Architecture is a very practical field…. as practical as the medical field. Can you just imagine the situation that the doctors have four & a half years of classroom studies & just 140 days of practical training & he is supposed to start practicing. Will anybody consult such a doctor? No, never. Now think ……. exactly what is happening in Architecture.
So many things are not taught, but they should be. So, what are those things? Simple…. It’s the things which are being done in practice. Not hard to find out, so here is a quick list.
- Vastu: Architectural Academicians look at it with great disdain. I cannot figure out why they love to hate it so much. Sure, it blocks creativity, but it is the primary need of the society these days. We have to look at it in a positive way & accept the fact that most of the planning done nowadays is based on this. Till when will we behave like an ostrich & refuse to see Vastu as a necessary part of our practice.
- Elevation Design & Built form modelling: In my experience till date, I have come across very few fresher architects who know how to draw doors & windows in elevation. This is the sorry state of our colleges. Nobody is paying any attention to designing elevations. Elevations play a very important role in the visual message of any built structure. But here in colleges it is taken as something just necessary to get some marks. Most of the students don’t know to draw parapets. They are bound to be absolutely bewildered when asked to draw elevations of staircase mumty. They might do something in 3 D view, but to make a two dimensional elevation & sections is simply beyond them.
- Business Marketing: No architect has any knowledge about the importance of marketing in our practice. We only know of one strategy….”word to mouth” that’s all. The world has changed so much today that this strategy also needs many efforts to bear fruits. So learning about marketing strategies & their execution should be taught at the college level itself.
- Public speaking: Architects have to make presentations regularly in front of both technical as well as non-technical persons. The important features of their presentation get missed out. As a result, their designs are not projected in the proper way leading to loss of business opportunities. A short course in Public speaking will instill confidence in architects to present their designs properly in front of any audience.
- Psychology: Understanding the needs of the clients is an important aspect getting to the architectural solution quickly. Furthermore, the emotional & psychological input of the spaces we design is also an important step to ultimately design spaces which leave a lasting impact on the user. This subject should also be included in the curriculum looking at its importance.
The above five things are some of the many efforts which can be included in the teaching module at colleges so that the gap between academics & practice is reduced for the benefit of all architects. So, it’s better to sharpen our skills immediately, till the time our academic fraternity wakes up to the reality.
