Dr. Douglas MacLeod, Chair - RAIC Centre for …architecture.athabascau.ca/docs/education.pdf · Dr. Douglas MacLeod, Chair The RAIC Centre for Architecture at Athabasca University

Architecture: Careers & Education Dr. Douglas MacLeod, Chair

The RAIC Centre for Architecture at Athabasca University

http://architecture.athabascau.ca/ 2010

(Updated 2013)

Architectural Education in Canada Page 2

ARCHITECTURE: EDUCATION AND CAREERS

Note: The information contained in this document is an attempt to provide accurate and up to date information about careers in architecture BUT all information can change so you should verify everything in this document before you act on it.

Remember as well, that some of the information in this document just represents my opinion or the opinion of others.

1. What Architects Do Architects design and oversee the construction of buildings. Good architects make functional buildings but great architects make places that become powerful experiences.

2. Drawing The single most important thing in succeeding in your education and career as an architect is to draw. It is critical that you draw every day. It doesn’t matter what you draw as long as you do it all the time. The more you draw, the better your portfolio will be, the easier it will be to complete your assignments at college or university and the more successful you will be in your career. Start keeping a sketchbook now. Draw in it daily. Carry it with you. Draw when you’re bored. The only way to make a good drawing is to make 100 bad ones – but don’t tear them out. Learn from them. Repeat for the rest of your life.


3. Ways to Become an Architect or Architectural Technologist

Figure 1: The Pathway to Become an Architect via a Masters program

Architect (About 10 years)

The traditional way to become an architect involves the following steps: a) Complete a Bachelors Degree in a field related to architecture such as Fine

Arts or Environmental Design (4 years) – make sure it includes a design studio component (see Undergraduate Degrees below)

b) Study at and graduate from an accredited university (see Masters Degrees below) with a Masters degree in architecture (an M. Arch) (2 Years)

c) Enter the Internship in Architecture Program (IAP). For more information on the IAP download the pdf from http://www.oaa.on.ca/the%20oaa/join%20the%20oaa/intern%20architect

d) Pass the Examination for Architects in Canada (ExAC) exams. For more information on the ExAC download the pdf from http://www.exac.ca/en/preparation/guide.html

e) Registration - Each province in Canada has an Architectural Association that regulates the profession in that province. To practice you must be a member of


an association such as the AIBC (Architectural Institute of British Columbia) or the AAA (Alberta Association of Architects).

Architectural Technologist (2 to 3 Years)

In this route, you study and graduate as an architectural technologist from an accredited college. An architectural technologist while not a registered architect is a very rewarding career. Most architectural technology programs take 2 or 3 years (depending on the college) and provide you with a diploma in architectural technologist. Upon graduation you are eligible for registration as a technologist. Some architectural technologists choose to become an architect through the Syllabus route (see below). Others take additional courses to become eligible to apply to a Masters program.

RAIC Syllabus (10+ Years) The RAIC Syllabus consists of studio, work experience and academic components taken while working under the supervision of a licensed Canadian Architect. The academic components of the program are shared between a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Architecture. Together, the studio and work experience (offered by RAIC) and the academic components (offered by Athabasca University) fulfill the requirements of the RAIC Syllabus Professional Diploma in Architecture. To deliver the academic components the partners have formed the RAIC Centre for Architecture at Athabasca University. The strength of the renewed RAIC Syllabus is that it allows adult learners to earn a quality university education in architectural studies regardless of their personal, geographic, career or family commitments. It does, however, take longer than the Masters route to licensing. Students who wish to become part of the RAIC Syllabus first register with RAIC. Those who successfully complete all the requirements of the program will be awarded the RAIC Syllabus Professional Diploma in Architecture and can then apply to the Canadian Architecture Certification Board (CACB) for individual assessment and certification and eventual licensure by their relevant provincial/ territorial regulatory authority

What does accredited mean? Accredited means a school of architecture has been reviewed by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) and they have approved its program of education as adequate preparation for its students to apply to become architects. If you want to follow the traditional route to becoming an architect you MUST go to an accredited schools. What happens in a design studio? In a design studio you are assigned a problem and you work individually or in groups to draw up a solution. You then present your drawings or models to your fellow students and professors in what is called a “crit.” These can be brutal. These studios are often considered to be more important than your other classes.


4. Things to do to help you succeed 1. Draw 2. Draw 3. Draw 4. Visit the School or Schools you think you want to attend – each one has a different culture –

make sure you understand its culture 5. Visit an architect’s office to understand what they really do – despite what I said earlier, as

you get promoted further and further in an architecture firm you spend less and less time drawing and more and more time managing people and projects – make sure you understand this.


5. Undergraduate Degrees in Architecture 13 different post-secondary institutions offer undergraduate degrees in architecture but as the table below demonstrates these can be very different credentials. Some institutions offer a pre-professional degree and others offer architectural studies. The difference is that pre-professional programs include more design studios and more technical courses. As such there are generally regarded as more intensive than a program of architectural studies. The undergraduate degree you obtain can have a real impact on where you are placed in a Masters program. Some Masters program may require you to take an extra year of study if your undergraduate degree is not considered to be rigorous enough. Make sure you ask about this when applying to any undergraduate program. Institution Faculty Degree Years

1 BCIT School of Construction and the Environment

Bachelor of Technology in Architectural Science

4

2 Carleton University School of Architecture and Urbanism

Bachelor of Architectural Studies

4

3 Dalhousie University Faculty of Architecture and Planning

Bachelor of Environmental Design Studies

4

4 McGill University Faculty of Engineering/School of Architecture

Bachelor of Science (Architecture)

4

5 Ryerson University Department of Architectural Science

Bachelor of Architectural Science

4

6 Université Laval Faculté d'Aménagement, d'Architecture, d'Art et de Design

Baccalauréat en architecture(B. Sc. Arch)

3

7 University of British Columbia

School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture

Bachelor of Environmental Design

4

8 University of Calgary Environmental Design/Fine Arts Bachelor of Fine Art, Minor in Architectural Studies

4

9 University of Manitoba Faculty of Architecture Bachelor of Environmental Studies

4

10 University of Toronto Architecture, Landscape and Design/Arts and Science

Bachelor of Arts, Architectural Studies

4

11 UQAM Faculté des arts Baccalauréat en design de l'environnement

3

12 Waterloo University School of Architecture Bachelor of Architectural Studies

4

Just Opened 13 Laurentian University Faculty of Professional Schools Bachelor of Architectural

Studies (BAS) 4

May Open in the Future 14 University of

Saskatchewan College of Engineering Unknown ?

Table 1: Undergraduate Architecture Programs in Canada


6. Masters Degrees in Architecture

Check out http://www.canadianarchitect.com/links/links.asp#Schools of Architecture in Canada The following schools have an accredited Masters of Architecture program:

1. The University of British Columbia School of Architecture 2. The University of Calgary Architecture Program 3. The University of Manitoba Department of Architecture 4. The University of Waterloo School of Architecture 5. The University of Toronto Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design 6. Ryerson University Architectural Science 7. Carleton University School of Architecture 8. Université de Montreal École d'architecture 9. McGill University School of Architecture 10. Université Laval École d'architecture 11. Dalhousie University Faculty of Architecture

Each has a website. Check them out. Figure out which one is right for you. Talk to recent graduates. Visit the ones that seem right for you.


The next few sections are based on comments from practitioners and professors regarding some of the key aspects of an architectural education.

7. Portfolio Every school of architecture will want you to submit a portfolio of your work to get into their Masters program. Some of this will be developed during your bachelor degree. In general, the schools are looking for evidence of your creativity – not your drafting skills (don’t submit high school drafting assignments). Show a variety of different kinds of work – hand drawings, photography, digital work, sculptures). Here’s what a number of professors and practitioners shared with me: Practitioners “Portfolio is still important, but my sense is that each school has their own attitude to what they offer and are looking for, so it would be best for the students to do their homework on what distinguishes the schools from one another.” “Not sure about marks and portfolios but I’d guess it’s still true. I think everyone would expect that you have a digital format (PDF) portfolio to hand over. When I get resumes in office I detest separate disks (risk of virus) and having to go to a website to look but not sure if you apply that to students.” Professors McGill “I think that very few admissions committees have the time to wade through electronic submissions (USB, DVD, etc). Until portfolios are formatted and dropped onto a school-administered website, paper will be the norm. This is what we tell students who ask about the portfolio: The portfolio is an essential component of our admission requirements – it provides examples of your creative and graphic work, illustrates your skills and interests, and shows us how you organize your ideas. We are especially interested in samples of design work, if any, and other creative activities, such as freehand drawing, architectural drawing, painting, sculpture, photography and so on. We recognize that very few applicants can be expected to apply with significant design or architectural experience, and as a result we are much more interested in work that expresses your creativity and provides evidence of imagination and curiosity about the world.” Waterloo “Waterloo relies heavily on portfolio review and ‘manual’ work remains a strong reference, valued alongside digital work. The purpose of a portfolio is to demonstrate both personal depth and ability. Photorealist ‘art’ renderings of photographs (a prevailing assignment, it seems, from high school art)


have only very limited relevance, although in some cases that can demonstrate aspects of graphic ability. In your portfolio, try to demonstrate sustained thoughtful creative explorations. Fluency in a variety of disciplines can be an asset; sustained depth in selected disciplines is definitely an asset. Coherent bodies of independent work tend to be more valuable than school assignments. Hand drawing and journal-keeping, especially related to thoughtful, reflective observation of the built and natural environment, remain excellent evidence of a candidate’s interior life.” Ryerson “Our undergraduate admissions process is probably very different than other programs -- students have to come in, do a written and sketch exam, and submit a portfolio for review. Graduates have a hard copy portfolio submission and interview I believe.”

8. Marks There are usually 4 or 5 applicants for every student admitted to architecture programs in Canada. Having really good marks just gets you in the door. So you have to do well in high school to get into a good bachelor’s program and then do well in that program to get into a Master’s of Architecture program. Practitioners “Again each school is still unique here. Graduate level students come from a wide range of backgrounds, particularly at University of Toronto, whereas Waterloo students tend to come from a design background.” Professors Ryerson “Students need B+ marks in English and math for priority placement here.” McGill “Academic background, portfolio, and letters of reference are the three main elements, but we also look for evidence of leadership, community service, involvement in higher level athletics, and other extra-curricular activities.” Waterloo “Good grades in a range of disciplines, both humanities and hard-science based, are things we look for. While there are set criteria for ‘prerequisite’ courses, the admissions jury will tend to look more holistically at the candidate’s academic record, searching for evidence of thoughtful, intelligent, penetrating insight, capability for leadership in the future…this does not automatically mean you have to be a ‘good citizen’ in high school though, and independence can sometimes be a virtue as well. But the ritual of gaining very good grades is, it is safe to say, a prerequisite to being taken seriously as a candidate.”


9. What Degree do you get when you Graduate? As noted above, 11 Schools of Architecture offer an accredited Masters of Architecture degree. To enter these programs you will need an undergraduate or bachelor’s degree. Often students will complete a Bachelor of Environmental Design or a Bachelor of Arts with a major or focus in architecture (see the table above for a full list of possible undergraduate degrees). Tuition for these Masters programs is around $8000 or more per year and your will also need an additional $4000 for books and supplies If you want to teach or perform research you will want to consider a PhD. Waterloo “Bachelor’s degrees are widely offered, and they provide an honourable ‘exit’ for students who elect not to go all the way through a Master’s and alternately they provide an entry into varying master’s programs.”

10. Co-op Programs In a Co-op Program students study for part of the year and then work in architectural offices (or related professions) for part of the year. This can provide great experience. Only Waterloo and Dalhousie universities have co-op programs.

11. Graduate Programs Outside of Canada You may want to consider taking a Master’s degree or a post-professional Master’s degree (which means you specialize in a particular area of interest such as Urban Design) at a university outside of Canada. A degree from a prestigious American university can help your career but it is very, very, very expensive. Some of the most highly regarded American and European universities in terms of architecture are:

1. Graduate School of Design, Harvard University (Boston) 2. Columbia University (New York) 3. Yale University (New Haven, Connecticut) 4. SCI-Arc (Los Angeles) 5. University of California, Berkeley (San Francisco) 6. Cornell University (Ithaca, New York) 7. Architecture Association (London, United Kingdom) 8. Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London (United Kingdom) 9. ETH (Zurich, Switzerland)

If you have a degree from one of these institutions you will generally get called for an interview when applying for a job – but tuition can be very high – as much as $30,000 or more per year.


12. Architectural Technology There are numerous architectural technology programs in Canada which generally offer a two-year diploma rather than a degree. Some people move from these programs into architecture. Ryerson “I went from a 2 year diploma of building technology at BCIT to the five year professional BArch undergraduate program at SCI-Arc. Our four-year undergrad has three specialization streams -- architecture, building science and project management. The more engineering oriented could come in and do the building science option if desired.” Waterloo “Architectural Technology presents a viable path as a bridge into University architecture, although it is not a formal path- rather, it presents the opportunity to gain depth in craft, which can be a great asset in an application for admission. Humanities studies will tend not to be supported in such a program, and so it would be important to maintain those as independent pursuits, and to be prepared to demonstrate them through writing and portfolio evidence, in order to guard against being judged as missing those dimensions.” McGill “There is a steady trickle of technology grads into a number of Canadian university programs. It’s not easy for them. They seldom complete their diplomas with significant design experience, so they generally start at the beginning of most of our programs, with advanced credit for many of their courses. We have had some very positive experiences with tech grads.”

13. How to Avoid Going Crazy in Architecture School There is way too much to do at architecture school – classes, lectures and parties. You do not have time to do it all. You need to manage your time carefully and prioritize your time (your design/studio problems are more important than electives for example). So you should:

1. Make a schedule 2. Stick to it 3. Make to do lists

It is better to complete an assignment in a mediocre manner than not to complete it at all. Don’t aim for perfection. Aim for completion because the next one will be better. If you draw all the time it will become easier for you to complete assignments on time.


14. Books Architects (and in fact all designers) work from a huge catalogue of precedents and examples that they keep in their heads or in their libraries. If you are serious about architecture you will want to start building up your own library: Gaston Bachelard, Poetics of Space, Bill Buxton, Sketching User Experiences, * Bannister Fletcher, History of Architecture, Robert Venturi, Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, Robin Evans, The Projective Cast Joseph Rykwert, The Idea of a Town George Baird, The Space of Appearance. Reyner Banham, Architecture of the Well-Tempered Environment. Plato, Timaeus. Lucretius, De Rerum Natura. Dennis Cosgrove Apollo’s Eye: A Cartographic Genealogy of the Earth in the Western Imagination. Alvaro Siza’s writings Christopher Alexander, The Timeless Way of Building L. Benevolo, History of Modern Architecture Colin Cherry, On Human Communication Peter Collins, Changing Ideals in Modern Architecture Le Corbusier, Towards a New Architecture Kenneth Frampton, Modern Architecture: A Critical History Stephen Gardiner, Inside Architecture Sinclair Gauldie, Architecture Sigfried Giedion, Space, Time and Architecture Paul & Percival Goodman, Communitas, Means of Livelihood and Ways of Life Eric Hodgins, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House Thomas C. Hubka, Big House, Little House, Back House, Barn Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of American Cities T. W. Kennedy, The House and Art of Its Design Gyorgy Kepes, Vision in Motion Tracy Kidder, House Spiro Kostof, History of Architecture: Settings and Rituals. Kevin Lynch, The Image of the City Harry Mayerovitch, How Architecture Speaks and Fashions our Lives Sybil Moholy-Nagy, Experiment in Totality Lewis Mumford, Technics and Civilization Alberto Pérez-Gómez, Architecture and The Crisis of Modern Science Amos Rapoport, House, Form and Culture S.E. Rasmussen, Experiencing Architecture Esmond Reid, Understanding Buildings


J. M. Richards, Modern Architecture Bernard Rudofsky, Behind the Picture Window Witold Rybczynski, Home: A Short History of an Idea Mario Salvadori, Why Buildings Stand Up Vincent Scully, Modern Architecture E. T. Seton, Two Little Savages Paul Shepheard, What is Architecture? An Essay on Landscape, Buildings & Machines Louis Sullivan, Kindergarten Chats John Summerson, The Classical Language of Architecture Henry David Thoreau, Walden Frank Lloyd Wright, The Natural House Bruno Zevi, Architecture as Space

15. Magazines Often magazines provide the most up to date information about current developments in architecture. Check out some of the these magazines at Chapters or Mosaic Books: Canadian Architect Azure Dwell Architectural Record Spacing MARK Architectural Design Grey Room The ANY series (defunct but valuable)

16. Blogs and Websites These are free and offer very up to date information: Archinect Bldg Blog Core77 http://www.canadianarchitect.com/links/links.asp http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=a1ARTA0009565 http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.shownewsinpictures&page=10 3D Warehouse http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/ Also check out the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada website and look up the winners of the Governor General’s Awards for Architecture


17. Architects You Need to Know International: Frank Gehry Daniel Liebskind Santiago Calatrava Zaha Hadid Le Corbusier Mies van der Rohe Walter Gropius Rem Koolhaus David Chipperfield Renzo Piano Norman Foster Alvar Aalto Toyo Ito Greg Lynn Richard Rogers BBPR (Italy) Benisch and Benisch Tadao Ando Kazuo Sejima Alvaro Siza Enrique Miralles Kas Oosterhuis Herzog de Meuron Peter Zumthor Jean Nouvel Dominique Perrault Office d’A – Boston Snohetta Maki I. M. Pei Canadian: KPMB Philip Beesley Barry Johns Montgomery Sisam Diamond + Schmitt Moshe Safdie


Vivian Manasc The Patkau's Douglas Cardinal Peter Busby Shim Sutcliffe Hariri Pontarini Saucier and Perrotte Arthur Erickson Ron Thom Brian Mackay-Lyons Dan Hanganu DSA Kohn Shnier George Baird Daoust Lestage inc. Pierre Thibault

18. End Notes Remember things change rapidly – make sure you verify everything in this document before you act on it. If you have questions feel free to contact me via email: Douglas MacLeod Chair RAIC Centre for Architecture at Athabasca University [email protected]

Documents

Dr. Douglas MacLeod, Chair - RAIC Centre for …architecture.athabascau.ca/docs/education.pdf · Dr. Douglas MacLeod, Chair The RAIC Centre for Architecture at Athabasca University