r/askarchitects

is it weird to make an internship at the age of 26 after a bachelor in architecture and before a master in architecture after realizing iam missing the practical part and the relation to the craft itself? like do you guys think its useful to make an intern maybe for 3-4 months before my archi masters maybe at the carpenter? or would you rather recommend working in a bureau? i feel like i can still do that besides or after my archi studies and i‘ll still work long enough in a bureau and never get this practical experience myself .. what do you guys think?;) thankful, for every opinion and own experience maybe😅☺️

I wanted to change my 1 BHK flooring along with kitchen and bathroom tiles.

I’m confused whether I should involve an interior designer or just take quotations from contractors and get the work done directly through a contractor.

Are there any disadvantages of not involving an interior designer?

For civil renovation works like flooring, tiling, bathroom, kitchen basic work — is an interior designer actually needed or can a good contractor handle everything properly?

Would love suggestions from designers and people who have done similar renovation work.

Hey all, I’m a project manager and estimator with 12 years in the signage industry, mostly working across commercial fitouts, hospitality, retail and large scale developments.

One pattern I keep seeing on tenders is that signage gets left right to the end. By the time it lands on our desk, the brief is often vague, substrates have been specified or left out without thinking about how they work with mounting locations and clash with services, illumination wasn’t planned for power and so on. The client ends up with rushed decisions, value engineered finishes that don’t match the architectural intent, and a signage package that feels bolted on rather than designed in from the beginning.

I’m curious whether the architecture community would see value in having a signage consultant involved from the early design stages, similar to how you’d bring in an acoustic or lighting consultant.

The idea would be a complete signage package built alongside the documentation, covering things like wayfinding strategy and hierarchy, material and finish selection aligned to budget and the architectural language, substrate and mounting detailing that coordinates with structure and services, illumination strategy with power requirements flagged early, council and compliance considerations, and a fully scoped tender package so pricing comes back consistent across bidders. Someone there to answer all RFIs related to the signage.

A few questions I’d love honest feedback on:

Is this something you’d actually find useful, or does it feel like another consultant cluttering the team?

At what stage would you ideally want them involved? Concept, developed design, or documentation?

Would you expect this to be engaged by the architect, the client, or the head contractor?

How do you currently handle signage on your projects, and where does it usually fall down?

Not pitching anything, just genuinely trying to understand whether there’s a gap worth filling or whether architects feel signage is handled well enough as-is. Appreciate any thoughts, especially the critical ones.

Legends 🤙

Hi again! This is a continuation of my previous post.

I’m an architecture student working on a studio project and I’d love some more real user input.

I’m designing small student housing for sculpture students, located close to the university and a park. The building already includes shared bathrooms, laundry room, kitchen, dining space and bike parking, and I still have space for extra communal features that could really improve daily life.

So I wanted to ask:
If you’re a sculpture/art student (or know one), what would you LOVE to have in the shared/common space of your dorm?

I’m especially curious about:
- Problems sculpture students face in dorm living
- Spaces that would make working/living easier
- Things that help creativity, relaxing or socializing

Any ideas (big or small) would help me a lot. Thank you in advance :)

I am a new licensed architect and i am planning to go for the freelance route. I have been compiling my standard CAD templates, my design contracts, and even my logo design. I also have complied the legal requirements to practice as a sole proprietorship

I am a firm believer of planning and preparation, and I am scared to welcome clients while I haven't got a system yet. However, there are times when I doubt my process and think if am I doing too much.

To those architects who are now freelancing, what was your process getting to where you are now?

A professional 3D visualization created for a high-end residential project in Switzerland. The focus was on achieving a perfect balance between soft morning light and realistic material textures, such as wood grain and fabric simulations.

You can view this project in high quality on Behance:https://www.behance.net/gallery/248211859/The-Serene-Suite-High-End-Residential-Rendering

Technical Details Software: 3ds Max, Corona Render

#3dsmax #interiordesign #rendering #cgi #visualization #bedroom #4k #furniture #switzerland #archviz #photorealism

https://preview.redd.it/r83xshcwby1h1.jpg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f4707e099ec8b44abca894a5751fb029f595346e

https://preview.redd.it/abwjkhcwby1h1.jpg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9e080433ece73dc43837517b706e66b63166deda

So I just found out that apparently architectural drawings are protected by copyright laws in the US? Why? If we pay an architect to do the drawings for our house, shouldn't the plans be ours to do whatever we want with? For context -

• We had to hire an architect to do the drawings for our house rebuild.
• I have a background in design and do drafting for a living, so I know how to read and draw plans.
• The architect used the original hand-drawn plans as a starting point, so the new house isn't even his design.
• This architect was horrible to work with and would not make basic changes we repeatedly asked for. And I'm not talking about anything structural - I'm talking about, centering the light fixture, moving outlets, reversing the door swing, etc. They just wouldn't do what we asked and we don't want to deal with them anymore.
• The final drawings we got the permits on are full of mistakes and missing essential things, like outlets in the bathrooms. And again, I do drafting, so I can tell when things are screwed up. The final drawings from this architect are comically bad. I have a list 30+ items long of all the mistakes.
• The architect sent us the editable CAD files when we requested them, but later said I'm not able to make any changes to them because of copyright.

So since I have the drafting skills and we couldn't get the architect to make the changes we wanted for our house, and we paid for the drawings, and he sent us the CAD files, shouldn't I just be able to make the changes we want myself? (And it wouldn't be anything structural.) But apparently I can't because they're protected by copyright? That makes no sense to me...

I am putting together a background document on a retirement home that I want to put out to potential architects.

What if information/sections would an architect find helpful in such a document?

I’m a junior architectural designer preparing for interviews at firms that seem more technical/construction-focused, and I’m struggling a bit with how to walk through portfolio projects.

My instinct is usually to explain the reasoning behind spatial decisions, materials, circulation, lighting, etc., but I worry that comes across as too academic or conceptual.

At the same time, because I’m still junior-level, I don’t have huge stories about solving major construction/site issues. Most of my experience has been in modelling, documentation, coordination, permit drawings, and design development support.

Another thing I’m unsure about is how much of my portfolio I’m actually expected to present in an interview. How can I structure my portfolio presentation to cover the necessary information for each project? Should I just focus on the scope, my role, and general design choices?

Hello, I am a first-year architecture student and I am currently having some difficulties. I had an injury (a fractured vertebra), because of which I fell behind in my studies and now I have a lot to catch up on, but I am struggling to keep up. In addition, the professor is very strict and picky and often does not properly accept my work, which is why I cannot pass the subject. I need help with my architecture assignments. I will attach several assignments (the translation may not be perfect, so I apologize in advance). I really hope someone will be able to help me.

Unfortunately, I cannot ask my classmates for help because they are all very arrogant and, sadly, unwilling to help me.

1st Assignment: Y3 Detailed Drawings of a Wooden House — Option A for Study Group AR2025

Prepare detailed section and facade drawings at a scale of 1:10 for a wooden house with a pitched roof.

Students of AR2025 should use the summer house project completed last semester as a basis and select structural systems and finishing materials for it (roofing, facade cladding, and wall layers).

The load-bearing structure of the building may be chosen from a timber frame structure, cross-laminated timber (CLT), or modern engineered timber beams.

The roofing material may be selected from wooden, stone, or metal roofing systems. The roof overhang must also be designed according to the architecture of the summer house (open or boxed, long or short overhang).

The facade cladding should be selected from wooden or wood-based materials.

The insulation thickness must be at least 250 mm in the walls and 350 mm in the roof. In the case of CLT, the insulation may be thinner, and with thick timber walls, wall insulation is not mandatory.

In the section drawing:
Show layer markings (lists of wall, attic floor, roof, and floor layers) together with cross-sections and spacing of wooden structural elements. If a layer consists of two materials (for example, a wooden stud and mineral wool), both materials must be indicated.

In the facade drawing:
Show the pattern of the selected facade and roofing material and indicate:
- the place of production or origin of the material/product,
- for stone roofing — the type and manufacturer,
- for wooden cladding — the board dimensions, surface direction, and finish.

Define the color solution. For wooden surfaces, specify the paint type, code, and provide a reference to the color chart.

Add a list of information sources and websites used.

Presentation Requirements:
The drawings may be completed either on a computer (recommended) or by hand.
File format: PDF. The file name must be in the format: firstname_lastname in lowercase letters.
20 points. Submission deadline — see the calendar.
Upload the work to Moodle on the evening of the previous day (PDF or photo).
Bring a printed paper version to the contact lesson as well (if the work is done digitally, it must be printed).
A3 format (portrait orientation) is suitable for the drawings. Do not use sheets larger than A3.
Place the facade fragment and detailed section next to each other.
The approximate layout should follow the example shown in the initial drawing.

2nd Assignment: Staircase Drawings

Design a straight staircase adjacent to a wall (for a small commercial, office, or public building) with a safe railing and a comfortable handrail fixed to the wall.

Stair width: 1.2–1.3 m.
Floor-to-floor height: 2.9 m.

There is an open space next to the staircase, therefore the railing must be designed with fixings to the load-bearing structure of the staircase or directly to the steps.

Drawings:
- Plan and elevations with main dimensions at a scale of 1:20.
- If the railing is non-transparent, also provide a section drawing.
- For the railing and handrail solution, create a more detailed section at a scale of 1:5 or 1:2.

Indicate the selected construction materials and finishes, and include references to the sources used.

Recommended drawing format: A3 landscape orientation.
Place the drawings on two sheets (or three if necessary).
The drawings may be completed either by hand or digitally.
Using the 3D Stair Tool in Archicad is not allowed.

Goal of the assignment:
To become familiar with staircase dimension design and gain understanding of:
- the required space for staircases,
- dimensional relationships,
- structural issues,
- and the architectural possibilities of staircase solutions.

3rd Assignment: Facade Layout 1:50 and Detail Drawings 1:10

Develop the southern facade solution for a flat-roofed building (family medical center).

Select the facade cladding from ventilated facade systems.

Prepare the facade layout considering:
- facade panel dimensions,
- fixing distances,
- window arrangement.

Provide sun protection for the windows, either using the facade material itself or a separate product.

For the same facade, prepare 2 detailed drawings:
- parapet detail,
- intermediate floor slab connection detail.

The load-bearing structures must be selected from masonry or concrete structures.

The thermal insulation solution must achieve a U-value of maximum 0.20 W/(m²K) while avoiding thermal bridges.

In the parapet detail show:
- the wall,
- roof structure,
- parapet,
- upper part of the window.

In the intermediate floor slab detail show:
- the wall,
- intermediate floor slab,
- lower part of the window.

If different materials are used on the solid wall sections and in the window areas, the parapet detail may be drawn in another location.

Provide lists of roof, wall, and floor layers.

In the 1:10 detail drawings, it is not necessary to separately label auxiliary battens, slats, sealants, etc.

Provide information about the facade materials and include references to the sources used.

The drawing must be submitted in PDF format, and the surname must appear first in the file name.

Future architecture student here — what software, programs, or skills would you recommend learning early for both school and professional work?

Turning ideas into practical and beautiful homes.

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If you’re planning to build your dream home and want a design that looks good while making the best use of space at affordable pricing, feel free to connect.

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( AI used for phrasing )

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