On our first day of freshman year, our professor walked into studio, turned his bike upside-down (on it's seat and handlebars), and said, "Draw the Bicycle". The goal of the exercise was to allow each individual to draw from their own perspective and focus on the elements they felt were important to capture. It was interesting to see the unique perspectives, as some students focused only on the gears, others drew guidelines to help capture the tires skewed in perspective, and some attempted to draw the entire bicycle with little or no detail. On our final day of freshman year ,we did the same exercise and it was amazing to see the transformation, not only in people's skill level of drawing, but also what they prioritized in terms of detail in their drawings. As I experienced it, architecture school was as much about discovering yourself as it was about learning the profession. You're exactly right that some students are natural designers and others excel at the technical aspects. I think a good professor will challenge a student to explore both realms and then help the student find a healthy balance to pursue a career. There is a bit of drama that surrounds the schooling experience as well, which is perfectly captured in the student's anxious note you shared at the begging of this podcast. During my sophomore year I was practically threatened by a professor to drop out of architecture school, which apparently was a technique to test my dedication to the field. My advice to new students would be to have a healthy, but humble sense of confidence. Be willing to learn, but also defend your perspective in the appropriate setting. School was as much about absorbing new information, discovering new techniques and developing new skills as it was about justifying your decisions with precedents, analytic diagrams and working models. It a time of substantial mental growth and grooming for a profession that is everchanging and continually challenging with new problems to solve. It is a time for curiosity to mature into investigation. 🤘
Architecture school is definitely roughy but it is more of a personal grow Era. Developing skills takes time not only on assignments but also outside of them. On top of that clarity of your intentions and reaching those intentions visually through tons of iterations over a deadline -rough. School will teach a minimum but the profession will express the importance of skills to get a job done for a client. Architecture school definitely taught me the history and how to look a buildings but my short coming fall along the speed at developing my skills for the assignment.
You guys discussions are just as if you know me, cos, this is me and my lifestyle. You talk literally on everything that had happened to me and happening to me right now. You guys are the best. Where have you been all my life
This discussion made me smile. I remember my time in Architecture school with a lot of fondness. No regrets. I would say though, that practical internships should be part of the curriculum and academia should help in providing this.
This is an amazing discussion not often talked about especially as you dive in architecture school because of the shame attached to failure. Enjoyed listening to the perspectives brought forward. Architecture school is definitely not for everyone but its amazing that for those who manage to find their niche to exploit in the course, everything just works out fine. Architecture was defiantly a humbling learning curve for me having mentors and seniors helped ease the transitions.
Lol i watched this once when i was in school going thru it and again just now, having since graduated, and it's still relevant. It's hilarious and interesting and very honest that you guys mention the contradictions of architecture, then proceed to attempt to explain it (which I thought ended up being exactly what it needed to be; as thorough as it was complicated) by inevitably contradicting yourselves. Architecture is a VERY dualist profession at its core, which is what makes it both lustfully intriguing and absurdly difficult. It's a rollercoaster of ups and downs but imo that's what makes it a career worth doing, it can always put up a good fight if your brave enough to walk it down 😆👊 i enjoyed the dual perspectives you both gave, coming from an empathetic view and making your way to the tough love -- that David Goggins type of 'just shut up and work' very endearing charm lol
Architecture School destroyed my mental health and my confidence in what used to give me so much pleasure, regulated, and a sense of my identity. I haven't been able to draw ever since
I would have like to have heard Marina explain and compare with you what schooling in France was compared to our school system! My thoughts that American public school systems have decreased so much in the last 20 or 30 years, it's almost if maybe kids should be home schooled to get a good or worthwhile education! Was the term you were looking for, regents or regents exam?
I wished I had seen this before going back for my M.Arch as a non-architecture undergraduate. You are so right about the lack of pedagogical skills in architecture school which is frustrating coming from Arts and Humanities (although not perfect) quality teaching and teaching methods are emphasized. Most professors have PhDs and teaching experience starts in post grad. I had pedagogy courses (grad level) and was shocked. My first year was rough, I’m hoping it gets better now that I am coming in with something. I also think I might be one of those who wasn’t meant to be a designer, which makes studio crits hard, but I hope to do preservation architecture which is mainly interiors, hopefully for me.
thx for sharing! it does in need get easier. A lot of what we talk about is design, but there a several roles that different architects play, and actually many architects in an office don't do design, at least not directly as one does in school.
Well the American system may not be perfect but we are certainly not massaged considering what we have achieved in 300 years what France has taken 1000 years
On our first day of freshman year, our professor walked into studio, turned his bike upside-down (on it's seat and handlebars), and said, "Draw the Bicycle". The goal of the exercise was to allow each individual to draw from their own perspective and focus on the elements they felt were important to capture. It was interesting to see the unique perspectives, as some students focused only on the gears, others drew guidelines to help capture the tires skewed in perspective, and some attempted to draw the entire bicycle with little or no detail.
On our final day of freshman year ,we did the same exercise and it was amazing to see the transformation, not only in people's skill level of drawing, but also what they prioritized in terms of detail in their drawings.
As I experienced it, architecture school was as much about discovering yourself as it was about learning the profession. You're exactly right that some students are natural designers and others excel at the technical aspects. I think a good professor will challenge a student to explore both realms and then help the student find a healthy balance to pursue a career. There is a bit of drama that surrounds the schooling experience as well, which is perfectly captured in the student's anxious note you shared at the begging of this podcast. During my sophomore year I was practically threatened by a professor to drop out of architecture school, which apparently was a technique to test my dedication to the field. My advice to new students would be to have a healthy, but humble sense of confidence. Be willing to learn, but also defend your perspective in the appropriate setting. School was as much about absorbing new information, discovering new techniques and developing new skills as it was about justifying your decisions with precedents, analytic diagrams and working models. It a time of substantial mental growth and grooming for a profession that is everchanging and continually challenging with new problems to solve. It is a time for curiosity to mature into investigation. 🤘
fantastic story!
Architecture school is definitely roughy but it is more of a personal grow Era. Developing skills takes time not only on assignments but also outside of them. On top of that clarity of your intentions and reaching those intentions visually through tons of iterations over a deadline -rough. School will teach a minimum but the profession will express the importance of skills to get a job done for a client. Architecture school definitely taught me the history and how to look a buildings but my short coming fall along the speed at developing my skills for the assignment.
You guys discussions are just as if you know me, cos, this is me and my lifestyle. You talk literally on everything that had happened to me and happening to me right now. You guys are the best. Where have you been all my life
This discussion made me smile. I remember my time in Architecture school with a lot of fondness. No regrets.
I would say though, that practical internships should be part of the curriculum and academia should help in providing this.
Great point!
Thank you for sharing all of the experience! Listening to your podcast helped me survive through final :) Please keep up the great work!
Haha. Glad we could help you with the final push! and congrats on getting thru final
This is an amazing discussion not often talked about especially as you dive in architecture school because of the shame attached to failure. Enjoyed listening to the perspectives brought forward. Architecture school is definitely not for everyone but its amazing that for those who manage to find their niche to exploit in the course, everything just works out fine. Architecture was defiantly a humbling learning curve for me having mentors and seniors helped ease the transitions.
thank you for the thoughtful comment and sharing your story!
Lol i watched this once when i was in school going thru it and again just now, having since graduated, and it's still relevant. It's hilarious and interesting and very honest that you guys mention the contradictions of architecture, then proceed to attempt to explain it (which I thought ended up being exactly what it needed to be; as thorough as it was complicated) by inevitably contradicting yourselves. Architecture is a VERY dualist profession at its core, which is what makes it both lustfully intriguing and absurdly difficult. It's a rollercoaster of ups and downs but imo that's what makes it a career worth doing, it can always put up a good fight if your brave enough to walk it down 😆👊 i enjoyed the dual perspectives you both gave, coming from an empathetic view and making your way to the tough love -- that David Goggins type of 'just shut up and work' very endearing charm lol
I hope rewatching didn't cause any PTSD :b
Goggins is crazy. But he's a good reference for extreme dedication!
Architecture School destroyed my mental health and my confidence in what used to give me so much pleasure, regulated, and a sense of my identity. I haven't been able to draw ever since
That is horribel to hear! Sorry that happened to you.
I would have like to have heard Marina explain and compare with you what schooling in France was compared to our school system! My thoughts that American public school systems have decreased so much in the last 20 or 30 years, it's almost if maybe kids should be home schooled to get a good or worthwhile education! Was the term you were looking for, regents or regents exam?
I wished I had seen this before going back for my M.Arch as a non-architecture undergraduate. You are so right about the lack of pedagogical skills in architecture school which is frustrating coming from Arts and Humanities (although not perfect) quality teaching and teaching methods are emphasized. Most professors have PhDs and teaching experience starts in post grad. I had pedagogy courses (grad level) and was shocked. My first year was rough, I’m hoping it gets better now that I am coming in with something. I also think I might be one of those who wasn’t meant to be a designer, which makes studio crits hard, but I hope to do preservation architecture which is mainly interiors, hopefully for me.
thx for sharing! it does in need get easier. A lot of what we talk about is design, but there a several roles that different architects play, and actually many architects in an office don't do design, at least not directly as one does in school.
FANTASTIC KEEP GOING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thanks! we will try!
Thankyou for making this
Well the American system may not be perfect but we are certainly not massaged considering what we have achieved in 300 years what France has taken 1000 years