Jay Salinas

8/22/16
Mr. Gustafson
7th Period
Architecture: The Beautiful Science
Architecture comes from the Greek word, arkhitekton, arkhi meaning chief and tekton
meaning builder. Architects are not just artists doodling strange designs. They are designers who
have the ability to dream up a building and bring it to reality. To be a successful architect you
must to have the ability to juggle many disciplines at one time while working on a project such
as, calculations, lines, proportions, and relations. Architects need a wide range of understanding
and comprehension of subjects in order to perform their job. All aspects of building are necessary
in order to do well as an architect. Architects need both an artistic and scientific side to them and
both sides need to work together in architecture.
An architects main job is to plan and design houses and other structures. People need
places to live, work, and perform other daily activities. Architects are responsible for creating
these required structures. An architect has many duties that are performed on a daily basis. One is
to meet and wow the clients with the requirements for the structure. They also develop final
construction plans after the initial meeting. While doing this, architects have to keep in mind the
drawings of the structural system, air conditioning, heating and electrical systems, etc. Another
big part of being an architect is creating drawings and documents, either by hand or by computer
software. Architects draft using computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) and also building
information modeling (BIM). This software has replaced the traditional drafting by hand.
Although it isnt the most traditional way to draft anymore, hand-drawing skills are still required.

Jay Salinas
8/22/16
Mr. Gustafson
7th Period
Architects spend most of their time in an office where they will meet with clients, create
drawings, and work with other architects and peers. Although architects are mainly involved with
the design process and not as much with the construction, architects visit the construction sites to
make sure that contractors are sticking to the design. An architects job is not complete until the
construction is finished and the construction fees are payed off. Architects can also help select
the contractors and negotiate construction instructions. Along with cooperating with contractors,
architects often work with interior designers and landscape architects. Architects also will have
to work full time and many architects will work extra hours in order to meet a deadline.
However, self-employed architects have much more flexible schedules.
In order to become an architect there are three main steps: completing a professional
degree in architecture, gaining experience through a paid internship, and passing the Architect
Registration Examination. The education usually required to become an architect is a
professional degree in architecture. This can be accomplished by completing a five year Bachelor
of Architecture degree program. A typical bachelors degree program includes architectural
history and theory, building design with emphasis in CADD, and construction methods.
Architects also need to be fluent in math, physical science, and liberal arts. Some of the best
architecture schools in the nation include, the Harvard Graduate School of Design, the Yale
School of Architecture, and even the University of New Mexico School of Architecture and
Planning which is ranked twenty second in the nation. However 34 states require that architects
have a degree from one of the 123 schools of architecture certified by the National Architecture
Accrediting Board. Many architects earn their masters degree in architecture, which can take an

Jay Salinas
8/22/16
Mr. Gustafson
7th Period
extra couple of years to complete. The amount of time required is dependent upon the amount of
previous architectural experience each student has accumulated.
After getting all the necessary educational requirements, an aspiring architect should be
looking to complete a paid internship. This internship usually will last about three years. This
amount can vary between students depending on their skill level. However, they all must take the
Architect Registration Examination. Many internships can be very competitive, with many
students fighting for one spot at a firm. This internship is usually completed by working at
architecture firms through the Intern Development Program. The Intern Development program
introduces interns through the internship process. Interns will help design parts of a project by,
not only fetching Starbucks, but by also preparing documents and drawings for the firm.
Licensed architects will edit the documents and drawings given to them by interns. After
completing the three year internship and the successful completion of the Architect Registration
Examination, a budding architect can earn his/her license. All states, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the
U.S Virgin Islands require an architect to be licensed. Even after an architect gets a license, some
states may require special education through workshops and classes. After many years of
experience some architects advance and become architectural managers. Architectural managers
manage and work on bigger architecture projects.
According to archdaily.com, the top three architecture firms in the country are Gensler in
San Francisco, CH2M Hill in Edgewood, and AECOM Technology Corp in Los Angeles. While
CH2M Hill and AECOM Technology Corp. focus mainly on architectural design, Gensler
branches out into many different types of design, from interior design to computer graphics. The

Jay Salinas
8/22/16
Mr. Gustafson
7th Period
median pay for an architect is $70,100 annually, as of May 2015. However some architects can
earn up to $125,520 or as low as $46,080 a year. The employment of architects is expected to
grow about 7% from 2014-2024, which is as fast as the average employment growth. In this time
period, 7,800 jobs are to open up for architects, and with a high number of students graduating,
competition for internships and jobs are to be expected. Updated technical skills in CADD and
BIM and a previous background in design would be advantageous to an architect trying to earn a
spot in a top firm. Architecture is also very dependent on construction activity. Just like many
other occupations, architects may face a period of slow employment due to a lack of
construction.
High schoolers looking into architecture should consider and acknowledge that
architecture is a rigorous course. Architectural firms and schools recommend that a high schooler
looking into architecture take honors and AP courses, in order to prepare for coursework. They
also recommend studio art classes and a good understanding in 3D design, CADD, and BIM.
Other classes such as foreign language and speech or debate, are qualities that an architect should
acquire during high school. Architects should also develop communication skills by taking
humanities courses. These communication courses will help when communicating with a client.
Becoming an architect is a rigorous and challenging process. It isnt the easiest profession
to pursue by any means, and neither is the workload once you are an architect. However, the
payoff is amazing. Architects can make amazingly brilliant structures. Structures like the
Gateway Arch in Missouri, The Birds Nest in Beijing, China, and Sagrada Familia in Barcelona,
Spain, have all been possible thanks to great architectural teams. Architecture has brought beauty

Jay Salinas
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Mr. Gustafson
7th Period
to the world in a whole new way. Many new breath taking buildings are being constructed today
and will bring new beauty to the world.

Word Count- 1,163 words.

Works Cited
"Architecture Schools." Best. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Aug. 2016.

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Mr. Gustafson
7th Period
Hamad, Munir M. AutoCAD 2011 Essentials. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2011.
Print.
"Becoming an Architect." NCARB. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2016.
"Career StagesStudent." Student. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2016.
"Gensler." Gensler. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2016.
"High School Preparation." Syracuse Architecture. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2016.
"What-We-Do." CH2M. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2016.
"Projects - AECOM." AECOM. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2016.
Schonberger, Nick. "The Top 50 Architectural Achievements of the Modern World." Complex.
N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2016.
Summary. U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. Us. Bureau of Labor Statistics, n.d. Web. 22
August. 2016.
"Top 300 US Architecture Firms." ArchDaily. N.p., 2014. Web. 25 Aug. 2016.