What is Architecture? And how unique is a career in Architecture?

The above question is answered by Prof. G.Sunil Kumar, Director, Gitam School of Architecture,Hyderabad

"We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us." 

This quote by Winston Churchill former president of USA summarises how important are buildings to us, humans. The ageless task of architecture is to produce an appropriate built environment responding to the people's requirements and aspirations. At its simplest, architecture is the design of buildings, groups of buildings and often the space between buildings. The increasing complexity of requirements in buildings has at every stage of civilization created scope for a specialist person to design buildings. The earliest surviving written work on the subject of architecture is De Architectura, by the Roman architect Vitruvius, according to him a good building should satisfy the three principles of,  

•  firmitas – a building should stand up robustly and remain in good condition.

•  utilitas – it should be suitable for the purposes for which it is used.

•  venustas – it should be aesthetically pleasing.

Architecture is a professional career; a person is a professional when he has special skills and knowledge which he has acquired through special education, training and research at a high level, architecture as a profession is governed in India by Council of Architecture, Government of India. CoA governs and regulates the Architecture profession at different levels. CoA governs the Architectural education by setting minimum standards for Institutions imparting Architectural education and then by maintaining registration of Architects and also by regulating the architects through its Code of conduct.

The uniqueness of Architecture as a career is because it is a creative process of art and science, put together in response to human needs or activities using available resources like materials, men, money and machinery. There is freedom of personal expression for architects while doing projects. Every project is a new challenge, every day there is something new for the architect to learn and apply in his projects. And actually, architecture becomes a way of lifestyle rather than a profession for every practising architect with incredible variety and a long career.

There are many avenues that are available for a young architect to progress in his career. Public sector undertakings like BSNL, NFCL, BHEL, Public Works Departments, CPWD, Urban Development Authorities, Municipalities, Municipal Corporations and many other entities have architects on their roll. Military Engineering Services also has Architects on its roll. There are many opportunities in the private sector like Architectural Consultancy Service Firms, Software Parks, Facilities and Services Planning wings of big infrastructure entities, Gaming and VFX firms, Film set Designing, Interior contracting firms and many more. Freelancing, Setting up Own office, Architectural Journalism, Architectural Tourism and many more creative opportunities are also there. Teaching is one challenging career that is opening up as the need for Architectural education is growing.

what message do you have for students pursuing studies under the influence of their peers and society for example taking up engineering when you have been interested in fashion designing or architecture?

what guidance do you have for students wishing to join a school of architecture the near future?

what do they teach in architecture program?

what are the qualities that any B.Arch aspirant must possess?

how is architecture different from civil engineering?