cheers

Apologies if I was unclear. A BSArch/MArch offers 9.5 to 10 semesters of design. That is more than enough design studio to develop design talent. Gehry has a BSArch from USC.

Abusive k? More than my current client (one of the best of my career), the one who wants me to produce complete construction documents for a huge tower in 4 months instead of 6? Nah--it's just business. No need to lose my sense of humour. It's my job to sort out the staff and *hours* to accomplish it--if I agree to that request. Can we pull off the high design in that amount of time? 25+ years out of school and that is still a central question in my life as a lead designer.

Necessary? What's necessary (my opinion only) is five to six years of 16 hours of daytime studio time along with 40 to 50 hours of additional studio time per week. 100 hours of studio time per week is not necessary or even hlepful in freshman year--even though that is the constant message drummed into student's heads by school culture. I didn't drink that koolaid but I did make sure I was an integral part of the studio community in my year group--and two of the year groups ahead of me. It's doable. No one ever questioned my intensity or passion. If anything, I was regarded as too intense. (Can you imagine??).

Efficiency in life and design. Priorities in life and design. Spatial sight. Those are the skills to learn in freshman year. Get a passing grade in those three skills and bingo. You're on your way.

What are the priorities for the professors? Developing a student's design ability is what makes them tick. What do most profs want to see from freshman designers?

I've only been a guest critic, but having seen hundreds of competently produced, but dull as toast portfolio projects, my guess, in order, would be:

1. Daring (A step above confidence. Assumes confidence).
2. Facility (speech/2D/3D).
3. Stamina (mental and physical)

cheers

Postscript:

When students hit the wall, it's usually because they lack easy speech and easy drawing ability. It's hard to manage time if a student is desperately trying to compensate for those two abilities.

When architects hit the wall, it's because the passion fizzled or the opportunities fizzled.

rick12

k, I understand your concern. My D was prepared for the full studio experience, but got accepted to her reach school (Stanford) which does not have architecture. So now she has started in the product design program there and will have a much better rounded undergrad experience than I had. If she decides she still wants to be an architect then her challenge will be to cram all that studio intensity into a 3.5 year MArch program. There is just a lot to learn.

rick

brothel

Thank you! kjofkw. I'm up right now working on a model. I needed a break and alas you posted just the right thread. I'm glad someone in the profession understands. I have black rings developing around my eyes due to lack of sleep. Some nights I get only 4 hours of sleep and then I'm at school the next day for 10 hours. I'm in the M.Arch program at KU. I hope all the hard work will pay off. From what I've heard, an Architects salary doesn't do his/her education justice. What I mean by that is we have as much schooling as doctors, yet are paid a fraction of what they make. It's now fair. I guess it's a labor of love. I couldn't see myself doing anything else.

Thanks for the sympathy.

vyan

^ brothel.

i feel you. I understand what you are going through. I am at that phase right now - for passion or for greed? and i still don't know. Luckily, I'm in a undergrad B.A program which is more "loose" in B.arch programs. I love doing architecture and I agree, the amount of time put forth to our projects is more gruesome, if not the same as studying for organic chemistry,etc, but we get paid less when we come out. kinda sucks doesn't it? and the majority from what Ive seen is that we don't get paid 6 digits until were old. Man, decisions decisions.

but hey,look at it this way..one reward that we have is

buildings last longer than human beings.