Most Asked Architect Questions

Answering Google's Most Asked Architect Questions. We will just type in Google and see what comes up. I'm first going to do

"Are architect...?"

"Do architects...?"

"Can architects...?

"How do architects..? "

And then finally,

"What do architects..? " Don't miss that.

Over 40 most common questions answered. Right, let's get going.

Are Architects Engineers?

No, they're not engineers. But you could say they do kind of some engineering. They don't use much though. Architects are more design orientated. I think the best way to describe it is that engineers are more concerned with physical things, whereas architects are more concerned with human relationship with physical things.

Are architects in demand?

Well, that depends what country you're in. Could be in demand. It depends what the market is. Building and construction changes different times of the year depending on the market, what the real estate is like. All those kind of things. So it depends.

Are architects Rich?

The money always comes up. Like any other profession, some might make it rich. If you work hard and you're successful and lucky or you're maybe famous. You could be just a normal professional, just making their way earning decent money. Or you could be a failure and not much money at all. But generally architects, they're pretty well-off. I wouldn't say they are rich, but it's a pretty good profession. You get money, they are generally not poor.

Are Architects Happy?

This is a very strange question because things are not so black and white like that. I mean, is an actor happy? Is a lawyer happy? Is an engineer happy? It depends on your personality, but there are some things that could make you unhappy.

Like the amount to study to be an architect. Seven years, at least, to be an architect including five years full time study. And then at the end of that, ... it's not like, oh, you're qualified then suddenly a big salary. Now you start to work your way up. But then, there's designing a building in real life. It's very different to what you think.

Architects go through years or even in their life without designing much at all. I was only in my mid-thirties when I could actually say "I designed that building". So it's quite late. Sometimes there's not much satisfaction there. But there can be a lot of satisfaction too. If an architects you keeps working hard then you'll get there in the end you should, and then you become more happy. So it takes a while, but at least you have a career goal with the right path of what you're doing. So in that regard it can make you happy and fulfilled at the end of it.

Are Architects artists?

They are artists, not completely, but they are artists and they're technical as well. So it's a bit of both really.

Are architects paid well?

It's decent. You're not poor. I wouldn't say its paid well, if you compare it to doctor and the amount you study, the same as a doctor.

Do architects make good money?

So the money thing again. It's because you study so long, everyone thinks you should be rich. It takes a lot of qualifications and training. This is really annoying about the career. I think if they changed the amount of time of study, just normal three years degree, you wouldn't get all these architects moaning about more money. Good money is different to different people so - yes and no.

Do Architects use Maths?

This is another common question on?Most Asked Architect Questions. Architects do use maths, but not complicated maths, just basic maths. Do you need to know a lot of maths? No, not really at all. But the catch is, that when you get to university, you do these engineering modules, you have to know a little bit of maths. But I know people at uni who were really crap at maths and they still got through it. So if maths is an obstacle for you, don't worry about it. Don't let it deter you from being an architect.

Do architects build houses?

They don't actually build, but they design houses. The builder builds the house. Or if you are an architect you might decide you want to build it yourself. You can build it.

Do architects need to be good at maths?

No. You don't.

Do architects design houses?

Yes they do design houses, amongst everything. People just think architects design houses. Rarely do you design houses. You design loads of different types of buildings.

Do architects travel?

It's very difficult to get a job as an architect abroad because you have the licences in different countries. So, since you leave a country, you're not an architect in that country. Sometimes they recognise your licence. If you go to another country they go, "Oh yeah, he's got a licence in the UK" or something like that. But you still won't be an architect in that country. Generally you don't travel much to other countries, but you still travel around to site, different construction sites wherever you are. You could be fortunate enough to get a role travelling different countries but that's quite rare.

Do architects design bridges?

They do, but they'll need a lot of engineering input for bridges. Calatrava, he's a famous architect, but he's not an architect. He's an engineer. He does a lot of bridges. Thats probably why he's good at bridges. Foster and Partners, done some beautiful bridges. But you'll need engineering input.

Do architects need a license?

Yes, you do need a licence. Some countries, they won't let you design buildings unless you're licensed. But in the UK that's not the case. You only need a license to call yourself an architect. UK Qualified get this from ARB, who hold the register of architects which is publicly available on the website. That's what it's like in the UK anyway. You can still design buildings. The license is just to call yourself that word "Architect". That's it.

Can architects work for Google?

There are some famous architects who design buildings for Google. BIG are designing a Google Campus with Thomas Heatherwick. You could do it that way. Design a building for Google. But I don't / can't imagine architect working for Google unless you're good at computers or something. Unusual question.

Can architects work from home?

They can, but personally, I don't think working at home is as good as working in the office because you should work with people, get advice from people, coordinate the project with people, get ideas from the client and people. Because of COVID and everything, working from home thing. That's made it a lot easier. But I still believe you should be around people when you're designing. They should be in the studio or office. You'll have to have loads of meetings all the time on Zoom. What a waste of time. But you can work from home.

Can architects be rich?

Yes. I'm rich.

Can architects do interior design?

This is a bit controversial. If a hotel is being designed, then there's a lot of fancy interior required in a hotel. So you'll definitely need an interior designer. Architects, when they design stuff, they are usually functional, they won't put something there unless it's required. that's why you see simple interiors for architect buildings. There's a lot of stuff in interiors, that are fancy stuff that's not really required. Like fancy lights and fancy patterns. You need an interior designer to specialise in that a bit more. They've got more experience with that and they're more trained for that. An Interior Designer might be licensed in some countries, but in the UK anyone can be an interior designer. You don't need a licence, you don't need a qualification. It's not like architect - You need a licence. That's a bit controversial, as I say. There is nothing stopping an architect (or anyone) calling themselves an Interior Designer. Nothing stopping people from doing that in a lot of countries.

Can architects have tattoos?

So why not? I think the concern is when you have job interviews that might see you and stuff like that and that might put you off. But nowadays I don't think that's much of a problem.

Can architects make millions?

You can. From a salary, you probably can't make millions or you maybe can if you work a long time saving. I think I read somewhere the other day an architect in their entire lifetime earns around $5-6 million or something. That's quite depressing, but it's not that bad if you think about it. But you can more likely to make millions if you have your own company. Like most careers.

Can architects build houses?

They're certainly capable to build a house, but they won't have as much expertise, as an experience builder. I wouldn't know how to pour concrete or the ingredients involved in concrete, as much detail as a builder would. Also a builders needs certain building licences. Usually an architect won't have that as well.

Can architects advertise?

'Advertising degrades the profession'.

Yeah, of course they can advertise. There's nothing in the professional codes of conduct in the UK telling you, you can't advertise. But there is telling you that you must advertise truthfully. Some countries I know, you are not allowed to advertise if you're an architect. That's just crazy. It actually wasn't until the 1970s western countries like US and UK, architects could only start to advertise. Apparently it 'advertising degrades the profession'.

How do architects get paid?

If you work for a company like me, you get salary or if you got your own company, private work or something.

There's three ways.

1. You can charge by timely costs, like per hour.

2. A lump sum, like finish the work. You charge $1,000,000.

3. Percentage of the construction cost. Which is usually around 10% the average architect charges.

How do architects use trigonometry?

On my god, I don't really use trigonometry. Really? What is trigonometry? It's like right angled triangles? Depends if you are drawing triangles. But I don't... I've never used trigonometry, being an architect. I cant remember ever using it anyway.

How do architects dress?

Usually in an office it's just trousers and shirt or office wear for ladies. But architects don't wear ties very much. Sometimes they're quite casually and some architects wear black because they want to look arty and minimalistic and all those things. I did a video about that and they like to copy other architects as well because a lot of previous architects wore blacks, so they copy them.

How do Architects use Maths?

Mostly maths I use nowadays is when you work out, the square metre area of a building. People might ask an architect for the quantity of square metres of different materials. Like how many square metres of tiles on the wall on the floor. How many toilets. How many doors in the building? That's mostly the maths you do and that kind of stuff is done on the computer anyway. So it's not much maths, thinking about it. Unless you're going to get involved in cost and stuff. You probably won't unless you in your own practice or something.

How do architects work?

I did a Skillshare on this called "How to Design a Building Using Architect Design Stage".?So its done in stages, so you gradually do the design part with feasibility study. Then you do concept design, then you do more technical. Adding more detail on the design as it goes and then construction drawings. That goes after a long process, building it up from a simple sketch to the more detail, basically. That's how architects work.

How do architects use geometry?

You kind of have know shapes and sizes and how they go together, like how curves meet together, how lines and planes. What looks right, what proportions and things like that. Most of the time I don't really think consciously about geometry, you just learn to know what feels right.

How do architects design buildings?

There's a lot of theme and conceptual philosophize in the design as well. There's a lot of, theories that make a building, how it is and why it's done that way or why it's that particular shape.

It might come from the culture in the area or might be inspired by the weather or the sun. It might be inspired by the local market. Things like that.

How do architects get clients?

You can advertise, teach at an event or university or you can do work for charity to build your reputation. I think mostly architects get clients through word of mouth. That's why you don't see many architects advertise that much. So you mostly get clients through your previous projects. Or maybe social media like IG Reels & TikTok or even ?YouTube.

What do architects Do?

They design buildings and they coordinate the other consultants within the project on the project. Its difficult to answer such a long winded question but it's still one of the most asked architect questions.

So if you got air conditioning designed by the mechanical engineers, architects are responsible to coordinate that so it doesn't hit the beams and the ceiling heights are the right height and got enough space for the engineering components for the rooms like plant rooms and everything.

So it's not just designing the building. Coming up with the idea, drawing the building and everything like that. It's also coordinating all the other consultants on the project. The architect, is traditionally the design leader of all the consultants. So, all the engineers, landscape designer, the interior designers etc. Architects are the leader of all those consultants. So they need to coordinate all that work and make sure the other consultants on the project are doing it correctly their work fits into the overall design of the building.

What do architects do on a daily basis?

Okay, I'll tell you the truth. Now, you sit on your arse, on the computer and draw. That's what you do basically most of the time.

What do architects design?

They design buildings. But they can design a lot of things related to buildings as well. Like I saw once that Norman Foster's designed the interior of a plane But it's not just like houses. Sailing club, office towers, hospitals, vet schools, animals, surgical suites. Could be an airport or I'm working on a ferry terminal. So many different types of buildings that architects do. Just about any type.

What do architects make?

They do make models and stuff, especially in the early years at university. You do painting sometimes as well to get your creative juices flowing for the first idea of the building. Or even to get the feeling of the site or building. What inspires you and things like that. Or architects can make a physical model out of cardboard. What ever media the architect likes of feels appropriate. Architects usually make 3D model on the computer nowadays, most of the time. So you make stuff - yes, to visualise your building and communicate your building to other people.

What do architects study?

The coarse at university is just called "Architecture".. You can either do B.A. Honours or Bachelors Science. So there's differerent types. If you want to be a registered architect, you have to be careful to make sure the course is approved by the Architects Board in that country. For instance in the UK, university course are validated by the RIBA. The coarses include learning about all the engineering on a project, you do modules for all those things, and you also do other modules like Interior design, module for Landscape design, you'll have module for History of architecture etc.

So you cover the broad base of buildings really in architecture and engineering. So everything related to a building you can study during your architecture degree.

What do architects build?

They don't actually build, the builder does that.

The main three are:

The Design Team: all the engineers and architects, then you get

The client is paying the money to get the thing built. Then you get the

Builder who's building the thing. The architects, not building the thing.

What do architects use to design?

Traditionally it was a drawing board, pen and paper. Still people do sketches, every architect sketches. You can't really design a building without a few sketches to start off with at least. I think most architecture design start off with a sketch. Lot of tracing paper is used. So if you got a drawing,?you put tracing paper on top of that and you sketch on that.

Architects have sketchbooks, pencils, pens, crayons. Some of them use paints. You can use all sorts of media. Whatever architects prefer.

Nowadays, it's mostly a computer. There's lots of different software you can use.

And the final one...

What do architects use to draw plans?

Architects don't use CAD much anymore. That's old school, that's just 2D drawings. But now people do it in 3D. That's called Building Information Modeling (BIM). When you model it in 3D using software like Revit and insert components like doors and windows and walls and it tells you the quantities of everything. And also pulls out all the drawings as well. So that's what architects use nowadays.

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Russell M. Henderson is a practicing RIBA Chartered Architect based in Tanzania, East Africa.

Russell?(Architect Russell) also makes videos on?YouTube?,?TikTok,?Instagram & Skillshare sharing thoughtful, honest and pragmatic knowledge while working and living abroad.

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The photography is by?Russell M. Henderson