#3 Masters of Design

Don’t be a millennial, it sucks. To be honest, I would rather engage with my iPhone than make small talk. I’m far more interested in refreshing my ArchDaily feed than having the same old conversations with new people.

Here I am again. My inner monologue was firing today. I already had the verbal exchange in my head, in between the brief moment of being introduced and shaking my new friends hand. “What do you do?” …“How’s work?”

I mean, do you really care? It’s a mindless loop of dialogue and seems to be the only thing that keeps me from finishing my beer. Although, plot twist. My beer seemed warmer than usual. Could I be having an interesting conversation with someone?

I will concede that the subject was the same – work – but the legitimate intrigue in this instance was mutual. My new friend was design engineer for super yachts. After a lengthy discussion about architecture and the extensive exposure I’ve had to relevant programs, he asked me to work for him.

Putting my commentary aside, my role was not to design yachts or check the engineering drawings, obviously. It was to draft – something I knew I could do. When starting my degree being able to draft a floating super vessel was not in the realm of possibilities. It made me think. What doors can a degree in architecture open? How are my skills transferable into other creative professions? According to British based graduate employment opportunity company, Prospects, “Architecture students develop highly desirable creative, visual, technical and design-based skills” [1]. This employment company gains credibility by adding successful case studies by means of their services.

I do not disagree with Prospects breakdown of knowledge an architecture student comes in contact with. I either have developed the aforementioned skills, or have witnessed my peers develop them first hand.

When analysing the Western Australian occupation report, “ABS data shows the value of construction work done in Western Australia decreased by 19 per cent over the 12 months to December 2016” [2]. These findings indicate that there is no shortage in architectural positions that need filling, but a shortage in overall work in the field. This has left a field of designers hungry for work, rewarding work at that. Although some jobs may require subsequent qualifications, The Guardian [3] believes that architecture graduates can utilise creative and visual skills in website/graphic design, furniture design whereas “on the construction side, building surveying or development and planning surveying, or …town planning.”

In 2015, Blake Hudelson conducted interviews with five former architects to discuss how they were able to use their mastery to transition into new careers outside of architecture. Greg Tran – now leading the design for augmented reality explained that:

In my job (creating an augmented reality platform), there are no tools that exist that I did not already know in architecture school. I don’t know how to code at all. Architects as a whole have very strong technical abilities and I think architects are very well suited to jump into the tech world. What’s most important is being familiar with current practices in technology. If you can design something, you can design anything [4].

Although I do thank the art of small talk for assisting in my pursuit for professional experience, I do not currently find myself drafting super yachts. I have graduated to a place that allows me to work and affect change on Perth’s built environment, my desired position. Should things turn in my current placement, I find comfort in my degree. Some of us are still waiting for that eureka moment and to find purpose in our work. Fortunately, a degree in architecture has elevated me to an advantageous position to use my visual awareness and technical abilities where I desire.

 

REFERENCES

[1] “Prospects.” Prospects.ac.uk. Accessed April 05, 2018. https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/architecture.

[2] Australian Government. Department of Jobs and Small Business. Labour Economics Office Western Australia. ANZSCO 2321-11 Architect: Current Labour Market Rate. April 2017. Accessed April 5, 2018.

[3] Snowdon, Graham. “What to Do with a Degree in Architecture.” The Guardian, May 8, 2010. Accessed April 5, 2018.

[4] Hudelson, Blake. “Architechies.” Mobile Lifestlye, July 15, 2016. Accessed April 5, 2018. https://medium.com/mobile-lifestyle/architechies-4e061e235de1.

IMAGES

[1] REAL Entrepreneur. Millennials being millennials. 2017. Accessed April 5, http://www.realentrepreneur.co/6-tips-to-succeed-in-business-for-millennials-from-a-millennial/.

[2] Archdaily. Logo. 2008. Accessed April 5, https://www.archdaily.com/.

[3] Super Yachts Perth. Paradise Super Yacht. 2018. Accessed April 5, https://www.superyachtsperth.com.au/my-paradise/.

[4] Tran, Greg. Interaction. 2018. Accessed April 5, http://www.gregtran.com/#about.