The BRUTAL truths, facts and HARSH realities about ARCHITECTURE

HOW AN ARCHITECT(URE) BE LIKE?

AR. DIANE A. JOSE

Be like

FOR STUDENTS…
Be like…

Source: School of Architecture – Umea, Sweden

 Be like…

Source: School of Architecture – Washington University, USA

 Be like…

Source:School
Source: taubmancollege.umich.edu
of Architecture – Washington University, USA
 Be like…

Source: classrooms.umd.edu
Be like…

Source: Kansas University - Architecture

Be like

FOR GRADUATES AND

ARCHITECTS…
Be like…
Be like…
Be like…
Be like…
Be like…
In your own understanding before (without the formal study yet on this course),

WHAT IS ARCHITECTURE?
 B
U
s I
c T L
h Ph D
M e Re I C
O mEs N o
DESIGN
E s Es c
L N e
S T p
t
An architect is expected to have a set of
specific skills that facilitate the application of
knowledge he has on a wide variety of issues
and methods.

Architect needsgraphical
communication skill to effectively
communicate his ideas to his clients
and other members of the
construction team.
Skills in Drawing…
Model Making…
Photography…
Graphic Arts…
Printing…
Despite
of those
skills…
Source: Merriam-Webster
Source: Google
Source: Encarta Dictionary
THAT IS WHY…
 10 Benefits of Rejection That Will
Surely Impress You
by J.S. Wayne

1. Rejection motivates us to do better.

2. Rejection reminds us we’re human.
3. Rejection teaches patience.
4. Rejection causes us to explore different
paths.
5. Rejection forces us to re-evaluate ourselves.
 10 Benefits of Rejection That Will
Surely Impress You
by J.S. Wayne

6. Rejection makes us reconsider our goals.

7. Rejection creates opportunities for change.
8. Rejection gives us new ways of looking at
things.
9. Rejection makes us stronger.
10.Rejection is an opportunity for growth.
While rejection
can be painful,
you can see it
also as a
blessing in
disguise…
 The question now is…

HOW WILL YOU DEAL

WITH REJECTION?
In Architectural Education…

REJECTION OF WHAT WE DO (Best):

DESIGN = ARCHITECTURE
In FACT…

EVEN THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS

ARCHITECTS GET REJECTED
Neues Stadt-Casino by Zaha Hadid
Neues Stadt-Casino by Zaha Hadid
Hadid’s proposed design for the Neues Stadt-
Casino for Basel, Switzerland won a
competition four years ago, but Swiss tradition
allows the public to have the final say on
projects of this size that make use of public
money. 62.5% of voters rejected the
proposal, leading it to be scrapped.
Floating London Airport by Norman
Foster
 Floating London Airport by Norman
Foster
• The proposal would use land
that’s not
currently suited for anything
else
Eisenhower Memorial by Frank Gehry
Eisenhower Memorial by Frank Gehry
• The architect’s proposal was finally
scrapped. The Eisenhower family wanted a
memorial that was “simple, sustainable, and
affordable,”.
Kimball Art Center Extension by
Bjarke Ingels
 Kimball Art Center Extension by
Bjarke Ingels
One design after another (3 proposals) has

been rejected.
Miami Beach Convention Center by
Rem Koolhaas
Miami Beach Convention Center by
Rem Koolhaas
A new mayor and city commission decided the
project was too big and ambitious,
scrapping it for something with a smaller
price tag that can be completed more quickly.
Grand Avenue, Los Angeles by
Gensler & Robert A.M. Stern
 Grand Avenue, Los Angeles by
Gensler & Robert A.M. Stern
• The developers brought in local firm Gensler
and New York-based starchitect Robert AM
Stern instead, but their “hasty collaboration”
(seen above) was rejected by the property
owners for being “uninspired and overly
commercial.”
Plaza at Santa Monica by Rem
Koolhaas
 Plaza at Santa Monica by Rem
Koolhaas
• Rem Koolhaas was on track with the 400,000-
square-foot Plaza at Santa Monica, just
waiting for final approval of the proposal to
make things official. But in a surprise move,
the city council rejected OMA’s proposal in
a 5-1 vote despite the mayor calling it “the
most perfect project on this site.”
Now think…
HOW HARD AND CRUEL IS
ARCHITECTURE? (IN THE PHILIPPINES)
 IN SCHOOL University grading systems
are odd and architecture
CONTEXT…
marking is brutal. Students
who’ve been at the top of
their class all their lives arrive
at architecture school and
find themselves struggling to
get middle-of-the-road
marks. Take heart. Your
final grade is far less
important than the skills
and portfolio you’ll build
Source: www.architectural-review.com on your way to it.
Who could help me develop my skills?

(BEST) SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

And where are we?
ADAMSON UNIVERSITY
(ARE WE THE BEST?)
Source: World Ranking Web of Universities
Students and Graduates of Universities and Colleges

HOW MANY?
Source: http://www.philstar.com/
 Higher Education Enrolment
in Government and Private Schools by
Discipline Group
Source: Department of Education

• AY 2013 – 2014: 34,698 (Enrolled in Architectural

and Town Planning)
• Reduce to 2, 268 (Graduates) – according to CHED
2014

• 6.54% National Retention Rate

AdU – College of Architecture AY 2015-2016
(Assumption and Projection)
• First Year : 42 (6 Sections) = 252 students
• Second Year: 35 (4 Sections) = 140 students
• Third Year : 120 students*
• Fourth Year: 80 students*
• Fifth Year: 24 (Design 10) + 45* (Design 9)
Retention Rate:
24/148 (average no. of students from 1st-4th year) = 16.22%
69/148 (average no. of students from 1st-4th year) = 46.62%
(148 x .0654 Nat’l Retention Rate 2014 = 9.68 or 10 students)
 ARCHITECTURE
GRADUATE in 2015
65* Graduates
(2.86% of 2,268)
• Draftsman/CADD Operator
• Construction Site Inspector
• Detailer DESIGN and
• Renderer CONSULTING
• Sales Representative Services
• Project Coordinator, etc.
Source: prc.gov.ph
Source: prc.gov.ph
Does school has something to do with student’s academic performance
and competence?

LET’S FIND IT…

 Did you know?

• Researchers agree that engaged

students learn more, retain more, and
enjoy learning activities more than students
who are not engaged. (Dowson and McInerney, 2001;
Hancock and Betts, 2002; Lumsden, 1994).
 What is ENGAGEMENT?
• Student engagement can be defined as the
level of participation and intrinsic
interest that a student shows in school.
(Newmann, 1992)

• Engagement in schoolwork involves both

behaviors (such as persistence, effort,
attention) and attitudes (such as
motivation, positive learning values,
enthusiasm, interest, pride in success). (Johnson,
Crosnoe, and Elder, 2001)
 BUT…

• Students who are convinced that they

lack the ability to succeed or control the
outcome of their educational experience
will not make an effort to engage or
excel in school-related work. (Skinner, ZimmerGembeck,
and Connell ,1998)
 THE TRUTH…
• Students need to know what it takes to
succeed and believe they can succeed,
given what they know. (Akey, 2006)

• A student who doesn’t think he will be

able to pass the courses needed to graduate is
unlikely to do much work and may
end up cutting class or even
dropping out. (Akey, 2006)
In Architecture Education

WHAT TO LEARN AND WHAT TO

DEVELOP?
 Architecture Education
Aside from the graphical communication skills,
central to architectural education and
practice are management, verbal and
written communication skills. These
will enable them to effectively perform
their leadership role in the building
industry.

- Vitruvius
‘Let him(the Architect) be educated, skillful
with the pencil, instructed in geometry, know
much history, have followed the philosophers
with attention, understand music, have some
knowledge of medicine, know the opinion of
the jurists (critiques), and be acquainted with
astronomy and the theory of heavens’.

- Vitruvius
 ISSUE AND CONCERN
• A school of architecture that bases its
admission criteria on the system stands the
chance of granting admission to poor
students who will ultimately turn out to be
half-baked graduates. (Adewale and
Adhuze, 2014)
What to know?

ARCHITECTURE AND THE STUDENT

Source: thetab.com
Assess yourself…

DO YOU WANNA BE AN
ARCHITECT?
March 24, 2014 By
Ar. Michael Riscica
Source:
youngarchitect.com
 10 Reasons why you SHOULD NOT
become an Architect
1. The glass is always half empty.

This is how architecture is taught. There is always more you could

do, things you could try, or ways it could be better. Your project will
never be done.

Many people learn early on that they pour their heart and soul into
a project, and they have a really hard time with the criticism.

One of the keys to getting past this is learning to disassociate from

“the work”. It helps to think that the work has its own life. The
work is what’s being criticized, not you as a
person. It sounds silly, but a lot of architecture students never
make it past the first year because of this.
 10 Reasons why you SHOULD NOT
become an Architect
2. You’re overly excited about telling people you’re an Architect.

Sure, saying you’re an Architect can be cool in certain situations

every once and while. BUT if this is overly important to you, then
you maybe shouldn’t be an architect.

The inglorious moments of working long and hard, being challenged

by contractors, plans examiners, and difficult clients, will far
outnumber the moments when you look cool for being an
Architect.

pursued if you
Becoming an Architect should only be
are truly passionate about it, and not because you
want to look cool at a party. You will actually get to go to more
parties if you don’t become an Architect.
 10 Reasons why you SHOULD NOT
become an Architect
3. The money sucks

Architecture compares terribly in a cost benefit analysis with other

professions. After college, entry-level salaries have always been
very meagre, and long hours are required.

Many architects don’t start seeing decent money until after they
become somewhat experienced, licensed, and accomplished. This
could take 5-10 years out of college.

People in other professions work a lot less, with less education,

and still make double an Architect’s salary. Being an
Architect is just a different lifestyle.
 10 Reasons why you SHOULD NOT
become an Architect
4. Most architects don’t design

The harsh reality of becoming an architect is that you spend many

years in college being your own Starchitect (Star Architect) in your
imaginary academic bubble.

After college, students just carry out the executive decisions of

others. Many Architects spend their careers implementing the
design decisions of others.
Thepositive side to this is that a lot of great
learning takes place executing others designs. By
hacking your way through each annoying detail, and being in the
trenches, you are becoming better prepared for being the one to
make executive decisions in your future.
10 Reasons why you SHOULD NOT
become an Architect
5. You stink at math

Architects are constantly doing mental math calculations without a

calculator.

If you already struggle with math and calculations, then you will be
greeted with a never-ending supply of calculus, physics, statics, and
general structures. After you finish those classes you will then go on
to study how to calculate beams, floors, and columns in wood,
steel, and concrete.

Architects do quick math all day long. If you’re

not comfortable with math, architecture
may not be for you.
10 Reasons why you SHOULD NOT
become an Architect
6. Hustling is rewarded more than talent

Showing up is frequently 75% of the battle.

People who are half as talented as you, will typically work three
times as hard just to raise the standard. They will be rewarded, get
their buildings built, and frequently outperform you.
Architecture is one of the most competitive professions.
Many people have tons of creative energy deep inside of them
that can become unlocked in a competitive
environment. Embracing the competition is how many
people surprise themselves with what they may be capable of as a
designer.
10 Reasons why you SHOULD NOT
become an Architect
7. Don’t even think about calling yourself an Architect, until you
fulfil all the licensing requirements.

Does anyone want unqualified people to design and construct our

buildings? This is why the licensing process exists.
If you solicit design services that fall into the realm of architecture, or if
you identify yourself an Architect, you could potentially be punished by
the law (PRC).

Architects carry a tremendous responsibility for protecting the health,

safety and welfare of the public. Identifying yourself as an Architect
should be protected similarly to calling yourself a Doctor, Lawyer or a
Police Officer.
10 Reasons why you SHOULD NOT
become an Architect
8. You will spend more time thinking like a Lawyer, than an
Architect.

A stamped set of plans of specifications are considered legal documents

instructing a Contractor the work to be done. A sloppy set of drawings
with errors can become an Architects worst self inflicted nightmare
during construction.

Contractors who are highly skilled at finding small errors (or opportunities to
them) in the Architects drawings and could turn those into very expensive
change orders for the owner.

The drawings and specs will never be perfect. There is also very little room
Good Architects become obsessive,
for error.
systematic, and methodical with how they
craft a set of construction drawings.
10 Reasons why you SHOULD NOT
become an Architect
9. Your good deeds will frequently be punished.

Your clients will decide not to pay you. Others will take credit for your
great ideas. Contractors will rip off your clients and point the finger at you.
You will work very hard on projects and your hard work will go unnoticed.
You could work on a project for years that suddenly got shelved, and in the
end, never gets built.

This is normal and it happens to everyone. The key is not to

take it personally. You will do hundreds of projects in your
lifetime. You cannot always be the hero. After enough disasters you
start to become numb to them and learn to
manage tense moments more effectively.
10 Reasons why you SHOULD NOT
become an Architect
10. The Debbie Downers

A lot of the people in architecture have not had it

easy, and they are quick to remind you of their long hard
journey. Many may try to dampen your dreams of being an
Architect.

Adding more negativity around the subject doesn’t help

anyone or anything. Do
not focus on the negative
instead challenge yourself to do the
opposite.
Since it is WAYBACK WEDNESDAY, ask yourself again…

ARE YOU SURE ON TAKING THIS

COURSE (ARCHITECTURE)?
“andito na eh.. wala ng mgagawa..”
 THOMAS ALVA EDISON
Made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb.
Rancho: “Don’t chase success, chase
excellence and success will follow”
 Farhan Qureshi: "Whatever you enjoy
doing (passion), make that your
profession. Then work won’t seem to be
work, but a game."
 Rancho: "And this is a college, not a
pressure cooker! The lion in a circus learns
that he needs to sit on the chair if his
owner has a whip in his hand. But that lion
is called well-trained, not well-educated”.
VERSUS

Story taken from JOEL OSTEEN Ministry

U R Exquisite!
> beauty, keen, sharp, refine

Now, please answer…

HOW AN ARCHITECT(URE) BE LIKE?