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Job Title: Retired Architect, Adjunct Faculty
Type of Company: As an adjunct faculty member, I teach introductory architectural courses. In my own architectural practice, the projects are primarily residential additions and remodeling.
Education: BSAS, BA, Washington University (St. Louis) •• MAE, Massachusetts College of Art
Previous Experience: I worked as an apprentice in architectural offices before gaining my architectural registration. For awhile I had my own consulting practice and later taught in an accredited architectural program and served as assistant department head. I am now an adjunct faculty member in the architectural preparation program at a state college.
Job Tasks: I teach students the necessary drafting skills to communicate their ideas. They do various drawing exercises to learn line weight, orthographic projection drawing, one and two point perspective, and how to graphically illustrate an object such as a building. The next phase of a student's development is to learn the graphics used in construction drawings. After mastering the drawing techniques, the student is introduced to simple design problems, such as a kitchen, or a thinking space. The next problems could be to design of an auto sales and service center. Students also need to study structural, mechanical, and electrical systems to get an idea of how those systems influence the design of a building and how energy efficiency, ecology etc. effect material selections.
In my architectural practice, I meet with clients to determine their wants and needs. I then prepare the necessary drawings: architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical.
Best and Worst Parts of the Job: The best part of teaching is working with a student who is eager to learn the different aspects of architecture. As a practicing architect, the best is solving the clients problems, to my liking and the clients.
The worst part of teaching is when the students have more excuses about their work and no interest in learning. The worst part of private architectural practice is having a client who doesn't understand you but pretends to. Teaching and Designing for some are a lot alike. Both need to be clear in communications.
Job Tips: Take basic drafting graphic courses (ideally not computer aided courses to begin with) this will teach you the graphic fundamentals. Read about architecture, talk with people in the profession. It is not an easy profession. The education takes time and can be emotionally draining. In the end, though, it is rewarding to see your own solutions. Visit a small architectural firm, see about working in the summer as an intern.
Additional Thoughts: I had no idea the profession was so educationally and professionally demanding. I would change my relaxed high school education preparation. In my college days, I had to work twice as hard in learning. I became a expert in contract documents, I latter became a consultant to architectural firms.
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