As you begin to start your career or even if you are in the midst of your career, it is always important to take note of the experiences you enjoy professionally, so that you can change your circumstances as necessary. What does this mean?
Take your time every month to look over the opportunities, not only in the places you normally look, but also in areas that people normally would not think of Architects working. Personally, I have my own journal for my professional career to make sure I am taking note of professional experiences I enjoyed or did not, and that way when you are updating your CV and Portfolio you know what to add. As well as the data and forms in which you individually made an impact.
We have compiled 8 different careers below to help you start to look outside of the box.
Urban Planner
Many view Architects as Urban planners, yet they usually do not think of what an Urban planner does for their community and firm. The way in which cities develop over time is dependent on government regulations, as well as demand for different types of building according to the market. The challenge is the population growth rate and investment in infrastructure, as a downfall in the standard of living in a city is tied directly to how Urban planners create public spaces that are sustainable and consider the needs of the community.
You have to have the ability to be pro-active and consider the future demands of the city and those that live in it.
Restoration Architect
Similar to the Conservationist role, a Restoration Architect seeks to preserve heritage and culture via architecture and design. Help to protect previous Architects and Artists creations, so that future generations can be inspired and better understand our collective past to create a stronger future. Make sure that Heritage is not taken advantage, and desecrated by those that do not understand the value of our shared history.
Political Architect
Some argue that architecture is by nature political, however being active in the political decision of a city or country is a different story. Architecture is more than just creating beautiful objects; the discipline has a value in organizing society. Architecture firm Terroir, for example, has worked with the Burnie City Council as well as with the Parramatta City Council in Australia, to argue for a certain structure for the city, to predict what may happen, and to design a set of criteria for the evolution of the city. It is a case of architecture influencing politics, instead of the other way around.
Extreme Architect
With the current development of climate change, extreme weather conditions such as floods, heat waves and hurricanes are predicted to increase. Existing extreme environments, such as deserts, are likely to expand due to phenomena such as desertification. Being an architect who specializes in extreme weather conditions is therefore not only an incredibly fascinating way to tackle the subject, but also invaluable for us to adapt to the future of our planet.
Industrial Designer / Textile Designer
Both textile design and industrial design focus on smaller scale objects of mass production instead of the large sized projects you think of when you think of an Architect. If you are the kind of person that enjoys puzzles and putting different pieces together to create a bigger picture, than this is definitely right down your alley.
The Industrial Designers of America define Industrial Design (ID) as «the professional practice of designing products, devices, objects, and services used by millions of people around the world every day.»
Industrial designers focus on physical appearance, functionality and manufacturability of a product.
Conservationist
Similar to the message we concluded with in our United Nations Sustainable Development Goals blog, the role of a conservationist is to promote the conservation of the environment within architecture. Using your spatial organization will be necessary when developing different ways to preserve the environment. Thus, you can stimulate your interests and make use of your talent to help the world! Have you heard of a better job than that?
Entrepreneur
If you are the type of person that sees opportunity in problem solving, then you are the right person for the job. You also have to be willing to hold yourself accountable without anyone else being there to tell you how to solve the problems in front of you. When you see the experiences that you enjoy are those that require collaborating and learning from others, this may be the career for you as well! You must be willing to trail blaze new ways of creating value for your community.
Join the Architect-US family, and take advantage of the information and insight we have for you for free. DO NOT FORGET THE Portfolio Plans to Career Advice. 🙏🙏🤓👌 Our Selection Committee of architects and designers with 10+ years of experience are a highly-qualified resource for you to take advantage while planning your next steps. Let us know where you stand in your career!