Comments on: LIVING SUSTAINABLY AS A DESIGN STUDENT

By: printplace

printplace — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:40:58 +0000

Getting outside is so important. It’s easy to be holed up in a room with other designers and no windows all day. Creativity usually comes on a brain break, not when you’re trying to be creative. And, when getting outside, it’s important to see something different: go to a museum, take a walk on a different street, drive through old neighborhoods with inspiring architecture … seeing different stimuli wakes up different parts of your brain.

By: IGor BArteczko

IGor BArteczko — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 05:43:57 +0000

Nice website and interesting stuff too. Will bookmark it

keep it up!

respect

Sybilista

By: Phil

Phil — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 02:09:39 +0000

Jill made some great points about how sustainability is a part of design and a better change for humanity, but obviously this doesn’t count for architects and their working environment. How ironic?

I’m not in grad school yet, so I don’t know the experience of having all-nighters and that stress, but I’ve been told that this and more “horrible” situations will happen. I’m very hyped about this, in positive and negative ways. I’m physically handicapped, having some body limitations. I’m pretty good in front of computers, pretty fast when it comes to using software using ACAD and the like, but when it comes to model building, I have a difficult time cutting, nailing, and gluing materials. I wouldn’t say it’s impossible, but it usually requires extra time, depending on my design structure–what and how it’s going to be built like–and the deadline for it.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this, my architect classes were demanding, but everyone understood and didn’t treat me any differently. We were all like family, it was a small class of 9 or 10 students. I hope grad school will be like this, or tad close to it.

By: alyani

alyani — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 04:48:11 +0000

For some1 who doesnt conform 2 status co & not so a robot, it took me a year of failing twice in design to realize all by myself that what u’ve said is the solution. People dun tell u that but ur very nice 2 take d time 2 care & advice other people. Plus i recommend dat u guys check out this great book ;

“Time Management For Architects & Designers Challenges & Remedies”
by Thorbjoern Mann.

Good luck! im trying 2hang on too by feeling numb.

By: Laura

Laura — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 20:36:18 +0000

It does change! although coming back to uni after my placement year to do my post grad is an absolute nightmare! I did my degree with only working 4 very late/all niters and i held down a part time job – just so you know my friends think im absolutely crazy (and i agree – id love to have a day off where i can relax and not feel pressured) I will say this though – i had a life – i did things and had friends outside uni. My lecturers hated it and I was even told I would fail the course four weeks from the end – I didn’t and got a 2:1 (uk grading – 1st, 2:1, 2:2 and a 3rd then you fail)Just believe in yourself !
ps. we have no openable windows either and we are protesting like crazy!

By: Jean

Jean — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:22:12 +0000

Yeah Everything is this article cool and everything but when ur doing an all-nighter and ur project is due the other day dont come and talk to me about proper eating and exercising habits. The fact is that we have all chose a major that just demands our all, all the time. We just have to try to stay sane thoughout this experience

By: Coulda Shoulda Woulda « Finding Form

Coulda Shoulda Woulda « Finding Form — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 04:55:15 +0000

[...] folks over at Inhabitate have created a list for Living Sustainable. Find more tips for surviving design school here at Core77, and for tips on general productivity [...]

By: kyle

kyle — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:52:32 +0000

I totally agree with the principals presented in this article. I’ve found I’ve been much more happy and productive since I’ve decided to stop pulling all nighters. I got ulcers my third year due to over work over stress and bad eating/sleeping habits. It’s just not worth it. I’d rather enjoy life than kill myself over my work.

By: cheryl

cheryl — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 19:26:25 +0000

well, i hate to be the bearer of bad news…
but this unfortunately does not end with school
architecture is not a sustainable profession
when i finished graduate school 15 years ago, there were no jobs
when i finally did get a job as a vastly underpaid, overworked intern, i was made to feel that i should be grateful to have it, many of my classmates found themselves working for free
putting in my time to get to then put myself through the grueling licensing exams, and trying to pay off the immense debt from graduate school
from beginning to end, i slaved in other people’s offices for over 10 years trying to eek out a living under intolerable conditions
two years ago, my husband (his experience similar to my own) and i started our own architecture firm, committed to more balanced business model
the hard reality is that two years into it, we are working harder than ever & see no end in sight
the fact is that architects are not trained in business, in fact, design schools prepare you for nothing useful in practice – now don’t over react and argue about the importance of design – i’m a designer – design is important – it just has nothing to do with what you do in school
here’s the thing – the economics of it just don’t work
we are the most underpaid and overworked professionals in the world
you will be hard pressed to find a single architecture office that does not violate at least several labor laws
for the level of education & training we must receive and then the risk and liability that we assume with our work, we are not even close to being sufficiently compensated
the reasons are too many & too complicated to address here (economic, political, cultural…), but the fact is that architecture is not a sustainable profession and the entire profession needs an overhaul at least on the same scale that construction practices do to become sustainable
i would even go farther and say that the architectural profession is so broken that the only reason it has managed to limp along this far is because regulatory agencies mandate that owners & builders hire us
ok, so before someone asks: ‘why do it, why continue to do it?’ and herein lies the heart of the problem, because we love it, it’s sick but true, it is like an unhealthy relationship that you know you should have left a long time ago
here’s an amazing reality that architects can’t seem to grasp: many people love what they do AND they get paid to do it
this will not happen in architecture until we take action to make it happen
we need to advocate for ourselves, as business owners, employers and employees
we need an advocacy organization to defend and promote our interests, don’t get me started on the AIA (which i am a member of only to not get gouged for liability insurance)
my advice, unless you’re up for the enormous challenge of revamping this very broken profession, switch to art school – you’ll have more fun and make more money

By: Wondershock Record » Living Sustainably as a Design Student

Wondershock Record » Living Sustainably as a Design Student — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 19:26:40 +0000

[...] Living Sustainably as a Design Student [...]

By: karl

karl — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:54:33 +0000

After I graduated from school and started going to job interviews, it became clear to me that much of the torture we put ourselves through is simply a form of hazing that serves to create a basis of shared experiences with other people in our field. At a few interviews, sharing stories about the crazy hours spent on projects and counting the number of all-nighters became a way of establishing a bond and topic of conversation with the interviewers. It is a shame that we to put ourselves through the wringer in order to have this.

By: perez

perez — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:37:46 +0000

i think excercise did me ALOT of good during school..i always felt like i had enough time to work on my projects, excercise,hang out with friends, work on other class assigments and sleep…excercising gave me that energy….but i think one thing unique about my experience at school was the commeraderie that was created with the other students at my level. we did everything together, even created a softball team, and that went a long way in unspoken support for each other during the long nights and tough assigments…mya advice for future and current students, the one peice of advice or knowledge i have to share is to make the most of your time in school, becuase real world architecture is not the same. its a culture shock..if you can work, get an internship at a local firm. find out what its really like….

By: lisa

lisa — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 02:35:21 +0000

Great Advice! I agree with Jill above and I’m glad to see that other people share the same concerns. As a future architecture grad student, I will be sure to keep these tips in mind and work on my procrastination habit! I definitly learned early on (1st year of undergrad) that my health came first and everything came second after suffering a condition called Bell’s Palsy from all the stress I was suffering. So please, to all students who read this, it is extremely important that you get your sleep and eat appropriatly so that health stays up to par. Good luck with your studies!

By: Jill

Jill — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 16:32:36 +0000

Thanks guys-

I really appreciate your comments! Its nice to know that other people feel similarily – sometimes I feel that I’m alone at Columbia with these opinions. I feel like even if other students feel the same way, people don’t really ever about it, because it feels like “laziness” or “complaining”, or generally not being tough, to want to quit work and go to sleep at 12am. Anyways, nice to know I’m not alone.. Good luck with the start of the school year and take the time to be sane and healthy!

Best wishes-
Jill

By: Binksy

Binksy — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 09:42:43 +0000

I just left Uni feeling rather guilty that it was only 7pm. Now I’m home & have just read this post & I’m feeling great! It made my day. I totally love the field I am studying (architecture) yet totally disagree with the competitive and outrageously unhealthy and unsustainable environment that we create for ourselves. It’s time we took and stand to improve our experiences at design school so that we can sustain ourselves and our industries.