Architecture (1 Viewer)

[felafel]

Does anybody do architecture here?

I am juggling whether or not to do it, and I want to know what the course is like at UNSW

 

[beeflatt]

Hi!

I missed this site so much! Almost makes me wanna do the hsc again. did not say that... did not say that...

Seriously though, in reply to your message - do they still send you an email when someone replies or is this message in vain?

I started uni this year, doing landscape architecture (not architecure, sorry ) but I can still tell you some stuff about it. Basically, built environment courses (particularly architecture) are renowned for getting lots of work. And I am finding that to be true. I don't want to turn you off it, but I got that warning from lots of people and I didn't really pay attention but now I see exactly what they meant. Nevertheless, there is a bright side! Your course is generally small (we only have 35ppl, but architecture usually has 100 or so - I think) so you really get to know your classmates - no having to make different friends in each subject because you're all in it together - all the time! Because you are so tight knit, you have a great support group to fall back on when the assignments build up, and talking to lecturers is pretty easy (and they nearly always reply to emails!). Plus, you won't be writing piles of 2 and 3 thousand word essays, in fact, essays are pretty rare. The assignments are more interesting (research based ones are less common - most of the time bull****ting and making up crap is good) and stimulating (you get to build stuff and be creative!!!). I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think arch has many exams. Most built environment courses are like that. Some don't get any. AND you'll be in a course that people will say 'wow' and 'cool' at when they hear what they do and your career can take you to loads of interesting places on a daily or weekly basis.

If you want a laugh and an accurate description of architecture student life (and landscape architecture too!!! ) - type "you know you're an architecture student when" into the google search thingo - the list might sound a little scary but architecture is definetly a very stimulating and funny direction to take.

Hope that helped - and hope you are inspired! Seriously, my message was dry, but just look at the incredible stuff that architects do! It definetly is a uni experience you will look back on with pride - and your career can take you anywhere you want it to!

PS: you meet lots of interesting and inspiring people - not just people who want a career that can get them a bmw and a nice house (though it will anyway) - you meet people who want to change the world, who want to be artists, who are wholly and utterly passionate about their life and work. Its an amazing and rewarding place to be.

 

[Josie]

That was an incredibly useful reply. Thankyou.

 

[frazzle]

that "you know you're an architecture student when" really scared me!

is it really THAT much work...? =\

I want to do design, but i put architecture down in my preferences because it seems just that much more "practical" than doing a straight design degree?

 

[beeflatt]

Don't Scare Urself

I dunno, I think that a design course is going to be just as practical as an architecture course - at least for the first few years. You do a lot of theory and conceptual stuff in any design course, and I would imagine you'd do more in one where you have to know about building and council regulations than one where its just about design with no specific outcome. We have to do law in Landscape Arch, and you definetly have to do it in Arch - as well as lots of maths stuff. I'm not sure that's what you mean tho.
But you would be doing design studios where you would be getting your hands dirty and making all kinds of weird stuff in response to something a lecturer has set you.
Do you mean practical in the "this relates to the real world" sense? Or practical in the "I'm not just writing essays and doing reports" sense. For option one, arch is prob the way to go. For option 2, design just might be your better option. Tho you'd probably have to do intro to design and history of designb type courses - but you can't get out of those.
And don't worry about that "you know you're an..." list too much. There's no pussyfooting happening here - design courses are hard work. But they are rewarding. At least you're not going to be up all night writing research essays. And I find you can do a lot of the work listening to music or watching tv. The thinking mode is diff to other courses. You won't really hear the word "study" as such - cos exams are rarer. Its all about the assignment - and you can make them fun.
Go with ur heart - and do something that you really think you're gonna love - if you hate it, you can change. Seriously, loads of people do it, its normal. There's only so much you can figure out before you actually start the course.

 

[miffytoki]

i recently submitted for a combined architechture/arts degree at UNSW in my UAC preferences....i was wondering...is it necessary to have CAD experience? ....cos i have none.......i've done visual arts...but i imagine thats totally different....ooo and BTW...how much 'maths' is involved?

 

[sor_ju]

omg thats what i want to do hehee.. an architechture/arts degree except im in year 12 next year does anyone know what are the major differences between interior archi and just archi.. becuz im stuck! hehe
fank youuuuuuuu