Who is An Architect?

A Lot of people don't really understand who an architect is, let alone knowing what they do. This letter is my attempt to hopefully give you insight into who an architect is

Partly because I have met a surprisingly large number of people who have basically zero idea on who an architect is, and also because I was in the same position until I almost got to university.

According to the international Union of Architects, the world population of architects estimated from their survey is 2.7 Million. To give you perspective, that is 0.036% of the world population.

That is approximately 1 architect in 2,800 people you meet, and I think that is why there seems to be a little bit of a mystery in who architects are and what they do.

So here is the deal, I shall attempt to explain who an architect is to a 5 year old, High school teenager, a university student, experienced employee in the field of work and finally to a philosopher, the deep thinker.

1. To a 5 year old: An architect is someone who thinks up and makes beautiful buildings for people to live, work, and play in. They use shapes, colors, and patterns to make the buildings strong, useful, and pretty. They also think about how the buildings fit with the land, the sky, and the people around them. An architect is like an artist who paints, but with bricks and stones.
   
   I know! Kids can be very inquisitive, like what do you mean shapes and colors?

• So Architects use different shapes to make buildings, such as squares, rectangles, which are common on every corner in your hometown.
  
  Triangles like in the case of the Pyramids of Giza Egypt, or the Louvre pyramid in France.
  
  Circles like the Al Dar Headquarters, Abu Dhabi, or the dome of Kigali convention centre in Rwanda.
  
  Sometimes architects use shapes that are not very common, such as hexagons, octagons, or even stars. Some buildings refuse to take a particular shape.
  
  So Allan! How about colors?

• Architects decide what colors and patterns to match the use and mood of the buildings.
  
  For example, a hospital might have white and blue colors to show cleanliness and calmness. A school might have bright and colorful patterns to show fun and learning.
  

2. To a high school teenager: An architect is someone who designs and plans buildings and other structures. They apply math, science, and art to create spaces that are safe, useful, and attractive. They also consider the environmental, social, and cultural aspects of their projects. An architect is like a problem-solver who uses creativity and logic(math, science and art) to communicate their ideas.
   
   In this answer we may have questions like, how do architects apply math, science and art to their work?
   
   Architects use math and science to calculate the dimensions, proportions, materials, and forces involved in their designs.
   
   Typical example is the use of rule of thumb: For example If I design a protruding balcony to a house for you to chill, It should not exceed a certain length from calculation, otherwise, “heavy fall” bad architect!
   
   They also use art to express their creativity, style, and vision for the spaces they create.

2. To a university student: An architect is a professional who applies the principles of design for documentation and construction of buildings and other structures. They use various tools and methods to analyze, synthesize, and communicate their ideas. They also collaborate with other professionals and stakeholders to ensure the quality and feasibility of their projects. An architect is like a researcher who explores and experiments with different possibilities.
   
   Well, you may ask how do architects analyze, synthesize and communicate their projects?
   
   Through Study of the requirements, constraints, and opportunities (more like feasibility study) of their projects.
   They use synthesis to generate and evaluate different design alternatives and select the best one.
   They make presentations and explain their design ideas to others, such as clients, builders, engineers, and the public.

Well, What are some of the tools and methods that architects use in their projects?
At Uni, we were the weirdos carrying around models and large sheets of paper, with sketches and drawings:
But thanks to technology Architects use various tools and methods to assist them in their projects, computer-aided design (Cad), building information modeling (BIM), simulations, prototyping, testing, and feedback.

If you want to get started with Archicad, visit nalitectstudio.com for free tutorial lessons.

4. To an experienced person in the world of work: An architect is a professional who leads and manages the construction team and process of buildings and other structural projects. They use their knowledge and skills to coordinate the technical, financial, and legal aspects of their projects. They also supervise the implementation and evaluation of their projects. An architect is like a director who oversees and guides the whole process.
   
   Corresponding question from this person may be: What qualifications and skills are required to be an architect?
   To be an architect you need a bachelor’s or Master’s degree in architecture from an accredited Institution and as well be licensed to practice architecture in your local area.
   Skills necessary include:
   Design Skills: that is, an eye for beauty, creativity, innovation.
   
   Technical Skills: solid background Knowledge of math, physics, Engineering, Cad.
   
   Management Skills: Organizational, communication, leadership skills team building, handling budgets, schedules, contracts, regulations.
   

5. To a mature deep thinker: An architect is a curious creative who reflects and expresses a philosophy of design through their body of work. They use their vision, mission and values to shape the built form and are always searching for meaning in their work. They also contribute to the development and evolution of the architectural discipline and culture. An architect is like a philosopher who questions and challenges the status quo.
   
   Ok wait! How do architects express a philosophy of design?
   
   Developing a style, a concept, a theme, a message that guides their design decisions and communicates their vision to the audience.
   
   Philosophies of design include:
   Modernism championed by figures like Le Corbusier, Ludwig Mies Van De Rohe (Less is more) and Frank Lloyd Wright.

Post Modernism of the 20th century championed by Robert Venturi (Less is a bore), Phillip Johnson.

The more recent Sustainability movement championed by the works of Renzo piano, and Sir Norman Foster.

Recent Nobel Prize winner Francis Kere has done a tremendous job here in Africa.

How does an architect use their vision, Mission and Values to shape the built form? In Other Words how does the abstract become physical?

Finally How can an architect contribute to the evolution of the discipline as a whole and its culture?

Am leaving these as food for thought for the thinker, Am not yet suited to discuss them. Let me know what you think about who an architect is to you in the comments below. I can’t wait to join the debate:

To recap:

To the 5 year old: Imagine the architect as an artist that paints, but with brick and stone

To the high schooler: Imagine the An architect as a problem-solver who uses creativity and logic (math, science and art) to communicate their ideas of a safe, usable and attractive space

To a university student: Imagine the architect as a researcher who explores and experiments with different possibilities to find optimal solutions for the built form.

To an experienced person in the world of work: An architect is like a director (like in the case of movies, orchestra) who oversees and guides the complex processes of building construction and other structures.

To a mature deep thinker: An architect is like a philosopher, a sage, poet, critic who questions and challenges the status quo, creatively shaping the built form in search of meaning to their body of work.

Thank you for the read! Have a wonderful day!

-Namara Allan`