Lessons Learned Beyond Architecture School

Today’s article was written by Meghna Sanyal. All images courtesy of Meghna Sanyal.

The lessons I learned in Architecture College extended much beyond the course curriculum. There is much to learn apart from what is dictated in the syllabus. Architecture rewired me to adopt a fresh perspective in life, which chiseled and shaped me in ways I could not imagine being done by anything else. It is ironic thinking back how much I underestimated the amount of knowledge architecture requires. In reality, a designer needs a healthy understanding of architecture and related fields to deliver meaningful architecture. In the following paragraphs, I have described five life lessons from my architecture education that continue to shape my day-to-day life!

1. How To Be Proactive

As students, we constantly try to keep ourselves abreast with the changes around the world, utilize that information, and incorporate them into our design to the best of our abilities. Many times, we are required to go out into the streets, conduct surveys, and question people to better understand the problems being faced in society, hoping to become a part of the solution by understanding through direct interaction. As designers, we strive to contribute to the world by making solutions that are responsive to the needs of its people. This endeavor pushes us to find out more about the changes happening globally, making us eager to understand and resolve them while making us proactive individuals. Architecture cannot be practiced by sitting inside a room and isolated from the world we aspire to create in. If we want to become a part of the solution, we must become participants in experiencing the problems we hope to solve.

2. A Problem-Solving Attitude

One of the traits that I had picked up very early on in architecture was a problem-solving attitude that permeated right through my architectural sphere into other areas of my life. In college, we are often given a problem and asked to resolve it through creative thinking, which is then applied in our designs. Although professors guide us along the way, the innate solution must come from us. Therefore, the process of constant critical decision-making has helped me develop a more objective view of my life. At the same time, it helped me tune out unnecessary distractions and harness a solution-driven approach in life.

3. Organization Skills

Organizational skills such as multitasking and prioritizing come into play big-time during the span of anyone’s architectural education. Whether it is preparing a presentation, making a model, rendering a sheet, or handling software – it is naïve to think all those tasks can be accomplished without juggling them simultaneously and proper planning. The nature of our assignments and profession can be so diverse that one, like myself, is bound to learn how to multitask. However, there are times when it becomes too difficult to multi-task, and as a result, I cultivated a better sense of management and prioritization. I’ve concluded that I thrive well in high-pressure environments, but for those who do not, it is a crucial skill as it will help individuals walk the tightrope of timely submissions.

4. Crucial Technical Skills

Towards the later years of architecture college, I learned to dabble in a multitude of software. Technical software competency becomes necessary for securing a position in any firm worldwide. Typically, the standard software requires one to be proficient in AutoCAD, Sketch-Up, and Photoshop, but with time, I developed other areas of expertise, like Twinmotion. Now, I’m less apprehensive about learning other software because architecture exposed me to so many. These skills are vital to market oneself post-graduation, and they will help build a strong portfolio. A good portfolio is important for individuals like me because it will help decide our future in the design field.

5. Presumptions of Architecture Changed Over Time

My understanding of the term architecture has changed significantly over time. Before, I used to think that it was only concerned with the design of buildings, and that was it. Now, it is with time that I have realized that architecture is interspersed with every aspect of our lives as it frames the very spaces we live and breathe in. It unites and divides us simultaneously, illuminating and showcasing how different communities coexist next to each other. It reveals the genius and marvel of human civilization that has transcended through the ages, thereby giving character and personality to those very places.

Architecture conveys a story through every detail that comprises its being. The use of materials, the methods of construction that bear significance to a place’s history, the design offering insight into its cultural context, inevitably shaping the identity of a region, thereby constructing a story, serving as a live handbook for the place the architecture is birthed into.

It holds the power to unite people and develop a sense of togetherness, and do so with such creative intellect that can stop a person in their tracks. These moments of awe made me realize just how compelling and complex architecture is.

Architecture Taught Me

Architecture taught me always to think creatively and outside of the box. It breaks stereotypes and widens my horizon of knowledge to form creative solutions to problems. Design opened me up in so many ways that made me more accepting of others, which is another positive side effect of this unique field. Often, I find myself putting the needs of others before mine, making me more sensitive as a human being and a better person at the end of it all. I continue to utilize these five byproducts of architecture to pursue my aspirations and progress through life.

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