My Decision For Choosing Architectural Technology As My Major and Career! By Taylor Marie Hernandez

My name is Taylor Marie Hernandez and I am in my freshman year at the New York City College of Technology, also known as City Tech. I am 18 years old and currently majoring in Architectural Technology. As a little girl I had developed an interest that went from drawing, to architecture. My early interest was in art. I always loved to draw and whenever I would go to the mall I would stop at a certain stand because I found it cool how the artist would draw all these different pictures. Later on in my childhood when I was in the fourth grade my grandma, my mom and I went to Budday and Schuster Architects because my grandma was building a house next door. Whenever I would go to the architect, I would sit down at the table and my eyes would always draw attention to the architect while he was speaking about the different plans. He would explain the elevations, plans, sections, and where everything would be located. From then on I decided to make this my future goal and I know that this would be something I want to do. I chose this major, because I have an interest in drawing and creating things. I find it interesting how ideas are put down on paper and then just come to life. I want to be even more knowledgeable then I know now, and I want to show people what I am capable of. This is the best career for me, because I will be able to demonstrate to others my many ideas. Also I will be able to make money so I am able to support myself, and I want to explore different things. In this essay, I will provide some background information about the major I have chosen, I will explain my reasons as to why I have decided to pick this major, and I will explain how will I plan to excel in my major as well as my future career.

Before discussing my reasons for entering this major, I will provide some background information about the major. Architecture has been around for many years. Probably since the roman and Egyptian times. At the year of 200, BC Greek builders created cement as a metal structure. This cement was put in place of plaster and other types of weak material. At the time Egyptians used a different kind of cement called gypsum plaster, in Mesopotamia they used bitumen. There are many different types of architecture that have evolved over a period of time. In 3,050 BC to 900, BC ancient Egypt constructed very big triangular prism shaped like objects that are known as the Great Pyramid of Giza. Another type of architecture would be back in 527 to 565, AD where the roman empire has evolved a different sense of style. Instead of using stone, domed roofs, mosaics, and classic forms, they used brick. There are just so many different types of architecture all around the world. Architectural technology, is the application of technology to the design of buildings. It is a component of architecture and building engineering and is sometimes viewed as a distinct discipline or sub-category. Architectural technology is a field that creates plans for houses, buildings, and things of that nature. Once the sketches are drawn out, they are then transferred to the computer where they will eventually become plans, elevations, and sections. When creating different types of blue prints on the computer, you use different programs like Rino, InDesign, Auto CAD, Photoshop, and other types of programs. Finally, after a review of the blueprints, the construction begins and therefor, a new creation will be built. Architectural Technology comes in a variety of different degrees such as Associates degree, Bachelors degree, a degree in Masters, and a License. The Associates Program is a 2-year program where you are taking classes as if you were going into a 4-year program. Students who are taking a 2-year program, have an opportunity to continue with major by taking the 4-year program. As a student in City Tech, some classes I’m current taking now are Design Foundations, Building Technology, Visual Studies, and my basic classes such as English Composition and Precalculus. Later on during the semester you start taking a little bit more challenging classes. For the Bachelors Degree you have to start of by taking the associate degree class for 2 full years and then for your 3rd and 4th year you take classes such as History of New York City Architecture, Structures, Architectural Design 6, or Advance Detailing Studio. In the college catalogue if you look under the Architectural Technology it will explain what classes are needed to take in order to graduate with the degree you want. (College Catalog. 190-194)

There are many different types of architecture. There are architects for landscaping, naval, non landscaping and naval, industrial, and things of that nature. But the main type of architecture that I will discuss is Architects: Non-Landscaping and naval. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook, non naval and landscaping architects make $35.14 per hour and about $73,090 a year. For this particular job you have to be in college for all 4 years. When you graduate after your 4 years you will receive a bachelor’s degree, From there on, it is required that you intern a firm with this field. Architects have many responsibilities. These responsibilities include “meeting with clients to determine objectives and requirements for structures, estimate the amount of required materials, equipment, and construction time, prepare structure specifications, direct workers who prepare drawings and documents, prepare scaled drawings with computer software and by hand, prepare contract documents for building contractors, manage construction contracts, visit worksites to ensure that construction adheres to architectural plans, seek new work by marketing and giving presentations.” (Occupational Outlook Handbook). Architects are capable of building many different things such as small and big houses, small rooms, hotels, airport, and many things other things for people to live in, play, and work. When architects get assigned a project, there will be late nights where they are trying to do the best that they could by making sure that the work gets done especially when there is a deadline. When architects have a deadline to complete a projects, it is not okay to wait till the last minute and expect to have it done. It is always better to start the project as soon as you are assigned the deadline. You should never wait till the last minute to complete a project especially architects, Another type of occupation that should never wait till the last minute to do something are lawyers. When a lawyer has to go to a court trial they need to make sure that they have lots and lots of evidence, statements, testimonies, and etc.

Becoming an architect requires a lot of school, experience, time and dedication. There is a lot of work ahead when being an architect. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook, to be an architect you need to go school and get your bachelors degree. Afterward I will then have to take a test called the National Council of Architectural Registration Board (NCARB). When taking the NCARB exam, it requires a lot of time and studying. According to the NCARB site, the test is said to range from 4 to 6 hours and should be scheduled weeks in advance. In this field there are many types of different skills that are needed. These skill include communication, analytical, creativity, organization, visualization, and technical skill. (NCARB. Preparing for exam. par. ) It is very important to be organized when doing this type of work. You need to have all your tools out, and have all of your previous plans away.

The few reasons for why I have decided to choose this kind of major is because ever since I was a little girl, I always had an interest with drawing. No matter where I was, I would always have paper and a writing tool just in case I got board and felt like doing something. When I was about seven years old, I develop interest in drawing. The days I had nothing to do, I would look around my room for objects and pictures, and then try drawing them. My interest in drawing eventually led to a compulsion with architecture during the beginning of the fourth grade. Around the age of nine years, I would go to Buday and Schuster Architects with my grandma and mom. Whenever my grandmother had an appointment to see her architect and discuss her plans, I always tagged along. I would sit down at the table and pay attention as the architect explained the exterior and interior of the blueprints, such as, where the rooms are going to be, how big they will be, what the outside would look like, and more of the overall design itself. When I entered high school I continued to challenge myself by taking up art classes since I wanted to learn different drawing techniques. During my four years in high school I decided to setup a goal for myself by wanting to take up architecture classes and eventually branch off by taking these classes during my years at college. Unfortunately, I wasn’t capable to do that. For 4 years my school decided to ask me why I didn’t take architecture classes if I knew I wanted to take this as a my future career. I explained by telling them how I asked my grade advisor, and the teaches if the school offered architecture classes and how they told me no. Because I am in college, I can fulfill that dream that I got without have the excuses of not doing something I want.

I plan to excel in my major as well as my future career. During my time in college I want to be able to have an internship at one of the best top architect firms where I will be able to show them what I know and I can learn different types of techniques from other architects. From the internship I want to be able to learn many things as possible. Some of the things I want to know is how I can be successful in this field, how to communicate to my clients and my co workers in a professional manner, what I should expect when I go on an interview, how I should dress, and etc. With the skills I learn, I want to be able to carry them with me when I finally get that job I start. As I plan to move forward in this field I want to be able to create my own firm down the line and be one of the top ranking architects on the list. I know I will need a lot of school, time, patience, and guidance to help get me to where I want to be. As I am currently a freshman in this field here at City Tech, I will make it my business to do what it takes to have a successful education and what skill I will develop.

In conclusion, I want to be a very successful person. I want to create my own firm and have people work under me. By wanting to achieve this type of goal, it requires a lot of hard work, dedication, and commitment. But before I do that I will first have to work in a firm as a first year associate working under someone else. Wanting to take up a field like this requires tons and tons of commitment and time. As a freshmen in the architectural field one thing that I realized is that I don’t have a social life because of my commitment and dedication to this field. “A doctor is responsible for one life, while an architect is responsible for millions of lives.” This is true because when an architect is creating a new structure, the architects job is to make sure that everything is followed by regulation and to keep the new creation from falling and destroying millions of lives. A doctor on the other hand is responsible for saving one life at a time. When they are doing a procedure on someone they have to make sure that everything they do is right and that there are no mistakes. Being in this field is something I really want to do because I am able to do something I love.

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Works Cited:

Gascoigne, Bamber,“History of Architecture“ HistoryWorld. From 2001, ongoing. http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?. Web. 21.Oct.2015

New York City College of Technology- College Catalogue 2015-2016. (City Tech). New York: New York City College of Technology, 2015. PDF.

United States. Department of labor. Bereau of Labor Statistics.“Architectural Technology” Occupational Out Handbook. Washington: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Web. 24.Oct.2015

Wikipedia contributors. “Architectural technology.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 23 Jul. 2015. Web.21.Oct.2015

www.ncarb.org/gettting-an-Initial-License/Registration-Board-Requirments.aspx?state=AL
http://architecture.about.com/cs/historicperiods/a/timeline.htm Web. 21.Oct.2015

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