<p>I want to be an architect and I’ve just checked out Cornell, Yale, and Harvard’s architecture web sites. I wanted to get an idea of what the students do design and now I’m wondering whether architecture is really for me.
I’ve quickly browsed through the students’ works posted on the web sites and found that almost all the projects were “modern”: always involving geometrical shapes, sharp angles, minimal details, cubes, triangles, and abstract designs; none of which I could appreciate, understand or design (with only a handful of exceptions).<br>
Are all architecture majors Picassos or what? Does everyone majoring in architecture design abstract stuff?
Don’t they design “normal” buildings?</p>
<p>^yes, but there are certain schools who devote their time to modern architecture like the ones you listed. </p>
<p>There are others like Notre Dame which focus on classical and traditional architecture as well. Each school has their own culture and specialty.</p>
<p>I’ve just checked out Notre Dame’s web site and most of the designs seems too old or too boring. Confused.</p>
<p>Maybe Syracuse? they seemed to be well-rounded. Maybe RPI?</p>
<p>Also don’t be confused about the portfolio drawings as these are meant to be out there and creative, try to look at architecture plans and buildings.</p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>Weird? I tell folks that architecture is more of a cult than a profession. The reason it seems weird to you is because you haven’t been indoctrinated yet. It does not matter what school you attend, the first year is spent tearing you down so they can build you back up. The sleep deprivation and the group reviews are all designed clear away any notions you had of good design so they can build you back up with their image of the world. You will go off to school thinking that your parent’s house was pretty nice, and come back after the first year wondering how you survived growing up in such a piece of middle class crap. Don’t worry, you will mellow out over time, but the students you share this experience with will be some of the closest friends you will ever make. It will definitely change your view of the world.</p>
<p>rick</p>
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<p>Thanks for the laugh, Rick. As my son prepares to be indoctrinated into the cult, I appreciate a warning of the weirdness to come.</p>
<p>Thanks. I was starting to think I would be discriminated for my old fashioned views. 
I appreciate modern buildings but some of the strange stuff on their websites is just way too abstract.</p>
<p>
And then twenty years later, you design your own house…on a remote property because no established neighborhood wants your weird-architect-designed house in it…and later have trouble with resale, again cause it’s a weird-architect-designed house that everyone admires, but no one relates to. YMMV ;)</p>
<p>archiemom, as much as I admire my friends who have a cool house they designed for themselves, I have so far avoided that temptation. My fear has always been the inability to sell should a great new opportunity come along. However I have noticed an increasing amount of buyers who are looking for a modern house, something that did not exist in Dallas ten years ago.</p>
<p>rick</p>