Hi guys, I've been considering upgrading my skillset towards a more architectural orientation, and was curious what you might think a better or more useful or practical elective course might be; a software course, like BLDG 2800 (Revit) or 2870 (Vectorworks), or something like BLDC 3050 (Building Envelope Performance)?
The courses are here:
Big:
Before even looking at the links, what are you now, where do you want to end up, and how do you plan to get there?
You left out why. Why does the OP want to upgrade their skill set towards a more architectural orientation? Are they looking for more knowledge, more marketability, more money...?
RWell, as some of you know, I currently do graphic design, however, I also have Autocad, as well as clients and potential clients, including those who I've designed furniture for, interested in my doing architectural designwork for them over time-- in foreign countries too-- certainly an attractive, and even romantic notion.
I also feel dissatisfied with the lack of concreteness, intangeability or impracticality of flat graphic design in general, versus architectural in specific. I prefer my designs to exist beyond the flat or the virtual. I also like the idea of a kind of independence, insofar as knowing how a house is put together, and being able to build one.
I have also been interested forever in alternative and green architecture and sources of energy, such as solar and wind, as well of course as a general interest in architecture (ie., been here on alt.arch for over 4 years), and my aptitudes (and old aptitude tests) consistently have it among the highest on the list.
Since I already have Autocad, I suspect that courses specifically dealing with architecture, rather than software, would be preferrable, although, I suppose I could learn it on the job if I was to get one more easily with extra software skills. As for a full-blown degree in architecture, I suppose that's possible, too, but for now, it's one thing at a time. :)
In that case I would learn everything I can about building buildings.
I sure wish I had a real school of architecture accessible to me. The school I graduated from in my locale is narrow in its focus and does not provide useful education and training for one's self to actually work in a real architectural firm, doing real work, for real people. The btic course curriculum appears to do so. Wow!
So yes, by all means take more classes but note the focus on CAD is production work cranking out CD's drafting for an architectural employer. That's going to get you employed as a grunt because the CD's are what the architect gets paid for and you will only learn about those types of buildings the employer is able to get jobs for. If you want to learn about other typologies you'll have to go work for some other architectural firm. You spend half of your career begging for a job. Eventually you sit in a corner cranking out the same sh!t day in and day out. Furthermore, CAD and drafting are not what most architects actually do after they get their license when they have to get into the business of architecture.
You see, architecture is now controlled by fascists hence all licensed architects are fascists. The fascists determine who can work and who can not work and they establish the terms. If you do not submit yourself to working for them and making them money they will not allow you to get a license. That means you will never actually be working as an architect and if you try to do so the fascists can and have you criminally prosecuted as if you were a criminal for drawing pictures. If you are not the architect you will always be "staff" and in the larger firms even the architects become "staff."
So, the question is are you are prepared to become a fascist? If so you need to learn what that really means in the real world, where architects and others that are licensed become fascists. Learn about fascism and recognize fascism for what it is and how fascism as currently used by those who control what would otherwise be our freedoms and liberties to persue happiness. For those who actually know the law and the princicples of what was once a fine and honorable nation, America was founded on such laws and principles but the Jewnited States and fascism is how the nation has become.
Learn about fascism and you'll know everything you need to know to make decisions about a "career" because most choices are not yours at all. Your choices will be dictated by the fascists and all you need to figure out is if you want to submit to their will or not or do something else with your life.
Software development for example remains genuinely merit based and even mid-level jobs pay as much or as well as the highest paid architects. What about being free to seek your own success for example? I never even heard of any architects designing something in their basement that they could sell to somebody like a Google for $1.6 billion. Now, do you still want to be a draftsman for fascists who might or might not like you enough to allow you to get a license and actually become an architect?
Now, If I were smart enough to understand what is being said here -- and -- I did not intend to become a licensed fascist and though my life's work could be accomplised as an employee grunt I would still teach myself to use Revit and I would learn how to develop software using C# and the Microsoft .NET Framework.
That way I could employ myself working as the grunt giving me a fall-back position while I spent my time developing a nefarious plan to write software and develop skills coding software applications that integrate with Revit and other software used in construction processes building on my entire knowledge base keeping it interesting allowing me to one day own, sell and control my own product or service.
That's my life plan dude. Be good enough at something you own and control which will turn the fascists into your customers and they will then pay you and dependent on you. Which way do you want it to be? Fascism or Freedom?
Ditto... Learn about BUILDINGS. People who know how buildings go together are valuable. CAD monkeys are not...
AFAIK, BCIT's courses in that regard are for architectural technicians and architectural "scientists" (
I suppose then that it's good that I posted a new thread called Contracts. ;)
Really?! Is that how it works? Well, could an architect-to-be and an already-architect friend license them?
:(
Like Martha Stewart and her salad, I just want to focus on my house design.
"On June 25, 2002, she appeared on CBS' The Early Show, and when asked by Jane Clayson about the ImClone scandal during a cooking segment, she replied, 'I just want to focus on my salad.' "
Is Martha Stewart or Cathy Lee Gifford Jewish? What about the smartest Enron guys in the room?
What if I am self-employed, or decide to live with "natives" somewhere in a forest that is under threat to logging and/or other "development" interests?
Maybe that's in part why architects might feel the need to be fascist.
Maybe they write floor-plan books.
Maybe yes, if it was a she, and she wore black leather and lace, chained me to her desk, expected me to ass-kiss and made me clean her pencil-erasers and vacuum her carpet after-hours. I hear the male to female ratio makes this scenerio more likely than ever before.
What are you doing? Architecture?
That's the idea!
I wish you well... You might like to consider hooking up with Per Corel-- seriously. I think he writes software plugins for Architecture CAD.
Freedom of course.
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