Basically just that.

I absolutely HATE studying with a passion. As in, I simply just can't make myself do it, even with the proper resources, likely due to ADHD.

But I feel like I know the profession quite well - I've had some excellent mentors and a lot of hands-on experience in all categories in my 7-years of experience. I feel I have a pretty good grip on architecture and my understanding of the profession - I feel like I could take the ARE exams with little or no studying and pass most of them. I haven't done this previously, however, because I haven't wanted to "waste" the firm's "pay for the first exam" benefit.

I found out my new employer will generously pay for the first THREE attempts at ARE exams, so now I'm considering just scheduling them and seeing what I can pass on the first go.

Is this a good or bad idea?

Hi everyone!

I’m an architect from India, I have been wondering if it is possible to work as a remote junior architect / architectural assistant opportunity.

I’ve completed a total of an 11-month architecture internship at different architecture firms, and I’m comfortable working across different stages of architectural projects, from drawings and documentation to presentations and visualization.

I have got experience with things like:

• Architectural drawings & drafting
• Plans, sections, elevations & detailing
• 3D modelling
• Architectural visualization
• Presentation drawings & project documentation
• Design development
• Research and concept development
• Graphic/design work when needed

I’m not aiming for big things but personally am interested in working with small architecture practices, studios, architects, or design firms where I can actually contribute to projects and continue learning rather than just doing repetitive drafting.

I'm saying "remote" due to certain personal health issues I wouldnt be able to take a job that I can sit at for 10-12 hours straight, but I really dont want to give up on my professional growth.. Is this possible? Or do you know anyone who would be interested in such hiring?

I can share my portfolio, resume, and work samples with anyone interested.

Please feel free to DM me.

Thanks! :)

Hello,

I’m reaching a point where I’m getting sick of my current employer and I’m on the brink of throwing my resignation letter for reasons that are irrelevant here. The thing is my current employer gives me some flexibility and I want to keep that.

One of my old employers who I still have a very good relationship with told me I can go back anytime, now after years of experience I have gained I think I can go back and apply for the opening they have ( exactly my job ) but I would like to ask for a remote 1099 instead of a W-2.

I understand the downside of a 1099 for me, but I realize that a remote 1099 might be a big ask for them, is there anything for them in it ? Would they see this ask possible in any way ?

I'm a "recently" licensed (almost 2 years ago now, so not even that recent...) architect radicated in Chile, South America, and since then i've found it completely impossible to insert myself into the working force under that role.

Since i got my license, most if not all laboral offers i've found for the role of architect, either require 3+ years of experience, or never get back to me if they are aimed at "junior" architects.

For the last 2 years i was lucky enough to work as a part-time teacher for an "architecture history" class, imparted at my old college, thanks to an old-teacher who took me under their wing, but even that job has come to an end recently, due to internal restructuration.

Is this "normal"? How could i proceed in getting a foot inside the door, just for the sake of accumulating some practical experience? I'm at a point where i feel like all the skills i absorbed during my college years have begun to deteriorate or slowly disappear due to their lack of use, and i'm growing weary as years go by, about being able to actually make a living, much less thriving on the profession.

If this falls under solicitation of advice or employment, feel free to delete, it's not my wish to rant either, but i feel i just need some external advice from other professionals at this point.

[EAST COAST U.S.] I’ve only worked at medium-sized offices all 4 years of my professional experience and 2.5 years of internships before then. All projects were DBB, typical SD to CD phases and only the most seasoned architects doing CA.

I may have a chance to go to a smaller design/build office, less than 20 people. Smaller scope, more detail, more on-site work.

Let’s say after 5 years, I want to go to a big office again to do bigger projects, would I be passed over as a candidate? Essentially, I’m trying to determine if I will pigeonhole myself from future opportunities if I spend time doing a much smaller scale of work

I’ve noticed a lot of the architects I meet have a cool niche going on.

Real world examples:

Architect A happens to be a pilot
Architect B; Also pilot & a pilot instructor
Architect C; watercolors
Architect D; Production designer
Architect E; Comic and storybook illustrator
Architect F; Jewelry Designer
Architect G; Game designer
Etc.

Architects tend to have multidisciplinary tendencies because their deep understanding of theory and design.

Edit: as suspected, everyone has such amazing interests. I havent shared mine altho its quite the list now. I casually circulate between some.
My main interests are:
Production design, Im minored in product design so i design jewelry on the side, i practice & teach pilates, paint when i can, baking, gaming & social media. I also am an outer-space enthusiast and have minored in astronautical engineering. Im into perfumes and collect them as well. Im also into fashion and read about the history and the future trends; ive been wanting to get into sewing havent had the time for that haha

These are a bit niche so if u know me; Hello hehe

A study published in Scientific Reports compared active navigation using AR to passive observation in VR, finding that participants who physically walked through space showed enhanced memory formation. The researchers also note that the structure of the physical environment influences how memories are organized. The findings could have implications for interventions in neurodegenerative diseases.

I want to hear from recent Architecture graduates to experienced architects.

What is the scope of BArch and career opportunities after completion? Do you suggest BArch for someone from a middle class background. Will I be able to sustain in this field without any strong family background in this field or nepotism.

Hi everyone,

My boyfriend is doing his Master in Architecture. I’m wondering what jobs you can get out of school. How are everyone’s finances looking like for those who completed their M.Arch and was it worth it? I’d love to know if he would be financially stable :)

Thanks

what does the realistic career progression and salary look like from Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, 5–10 years after qualification? I’m currently 17 and seriously considering architecture however have read horror stories about the pay grade and salary’s and it is truly scared me, this is coming from someone who just wants to be comfortable and financially stable when they are older. I don’t expect to earn loads while training, and I’m completely willing to work my way up, but long-term financial stability is important to me. I’d want to be around £40–50k by my 30s. So I came to ask is that a realistic target? if you make sensible career moves, gain experience and progress into more senior roles? How much will your salary increase as you gain experience, and what would you recommend doing early in your career to maximise progression?

Truth be told I’m just really scared regarding financial stability as I come from a household where I know money is sometimes tight, and I want to be stable when I grow up, but also want to pursue a career I will actually enjoy.

Small Firms/ individual practitioners.
What software do you use for most of your work?
Experience and economic impact of subscribing to multiple softwares.

Hello, i'm a student from Ukraine who plans to get bachelor's degree in Ukrainian univeristy and attend one of the Polish universities to pursue a Master’s degree in architecture in 4 years. Which leading universities actually produce job-ready specialists, graduates who don't spend half a century looking for work, but instead land a decent position almost immediately after finishing their studies? After a brief search, I found options such as the Gdańsk, Warsaw, Silesian, Wrocław, and Kraków Universities of Technology( a.k.a. Politechniki)

Perhaps architecture graduates from these universities can help me make my choice. I have 4 years for preparing, so I'd be excited to hear your opinions.Thank you in advance!

It is a bit hard for me to truly express clearly my feelings and my thoughts as this is the first time that I have spoken them, or in this case, typed it out.

I am 30 years old, and i am Mexican-born US citizen, who has ADHD. (I add this to give you an idea of who I am). Growing up I was never really a creative person. My parents did not go to school, my mom works as a seamstress, and my dad a lot porter. I am quite proud of my parents for working hard to give me the opportunity to go to college. I got my act together in Middle school and my main focus was always to do great in school. During High school I took 2 Electives that Resonated with me- Auto shop class, and architecture class, and I really enjoyed them, but looking back, I liked them because they were pretty laid back classes. When it came to applying for colleges, I thought I was gonna go to school to become an automotive technician, I applied and when it came time to fully commit- I backed out. I realized something crucial- I DONT EVEN LIKE CARS. Fast forward 3 years that I worked full-time at a shoe store, and I made the decision to go back to college. I picked architecture because I had done it in the past, and I really liked Ted Mosby. Looking back as I write this, I am realizing that I picked only from what I knew and followed the path that I was told to follow as I didn't know better, nor did I question anything.

I graduated from California college of the Arts in San Francisco in 2023. I obtain my bachelors in Architecture (duh) and I completed 2 summer internships, one at a residential Architecture firm where I used mainly AutoCAD, and my other Internship was for a design firm that shifted their goals to assist a town that burnt down in 2020. This role was perhaps the only role I truly enjoyed- I was a team of 1 designing and building prototypes for an exhibition. Overall, the experience I obtained from these two internships in theory put me ahead of many in the field. I state this because most of my friends in CCA as well as some of my San Diego friends completed at best 1, some not even being able to get an internship. I truly feel like I did my best in college. I received awards for a few projects, and I never felt like I slacked off. College was truly a fun experience for me.

And yet, I feel even more lost than before I went to college. in fact, I haven really said it aloud, but I regret my decision. I am still quite proud of my accomplishment that was getting through college, and I have been told by peers and friends that I really am good at what I do, however if I may be quite honest- I have no idea how to validate myself nor have I ever believed myself as a good designer (Perhaps Impostor syndrome?)

as soon as I graduated, a few things happened that got me where I am at:

1. I began looking for a full time job applying places but most rejected me for "Lack of experience", so I ended up obtaining a job for an afterschool program as a teacher (more to come about this field).
   1. I should mention that final semester of college, while I was focused on wrapping up my Gen-ed courses, I took a job as a STEAM instructor, hence how I got into education.
2. My Fiancée (GF at the time) and I decided to move to San Diego, CA as soon as I graduated, since I was raised there, and figured we would love it there (we didn't). The job market in San Diego feels quite unbalanced in my opinion. everywhere I applied, they wanted 3-4+ years of experience. The only Job I could obtain was as a Kitchen Designer for The Home Depot. Then they let me go for bureaucratic crap (not relevant nor do I care to get into it). This lead me to go back to education while i found a job. Fiancee also struggled finding a stable job.
3. FINALLY, after some time, I landed a job in design! In 2025, I began working for a small local Millwork and cabinetry shop, as a drafter. there was only 3 designers in this office- The Co-owners of this business and me. and TLDR, it was not a great and fun experience. Don't get me wrong, I learned so much, and I am grateful to that company for mentoring me and giving me a chance. HOWEVER, this job was also one, if not the most stressful job I've had. I worked for them for a year and I only dealt with 2 clients, Father and son, who are amazing people and very interesting as individuals, who were also architects, and quite notorious too in San Diego.
   1. The issues were that there was no structure. From my first day to my last day, I was left alone to figure things out. I had to learn as I went, but also I was in charge of quite a big project, working for a client who changed design ideas too frequently and my bosses went along with their demands because they were paying our bills basically. I truly hated working there at one time. Overall this office was quite toxic, with a boss from hell, and coworkers who were stuck in their ways. I feel like it left a sour taste in my mouth for Design.
4. Fiancée's father unfortunately passed away in October, and having had a terrible experience in san Diego, We decided to move back into the bay. now I have been here for about 6 months, and the first job I obtained was as an Interior Designers position at Living Spaces. I quit after a few months because I ended really being a sales associate, and did no designing whatsoever.

Now, I am in the process of getting a job as a campus safety Specialist for an elementary school. I am slowly shifting careers, because as much as I want to continue searching, I need to pay my student loans. I'm tired of switching jobs, it doesn't look good on my resume. I am just about ready to give up on being a designer, at least career-wise. I don't think I really enjoyed it, looking back I think it was the people that made me feel like I did like Design, after all some of my best friends i met in college, including my Fiancée, so I don't want to state that I regret my decision, after all I don't.

A part of me is heartbroken about all of this, but I don't want to continue trying as it has taken a toll on my mental health and finances, but a part of me feels like if i keep on pushing, ill break through eventually.

i guess there's no real point to this post, other than me writing it and putting out into the world so i no longer bottle it up, but If this post made sense to you and you were/are on the same path, I would love to hear your thoughts. oh and also I truly appreciate you taking the time to read all of that.

Hi everyone,

I have several questions about being an architect, if you don't mind answering. I don't expect one person to answer every single question, so please feel free to pick and choose.

Here are the questions:

1. What steps did you take to land this job?
2. What skills were most critical in your early career?
3. Walk me through a typical day - what parts excite you most?
4. What are the biggest challenges you face?
5. What new skills have you had to learn?
6. What changes do you see impacting this job in the next 5 years?
7. How do you stay motivated and continue growing in this position?
8. What advice would you give a teenager (around 15/16 years old) if they chose to pursue this career?

UPDATE: Location is South Africa.

Have heard the AHJ is now requiring all common spaces such as lobbies and conference rooms to be considered assembly occupancy - disregarding IBC accessory occupancy language.

This has serious impact on toilet counts and stairs and door widths. Anybody have more local insights?

I need some outside perspective before I make a decision that could shape the next decade of my career - and the careers of people I’m planning to bring with me. He and I have an insanely close relationship and want to make sure I am seeing everything clearly.

I do all the architectural work for a contractor we’ve worked with for years here in Alabama. He and my boss have had a close relationship for over 20 years. She’s 80. I’m mid-career, working toward licensure, and planning to launch my own firm soon. I’ve come to believe that the length of their friendship and her age are being used - consciously or not - to keep our fees far below market. These numbers would not fly at any other firm, and that’s what’s making me nervous.

The last two years:

• $12M steel plant - we charged him $10k. Yes, ten thousand. Roughly 0.08%.

• Office project I designed - proposal was $100k at 4% (discounted from our usual 5.9% because he’s a friend). Proposal explicitly stated the fee covered architectural, MEP, and structural. Civil was not included.

• Now, a year later, he’s asking us to eat the $35k civil engineering cost out of our fee. That cuts our profit on the project from $60k to $30k.

• Total profit from him across two years: about $50k.

The civil thing is what set me off, because it wasn’t in the proposal. That’s a change order to him, not a cut to my margin. But once I started adding everything up, the whole relationship looks like this. The “friends and family” discount has turned into me subsidizing his construction business with my time, my bosses stamp, and her liability.

Here’s where it gets bigger. We’re currently working on a project that will be upwards of $100 million - and I was probably 80% of the reason we landed it. This project is going to be the launchpad for my own firm. I have friends at big-name firms who are ready to leave their jobs and come work with me based on this trajectory. That’s a level of responsibility I take seriously. If I’m walking them into a firm where the biggest client relationship is structured to erode my margins, I’m setting them up to fail too.

The dilemma: the contractor wants to start a design-build firm together. On paper it sounds great - steady pipeline, shared marketing, integrated delivery. But if the baseline behavior is “erode the architectural fee anytime something unexpected shows up,” I don’t see how that pattern gets better inside a partnership. If anything it gets worse, because now I’m also carrying shared liability and overhead — and I’d be dragging my future hires into it.

Questions for anyone who’s been here:

1. Has anyone made a contractor + architect design-build partnership work long-term? What deal terms actually protected the architect?
2. How do you reset a “friends and family” fee pattern that’s been baked in for 20+ years, when the relationship predates you?
3. Am I crazy for thinking $10k on a $12M project is a red flag no partnership structure can fix?
4. For those who left an established firm to start their own - how did you handle a client relationship that came with you but was structured against your interests from day one?

Not looking for validation. I have people counting on me to make the right call.