10 things I learnt from 1st year in Architecture School

First year at Architecture School. The year where you get thrown in the deep end of the architecture world, where you have never even felt the water before.

Before you go diving in (hopefully some time in September) here are a few pointers I have learnt over the year and want you guys to hear.

Caution: these are the sort of things they don't tell you on the Open Days, so that you don't change your mind and study Art or Engineering.

1. Be prepared to buy materials

Boy, are you gonna have foam board piled up in your room for weeks, along with stashes of mount board. And don't make me start on the amount of tubes of UHU glue you will go through. I mean, it's not life threatening, just be prepared for it. 

If your uni gives you money for materials, don't go spending it on food. I promise you, it will be hard to reserve that "free money" for bits of card and glue, instead of spending it all on coffee to keep you awake for studio on Monday morning- but you must.

2. The printing

If you thought buying materials is bad you haven't felt nothing until you have to spend money on printing out portfolio sheets. I mean, printing is an actual nightmare; especially if you leave it to the last minute when everyone if panicking and it has over 200 jobs to release.

Do it in advance. It will mean doing the work a little earlier but trust me on this one.

3. Your tutors mark your work

Yep. I'm pretty much stating an obvious one here, but many students forget that your tutor marks your work. So, if they ask you to change something and your counter argument fails, you better change it. I mean, sometimes your tutors are wrong and you win your argument to keep that staircase in it's position. 

However, on most occasions they are telling you something important and you ignoring their advice could mean the difference between grades (because they think you haven't learnt anything).

4. You are going to make mistakes

You will. Definitely. There is literally no question about it. Just accept it and move forward.

Make them early. Learn from them quickly.

5. Try not to blag presentations

It will happen: one day you will wing a presentation and win over your tutor. 

But that should only happen on RARE occasions. For crits, studio, presentations, reviews (whatever you guys call them) do your research! Otherwise, one day you will get caught out with silence entering the studio room as you try to answer a question you have no idea about. (cue the disappointed look from your tutor).

 6. Learn from each other

Like the leeks from "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2" you guys are in the same boat. Simple fundamental things like CAD commands or Photoshop skills come from other students, not always your tutor.

7.  Practising scale

If you want to practise something to prepare for September I would say go buy a scale ruler and try to get your head around it. 

It seems like a pretty easy thing (and many of you will find it pips), but it took me a while to understand how to use it.

8. Ignore the fact that people are better than you

Don't let it upset you. There will be so many people with an amazing set of skills, who have done architecture courses already or just have that special flair. 

Acknowledge their skills, but just know that you will get to that stage too, some day, after a bit of hard work. For me, out of all my years though school and college, this year I went through the most biggest learning curve. 

It's like what Kim Collins said "Strive for continuous improvement, instead of perfection".

9. Prepare for complete annihilation

    (action movie style)

You will work hard on a design project (and therefore think it's breathtaking, awe-inspiring, etc). However, when you go into studio it might just get annihilated by your tutor.

It's okay. Don't worry, it's not just you- it happens to everyone, in every school of architecture. 

When it does happen, just know that as architecture students, we feel your pain. 

10. Rewards

It's not all horrid and scary. Despite the fact that I didn't want to sound like an Open Day student, I'm just going to lift your spirits a bit:

Studio can be a really fun, creative and inspiring place to be. It is a perfect environment for a 1st year, from the people around you to the amazing ideas that get thrown around the room.

The course is great wherever you go and study! If you enjoy designing and creating, you will enjoy architecture.

And finally at the end of the year, you can look back and be proud of all the drawings, plans, concepts and buildings you have created throughout the year (as well as partying it up, while your hall friends have exams to do!)




Also check out Poison Concrete. It's a brand new website, featuring everything current in architecture, interiors and culture. Check it out here now!
It's current story on interiors features the architecture students from Manchester School of Architecture. Look at their work for inspiration and an insight into the creativity that occurs at university here.