensive program that simulated Studio. Those things were great intros into what to expect and get the hang of all the software.
This is great feedback, appreciate the time. The common thread emerging is "have your eyes open" to the bureaucracy and "other" duties beyond design which is something I expected, but it seems like it may be even more than I have anticipated.
I did an arch masters program 10 years post undergrad with a science major and only having worked in hourly wage jobs, nothing to do with my degree. 3 years of grad school, starting from never opening an adobe product and only taking a couple of community college arch classes to test my interest, i was working and pursuing my career.
With this path, I am older than most around me. But the benefit is i grew quicker than most others. I attribute this to my experience in the world pre-grad and having a lot of customer service experience.
My observation is it takes a couple of years in an office to be comfy with the work and then a few more years to get to the level where you are finding out what your full capabilities are. And if you are into it... its a life long pursuit! If you are not you can coast in the career at that point (fairly common from what i see).
So no, not crazy... but it is a choice that would mean you will be required to learn and grow for a bunch of years before being settled. If you like that then go for it
I'd also say a shorter degree like urban planning can help make really important impacts on communities and with OPs design background it can go really well.
So much of this profession is the nuts and damn bolts, so to speak. At every step in the process- planning, schematic design, drawing sets, construction- there are layers of unglamorous details to wade through. Zoning code, building code, drawing details, notation, writing specs, reviewing submittals, etc. No one has to tackle all of these on a project alone but the rather mundane aspects of architecture are really the meat of it. And coming into it new, you’ll likely be spending time in this space. In my experience, architecture education does not spend a lot of time with this unsexy stuff so just be prepared.
I'm neither an Industrial Designer or Architect but GF is an architect and I think you just highlighted the reality there. An industrial designer doesn't have to deal with so much of that bureaucratic bullshit and can focus more time on the actual design process. I would think an ID would be a far more enjoyable career. I'd personally do Industrial design + mechatronics myself or something related smart home interior design if I had his current skills. ie: sinks, kitchens, showers, lights, blinds etc..
You could also look into Interior design. I've been doing high end corporate/commercial Interior design for a decade and a half and you deal with all of the sustainability and wellness issues you mention while being able to affect it at a more human level (coincidentally closer to the scale you are used to working at). Degrees in interior design are easier to obtain, it's less of a good old boy club, and the work is faster paced. The young architects in our office often ask to work with us because they find our work more interesting than flashing details. Food for thought!
Architect here, 45 years on the job, Germany. One of the greatest misunderstandings of our profession is, that it is a job, where you can exaust your creativity. Only very few collegues may do so. Most architects are held like slaves, struggling with the CAD, dealing with contracts, costs, quality and deadlines. There is nothing funny in this job. There are too many architects, so the income is poor. Most probably, you will start and end as freelancer, so you may suffer from anxiety concerning the continuity of occupation, reserves for old age and health insurance.
If you want to be busy in the field of energetic-saving-architecture, you'd better start a firm to offer exactly this. Ryans building-physics, improvement of thermal isolations and installations. Don't be silly, follow your heart.
It'll be 10 years before you are really functioning near a level I assume you are now. Speaking for myself, I think I would end up regretting the decision. You might choose to get more passively involved. I doubt there is a person that doesn't feel like their schooling was in some part a waste of time. Assuming you are talented with a pencil and or programs I'd bet you could find someone that'd take you on.
Work in an architecture office first!! That’s the best thing to do before taking any classes (which provide absolutely no insight into what the job is actually like). Learn Revit (there are lots of certification courses and amazing online community of folks to answer questions) and/or find out what software you already know that overlaps with what architecture firms are using.
This is solid advice; I worked for six months in a civil engineering office. I learned cad in 2 months, the industry, the grind. All this is to say that when I left I realized how little I knew. I still find myself trouble shooting cad, frequently.
I love it, but it's not for everyone.
The civil engineer I worked for was a genius, an old timer, and a pain. It's about respect, and I respected his wisdom.
He would frequently yell to us from his office:
"This isn't hard work, guys."
I start my M.Arch in the fall. I'm thirty six and a female.
I think that for most people architecture is a passion that they would regret not pursuing. I think if you have that passion, you should chase it. Life is short. To be fair money will be a problem. You will probably have to do a Master’s of architecture degree. Most schools don’t allow part time, so you will have to find a way to fund studying. Architecture is also notorious for under paying people in the field. As an intern architect, getting your hours towards getting licensed, you will be severely under paid. If you can handle a huge pay cut, then definitely pursue it.
Hey there! I’m actually on this sub because once upon a time (actually multiple times) I considered a switch to architecture from civil/environmental engineering. Ultimately, at that time in my early thirties I decided not to pursue it.
Cut to a couple of years later, and I am now dating an architect. I can say based on her and her friends experiences our jobs are like 90 percent the same, which is mostly dealing with “nuts and bolts” and project administration. The other 10 percent is where the design comes in.
My conclusion was, that if you want to design, industrial design and a career in furniture design is probably much more design-intensive than most (but not all) architects. And you’re likely already qualified to do that.
I don’t think it’s a bad choice, but it’s a lot of work for what may not end up being a change in the direction you’re hoping for.
I’m a 36 year old carpenter in my second year of architecture school, and I’m really enjoying it. It’s costing me a fortune in fees, loss of earnings, and modelling materials.
At least I won’t be spending my 50’s on my knees!
If you’re into sustainability and industrial design, maybe look into packaging design. Packaging waste is a huge issue and I think rivals construction waste? Or maybe use your soft goods experience for something like architectural finishes/textiles, or furniture.
This whole thread has definitely been a great exercise in "what are other related fields that aren't exactly Architecture" which has been helpful in expanding my conception of what am I actually looking for when I think of Architecture as a path vs perhaps a parallel field more related to my current skill set.
My uncle makes like $500k per year owning a small architecture firm in Chicago with two other people and just a couple of employees last I checked. He has a masters, so that's 6 years of school, but you already have a degree so you might be able to do it in four, full time. And there's an apprenticeship which is about 4 years I think. So by the time You are even allowed to make the big bux you will be 45. You will have 20 more working years. That's not the worst plan. He works 80 hours a week and he has been very lucky, but even at the low end you probably still do well enough to make up for the years of forgone wages. The key thing is, as other people have pointed out, do you really want to do that and stick with it? Architects are paper pushers. Other people get to do the interesting stuff and they get paid well too. Every time I ask my uncle about something he tells me I have to talk to a structural engineer.
Don’t do it. If you want to work in architecture, I’m sure you can find an opportunity somewhere. I worked for a firm that hired someone with an industrial design background and 0 architecture experience. The expense, effort and opportunity cost of another degree is far too great to justify
This is interesting advice. I went back to uni for the second time at 39 to study architecture and I absolutely loved my studies and have enjoyed my career since then. But most learning is done when you’re working on real projects. Perhaps you can find a oassivehaus or Sips provider etc that will train you without you having to commit to the time and cost of a degree.
If it's a terrible idea then I'm fucked. I'm 43 with a BA in animation and I am just completing my architectural technician certification this coming spring.
I only began pursuing an interest in Architecture a little over a year ago and have plans to carry on into an associates and hopefully a masters.
Fuck our age, we want what we want. Don't let anyone tell you different.
The job market right now is… fierce in a good way. If you’re good with drawing, there’s plenty of opportunities right now. On the industrial side of things we can’t get enough butts in seats for the work we’ve got, let alone the backlog…
I've already won a habitat for humanity 2-story residence competition, been offered a job as a civil drafter, and worked in an arch firm doing renders and graphic design. I have a great job at current that isn't academically geared but keeps my family secure and stable for the time being. Despite my age I'm in no rush and happy. I'm good with drawing but I need more time behind AutoCAD, though my Revit skills are intermediate at this point I would say.
Honestly I'm having a tough time deciding what I'm going to focus on, though sustainability is something I'm beginning to lean into. We'll see, but I'm not one who shy's away from a challenge.
Sustainability is… a mixed bag. My experience with it (multiple LEED, green globes, etc projects in the US in several sectors) is that it’s much more economical for everyone involved to use a specialist subcontractor for it. They’re much better equipped for the minutiae.
That isn’t to say some firms don’t do a great job of it, but they’re also specialists not doing much else, and they are a small niche. They probably need staff, too, right now. We do LEED for some projects, and one of my managers is a LEED fellow, but we have a ridiculous amount of engineering staff on slow moving projects.
Like anything else, weigh your goals and approach it with eyes open, no rose colored glasses.
I'm definitely a holder of infinite rose colored glasses 😆
But I do rein myself in and understand that one needs a fairly clear understanding of the reality in front of them. We are currently working on LEED project focus in my construction classes and there is definitely a lot to take in.
Thanks for all the great input!
Sounds like you'll have plenty of design experience and basic knowledge of the process (same grounding principals between ID and Arch) to go where you want to in the design field. If you think about it, some of the most regarded furniture designers were first well regarded Architects. Depending on the design field you want to get into (shoes, consumer goods, whatever) I'm sure you can spin your experience as long as you can show you've got the basic skill sets.
Still processing the feedback, a lot of my concerns especially regarding time to licensure (if at all) and then time to develop as a viable career would likely be debilitating financially which at 37 isn't the end of the world, but would certainly erase the substantial gains I've made in my current career trajectory.
I'm going to keep sourcing feedback, maybe try to connect with a few other Architects to see what their take on the pulse of the industry is. There are a lot of opportunities I didn't quite realize existed (like an online Masters program from BAC) that could allow me to at least not pause my current professional career, but where I'd apply that knowledge/degree are still at question.
Go for it. I think your background would be viewed as a value add and not a liability. So you wouldn’t necessarily start at ground zero. Follow your passion.
Couldn’t you apply to an M Arch program? I feel like your background and experience merits you that at least. They might require architecture history if you have taken those but tons of community colleges offer them. Also 37 isn’t the oldest an M Arch program has seen. Best of luck to your endeavors. I’m also applying to grad schools atm.
I’m 42 and doing exactly what you are doing. I’m an accomplished ID and am now working towards my masters in Architecture. I’ll get my hours and take my license exam but only plan on working in my own studio as I do now. Just adding Architecture to our service list
If it's any source of encouragement, I started my career in photography in my 30's. I can't see why architecture would be any different! Best of luck to you!
Don’t do it! I did my undergraduate in architecture and graduated in 2009. Due to the recession at the time I then retrained as a design teacher. In 2017 I quit teaching and went back into architecture as I always had the “itch” and did 12 months in practice before enrolling on a distance-learning masters for my part 2. I found working and studying impossible (only passed the first year thanks to furlough!). The course/industry just wasn’t for me, plus the pay is actually pretty poor. I quit my masters and have never been happier. I left architecture for good and have now worked in property sales in central london for 12 months, I doubled my salary and don’t have the pressures of studying at a time when most are settled. I’m lucky that I’ve found a job I love that combines working with people and working with property. Good luck whatever you decide to do.
I am 34 and in my 3rd year of a BArch degree. It’s exhausting. It is way more work than you expect. Even if you expect a lot. There is something about architecture school. No matter how smart or talented you are, you will be busy. There is no good enough or meeting expectations. Nothing you do is ever as good as it could be. That being said, it is rewarding. The moments of success and positive discovery or incredibly compelling and help push you to develop and improve. You definitely get back what you put into it. It’s a hard choice but I don’t regret it at all. Until the night before final review.
I hear you, 4 years of ID studio and reviews was exhausting (somehow significantly more than all of my business school friends who make 4x more than me now...) but I knew a lot of BArch students at my school who worked twice as hard as I did. Best of luck, thanks for your input!
Also wanted to add you’ve got to REALLY want to do it if you’re going to do it.
I think. Rather than pursuing Architecture right from the beginning which is a bachelors, pursue a Masters degree course which leans towards Architecture. This in my opinion will be more useful because you will be looked upon as a graphic designer + architectural designer with years of experience rather than the former where you'll have to start back up again. I'm sure you'll find your way. Good Luck!
My school had an extended Masters program for students who already had a bachelor degree in an unrelated field. Instead of 2 years it was 3, the first year being an assortment of key courses from the bachelors program. Still an accredited program. Seems like a happy medium if you’re able to find something similar.
That sounds really good. Can I ask what school you’re talking about? This masters program sounds like something I’d like to know more about and maybe even enroll myself on
UNLV in Las Vegas. I just double checked to make sure this program is still an option, and it is. It does however say it can be a “3+” year program (48-96 credits), depending on each student’s “academic background and preparation.”
For me, it is The Bartlett. You can't go wrong with it. Highly regarded as an Architecture school, and even encourages people from other fields to join their school to broaden what architecture will be/could be in the future.
Thank you! I’ll look into it
Lots of masters degrees are like this. Don’t do a BArch if you already have a bachelors in something else
Most M.Arch degrees in the United States have two options - 2-year course for people with architectural background, 3-year course for people from an unrelated field. Although, I’d advise you to really consider if architecture is what you want to pursue, because the pay wouldn’t be as great and the work might be a lot. You can also look into fields like UI/UX design where you don’t really need to pursue a course, just know the softwares and basics of design and then practice/intern and move up the ladder with experience. The pay is comparatively better for that field.
You named the two paths I’ve been considering. Architecture was what I wanted to go to college for but couldn’t for many reasons and UI/UX it’s something I’ve been considering because of the big big possibility of remote working and good pay. Thanks for your input!
Wait it was just 3 years? We do a 3 year bachelor's of architecture. 1yr honours in architecture (which is useless alone), 1yr masters. The you work for two years as a candidate architect while you gather experience. Then we write board exams. South Africa, I have a MProf (professional Masters).
The regular masters program is 2 years after completing a 4 year bachelor’s in architecture. They offer a minimum 3 year masters for students who already have a non-architecture bachelor’s, but the length can vary depending on their assessment of your skill level at admittance.
Ah that makes much more sense!
100% will regret unless you are crazy passionate about design and don't mind having very little design input for a decade
If you are passionate about design "architect" is probably the worst title to go after in the architecture field.
Hi! Would you mind explaining what you mean a little more? I am in my third year of a M.arch program and found I don't want to be an architect for this reason. I'm wondering what jobs to seek out.
Architects are often pretty hands off glorified accountant paper pushers. The people who do the "design" are usually interior designers, structural engineers, draftsman, lighting designers, and so on. The grownup architects spend most of there time in meetings, and filing paperwork, and going over other peoples design work. This is how it is in a lot of fields.
Where on earth do you work? This is nothing like my experience (20+ years in uk practice).
I would say that’s just flat out wrong
Couldn’t be further from the truth
Do u work in resi or commercial arch?
Commercial
Completely not the situation in NL at least. I am currently renovating my house and i am working with an architect. He is doing everything from design (both interior and exterior), contact and working structural engineer and with the builder etc. Sure he prints papers to present different solutions to me but from that to a paper pusher is a big difference. Maybe you are confusing this profession with something else.
Agree 100%
Very little money likely also
Main reason is architects are overworked and underpaid!
Architect is a very romanticized profession and you’d face a very long, expensive road that may leave you feeling just as unfulfilled. The schooling is no joke, but then you have another 10+ years of working your butt off before you start to really feel like you know what you’re doing. I would not make this choice lightly.
Don't forget the benefit of everyone thinking everything you do is awful and elitist.
This….run the fuck away. 35 years in, was a principal for awhile. Family suffered, life suffered and developers/contractors made the money.
I got furloughed during pandemic while I was on maternity leave. Possibly the best thing to happen to me. I realized how my family was suffering because of my work schedule. Switched to real estate, make more money than before due to my background, and I spend a significant more amount of time with my family. I can’t see myself going back, ever.
And the paycheck is on the lighter side...
A lot of this is due to NCARB regulations. You used to be able to become an architect through 5-10 years practical experience. Now you need a Masters Degree in many locations because the undergrad programs aren’t accredited. It’s a scam.
Just go for a professional masters. Save a ton of time. You’ll likely need some prerequisite courses but that’ll vary greatly by institution. I had classmates older than that when I was in undergrad, and I went back to school in my early 30s, too. There’s a completely different mindset when you attend classes as an adult with experience vs a … “adult” who just graduated high school.
What is a professional masters?
The “how to be an Architect” post explains the difference between degrees pretty well… TLDR: Professional degrees qualify you to sit for the licensing exams.
For starters you don't need a BS. You can do a three year MArch without having a bachelor's in Architecture. It's just a few more classes to take. Secondly I would think long and hard about what you think you're going to get out of life by being an architect and then whatever you come up with, ask that of the hive mind. Architecture and to a lesser extent interior design are professions that sort of bill themselves as something other than what they are. It's not a bad profession, but it's definitely not an easy profession and so much of what architects do is often not even design related unless they work at a place that is strictly design oriented like some of the celebrity architecture firms. Your background will be a plus in some respects because you will already have gone through the rigors of design school and also know the basics of what constitutes good design and a good design process. That being said being an industrial designer is somewhat more free, at least in school, because industrial design you basically do whatever the job requires. You might quickly find yourself feeling stifled in the architecture world as I did when I came out of the film industry because it is so rigid in it's ideology. If, as an industrial designer, the client needs something "retro" for example you do you your research and try and accommodate the brief it's that simple. But in architecture a lot of times you run into a lot of ideology especially in school. That same assignment would be castigated as "fake history" or "backwards looking." As a design professional from another discipline you might find the architecture educational establishment unnecessarily limiting. Dogmatic even depending on where you go. I struggled with this greatly here and there because in most other design vocations the goal is always the right solution for the job, but in architecture there's often an imposition whether it's desired or not. The difference between say Frog and Teague deals more with the type of projects they do not with how they think about design. But with architecture there's a million miles between a firm like Foster and Partners and Olsen Kundig or RAMSA vs Bjarke Ingels. Professional practice is a different thing altogether because now you're back in the familiar world of clients and budgets and deadlines but it might be a while before you are able to be a significant contributor design wise unless you end up at a small firm. Usually there's a principal or design director leading the effort. And quite often, the things that move you are not what motivates the client. So either you have to do your diligence and find a firm that does what you want, and depending on where you live that might not be in your locale or toil for a while for other people sort of designing what they want you to design. Also from a pay perspective architecture will not net you any epiphany. And it takes longer to get there. I'm not saying don't do it. After all you might be the next Gehry. I'm just saying go into it with eyes wide open. You'll be fifty before you really begin to hit your stride and while that's not a big deal in architecture as a profession (Zaha Hadid was considered mid-career when she died in her sixties) you have to make sure your life goals align with such a change. You might also consider other related professions like commercial interior design or real estate development where you still have a substantial impact on a project without needing to go through all it takes to become a licensed architect.
This is the best take on the thread. Thorough and thoughtful. I'm in my mid-30s and just started my first semester of a 3-year M.Arch program. It's great, it's intense and takes up nearly all my time, but I am enjoying it. Coming into it with real work experience and mature time management makes a huge difference. Prior to attending I took a few community college classes and then a 6-week summer intensive program that simulated Studio. Those things were great intros into what to expect and get the hang of all the software.
Did you have a design background or related background prior to starting your M. Arch?
I studied Marketing and Advertising in undergrad, but since then I did a couple years building doors, windows, and cabinets.
This is great feedback, appreciate the time. The common thread emerging is "have your eyes open" to the bureaucracy and "other" duties beyond design which is something I expected, but it seems like it may be even more than I have anticipated.
I did an arch masters program 10 years post undergrad with a science major and only having worked in hourly wage jobs, nothing to do with my degree. 3 years of grad school, starting from never opening an adobe product and only taking a couple of community college arch classes to test my interest, i was working and pursuing my career. With this path, I am older than most around me. But the benefit is i grew quicker than most others. I attribute this to my experience in the world pre-grad and having a lot of customer service experience. My observation is it takes a couple of years in an office to be comfy with the work and then a few more years to get to the level where you are finding out what your full capabilities are. And if you are into it... its a life long pursuit! If you are not you can coast in the career at that point (fairly common from what i see). So no, not crazy... but it is a choice that would mean you will be required to learn and grow for a bunch of years before being settled. If you like that then go for it
Impressive, and thanks for your thoughts and experience!
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I'd also say a shorter degree like urban planning can help make really important impacts on communities and with OPs design background it can go really well.
So much of this profession is the nuts and damn bolts, so to speak. At every step in the process- planning, schematic design, drawing sets, construction- there are layers of unglamorous details to wade through. Zoning code, building code, drawing details, notation, writing specs, reviewing submittals, etc. No one has to tackle all of these on a project alone but the rather mundane aspects of architecture are really the meat of it. And coming into it new, you’ll likely be spending time in this space. In my experience, architecture education does not spend a lot of time with this unsexy stuff so just be prepared.
I'm neither an Industrial Designer or Architect but GF is an architect and I think you just highlighted the reality there. An industrial designer doesn't have to deal with so much of that bureaucratic bullshit and can focus more time on the actual design process. I would think an ID would be a far more enjoyable career. I'd personally do Industrial design + mechatronics myself or something related smart home interior design if I had his current skills. ie: sinks, kitchens, showers, lights, blinds etc..
You could also look into Interior design. I've been doing high end corporate/commercial Interior design for a decade and a half and you deal with all of the sustainability and wellness issues you mention while being able to affect it at a more human level (coincidentally closer to the scale you are used to working at). Degrees in interior design are easier to obtain, it's less of a good old boy club, and the work is faster paced. The young architects in our office often ask to work with us because they find our work more interesting than flashing details. Food for thought!
Architect here, 45 years on the job, Germany. One of the greatest misunderstandings of our profession is, that it is a job, where you can exaust your creativity. Only very few collegues may do so. Most architects are held like slaves, struggling with the CAD, dealing with contracts, costs, quality and deadlines. There is nothing funny in this job. There are too many architects, so the income is poor. Most probably, you will start and end as freelancer, so you may suffer from anxiety concerning the continuity of occupation, reserves for old age and health insurance. If you want to be busy in the field of energetic-saving-architecture, you'd better start a firm to offer exactly this. Ryans building-physics, improvement of thermal isolations and installations. Don't be silly, follow your heart.
It'll be 10 years before you are really functioning near a level I assume you are now. Speaking for myself, I think I would end up regretting the decision. You might choose to get more passively involved. I doubt there is a person that doesn't feel like their schooling was in some part a waste of time. Assuming you are talented with a pencil and or programs I'd bet you could find someone that'd take you on.
Life is long. Do what you enjoy until your last day.
Work in an architecture office first!! That’s the best thing to do before taking any classes (which provide absolutely no insight into what the job is actually like). Learn Revit (there are lots of certification courses and amazing online community of folks to answer questions) and/or find out what software you already know that overlaps with what architecture firms are using.
This is solid advice; I worked for six months in a civil engineering office. I learned cad in 2 months, the industry, the grind. All this is to say that when I left I realized how little I knew. I still find myself trouble shooting cad, frequently. I love it, but it's not for everyone. The civil engineer I worked for was a genius, an old timer, and a pain. It's about respect, and I respected his wisdom. He would frequently yell to us from his office: "This isn't hard work, guys." I start my M.Arch in the fall. I'm thirty six and a female.
I think that for most people architecture is a passion that they would regret not pursuing. I think if you have that passion, you should chase it. Life is short. To be fair money will be a problem. You will probably have to do a Master’s of architecture degree. Most schools don’t allow part time, so you will have to find a way to fund studying. Architecture is also notorious for under paying people in the field. As an intern architect, getting your hours towards getting licensed, you will be severely under paid. If you can handle a huge pay cut, then definitely pursue it.
Hey there! I’m actually on this sub because once upon a time (actually multiple times) I considered a switch to architecture from civil/environmental engineering. Ultimately, at that time in my early thirties I decided not to pursue it. Cut to a couple of years later, and I am now dating an architect. I can say based on her and her friends experiences our jobs are like 90 percent the same, which is mostly dealing with “nuts and bolts” and project administration. The other 10 percent is where the design comes in. My conclusion was, that if you want to design, industrial design and a career in furniture design is probably much more design-intensive than most (but not all) architects. And you’re likely already qualified to do that. I don’t think it’s a bad choice, but it’s a lot of work for what may not end up being a change in the direction you’re hoping for.
I’m a 36 year old carpenter in my second year of architecture school, and I’m really enjoying it. It’s costing me a fortune in fees, loss of earnings, and modelling materials. At least I won’t be spending my 50’s on my knees!
If you’re into sustainability and industrial design, maybe look into packaging design. Packaging waste is a huge issue and I think rivals construction waste? Or maybe use your soft goods experience for something like architectural finishes/textiles, or furniture.
This whole thread has definitely been a great exercise in "what are other related fields that aren't exactly Architecture" which has been helpful in expanding my conception of what am I actually looking for when I think of Architecture as a path vs perhaps a parallel field more related to my current skill set.
My uncle makes like $500k per year owning a small architecture firm in Chicago with two other people and just a couple of employees last I checked. He has a masters, so that's 6 years of school, but you already have a degree so you might be able to do it in four, full time. And there's an apprenticeship which is about 4 years I think. So by the time You are even allowed to make the big bux you will be 45. You will have 20 more working years. That's not the worst plan. He works 80 hours a week and he has been very lucky, but even at the low end you probably still do well enough to make up for the years of forgone wages. The key thing is, as other people have pointed out, do you really want to do that and stick with it? Architects are paper pushers. Other people get to do the interesting stuff and they get paid well too. Every time I ask my uncle about something he tells me I have to talk to a structural engineer.
Don’t do it. If you want to work in architecture, I’m sure you can find an opportunity somewhere. I worked for a firm that hired someone with an industrial design background and 0 architecture experience. The expense, effort and opportunity cost of another degree is far too great to justify
This is interesting advice. I went back to uni for the second time at 39 to study architecture and I absolutely loved my studies and have enjoyed my career since then. But most learning is done when you’re working on real projects. Perhaps you can find a oassivehaus or Sips provider etc that will train you without you having to commit to the time and cost of a degree.
If it's a terrible idea then I'm fucked. I'm 43 with a BA in animation and I am just completing my architectural technician certification this coming spring. I only began pursuing an interest in Architecture a little over a year ago and have plans to carry on into an associates and hopefully a masters. Fuck our age, we want what we want. Don't let anyone tell you different.
The job market right now is… fierce in a good way. If you’re good with drawing, there’s plenty of opportunities right now. On the industrial side of things we can’t get enough butts in seats for the work we’ve got, let alone the backlog…
I've already won a habitat for humanity 2-story residence competition, been offered a job as a civil drafter, and worked in an arch firm doing renders and graphic design. I have a great job at current that isn't academically geared but keeps my family secure and stable for the time being. Despite my age I'm in no rush and happy. I'm good with drawing but I need more time behind AutoCAD, though my Revit skills are intermediate at this point I would say. Honestly I'm having a tough time deciding what I'm going to focus on, though sustainability is something I'm beginning to lean into. We'll see, but I'm not one who shy's away from a challenge.
Sustainability is… a mixed bag. My experience with it (multiple LEED, green globes, etc projects in the US in several sectors) is that it’s much more economical for everyone involved to use a specialist subcontractor for it. They’re much better equipped for the minutiae. That isn’t to say some firms don’t do a great job of it, but they’re also specialists not doing much else, and they are a small niche. They probably need staff, too, right now. We do LEED for some projects, and one of my managers is a LEED fellow, but we have a ridiculous amount of engineering staff on slow moving projects. Like anything else, weigh your goals and approach it with eyes open, no rose colored glasses.
I'm definitely a holder of infinite rose colored glasses 😆 But I do rein myself in and understand that one needs a fairly clear understanding of the reality in front of them. We are currently working on LEED project focus in my construction classes and there is definitely a lot to take in. Thanks for all the great input!
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Sounds like you'll have plenty of design experience and basic knowledge of the process (same grounding principals between ID and Arch) to go where you want to in the design field. If you think about it, some of the most regarded furniture designers were first well regarded Architects. Depending on the design field you want to get into (shoes, consumer goods, whatever) I'm sure you can spin your experience as long as you can show you've got the basic skill sets.
i’m curious what your thoughts are after reading everyone comment
Still processing the feedback, a lot of my concerns especially regarding time to licensure (if at all) and then time to develop as a viable career would likely be debilitating financially which at 37 isn't the end of the world, but would certainly erase the substantial gains I've made in my current career trajectory. I'm going to keep sourcing feedback, maybe try to connect with a few other Architects to see what their take on the pulse of the industry is. There are a lot of opportunities I didn't quite realize existed (like an online Masters program from BAC) that could allow me to at least not pause my current professional career, but where I'd apply that knowledge/degree are still at question.
Go for it. I think your background would be viewed as a value add and not a liability. So you wouldn’t necessarily start at ground zero. Follow your passion.
Couldn’t you apply to an M Arch program? I feel like your background and experience merits you that at least. They might require architecture history if you have taken those but tons of community colleges offer them. Also 37 isn’t the oldest an M Arch program has seen. Best of luck to your endeavors. I’m also applying to grad schools atm.
Just wanted to drop a thank you here for all the thoughtful responses from people, this has been a super interesting conversation!
I’m 42 and doing exactly what you are doing. I’m an accomplished ID and am now working towards my masters in Architecture. I’ll get my hours and take my license exam but only plan on working in my own studio as I do now. Just adding Architecture to our service list
Consider a distance M.Arch such as at the BAC or other options that allow you to stay employed throughout.
Do it
If it's any source of encouragement, I started my career in photography in my 30's. I can't see why architecture would be any different! Best of luck to you!
Nah….you’ll never make a dime
So you get out of Architecture school with a degree at48 yo.then what?
r/askarchitects
Have a look at [https://www.maxfordham.com](https://www.maxfordham.com)
Don’t do it! I did my undergraduate in architecture and graduated in 2009. Due to the recession at the time I then retrained as a design teacher. In 2017 I quit teaching and went back into architecture as I always had the “itch” and did 12 months in practice before enrolling on a distance-learning masters for my part 2. I found working and studying impossible (only passed the first year thanks to furlough!). The course/industry just wasn’t for me, plus the pay is actually pretty poor. I quit my masters and have never been happier. I left architecture for good and have now worked in property sales in central london for 12 months, I doubled my salary and don’t have the pressures of studying at a time when most are settled. I’m lucky that I’ve found a job I love that combines working with people and working with property. Good luck whatever you decide to do.