Being an architect is something I truly aspire to be however I know all of the work the job proposes. Being an architect takes a lot of work and time that is very different from other jobs. You need to be prepared for many sleepless and stressful nights because of the amount of work you can receive. You need to be prepared to be a perfectionist as all your work should be perfect and complete because if one thing doesn’t work in a blueprint, it could affect the whole project. All of this work definitely pays off in the end but how is the most efficient way to complete the work? In what spaces do architects work the most efficiently and the most productive? This question arose to me because since I want to become an architect, finding the answer to this question would tremendously help me in the future and make me a better architect. The answer to this question could be extremely helpful to the millions around the world who also want to become an architect because they can learn how to be even more successful in the career. It allows me to view how other architects work and how they are successful in their own way. In addition, a couple weeks ago I was working on an architect project where the work was very intense. I started to get distracted, struggle and waste time because I kept getting distracted by noise and little things and I wasn’t working to my fullest potential therefore I realized I needed a better space to work in. If architects need a lot of time and space to complete big projects then they would work best in spaces that have no distractions and somewhere where they can be focused.

Contributor, AJ. “’Jane’ – the Story of an Architect.” The Architects’ Journal, 17 Mar. 2020, www.architectsjournal.co.uk/archive/jane-the-story-of-an-architect. 

After reading “Jane’-the story of an Architect”, I came to the conclusion that this reading is mainly about Jane’s experience as becoming an architect and how she accomplished her goal as being an architect. She stated how when she was 13 that she designed and built a shed because she wanted her “own space” In addition to being an architect, she was leading her own studio, ready to become a mom and start a family all at the same time, she described it as being “It’s a question of balance”. She kept striving towards her goal as an architect no matter of the condition or atmosphere she was in.

As stated before, Jane wanted her own space to work and she designed and built a little shed with the pocket change her dad gave her and I completely understand why she did this. She needs privacy and space to work as best as possible. If she is always working in a space with a lot of noise and clutterness, she will be prevented from doing her best work possible. In addition, Jane states, “My first real project gave me the confidence to set up my own studio”. Her own studio is where all her greatness will come from. With having a quiet and open space surrounding her, Jane is able to work at her best and create numerous outstanding projects that she eventually receives recognition and awards for.

The tone is very informative as she informs us about her experience and journey as becoming an architect. The reason Jane wrote this was to show her journey as becoming an architect and all the hard times she has overcome such as having “very little money and sleep” but yet still passionate and determined for her career. The genre of this source is a graphic essay and it makes sense for the intended audience because she is trying to visualize and show you her experience on her upbringing into architecture. Throughout reading the entire graphic essay, I can confidently say her content is credible because as she describes her journey and determination, she then states her awards won due to her perfection in the career. “I felt humbled and honored to be recognized for my contribution to the profession”. If she gave advice about architecture you can rely on it because she at one point used it and looked how far she has come. 

Kilkelly, Michael. “21 Ways Architects Can Work Smarter, Not Harder.” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 19 Apr. 2019, www.archdaily.com/608518/21-ways-architects-can-work-smarter-not-harder. 

As the title states, this article states 21 ways architects can work smarter, not harder and it states those ways by highlighting 5 key points, “Plan your work”, “Focus your time”, “Manage your information, “Know your tools”, and “Automate repetitive tasks”. The article states that time is getting more limited by the day while buildings are getting more complex resulting in architects to have less time to work on projects therefore that they need tips and suggestions on how they can properly make use of all the time they have rather than just rushing the work and having it come out unpolished. You don’t want to be in a building that has missing parts or the wrong material and then everything goes wrong.

I agree with the entire text, there isn’t one tip here that I couldn’t relate to more and try to use in the future. Such as under “Focus your time”, it states that, “Try working fewer hours, not more. This forces you to focus on the most important tasks. Plus, research shows that working more than forty hours is downright unproductive.” From personal experience, working for long hours is the worst thing an architect can do because you start to get frustrated and get distracted by all sorts of things and the work never gets finished. One thing I would include in this article is that having a personal work space is important because it allows you to further your focus with no distractions or loud noises that can take you off from your flow. This article tells me that time is truly one of the most under looked aspects of being an architect because some things require a lot of time and focus. As stated in the text, “time is one resource that cannot be created or stored. It’s our most precious commodity. Guard your time and use it effectively- you cannot make any more”. Time is very limited as an architect and you would be able to make the most of it by working in a space where you are concentrated and work the best.

The tone of this article is informative because it is informing you all the tips and tricks on how to work smarter and not harder as an architect. The intended audience for this article is architects who struggle and new beginning architects who don’t know what it is like to be one. The genre of this source is an informative article and it makes sense for the intended audience because architects who will read this will learn and reflect on all these tips and will keep it in mind in the future. This article is credible as well because being published on the most visited architecture website says it alone. In addition, most of these tips I can relate to and I’m not even an actual architect yet. I like how the author’s writing style is very organized and states key points and tips relating to that point. It makes 21 points look like only 5 points and it really helps with not looking cluttered. 

“What Do Architects Do?” David Balber Architect, 18 Jan. 2017, balberarchitect.com/architects/. 

Being an architect is not just being able to draw fancy buildings according to David Balber. Balber states how whenever he gets asked questions like “What do architects do?”, he usually responds by saying how his number one priority is safety and how people usually forget that about architecture. “Everyone understands that if a surgeon messes up, the patient dies. Well guess what? If an architect messes up THOUSANDS of people can die!” In addition, Being an architect consists of building a well designed building that makes sense and is aesthetically pleasing. The common answer most people assume architects do as just designing buildings is just the tip of the surface as to what they really do, there is much more layer to that answer.

After reading this article, I strongly agree with everything David Balber states throughout because I can heavily relate to it. People ask me all the time as well “what do architects do?” and they always say how we just draw for a living and I just think to myself how that common answer is just the scratch of the surface of what architects really do. There is so much thought process that goes into every little detail in your design and it has to be perfect and if it isn’t, it could mess up the entire plan. “Imagine what would happen if there was a faulty connection in a major structural component in a stadium? The entire roof could fall in!” One thing David Balber could have included is the importance of having your own space because it would help you make those deal breaking decisions as you have more time and focus for it with no distractions. In addition, It would help you design even better projects in a better timely manner as you tend to be more focused while in a space with no distractions. One thing I would say to David Balber is I loved how he ended off the article, as he states to not underestimate the importance of a safe building and I could totally agree because I would much rather be in a safe building that isn’t appealing compared to a building that is very eye catching yet unstable and unsafe. This document tells me that people believe all architects do is draw for a living however there are much more layers to it such as making a building very safe that requires a lot of focus and detail. Each decision made by the architect must have a lot of thought and focus into it because it’s like a make it or break it situation, if you mess up one decision on the design, the entire design could be messed up as well.

The tone seems informative yet a little sarcastic because as he states how people ask him constantly on what architects do and his response “ Well, I suppose we “draw” buildings but it is a tad more complicated than that.” He tries to answer the question as demonstrating that they are right however only just stretched the surface of the right answer. The author’s intended audience is for people looking for exactly what architects do rather than just “drawing buildings”. The genre of this source is a reflection essay itself because it demonstrates his experience and his reflection on the question “what do architects do?” David Balber is very creditable because this article is just one of many articles that relates to architecture and his experience with it and that shows how much knowledge he has on the career.

User, Guest. “A Day in the Life of an Architect.” BLDG.Collective, BLDG.Collective, 18 Jan. 2019, www.bldgcollective.com/blog/2019/1/17/a-day-in-the-life-of-an-architect. 

Life as an architect can get busy and boring as you spend most of your time sketching blueprints, troubleshooting project setbacks and revealing client’s dream homes. Architects usually are always on the move such as moving to the residential site to gather information to moving to the office to speak with clients, etc. They usually have dedicated hours and places where they work and create their designs. Communication is key with being an architect as well because you’re always discussing plans with someone about your designs and how to improve upon them. In addition, architects receive tons of emails and texts every day so it’s very important for them to be checked daily.

After reading the text, I absolutely agree with everything that was said because being an architect is not an easy task and it’s a job where you are always dealing with people which is why communication is key. As stated in the text, “At the office, we head back to our desks to focus on any projects in the design phase. This is probably what comes to mind when you think of an architect”. Being an architect and having your own space is so vital because it allows you to work at your full potential with no distractions. Most architects all over the world have their own space where they design and create which contributes to a lot of their success in architecture. One thing I would say to this architect is that his or her schedule is planned out in an organized fashion and could be something other architects could follow as well. This document tells me that most architects have their own design space and it adds on to my research question as having your own space seems essential in becoming an architect as it allows you to work at your fullest potential with no distractions.

The tone of this document is very monotone and normal as it just states information on what architects do on a daily basis however there are some points where the tone can get enthusiastic such as “Precision is a key ingredient…in architecture and beverages.” The author’s purpose of writing this document is to solely illustrate life as an architect and how their daily schedule looks like. The genre of this source is an informative journal as it describes someone’s life as an architect and what they do on a daily basis. This genre makes sense for the intended audience because the audience reading this source will be willing to know how his life as an architect and this informative journal illustrates it. This content is very creditable as it’s posted on an architecture site based off of architecture and design.

Spaces for reflection shows how most architects work in spaces such as offices and sheds that provide quietness for you to focus and work. This space is very vital for an architect because since architects get loads of work everyday, it is important that all work must be complete in a timely manner. The architect’s daily schedule is pretty tight as they are either designing and working, on the construction site gathering information or in a meeting or with a client discussing. At first it may seem boring but the aspect of traveling and communication is there which can make the job fun. I was surprised to see architects working in an office because offices are so bland and boring however I understand how an office provides quietness and that’s something that is essential for an architect when they are working. At first, all I wanted to know is in what spaces do architects work the most efficiently in however, while I was researching, I started to learn more insights on the career such as what architects do in a day and what their life is like. Learning the spaces for reflection as an architect was extremely important because it provides young aspiring architects tips and tricks and even an insider on the career as a whole and how to work efficiently as an architect. In addition, it made me learn how to work as an architect efficiently or even how to work efficiently as a student. The people who need to hear this is anyone who is aspiring to be an architect because this will tremendously help them as it gives them many tips and tricks and an insider on how the career really is.