Is it too late to get into architecture?

I'm 16 and have just started my A levels in Chemistry, History, Politics, and Geography. I have always had an interest in drawing and art but was always told it was a dos subject so did not take it at GCSE or A-level. my GCSE grades were 4*s and 6 As. I really do like what architecture entails and believe I would truly love it. However, I understand to get into an esteemed university such as UCL you need a portfolio. The problem is...I am not taking the relevant subjects and do not have a portfolio, can I still get into a top university to do architecture and then go on to have a successful carreer? or are the skills learned at GCSE and A-level too vital and have I already missed too much?

No, by no means are you too late to get into architecture. Your A-Level choices are not necessarily conventional, but architecture is one of the few courses that you can enter with just about any sort of academic background. In fact, History and Geography are excellent and relevant subjects (often mentioned as desired even though most applicants take the Maths/Physics/Art route), and if the history/theory or social/'people' aspects of architecture particularly interest you, certain courses have more of an emphasis on this and you may well be at an advantage with said A-levels. Politics too is to an extent relevant, with Chemistry being the only wild-card (but a hard science which will be respected nonetheless). Let me also mention that, as far as I know, there are only two architecture courses in the country that have specific A-Level requirements (not just desired but are actually required), which are Bath and Strathclyde who ask for either Maths or Physics, so these would be the only two to avoid when it comes to applying. Again, as far as I know, Art is not a 'required' subject at any university. So in terms of 'not having relevant subjects' (which in fact are definitely or somewhat relevant), you're fine.

However, what you absolutely do need is a portfolio. If you intend on applying to UCL, generally considered *the* school for creative/conceptual/arty architecture, and other top courses such as, for example, Cambridge, Sheffield, Cardiff, Nottingham, and Glasgow, you will be required to provide a portfolio. A portfolio for these courses needs to be at the very least better-than-decent to be considered, and it's entirely possible to produce an excellent portfolio without having done GCSE or A-Level Art. Would you say you're a good drawer, or is it an interest and nothing more? If it's the latter, you'll need to practice your drawing skills as drawings should make up the majority of your portfolio (there are video tutorials and even books to help with this, but the best method is practicing by lots of sketching). Even if you consider yourself a fairly skilled drawer, it'll take a lot of time to produce good enough pieces and to compile them into a portfolio, so it's best to start sooner rather than later.

To reiterate, no it's not too late to get into architecture, your A-levels are perfectly suitable, and you will need a good portfolio which will take a lot of time and practice to put together but is very much possible.

Having only just gone through the application process, I'm happy to give more specific advice if you need it. Hope that helps

thank you for the reply- it helps a lot. would you have any information as to what the exact day to day lectures and practicals entail? as I presume it is more than drawing and designing, I only ask as 7 years is a long time.

thanks in advance.

thank you for the reply- it helps a lot. would you have any information as to what the exact day to day lectures and practicals entail? as i presume it is more than drawing and designing, i only ask as 7 years is a long time.

thanks in advance.

Sorry to add more, but what exact course would you suggest? I don't think I would enjoy architecture and engineering but landscape sounds more design based which is what appeals to me. what is degree variation the most respected? Or the most enjoyable from what you have heard?

thanks

No problem! Day to day, you're likely to spend most of your time in studio, whether that be supervised sessions outlining the current project or (mostly) you working there in your own time to produce drawings and models. A first year project will probably involve some sort theme or brief and you'll be given a lot of freedom to come up with a design that meets your interpretation of the project. You'll be expected to produce plans, sections, models and final drawings of your design. As the years progress, projects will become more complex and 'realistic', and you'll begin to use more CAD alongside hands-on methods. You'll also have several lectures each week, these will be based on areas such as history/theory of architecture, structures, and environment, which will all be covered to some degree on every course, with some courses placing more emphasis on each. The content of these lectures may feed into your studio work (for example, you might learn about the use of timber in a lecture and be expected to use timber in your next design), but you'll also be set essays and pieces of written coursework and may sit exams at the end of the year, however these things only make up a significant part of the course at the more 'academic' architecture schools, and are hardly done on the majority of courses in comparison. Another important part of the course are the 'crits', which take place at the end of each project and involve pinning up your work and presenting it to your tutors and visiting architects. You'll also have site visits every so often where you'll study an area, building or construction site. In the final year of your Part 1 and throughout your Part 2, you'll also be taught things like how architects work in practice and the legal side of practice, to prepare you for your placement and future career.

In terms of pure architecture courses, Cambridge and Edinburgh are the main ones for their emphasis on history/theory, while UCL, Sheffield, Cardiff, Nottingham, GSA have quite a social/people focus. As for the degree variations, if you want to become an accredited architect, you'll need to study a pure architecture course which provides you with the RIBA Parts 1, 2 and 3 qualifications (which takes a minimum of 7 years). Landscape architecture courses don't, or at best very rarely, give you Part 1, therefore you wouldn't be able to go on to study Part 2 to become an architect. Just as it's said that an architect can be a designer but a designer cannot be an architect, an architect can (probably) be a landscape architect but a landscape architect cannot be an architect. Sorry for that mouthful but I'm sure you understand what I'm getting at - studying pure architecture gives you the most options in terms of career and/or further study, and is more respected than variations of the course. Personally I'd also say pure architecture is the most enjoyable because there's so much variation and opportunity throughout the course and is incredibly rewarding. All that being said, you should fully look into architecture and its variations to make the right choice for you.

thanks for the help- really made me see this as an opportunity now. cannot thank you enough

I'm 16 and have just started my A levels in Chemistry, History, Politics, and Geography. I have always had an interest in drawing and art but was always told it was a dos subject so did not take it at GCSE or A-level. my GCSE grades were 4*s and 6 As. I really do like what architecture entails and believe I would truly love it. However, I understand to get into an esteemed university such as UCL you need a portfolio. The problem is...I am not taking the relevant subjects and do not have a portfolio, can I still get into a top university to do architecture and then go on to have a successful carreer? or are the skills learned at GCSE and A-level too vital and have I already missed too much?