Architecture is used for more things than just building a house. It's in this
building, in your phone, even down at the park.
Did you know that the Sims video game was initially designed as an
architecture simulator? Why have i told you this unnecessary fact? Because today
we're talking to an architect and if you've ever played Lego or The Sims then maybe
you have the artistic design and flair to be an architect and today we're gonna find out.
Today we've come to the University of Western Australia to talk
to Sophie Giles and architecture lecture to get the lowdown on what it's like to
be an architect.
Jesse. Very nice to meet you. I got a couple questions about being an
architect could you help me out?
Love to. Love to answer your questions come with me.
Jesse what would you like to know?
Well I want to know what's involved with being an architect. I am an architect I'm a
registered architect and I practice, but i'm also teach architecture associate
dean in the Faculty of architecture landscape and visual arts at UWA so I
have a number of roles and that but i'm not a typical architect. You're a busy person.
So can you take me through a typical day for you and also what it
would be like for an architect? For me a normal day would be teaching
students, the typical architect who doesn't take would be involved in
probably a number of scales of project so small scale projects, possibly drawing
designing details, working on-site fielding calls from contractors on site
working in large teams, large projects either likely or around the world.
So it's not just sitting down and designing houses it's a lot more involved? I think
sometimes architects wish they could just sit down in one spot and design all day
architects are generally covering a whole lot of different scales of project at the same
time. Sitting down to draw would be a luxury. Is that why you became
an architect? I particularly was engaged by the sort of sense of being out to make
spaces that people could be in, hang out in but when I was wanting
to be an architect I didn't know all of the kind of richness that actually
involves now and wonderful first year students come in thinking they're going to kind of
come out be able to design a house and then when they come out they can design
so many things. They can design cars and can design objects they can think
about whole master planning and urban planning. Is that the best thing about
being an architect?
i think the variety and and one of the most wonderful things is actually
being able to hang out in the spaces and see people enjoying them
yourself it's kind of almost an anonymous sense of being up to give back
to people. You've done your building, you've done all the design, you've done
the fun part, but what's the hardest thing about being an architect?
The hardest parties is reconciling your client expectations and also your own
expectations about time and budget. Trying to produce a really quality piece
of work for yourself but also for your clients.
I mean is there much work out there for architecture the moment? I think there's
it's a really varying wave and particularly in this boom state
it seems really connected to the amount of money that
the state has. Here there's less work currently for architecture compared to
European nations at the moment but there's always working in the realm of design.
And so someone wanted to become an architect what is the one piece of advice you would give?
I think it's really about kind of immersing themselves within the
realm of design and so it's not just the design of buildings but
very much the design of kind of environments and furniture, clothes
products,
yeah just immersing oneself within that in that realm.
Awesome well why don't we immerse ourselves in the edge now you're ready?
First question, what characteristics does someone need to be and architect?
i think very much the creativity and also the kind of science
base the ability to hold a number of different aspects in their head at once.
Whether their pragmatic and creative aspects of being able to put a deal with
them at the same time. And if you could end up where you are today but do one thing
differently, that would that be? Probably spend more time communicating with
clients throughout the building process. And from school to
today what are the steps you need to take to become an architect? You need to go to a
university which teaches architecture and you need to do a three year
undergraduate degree, then you move into your master of architecture then you
work in an office for a number of years, then when you feel you have enough experience
and scale of contracts to then take your architecture accreditation exms which
actually very difficult exams but once passing that then you become a
registered architect. There's a bit of work involved? It is its kind of that it
comes in some small sections.
Well thanks so much for talking to us today i have learned a lot but I kind of want
to put a moat around my house, can I talk to you about that? I would like to talk to you
about moats but also refer you to the local council in regard to
the water safety, ok.
So if you liked building Lego or playing The Sims as a kid then maybe you've
got the mix of design and creativity needed to be an architect. For more info
head to studentedge.com.au