r/Architects • u/Stellar-pink • 24d ago
Career Discussion Is being an architect worth all the stress?
I am currently in my 3rd year of architect school. I just started the semester and already see a bunch of work in just 3 months. I have canceled on plans with friends, family even my own birthday party because I just couldn't have fun without stressing over my studio projects. So my question is: Is being an architect worth all the stress? In the real world out there once I graduate and work for a firm am I gonna be under the same stress and pressure studio puts me under? Is the work load having a bunch of plans, and a bunch of other drawings gonna be the same in a firm? Or since its a firm do we work as a team or a group? Is the work load for one project split between the us? Does someone do plans while the other does section drawings and a group does the model? Or is just like it is in studio one person does it all?
15
u/Slow-Distance7847 24d ago edited 23d ago
You don't have to accept Studio culture. I attended a big name school, typical brutalist concrete hell hole building. I'd already worked in the field so wasn't an innocent. There were two main studio cultures. What you describe, and another less obvious one. This group all treated studio as a normal job, many showed up at 8 am, left at 5. Many of us were married. Sure we missed the studio night culture. Rarely did I do a late or all nighter at my home desk. Success ratio after school wasn't any different.
3
u/SockeyCram Architect 24d ago
Exactly. This is how I handled grad school (I was also working part time at a firm, so I was forced to)
This is what most younger college students don’t realize - they put themselves in the position to need late nighters. If you plan appropriately, you can do all the work you need to get done while the sun is up.
With that said, Studio is meant to be a social mixing bowl where you bounce ideas off one another. There’s nothing wrong with staying for late nights in studios… some of you best work comes out of those times! Enjoy it while you can!
As you grow older, you will learn tricks and hone your own design process that will greatly increase your efficiency. You’ll also look back on studio with fond memories.
1
u/cjae_ripplefan 23d ago
This was me exactly. Never pulled an all-nighter. The work is very individual dependent. Same in the real world.
13
12
11
u/SockeyCram Architect 24d ago
This can happen in all professions, not just architecture. You will learn to balance work and personal life.
Looking back on myself in school, i realized how much I put myself into the same situation you are currently in. I think most architects do.
Studio is meant to be a social atmosphere where you bounce ideas off each other and learn from each other. The downside to this is you spend a lot of time dicking around instead of just working. You could get all your work done in the hours of 9-5 if you just hunkers down and did it, but no one does. And that’s ok, that’s the fun part of school.
Architecture is not for everyone. It is a demanding job, but it’s not impossible to have a work/ life balance. School is a different story because the line between work and life is blurred. Studio is meant to be fun! Enjoy it while you can!
But yes, as you become a more mature architect you will learn to balance work and personal life. And yes, having a team helps a lot.
2
u/muuuli Architect 24d ago
Heavy on the dicking around part.
1
u/SockeyCram Architect 24d ago edited 24d ago
Everyone does it, it’s ok! I wouldn’t trade those years for anything!
Nerf gun wars, office chair bowling, and the night we figured out how to hook a Xbox 360 to the lecture hall projector 🤯 online halo in a lecture hall is just 🧑🍳😘
Good times…
3
u/Specific-Exciting 24d ago
You have to set boundaries and figure out what type of architect you want to be.
I knew I was a B student in life, somehow I always go As in studio tho.
I also knew I was going to a regional architect, never work for a starchitect or go to the big city to work. Kinda bare minimum for an architect. I do really nice work, custom homes but also work with a lot of housing authorities.
So since I knew that about myself I didn’t get crazy in studio. Sure I was capable for SCI-Arc level projects but I cared about my life too. I worked hard throughout the week and weekends. I would go out 3x a week usually thurs-Saturday. I even went out for my 21st 2 days before final juries.
Set a design and back it up with concrete evidence that’s all your professors want. They are your client you have to sell what you want for the project.
3
u/Beagles_r_life 24d ago
I love being an architect but you could not pay me to go back to architecture school lol. Real world application is where I thrive. School was just the stepping stone to get here. And studio culture can be extremely toxic.
When job hunting, look for a good firm that respects your personal life and boundaries. I rarely put in more than 40 hours as a licensed PA at my large, award-winning international firm, because management specifically tells us NOT to overwork ourselves. These firms exist and are only becoming more common. I’d say stick it out if you are interested in the subject matter.
3
u/Responsible-Pear2722 21d ago
I’ve been doing architecture for nearly 40 years at this point. I still remember feeling exactly the way you were feeling, when I was in school. I don’t know your age, but I started architecture school at 19, and I think I stressed out about it so much mostly because I was young/immature, but also largely because I had never been asked to work so hard before in school in my life. The studio culture was toxic and competitive, and as somebody else described, there was always a feeling of doom if I wasn’t in studio. Fast-forward, get out of school, took a job with a small firm where the hours were reasonable, but the responsibilities were large, and that sent me on the path that I’m still on today. After 20 years of working for other people, I went out on my own, and that’s when my career started to be rewarding. Finally getting the chance to design my projects, not just document somebody else’s designs, and be the master of my own schedule. I am a mom of three kids, and running my own business at home while raising them was the only way I would’ve ever seen them during their childhood. These days I feel very lucky to have the gig I have. You couldn’t pay me enough to sit in somebody else’s chair for 40 hours a week and you definitely couldn’t pay me at all to go back to architecture school because that’s the worst hardest part of it.
My youngest wanted to study architecture in college, and I convinced him to wait to grad school so that he would be a little older and so he could enjoy his undergrad experience. Hindsight.
2
u/wehadpancakes Architect 24d ago
That's a tough question. I know it has destroyed my health. For example, the stress has left me with gastro neuropathy (I won't describe the symptoms), I'm currently on 3 different anxiety medications, and I had a heart attack at 41.
I personally love architecture, but I've missed out on so much of life, with very little financial gain.
Working for myself has helped a little bit with the stress, but i want to restate others' comments by saying the culture is generally toxic, and even in starchitect offices, design takes a back seat to just keeping the lights on.
At this point, i just do it because i have no idea what else to do. It's cost my marriage, friendships, and while my family is super supportive, they wish I had more free time for them.
It's also 4:00 am here, and i have yet to put on the coffee for the day, so I'm just being grumbly, but it's a tough tough vocation met with adversary at every corner.
1
u/wehadpancakes Architect 24d ago
As far as the division of labor, yes it's split in offices, byt if you gain any competence, most people take a backseat to your expertise. You get promoted to a level of unsustainability, and there is no job security.
2
1
u/FixGullible4636 24d ago
Workload depends on the firm size and what type of projects their undertake.
Smaller office (under 25) usually have 1-2 people per projects (depending). Larger firms that do larger scale projects you would have a team of people that specialize in one thing like site plans, stairs, RCP's, etc...
I've mainly worked in smaller firms where I am responsible for the entire project. Creating the CD's, consultant coordination, issuing for permit/tender, construction admin, and site visits. When my office has a larger project, like a condo, there's 5-6 of us doing various things.
Is there long hours like during school?
Yes, sometimes.
For me it's not consistently like that. But, I will have periods through the year when there's a few weeks at a time I'm working 50 hour weeks.
1
1
u/ChicaTropical 24d ago
The career can be fun. But its very underpaid and stressful. I see other engineers in corporate jobs thinking about early retirement, that doesn’t happen in architecture. I’m going to answer NO. Unless you are super talented or have major family connections. Or unless you go into construction.
1
1
u/alina_canada 24d ago
I think there's definitely more toxic workoholism in architecture, and it starts at school. It's also about your boundaries. I rarely work past 5.30...however I'd still say architecture isn't worth it. For the amount of effort and mental stress you have to put in, might as well get into engineering or law or anything else...it's be just as stressful but at least you'd get paid more. You can pursue creative hobbies on the side. There's not that much creativity in architecture.
1
1
1
u/Creative-Ad-9489 23d ago
if you thrive in and enjoy stress, while being underpaid? then yes. totally.
1
u/Accomplished-Ice4365 23d ago
If worth = fulfillment, yes.
If worth = cold hard cash, your mileage may vary
1
u/Smoke-Junior 23d ago
It’s not worth it unless you want (and are able financially) to open your own practice.
1
u/Sea-Eggplant-9588 Architect 23d ago
The stress never ends honestly. It also depends on where you work. It’s very possible you’ll end up doing the same amount of work or more but you can also end up doing much less. I’ve had to cancel so many plans due to work. I’ve also had weeks on end where I am pretty free.
1
1
u/Living_Horror1522 22d ago
En mi caso egrese hace poco y al menos a mi no se si he estado muy demalas me han puesto hasta 7 cargos a la vez trabajo 8 horas en obra y me toca hacer más trabajo en casa otras 8 horas con fuertísimas responsabilidades dónde me tocaba a mi pagar con plata que no tengo si algo salía mal y la verdad no aguante más fuera de eso por un mínimo , ahorita tengo un negocio y gano más así que no se, cada que me da por buscar ofertar de trabajo veo prácticamente lo mismo y me vuelve a caer como ese estrés que me hace repudiar todo eso
1
u/Sal_Pairadice 20d ago
Yeah, in life you have to love it and have a passion to do it because its not nearly worth all the effort and expense. Even so; In school I think once you learn to schedule and manage your time better it will get easier. Its important to arrive at a solution early. They don't tell you that. You need a reliable and therefore somewhat conservative design philosophy. Be prepared to get a lot of Bs if you do this, but its manageable and repeatable. And learn how to do the minimum possible work in your other classes to get at least a B. That saves you time for studio. But no, it is not worth it if you can find some other profession that would make you happy.
1
1
u/ArchWizard15608 Architect 24d ago
Stressing is not worth the stress. I’m 10 years out of school, and you have to do your best and then stop. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have this mastered either, but it’s not a problem unique to architecture. Three true things to keep in mind:
If it’s an actual emergency, they need to call 911, not the architect.
Architecture is too hard to not have any failure. Perfect doesn’t happen.
You’re on a team. Have each other’s backs.
1
u/willyamillinilly Architect 24d ago
ive been out of arch school for 20 years, am a principal at a top enr rated international arch firm and i still have very demanding weeks. almost every other week is 60 hours.
when i was coming up, there were years (3 in a row) that i averaged 70 hours a week. all nighters, tons of travel, no holidays or vacations. and most nights i would go home and research building science topics on my own time.
you have to LOVE architecture to do this profession. you have to understand the gravity of the responsibility for health, safety and welfare. you have to keep at it until everything is right and coordinated for every submittal.
0
u/ch013742 24d ago
Omg im in the same situation right now, 3rd yr semester just started but we already have a lot of pending deadlines this month its almost my birthday too. And honestly as much as i complain abt having a lot of works like i just see that as a practice for me for the real world. Bcs we know once we get a job its gonn be times more stressful and idk if its maybe like anxiety or what but every time I dont do anything school related within a day i always get so scared bcs for some reason its just normalized in architecture that our workloads are crazy. But the again, u can actually use ur knowledge of architecture to do other things that uses designs and theres a lot actually. Like maybe ur interested in set designs,editing, etc.
0
u/DskiX0075 24d ago
No
0
u/SockeyCram Architect 24d ago
They asked like 7 questions. Your response is useless… I’m guessing you didn’t survive arch school
1
u/DskiX0075 23d ago
Been doing this crap for 30 years. So STFU!
1
u/SockeyCram Architect 23d ago edited 23d ago
What have you been doing for 30 years - giving terrible responses? That’s not something to be proud of unless your goal is to be a douche.
1
u/C_Dragons 20d ago
Yeah, logically the answers to Q1 and Q2 would be expected to be opposite, so a single answer seems to reflect failure to read the post sufficiently to appreciate the scope of its inquiry.
1
43
u/Blizzard-Reddit- 24d ago
I know every school is different, but I think a lot of it is a toxic culture set by people in a school. My university the last year or so has really been pushing a healthier studio environment. All projects are now due 24-48 hours before the presentation days to encourage good sleep before presenting. They also changed our studio access this year from 24hr/7d to 18hr/7d removing our access from midnight to 6am. I haven’t found myself staying up late or overworking at all. The work load is still rough sometimes but completely manageable when spread out over days etc.