Surviving Group Projects at Architecture School

Hhow do you feel about group work?

In my experience - both as a student and as a teacher - there are two kinds of people at architecture school, those who love group projects, and those who begin trembling with anxiety at any mention of working with others.

Unfortunately, all it takes is one bad group project experience to tip those in the first group into the latter group. And going back the other way isn't such an easy slope to climb.

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Why you need to make your architecture concept presentation believable (and 3 steps to achieve it)

If your architectural drawings have glaring inadequacies in the construction or structural department, your tutors, critics, peers and clients will be distracted from the really rich, well-considered and revolutionary aspects of your work. To avoid this, u need to make your architectural concept believable.

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IS IT TRUE: Do you really learn more about Architecture in 1 year of practice than you do in 5 years of study?

This post isn't about content - the quantifiable 'stuff' you'll learn at architecture school or in practice - or about how well architecture school 'prepares' you for practice. Instead, I'm going to unpack for you:

  • why I think it is a myth that you learn more in practice;
  • the conditions that perpetuate this myth; and
  • why it's a dangerous way to think - not matter what stage you're at in your journey. 

Instead of falling prey to the myth, you can choose to be strategic in your education, and take the driving seat in your architectural journey.

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ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL | Workload, expectations and how to manage your time so you can do your best work

Your first year of architecture school will be exciting - there's no doubt about that! But it might also be daunting, and even overwhelming at times.

The class structures, workload and expectations are probably very different to what you have experienced before, either at school or in the workplace. In fact, even if you have studied at university before coming to architecture, the expectations and intensity of the studio environment can catch you off guard. 

 In this post, I'm going to share with you some of the things that might be different at architecture school. 

I'll let you know:

  • what to expect;
  • what the workload is like,
  • how you can manage your time

I'll also talk through some ways you can prepare for and manage them - so you can focus on doing your best work!

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The Keys to a Great Architectural Drawing Set

At each different project stage in the Architecture Process, we make different drawings or enhance existing ones. At concept, rough sketches and diagrams are key. As we move into Preliminary and Developed Design, the drawings are measured, scaled, and square. In Detailed Design, in preparation for construction, tendering and Building Consent, drawings take on incredible density, including a high level of information and rigour.

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