My son wants to be an architect - lots of random questions for DCUMers in the field or otherwise . .

[Anonymous]

Encourage him to find something else to do. Terrible field. Underpaid, exploited, all-nighters, bosses stealing credit for your designs. Awful.

[Anonymous]

I know a total of 3 architects and the three of them are unemployed.

[Anonymous]

DC went through an architecture phase. It influenced college applications, which is why I can relay what's below. But as others have suggested, DC decided it was a difficult field, after talking to our architect friends and interning with an architect and is now planning to major in something else.

Not sure the Building Museum has summer camps for high schoolers. But LOTS of colleges have summer programs for high school kids exploring architecture. Cornell does, and other colleges I forget, but expect to pay several thousand. Also Catholic U if you want to save on room and board, but it's still pricier than your typical summer camp. DC didn't do any of these. Instead DC called up several local, small architecture firms (DC was really committed to architecture at one point!) and lined up an internship (also way cheaper for us).

[Anonymous]

13:46 again. At Catholic U the summer program is called Experiences in Architecture. Over summer 2013 it ran for 3 weeks and cost $1,800.

Https://Architecture.cua.edu/summer programs/experiences.cfm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Architect here. It's sort of a dying field.

Another architect here too, and I could not have said it better myself. The profession has really lost its way. College courses have no relationship to the world, buildings have become 3D printouts from a CAD drawing, the craft has been hijacked by "high art", and search for a job as an "architect" and you will be hard pressed to find ones that refer to other than software designers and web specialists. I would suggest anyone interested in the profession become an engineer with a minor in architecture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Combine it with Urban Planning and suggest internships at the AIA and other related groups, so he can learn more about context. He should also add greatergreaterwashington to his RSS feed to learn about local discussion.

There are also architectural historians and designers of all kinds.

Combine it with an MBA. I'm an architect and wish I had done this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you submit a portfolio if you are applying for undergrad?

For many programs you do need a portfolio for an undergrad program. This took me by suprise when I was a senior in high school. I have a BA in Architecture and a MS in Interior Design but now work as a construction manager because the work pays better and is much more flexible/ family friendly.

Give your son the opportunity to explore this field via summer camps and art classes but at the same time help him explore all of the related fields. Saying you want to be an architect can mean many things. Kids tend to want to be easily identifiable professions: doctor, architect, fireman, teacher etc. You don't meet many kids that say they want to be a program analyst. When I was younger I wanted to be an architect like Mr. Brady on the Brady bunch. Obviously not reality

Please don't listen to the posters telling you to back off. You are being a good parent by showing your child you are listening to him and respect his interests even though they may not be your own. He is a lucky kid. Let him explore the field and keep anything he draws or creates just in case you need to pull it together for a portfolio later on.