Careers in architecture are involved with the art and science of designing buildings and other physical structures. New buildings are going up all the time and we still marvel at the great buildings of the past that have withstood the test of time all over the world. People with architecture degrees may be involved in many aspects of the process and product of planning, designing and constructing spaces where people will live or work. Architects must be considerate of the functional, social and aesthetic aspects of their work, and also have their own distinct point of view.

Architect Job Description

If you have no experience in this field, you may be wondering "Just what does an architect do?" Architects are the professionals involved with the planning, designing and reviewing of the construction of buildings and structures using materials and components while considering mass, space, form, volume, texture, structure, light, shadow, materials, program, cost, construction limitations and technology. Most people think of blueprints and stuffy meetings with guys and suits directing construction projects, but architecture entails so much more. Architect careers require the use of many tools and the skills to manipulate and coordinate technology, light and shadow, and in the 21st century this also requires quite a bit of computer skills. There are macro-level architects who are involved in urban design and landscape architecture jobs as well as micro-level architects who are involved in the construction details and even the furnishings.

In the modern age, architects do not only encompass structure and function into their work; more and more the consideration of sustainability is a vital component of any construction job. Sustainable or eco-friendly building should be constructed in an environmentally friendly manner in terms of the production of the materials, the impact on the environment of its surrounding area, and the demands that it makes on non-sustainable power for heating, cooling, water, waste management and lighting.

The architect job market has seen a rise in specialization by project type, technological expertise or delivery methods, as well as an increased separation of design architects from project architects. There are many architect careers that people with architecture degrees can go into, ranging from landscape architects to designers of skyscrapers and major public structures.