When walking in the heart of your hometown or exploring a new city in Europe, you’re bound to come across a building that catches your eye. Whether it’s unique like Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, regal like Wren’s St Paul’s Cathedral or striking like Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall, many young people dream of creating a masterpiece that could be lived in, used by the public or photographed for centuries to come.
So, from creating structures with Lego to designing a replica of a famous building on The Sims computer game, this is probably an indication that you’re fascinated by design and might be a natural-born architect. But, how do you even get there? In this blog, we take a look at architecture and what it takes to have a career in this creative industry.
What is an architect?
An architect is a person who plans, designs and reviews the construction of buildings, and usually supervises their construction also. In addition, they might work on building restoration or renovation, from restoring a historic building to adding an extension to a domestic property. There are different areas of architecture too, whether they work on commercial buildings, housing developments or are self-employed, an architect’s career is incredibly varied.
What qualifications do I need to become an architect?
To become an architect, you’ll need to complete a five-year architecture degree, which is recognised by the Architects Registration Board (ARB), at a University. After this, you will need two years of experience as a trainee architect or as an architect’s assistant.
Many universities offering an architecture degree will require you to have five GCSEs at A*-C, including English, maths and science, along with three A-levels, preferably in a maths or science subject. An art and design A-level can also be very beneficial as proficient drawing skills will bring your ideas to life and many universities may ask for a portfolio of work.
What skills do I need?
Architecture is a rewarding career path as it is both creative and logical. Good art and maths skills come as a given when you’re an architect, but there is also more to it than that. Many architects train on computer modelling early on, so being able to understand technology is a skill you might need. In terms of soft skills, being dedicated, driven and patient are all skills that you need – you might not comprehend or grasp something straight away, it’s all about practice.
Of course, there are many other jobs that you could do with a degree and training in architecture, from building surveyors to scaffolding design. At DH Scaffold Services, we supply scaffolding and scaffolding inspections to many different projects that are designed and overseen by architects and work closely with them to achieve building perfection. Get in touch to find out more about our industry and a career within the building and engineering sector today.