Architecture

Architects design new buildings and the spaces around them, and restore and conserve existing buildings.

The average salary a year ranges from £31,000 for a starter and £58,000 for an experience architecture. The typical hours would be 35 to 40 hours a week, with the possibility of working evenings and/or weekends.

You can get into this job through a university course or an apprenticeship. You'll need a portfolio of your work when you are interviewed for degree courses. Course providers will want to see examples like hand drawn sketches, photographs and models.

To become an architect through university, you'll need to complete Parts 1, 2 and 3 of architectural training. This is made up of:

a degree recognised by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) - Part 1
a year of practical work experience
a further 2 years' full-time university course like a BArch, Diploma, MArch - Part 2
a year of practical training
a final qualifying exam - Part 3

You'll usually need:

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4, or equivalent, including English, Maths and Science
2 to 3 A levels or equivalent, for a degree

To become an architect through an apprenticeship you can apply to do an Architectural Assistant Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship to start Part 1 training. You could then move on to complete an Architect Level 7 Integrated Degree Apprenticeship to achieve Parts 2 and 3. These apprenticeships can take up to 4 years each, and are a mix of workplace learning and academic study at an approved university.

You'll usually need:

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship.

Muyiwa Oki, an architect who works for construction consultancy company, Mace Group Limited and is also the president of the Royal Institute for British Architects, RIBA tells you about his role as an architect and what he achieved to get there.

Architecture equipment - Students and professionals use various tools. Certain architectural equipment is essential for day-to-day work, while others have more specialised uses. The choice of tools is a balance between selecting the best tool for the job and personal preference.

Architectural scale - Is essential for creating accurate drawings and models in architecture. It allows life-sized objects to be precisely reduced onto paper. This helps architects and architecture students communicate their designs effectively, taking into accound users, surroundings, materials, and structure. Builders then use these scaled drawings to construct the designs accurately.

Architectural paper sizes - Understanding architecture paper sizes remains crucial, even in a digital-first world. The A series paper series (A1, A2, A3, A4) are the most commonly used globally by architects and architecture students. In the United States, the Architectural series(ARCH) is predominantly used.

Architecture student laptops and desktops - Choosing the right architecture student laptop or desktop PC is a significant decision for any architecture student. You need to consider factors when choosing what is likely your most expensive purchase as a student.

Architecture work experience and career - If you are considering a career in architecture or the built environment (including planning, engineering, construction, and quantity surveying), you may want to seek architecture work experience.

Architecture crit and presentations - The architecture crit, short for critique, is a key part of architecture education. Depending on where you study, they may be called different things, including reviews, presentations, pin-ups, or juries.

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