Architecture BA Students! Tell me About Your Course I Beg Of You!!

So Its 4am and i should be in bed, but I'm stuck here wondering how i will survive in architecture school. Please tell me about it. Is it true that there is minimal CAD in the first year, everything is hand drawn? Do you think you'll be behind significantly if your drawing skills are minimal? Is the Crit space hell? How are the professors towards you?

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 1

97lamyers

chill. everyone is the same level (there're a couple who are 'year above' or more experienced for some reason) but like 80% are normies. hand drawn doesnt have to be sketched. Its mostly technical drawings, which are just pencil and ruler. everyone can draw pretty technical drawings with a scale ruler, a drawing board and a trisquare. you wont be the only one who cant draw for :innocent:

but id recommend giving CAD an extra effort if that is the case. sketchup and autocad for uni level arent too difficult (sketchup is a breeze. its just 3D paint, you'll be fine.) id recommend layout too. it comes with sketchup but its rarely used to even acknowledged. its fantastic.

of course the crit is hell, but theyre hell for everyone. ultimately though, your skin thickens by 2nd year and its just another presentation. its definately not something to put you off the course. its good prep for the future man, and theyll never purely slate you without saying how you can improve.

professors match what you put in, and are harsh but always fair. theyve been in the business for decades, make sure you always listen to them and you'll be fine. so you have the main course leader, then usually separate design studio seminar leaders. ideally theyd be split in much smaller groups, like 6 tops, and youd all present to them your weeks work, then theyd give opinions and next steps. theyre not however going to hold your hand through the course. architecture is not that kind of course. you get like 6 hours a week tops, then its all solo independent work. by this i mean away from lecturers. students help students a lot in architecture. thats why its particularly important to go to a uni with a really good studio culture.

youll probably end up doing an essay (probably 2k words) on a building/architect/time period/style for history, most unis set that. a technology based piece, like a cross section of a building, then what ever design studio youve got to do.

if youre that worried about drawing etc theres nothing wrong with doing an extended diploma in college. its like a fast paced design art course. you do a load of stuff for like 6 months, then decide what youre interested in and do a display/exhibition on it.
you could even look for more technological based courses, like the one in southampton
just make sure you want to do it. its a long haul. some people go days without sleeping during the last hand in week. and those 48hr shifts are a lot easier if youre motivated to do it. also the drop out rate is massive. its basically the hunger games.

good luck, and my top advice would be go to the best possible course you can go to. its better to delay a year and go to a sick uni than rush and go to a sub par one. (and im a pretty (miserable yet) reputable source for this)

peace

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