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What does an architectures day to day life look like?

What does an architectures day to day life look like? How demanding is the job?

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Eric’s Answer

Will, a career in architecture can be very rewarding and most architects stay very busy. An entry level architect will typically be assigned to work on a few projects at a time. Projects can be at various stages of development, from early programming, developing schematic renderings and plans, to producing complete construction documents, and also involvement in the construction review process. Depending on the size of the architectural firm, there are various roles that architects take on. Larger firms often have dedicated designers. These designers are typically involved in developing raw plans and renderings that show the massing of the building. Principal owners are typically involved in marketing and writing proposals, the early stage of programming (determining the overall needs of the building owner, such as sizes of different spaces and room types), and then they are involved in the document review process so that they can stamp and sign drawings. A project manager is usually a senior architect that is involved in all phases of design and acts as a team coordinator to make sure that the project is delivered on schedule and on budget. On smaller projects the project manager might take on the design aspects but, for larger projects, they will usually rely on the dedicated designers. The project managers also usually oversee code analysis (e.g., egress, fire resistance, and ADA compliance) with the assistance of a junior architect. Other team members assist with the production of the drawings, including the development of building elevations, sections, schedules, details and specifications. Junior architects will usually be busy assisting with these tasks. The majority of time will be spent in the production of the construction documents. But, junior architects will also be assigned to assist in coordinating construction review items, include observation of the construction progress. And, often a project will involve a remodel of an existing building, in which case you will need to make a site visit to document the existing conditions and possibly take measurements in order to produce existing plans. The tasks are varied, and each project is unique. So, there is often new and exciting work available to work on.
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