Should I go into architecture?

 
This question keeps popping-up. I think, with any profession, you should ask why you would want to 'become' or go into that field?

It is really easy to fall in love with the romance of being an architect. I have a little cousin that has told everyone he wants to be an architect since he could talk, but I think he is more into the romanticism of the architect. I keep getting pressured by his mother and my aunt to talk to him about how to go about getting into an architecture program, but I just won't. Why won't I help him out? Well.... the kid is fu**in' lazy and full of excuses, but that is another story. I won't help him out because I'll screw-up his life if I enable his fetish to be an architect. If I help him out and help him get into an architecture program, There is a huge chance he might not even enjoy the curriculum. Our graduating class (Including undergrad, graduates, industrial design and interior architecture) is just as big as our incoming freshman for the BArch which isn't that big to begin with. My first day of first-year the guy next to me dropped because he didn't think he would have enough time with his girlfriend. Granted, people have different priorities, but WTF?! We started the semester with twelve-ish students and ended with eight. Doesn't sound like a lot till you take in consideration the eight other freshman studios and the amount of students each studio has dropped by the end of the semester. Long story short: my cousin has to want it for himself. He has to put in the work and work on his grades and portfolio and push to get into a program. It is a totally different story if he came to me with a mentality of 'how do I make this better?' rather than 'how do I get in?'

There are people that stick it out and go the five-plus years through the professional degree because they feel they're too far in to just quit. That seems totally understandable. I've had friends come-up to me at the end of the semester and don't know if they want to come back because they're just burnt out. Ive also had guys I went through an architecture program in high school with graduate with their BArch and just don't want much to do with architecture because they fell out of love. If you aren't going to give architecture the time and discipline it demands, than just quit while you're ahead. If you feel uncomfortable and unhappy, then that is probably a sign that this probably isn't for you. I first knew I was alright when I first worked on a model for thirteen hours throughout the night and by the time I was finished I just had this great feeling. Being an architecture student isn't just studying for an exam. There is a huge amount of performance that needs to be done on top of the studying. So, on top of studying for that quantitative environmental systems final we also have to physically show what we have learned through models and graphics.

Architecture has thoroughly screwed me....forever. But, in a great kind of way. The program has given me much more than a set of design skills -- it has given me a toolbox full of tools that can be applied to much more than just architecture, but has integrated itself into my daily life.

"You are God..."

I believe we're all familiar with the Architect from The Matrix.

"You are god. You are able to create something from nothing..."

I have heard at least three different versions of this statement throughout my architectural education. I have even listened to one of my professors compare us (god) to the architect in The Matrix and how Neo (Neo - new) is the latest iteration in the design process. It is in our name: Archi- first, original, archetype; Tect- technician. Ultimately, at our core we are creators. We are able to sit at a desk with a piece of paper and a lead holder and just design. Then, we take what is sketched and create. To create something from nothing does seem 'god-like'. 

I digress. This evening I spent two and a half hours making turkey noodle soup (I am feeling pretty ill and really wanted soup!). I took the time to make fresh noodles, broth and the little turkey meatballs. By the end of it all I didn't realize how much time I spent preparing soup. After I was able to reflect on how much I had done and the time spent making soup I said to myself, "I created something from nothing." So, I view this whole "You are god" ego-petting speech as just a romantic notion. I mean, doctors were able to bring an uncle of mine back from being dead. Granted he didn't last much longer, but surely that is a hell of a lot more god-like than creating something from nothing? Women push a living person out of themselves! WTF?! Just saying that is insane to me! I consider that a lot more 'god-like'! But, that also is creating something from nothing. Well, maybe not nooothing. There was a little somethin'-somethin' for that to happen...


I digress. What I really wanted this post to be about it is that were are all our own god/master architect. Each person is able to create and design our own universe how we want. This all comes down to design and creating. Some results may take longer, but every move is a direct result of a design decision we have made. Nothing is ever perfect the first time around. Neo was not the first design of the architect in The Matrix. Well, the first time he was, but the Neo we all know and love was the sixth design. As designers, we take our iterations and learn about what works and what doesn't and make a new (Neo) design. I think If you can take a good/bad situation and learn about about what and why (all data) something happened, then that is just being more the wiser.

Real estate and infrastructure

By now you have probably heard me talking about begin ruined by design. It is a simple case of  'ignorance is bliss'. I can no longer walk into a space and not look-up and check out the ceiling or notice the layout of furniture. Designers are a totally different breed. Our brains are rewired differently and we all look at the world completely different from normal people -- we have to. So, for this post when I mention a term like 'real estate', I am not really talking about a piece of land. I am referring to spaces like my room, my desk, my studio or even the interior of my car. Those spaces are valuable real estate to me. I think of these spaces like they are spaces in a retail shop. In retail, if a certain product is not selling or has enough demand, then the product gets taken out or/and replaced. I believe the items in my spaces that I control should add to the quality in my life.

This is where the infrastructure part comes into view. A couple of examples of infrastructure in a city are the utilities and the streets. Infrastructure gives a city the basic needs to function as a society. The items/infrastructure I am referring to are usually tools and sentimental items. My camera, books, colored pencils, computer, sketchbook, coffee, photos of love ones -- these are the basic items in my daily life that give me inspiration, bring more joy to working and contribute to my overall efficiency. At the end of the day it is about surrounding myself with items that contribute to my quality of my life. I can't necessarily control what is outside my my walls, but I can control what is on the inside.

Order and clarity

Happy new year, everyone! I hope everyone had a very fun, eventful and safe start to their new year. I'm sure all of you guys that made resolutions are off to a great start. Picking right-up where we left off in the 'restraint' post. I couldn't help but notice how much I was cleaning my bedroom and studio. Now, I am not a messy person....unlesss.... It is my personal area behind closed doors. Common areas I use are always as clean and ordered as I can make them -- I just think that is being courteous to other people. Howeeeever, my bedroom and home studio are always messy. I always seem to just save items I think I could use and seldom ever touch again. I also have a bad habit of just throwing my clothes in a corner or on top of the dresser when I get home. Anyway, I could not help reflecting on how much cumulative time I have wasted throughout the year cleaning and getting things in order.

Yeah, sure we have all heard the "put it away now so you won't have to later." speech (which never gets my attention), but It is more about being and becoming efficient. Maybe, we just need a different perspective on how all the little things add-up. Efficiency gets me out of bed and gets my attention. Efficiency, to me, sounds like I am becoming better than the competition. Wait, what competition? Where did that come into the picture? Competition is the best way to make sure your stuff gets done. Maybe it is just in my nature to be competitive, but you can't tell me next time you go into your job and your boss brings-in someone to 'help' you that you are not thinking you are getting replaced. Betcha you are going to work a little harder and shine a little brighter that day, no?

Getting to the point, becoming efficient is a way to bring order and clarity back into the elements of your daily life. If you stay ready, you ain't gotta get ready and you can go on with your life rather than wasting the extra time it takes to clean-up the cleanup. Daily life shouldn't be about having big moments of wasting time doing what should have been done.Now my room and studio are clean, everything (most of everything) is easily accessible and back in order. Which means I can be more efficient and spend more time and energy on what I want to spend more time doing.

Restraint

Japanese calligrapher painting enso

Thanks to the image search I have found out a lot of other people have totally different ideas when you search for 'restraint'. The first think that comes to mind when I hear restraint is being able to know when enough is enough or being able to self-edit. I think for a society, that hasn't been ruined by a design guidelines, restraint is a foreign term. We are constantly bombarded with more of everything. I won't get into the whole "less is more/less is a bore" conversation, but we see a hell of a lot more excess than what is needed in everyday life.

Is restraint minimal?
Short answer: Yes, I think so. You can make a much bolder impression with a single gesture than with a bunch of supporting fluff. Throughout my education I have noticed it takes a lot for a designer to know when they're pushing too hard and to ease off. There is a certain level of maturity, awareness and a bit of sophistication when a designer can take a step back from his/her work and begin to remove the not needed. Huh? Example please! Everyone may not design, but everyone cooks, right? At some point in your life you've probably made eggs. Okay, there comes a certain point when you're cooking your egg that you think to yourself, "I should probably take the egg off the heat. Otherwise, the eggs are going to smell like a wet dog when they overcook!" I think that is the most basic and straightforward example I could give. You know the eggs will overcook when you leave them on the heat longer so you take the eggs off the heat. Now comes another issue: what do you put on the eggs? Seasoning the eggs is another opportunity for restraint. You could season the eggs with twenty-plus different flavors, but a simple salt and pepper would suffice. But how much salt and pepper? You see how something simple can just have layers of complexity?

Recording artist Salt-n-Peppa. *Do not put Salt-n-Peppa on your eggs unless you want to push it*

When it comes to restraint in design, I think Japan in King. I'm not talking about the newer stuff and Hello Kitty. I'm talking about the architecture, the tea ceremony, the ikebana, the calligraphy, the food (my god, the food!). All of these topics have few bold gestures and can celebrate the voids between the elements. Meaning: what is not there is just as important as what is there. Take a birds nest. There are two elements to a birds nest. There is a the structure that makes a bowl shape and there is the void space where the eggs will lay. Both elements are pretty important, right? If there is no structure, there is no nest. If there is no void, there is no safe area for the eggs. You don't need more stuff to fill the voids. You don't want to labeled as a 'void-filler'! 

I guess what it all boils down to is quality over quantity. I suppose during this transition between holidays is a great time to reflect on the past year and what you would like to be more self-aware during the coming new year.

Transition me this

Color of leaves transitioning from summer to fall.

When I hear transition I think about two materials transitioning into each other or how spaces transition from one defined space into another. But, I want to talk about other forms of transition. Like how we transition throughout the year. I think now would be a great opportunity since we just finished the majority of cultural holidays and we are getting ready for a new year. I refer to this changing time as a transition. Others may call it a new chapter in life, another page or leaf to turn. Doesn't matter what ya call it, it is something different.

As a student, we have two major transitions (winter/summer break). It usually takes me a week or two into the break to really get use to not getting up at three in the morning to go to school. It is a huge shock to my system because the last two weeks of school we're going all out to meet the deadline. We go from performing on our project every waking moment to an absolute stop. It sucks! At least for me. I get in a rhythm and get set on cruise control to just hitting a wall once the final project is over. How do I deal with the sudden stop? First, I get my sleep! Sleep and hydration are paramount! I usually take a solid day and a half to get all the rest I need. Second, I get selfish. I do not want to see, smell or hear anything about my project. I just want to focus on me and what makes me happy. Usually that consists of having a really great cup of coffee, cooking something I really enjoy, spending time with family and giving my dog lots of belly rubs. Third, I get back into a rhythm that keeps me busy. Usually that is just getting back to work and hobbies that I couldn't devote enough time to during the semester. My hobbies keep me busy and keep my mind fresh and clear in design without having to get burnt out with architecture. I feel all three of these steps are important elements to keeping me sane and allow me to perform well without having to worry about a hard crash or getting stuck in a lazy rut.

Okay... That is good and great for you, but how does that relate to me?  I think everything is relative in principal. When it all comes down to is a transition is a great opportunity to reflect on what you have done, what you're doing and where you're going. The process I have taken allows me to think clearly without much room for anxiety and keep me fresh for the next 'chapter' or event. The process allows me to fully enjoy the special nuggets of moments that I would have usually overlooked because I would have been too tired or wouldn't have enough time to enjoy.

I hope the process above can help you cope if you are dealing with holiday stress and feel like you can't catch a break. I also hope it can help you guys prepare and thoroughly enjoy the next beginning chapter in your life.