Rijk, I'm going to have my Wife read your response. Harvard is a long shot IMO. Her Teacher, and our family friend all think she's qualified. I'd prefer She stay in-state 125 miles from Home, or, at least on the west Coast. You, having first hand knowledge, further solidifies my opinion that the person applying for the Job is more important, than where they went to School in today's Business Climate. Am I wrong in my assessment? Thanks, Chuck
Although I cannot speak from Rijk's experience, combining "the good person" with a solid school seems to make things a lot easier... but right now I'm still in the "being romanced by the firms" phase of recruiting. We'll see what happens next month when push comes to shove.
Chuck, If you want to work with me, I don't care about your formal training, I look at the person (I can afford to). On the other hand, if yoy want to work for Pei Cobb Fried and Partners, you will not get a job if you are not a Harvard graduate.
I never worked with a Harvard grad that I remember; most architects in Texas during my early and intermediate career years came out of Texas state schools, and were hired by firm principals who had graduated from these schools. It was the same type school-connection network that exists on the East coast but run by good ol Texas boys who cared very little about Ivy League credentials. Of the few Ivy League or other high-profile school graduates around my age that I've known here in Dallas, a Princeton grad, a Yale grad and a Notre Dame grad showed outstanding professional skills and are all successful. On the minus side was a U. of Pennsylvania grad with two masters degrees; had hardly enough basic skills to function in an entry level job. The most abysmally unqualified architectural graduates I've known came out of Tulane in the early '80s. I don't really know that many other architects; I always worked in small firms or independently and did big $$$ residential work in traditional or classical styles for most of my career, so I've been generally out of the architectural mainstream.
ChuckEBaby, I don't think Harvard offers a Bachelor of Architecture degree (if I remember correctly, Harvard Design School only offers Masters degrees in Architecture) . What program does your daughter want to enter?
I got my undegrad BS in Architecture at UTA (Arlington). The program was vastly better than my Ivy League training (Columbia U---finished the MS in 91 under Bernard Tschummi). Back then, CU it was full of hipsters in black turtlenecks, Corbusier glasses, all spouting some crap about literary theory, Jacque Derrida, and deconstructivism. I kinda bought it at first, but in the end, pragmatism won. I worked for HOK, then a couple of outfits doing residential, designed a jail, some energy company headquarters, and the highlight was working with Santiago Calatrava's folks in the crypt under St. John the Divine. Lessons learned? Architecture is a great muse if you have a stipend from the family, own your own firm and work 12 hour days, or happen to be so talented and lucky that you rise to the top 5 percent quicker than most. For the 80 % of practicioners, it pays like crap and days are spent on bathroom details and lighting schedules. The education does serve as a great foundation for any other design discipline (industrial design, computer graphics, software human factors, marcom, or whatever). I had a great time entering competitions, hanging in the studio designing and building models, but in the end, I did transition out to a related discipline.
There is a big connection with architecture and Ferraris, IMO. An uncle of mine, now retired, owned a Dino 246 when new and drove the wheels off of it! He influenced me to study architecture as well, but as indicated above the lure of big money on the construction side, lured me away. Years later, my first Ferrari, a 308GTB...
"Lighting Schedules".....LOL! Be sure to spec. three manufactures, on each Type.........or equal! Let the money games begin.......
Doraemon, Didn't mean to make too much of the Harvard deal, here. It would be great, but it's still one of the toughest to get in to. She wants a Masters, in Architect. Period. Her & my Wife are working on the College details. Harvard, Harvard Design School How would I know the diff.? A Teacher, and a family friend are pushing the Harvard issue. I'm the Dad here! I merely keep the ship afloat and loaded, so to speak. We're footing the Bill for 4 years, beyond that: She's on her own. She will be responsible for the remainder. She's on the left in my profile. The one on the right is a Sophomore at UW with Advertising & Communications as Major/Minors??? My Son (in the middle, 14), wants to retire after High School. So did I, at 14..
Chuck, if your daughter is that interested in majoring in Architecture, I would recommend that she read the book "Architect? A Candid Guide to the Profession" by Roger K. Lewis. It has a lot of useful information about Architecture schools, the paths students can take towards practice, and the work that Architects do after graduating. Good luck!
Yes, excellent book. It convinced me to switch to business I loved architecture and product design (my first year of design school) and I did quite well at both, but I have little patience for not having as much control as possible about how a project or business goes. Having put myself 100% into my designs, I couldn't bear to see them changed or turned down by forces out of my control. Not to mention, the money just wasn't there. I'll still use my skills in design, no doubt. I'm starting my first company now, a dream research equipment manufacturer and laboratory, and I'm still designing my lake house to build when the company succeeds
