construction

I'm trying to find out whether or not that if you work for a big firm like SOM or Foster or Graves or something, do you only get to provide creative input after a long time? I know that starting out, you only do a small part of a project that is delegated to you by a senior architect, and that's it's a great collaborative effort but how long does it take before you get some real creative ability in the project, like designing how the outside of an airport will look? Like for example, if you were

Have there ever been small firms who have constructed BIG projects (airport, skyscraper), not just the SOM's and stuff? Or do big projects require big firms by nature?

If you can, kindly help me through my architecture/other careers crisis on the careers page. I don't know what to do, and I have no guidance here, only emails to firms about stuff like , a typical day, what's your education, why did you want to be an architect...... I could use some advice from the guys and gals here.



Muchas gracias.

sashimi46

any place you work (big or small) at in the beginning is going to require you to learn how to detail/manage projects etc before you really take over as the design architect. this is important because there is a lot to learn before you can take on the responsibility of designing anything. but there even is a lot of design in detailing a window frame and certainly a lot to learn from it

most large complex projects that require a lot of consulting are generally designed by larger firms because they have the experience and the proper consultants and management to tackle such a complex project. small firms that gain large commissions typically are the ones that usually excel in terms of creative talent or have something that the client particularly likes about them. but usually they would work with larger firms in order to get the project done.

rick12

Let me first qualify my answer by saying that architecture firms vary hugely in how they approach design, so I am going to give you my experience. It is true that it will take several years for most firms to turn over the design responsibility for a large project over to a young designer. It just takes that long before you are able to direct a team of architects and can gain the confidence of a client. However you will know very soon when you join a large firm whether you are on a design track. No firm that I have worked for puts new architects in a technical role for four years and then gives them a design task to see if they have talent.

Design talent is the rarest commodity in this business, and I would optimistically guess that perhaps one in ten graduates has it. So when we hire a new graduate who we think can contribute in design we will give them a small task; 'take a look at this lobby', 'we need to come up with an elevation for the entry to this building', etc. This is not like school, you will only have a day or two to come up with a design. Based on the results they will either continue to get design tasks or we will focus their training in the technical/management side of the business. This is the way it was done at KPF in NY, and the way it was done at TVS in Atlanta.

The thing they don't talk about much in school is the importance of speed. In an office environment how quickly you can design and put a presentation together is critical. The worst thing you can say about somebody is that they are 'slow'. Computer tools have really increased the pace of design work in offices. Make sure you have those skills if you want to design. High level visualization skills; form.z, Sketchup, Viz, will get you design opportunities in an office. Learn to get your ideas down quickly.

Finally I would say that if you think you have talent and are not getting even small design opportunities, go find another office. Sometimes people who I did not think could contribute in design have moved to a different environment and have thrived.

Good luck,
rick