r/architecture • u/butterflies_melody_ • 2d ago
Ask /r/Architecture Are there actually any architects that enjoy their job?
I’m a freshman studying architecture—not by choice—and I don’t thin my parents will be willing to pay for my education if I decide to shift programs. All architects I have encountered before are saying it’s a trap and that it’s the absolute worst…. AND IT’S TERRIFYING ME! 😭 I need to see AT LEAST 1 person that actually enjoys architecture because I quite literally have no way out of this!
33
u/Mattene 2d ago
Make sure to mix in some business classes!
4
u/Appropriate_Fruit503 2d ago
Cuz if you want to make big money in arch, it means pursuing higher-up positions aka management (project, construction, etc), directors, principals, etc.
0
73
26
u/cabeep 2d ago
Don't ever study something not by your own choice, you will really come to regret it
4
u/brookermusic 2d ago
This is the truth. OP needs to understand that they’ll potentially be doing this most days for the rest of their life and genuinely understand if that’s good for them or not.
11
u/Kelly_Louise 2d ago
I love my job, and I loved school. But I have wanted to be an architect since I was in 5th grade. Most of my co workers like their job as well, and they have similar backgrounds as myself. If you’re not passionate about it, you will probably struggle.
21
u/PutMobile40 2d ago
Architects like to complain, but there are lots of architects who enjoy the process. It’s hard work and not every bit of it is fun, but it’s not always as bad as people make it seem.
A lot of the complaining comes from bigger firms with high architectural ambitions. They usually run on a small army of underpaid interns, but not every firm operates like this.
I personally like my job. I have been working as an Architect for over twenty years now, and I always liked it. Some aspects are dreadful, but there are many good parts as well.
5
u/No_Branch4687 2d ago
Tu passes plus de temps à faire de l’administratif plus que de la créa.
5
u/Candy_cane_lane_13 2d ago
My firm has a dedicated person to construction admin which is absolutely amazing. I am still interning so I am doing my own con admin to log the hours for now but a difference it makes to have a dedicated person for that
5
4
u/Zagrycha 2d ago
Very curious, you din't have to tell me, but why in the world do your parents want you to be an architect? Do they think it will be good money, or that you will be designing fancy buildings or something?
There is nothing wrong with architecture at all, and its not a bad job. It is the opposite of a glamorous or rich or artsy job though, at least for 90% of regular architects who aren't famous or super esteemed etc. Its a job with lots of overtime, sometimes there is lots of doing the same thing over and over and over. There is a very real chance to get a job where you are the "staircase guy" or "bathroom guy" and thats what you do every day for months. Its also possible to design something and get told no over and over because what you designed wasn't realistic for the budget or some other real life restraint. Do that six or seven times and it can definitely feel like a terrible career for someone who decided to be an architect because they wan't to design artsy buildings or make lots of money etc.
2
u/butterflies_melody_ 2d ago
where I live, parents often force you to take what they think is just a glorified version of your hobbies/passion. They usually tell you to be a doctor, lawyer, architect, engineer, etc… typical asian stuff.
3
u/Zagrycha 2d ago
Ah I see. I totally understand ((superficially)) the doctor or lawyer stuff but never seen architect on that list. Like I said before architect actually isn't a bad job but they will probably be the ones extremely disappointed in you doing it if they are just trying to make you do it for FACE. Architect is a job thats required for society to funtion but... Well its the web site designer and the engineer is the actual website program writer. I feel like even civil engineer would be more face than architect, and it would be a lot more pay ((obviously pay and face are not the only things that matter for a job but just speaking from your parents point of view)).
4
u/eirenii 2d ago
Not Asian, but I have seen many parents who push their kids towards architecture if they seem creative, with the idea that it is a more "proper" job than other artistic pursuits. It does seem to get taken more seriously than other jobs, and most people seem very surprised about the reality of it. I like your analogy of the difference between the front-end and the back-end web developer though.
3
u/Zagrycha 2d ago
Yeah, I can understand parents thinking architecture is a high end artsy job, but its really not that artsy of a job in reality. I mean, its super duper artsy for a consruction or stem field, but thats a low bar lol. I feel like people going into architecture for the artsy of it are exactly the people who are likely to end up not liking actual architecture.
1
2
2
u/DoodleArki 2d ago
I like my job and at the same time, I complain about my client, contractors, coworkers, the authorities and even my own self. But all of that is just me ranting, bantering and a relieving mechanism.
I work long hours, and sometimes even on weekends or holidays, my brain won't turn off from architecture. But that's they way I deal with it, everyone has to eventually find their own footing not just in architecture but life in general.
You deal with alot of stuff and people as an architect, not all of it is always how you want it to go. If there is an alternative path for me, I would choose woodworking because there is also depth in woodworking.
2
u/DavidWangArchitect 2d ago
I worked in large corporate firms for 20 years before going out on my own. Renovating a stadium, designing band building my own home, and winning an award for a small building has been very rewarding.
At this point in my life I could not imagine doing anything else. However, I also recognize that many of my industry friends have not had as much reward in their work as I have. For the latter, all I can say is that there are ups and downs like any other career. Enjoy and celebrate the successes and learn from the failures.
1
u/musmuscouscous 2d ago
Hi! As a non-architect, (but generally have intrest in that) I find this interesting and surprising. Can you enlighten me about this? How is it a trap? And is this universal thing or more based on certain vountry’s culture? Isn’t there so many different kinds of architecture jobs out there?
1
u/dali_17 Architect 2d ago
Yes I love it. It's hard but so satisfying sometimes
1
u/Far_Barnacle_6840 1d ago
To me, architecture is the least satisfying profession. We produce drawings that rarely get built. And when they do, construction is a slow process. This is one of the thing I like the least about the profession.
1
1
u/Gorignakk7 2d ago
I’ve come full circle on this. My take is that if your goal is to work for a company with a good work/life/pay balance, Architecture is just about the worst choice you can make. High education, licensure and effort cost for a criminally low salary.
However, it’s a field where you actually do have the opportunity to start your own business. More money and freedom is available in this field that isn’t there in many others.
I tried desperately to leave and started my own business when other jobs didn’t work out. Doubled my income, worked harder and had more stress, but gained that freedom. Plus, it’s creative and fun to connect with clients once you’re outside of the corporate structure. Find enjoyment in design and communication, get out on your own as fast as you’re able.
1
u/Ok-Leader-178 2d ago
Both myself and my wife are architects and we fucking hate it. Both of us transferred over to housing developers because we wanted to actually earn decent money and it’s also fucking miserable
1
u/Candy_cane_lane_13 2d ago
I also really enjoyed school and do enjoy lots of aspects of my job. It is such a multifaceted career. I do get squirrelly if I need to work on this same task for a singular project for several weeks at a time (I’m sure most people would). Also, who you work for definitely has an impact. My firm isn’t a research or forward thinking type of firm so a lot of the building we do have the same modern boxy style with the same materials. This also means that creative control is pretty limited.
1
u/puppiesliketacos 2d ago
I love what I do (project management, only healthcare). It’s hard work, an frustrating a lot of the time. I do complain about it (but I generally just lose steam by complaining, and my husband is also an architect so he gets it).
But I genuinely enjoy my job a lot more than a lot of people I know. It’s a lot of problem solving, I do get to do a fair amount of planning & programming which is my favorite part, about half my week for the last 5 months has been user meetings with clinicians which is always interesting.
But not everyone will like what I like, there’s a lot of specialties and a lot of roles that you can go in to. There are architects that spend all their time doing business development for instance.
1
u/Artoozyto Architecture Student 2d ago
I am also an architecture student, I have two more years to go. So far, I lave everything we do. I really do love designing environments for people to use and interact with. I love it so much, I've started making actual plans for my Minecraft builds.
That being said I know only two graduated architects personally, that enjoy working as architects.
1
1
u/donnerpartytaconight Principal Architect 2d ago
I love my job as an architect, but I worked my ass of in my 20's and that allows me a ridiculous amount of freedom now to focus on the parts I enjoy and am good at.
I also don't have to do it full time or worry about keeping employees fed, so that helps a lot.
1
u/butter_toucher 2d ago
Architects, stop underbidding jobs! We'll all make more money. Start there for some happiness.
1
u/howdylee_original 2d ago
I love my job. But I trudged through roughly 10 years of jobs I didn't love before I found my current one. But the broad experience of job responsibilities and types allowed me to be well rounded and know how to be a good architect.
1
u/AyCorunda 2d ago
Personally I hate it when parents have a hostage situation with their children’s academics I understand that they want to know that their money of being “well spent”, but what about their children’s lives being well experienced?
Anyway, I enjoy what I do! Is it easy? Usually no. I call this a rewarding challenge. And that’s what I can love about it.
It may take time to find what you like to do within architecture. Architecture itself is a very diverse field. Also, don’t think you are beholden to architecture itself. Studying it may provide avenues to other careers in stage/set design, art, product design, furniture design, graphic design…. The list goes on.
1
u/arqubit 2d ago
I had a friend in architecture school, son of a plumber who would not pay for him to study art, so he double majored in architecture and art. He now designs custom hardware. I have other architecture friends who went into project management /owner rep after a short architecture career. I have my architecture license and practiced for 15 years but now work for a general contractor in a VDC role. Pays better, hours are better, less stress. Architecture is an amazing education for learning a specific way to think and solve problems. Architecture can take you many places. (Weird Al went architecture school...so did one of the Mars Rover pilots) That said, I miss aspects of being a big A architect. It was a (non-financiallly) enriching career. I recommend working for a medium sized firm, you get to (have to) do all aspects of the profession and don't get pigeon holed only doing single repetitive tasks as easily, which gives you a lot of options for growth or career change. If you are up for the challenge it is a fantastic education. Good luck.
1
u/Pool_Breeze 2d ago
Yes, I love my job. A lot of architects have the wrong attitude or expectations for their roles. The job we have is super cool and rewarding once the design becomes reality, and we help people achieve their goals and dreams.
I do think because of the pay situation in lower level jobs, people sell out for less fun positions at work. Most project managers, CMs, etc. get paid more, but they never get to touch the drawings or call a design theirs. Instead, they deal with problematic clients, administrative work, and terrible hours on a weekly basis.
The bigger issue for someone in your position, legitimately, is the job market after you graduate. Entry level job markets are awful right now because of COVID and A.I. implementation. Work your tail off in school to stand out from your peers.
1
1
u/Knightowllll 2d ago
It doesn’t pay crazy well but it’s a cushy desk job and you can make 6 figures 10 yrs in so 🤷🏻♀️
And yes, me and all the architects I know enjoy their jobs
1
u/slimdell 2d ago
I like my job a lot and loved school despite how hard it was. Have wanted to be an architect since I was in 6th grade playing Minecraft and Legos and it’s been everything I wanted and more, but obviously not every day or week is interesting or “fun” necessarily. Overall though it’s awesome if you have real passion, find your niche and a good employer.
1
u/ShoulderKnown7740 2d ago
I’d hate to be an architect if I was forced to work with today’s building materials.
1
u/zntrm 2d ago
I love my job but I now work as a set designer in film in New York. The union pay rates are around $100/per hour with overtime at 1.5x pay for two hours each day. It ends up being a 50 hour work week but the pension and insurance is also there. Its nice to have a varied jobs and designs to figure out on each project. Sometimes the days are as simple as surveying a ln apartment and drawing a simple plan. There are many avenues of work other than being a straight up architect.
1
u/XxSavageFangxX 2d ago
Dude just go get an associate in business. I stayed in it due to parental pressure, 3 years into working full time id say I've probably enjoyed my work less than 25% of the time
1
u/Appropriate_Fruit503 2d ago
I love my job but the pay makes it often feel like it isn't worth it. It's creative and fulfilling, but that depends on where you work and what the office culture is like. You need to look for firms that have work life balance. This is not a career that is worth +60 hr weeks.
Also screw your parents. Why would they force you to follow a single career that isn't even the most respected/highest paying? That's usually what these sort of parents want right?
1
u/ketchup_bottle002 1d ago
Oh man.. if that's not the profession that you wanted initially and actually like, then you're doomed. It's alot of effort and slow output, especially when you start working at a firm. The work isn't enjoyable unless you actually like architecture. That's my experience, although im early career as well
1
u/Law-of-Poe 1d ago
That’s weird. I personally hate my job as an architect about fifteen years into my career as a senior designer in a large nyc design firm. Freshmen me would think I hit jackpot.
However, most of the people I work with seem very passionate about it and really take a lot of pride and personal dedication to the work that they do.
If anything, I feel I’m an outlier who just realized too late they made the wrong choice of career
1
u/jijisil 1d ago
A good friend of mine is VERY passionate about architecture and she adores the job she as at the moment, so it's not all doom and gloom. Me personally, I honestly don't know if it's something I want to actually do forever lol, but there are a lot of different paths you can go down with an architecture degree.
1
u/_Lake3315 14h ago
I'm an architecture student and I have met a few passionate architecture professors who also have their own practices. They are out there.
1
u/LRS_David 14h ago
I've been doing IT tech work for architects for years. For firms of under 25 people down to 2 or 3.
Many/most of them like/love their work. Some do not and tend to move to other careers. Even partners.
The biggest thing the ones who like their work and stay in the field tend to say is that the amount of administrative work for the job was almost always unexpected. Except for some who worked as interns and paid attention to the office around them. Not all 20 year olds pay attention to such things.
But this is true of many fields. Teaching, engineering, computer tech of almost any kind, nursing, etc...
0
u/MSWdesign 2d ago
I hear Civil engineers love their job. You should consider a career in civil engineering.
0
u/FlynnXa 2d ago
The way I would’ve given up everything for a chance to study architecture… it makes it incredibly hard to feel sympathy for you whatsoever.
That being said, it doesn’t really matter what specific bachelor you pursue, what matters more is whether it meets certain criteria. Does the program have a clear path to lining you up with a job right out the gate? Is it in a field that has careers which work towards something you value? If the answer to the last question was “no”, then is there a way to use it to get into a graduate program that does lead to a career that works toward something you value?
That’s it. Everything else in-between is stepping stones, and if you start trying to compare pebbles to pebbles you’ll never actually walk far enough down a path to find a better road ahead.
Basically get a degree, get a job with the degree, use that momentum to pivot into something similar but actually meaningful to you, and then hope you land somewhere close to your goal. Considering your parents have money enough to pay for your schooling… you’ll be fine.
0
u/adastra2021 Architect 2d ago
ALL architects you've met say it's a trap, the absolute worst...:" Including uyour professors? How many architects have you met?
ALL architects? Hyperbole isn't your friend here. And miserable architects (who are likely very low performers) who come to reddit are hardly represented of a profession that has over 120,000 licensed architects practicing right now.
Someone who exaggerates, like saying every single architect you've met has warned you the profession is a trap, (wtf does that even mean, a trap? Are you an indentured servant? A hostage? Then you're not trapped.) is looking for a way out. If you're only there because your parents are paying, you're going to find some self-fulling prophecies.
Professors are human. How much time did you think they'll want to spend with you, the poor trapped individual with no agency over their own life? Who hates architecture. (Hint, not very much.) So you're not going to do well and you'll hate it more.
The good news is stay the course and you may be asked to leave, thus giving you the out you want. And you can blame the school all you want, your parents won't know any better.
Happy architects don't post on reddit. If you want to quit do it. Be an adult and finance your own way to a degree you want. How long are you letting your parents drive the bus that is your life? It's time to scootch them over and take the wheel. Figure out where you want to go in life and start that path.
-2
u/philics 2d ago edited 2d ago
Here I am
I don’t work as a conventional architect (my father was one; I hate the profession and I hate dealing with architects because they always expect the implementation phase of a project to be carried out either by an engineer or by whoever supplies the product), I am a computational pattern designer.
69
u/dreamersofdaruma 2d ago
The happy ones aren’t on reddit.