04 How-to
Right: Wangjing SOHO, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects
Student Advice:
How to succeed as a Built-Environment Professional Members offer their advice to students
“My biggest piece of advice would be spending the time – and I really believe if you’re interested in design, or construction in general – to want to learn hands-on skills. Most can learn the skills Building Designers: taught to them during the course but when you simplify the whole part, having an understanding “You need to develop your passion for all things of just how a house is constructed and works design and never stop looking at the world around you for inspiration. I was lucky as a young makes the role enjoyable and gives you the confidence to design.” architectural graduate to be given a lot of design responsibility at a larger firm, but if you want a Jad Newman, BIM Documenter, good, all-round learning experience, a small- to Rhodes Framing Solutions, Vic. medium-sized practice may offer greater opportunities. You need to keep evolving in this profession and it is a life-long learning experience “The thing I try and instil in my students is to keep in which confidence and competence comes with your eyes open to the buildings we see every day, try to look at how something might have been time spent working on projects.” detailed, and to absorb as much information as you can about various ways of tackling design John Damant, Director, solutions as there are normally several ways you Arcologic, WA. can design something and there aren’t usually any specific rights or wrongs, however If you “If you love doing this, it will be worth everything know what your options are and you have a you put into it. (In other words, it’s up to you!) It’s not an easy road, but nothing worthwhile ever number of them then you can make an informed decision on which direction to take. In design is… It’s a bit of a cliché, but (like most clichés), there really aren’t any limits beyond your own it’s true.” personal ones so the only way to advance is to keep expanding your limits. There is usually Ingrid Hornung, Owner, nothing wrong with making an error as long as Designs for You & President, you learn from it and don’t repeat the error.” Design Matters National, Alphington, Vic. John Armsby, Architect, Armsby Architects, Vic. & Member, “If you want to be a building designer, be DMN Committee of Management prepared to study hard at university and equally at home, completing assignments and conducting research. You will need to be driven and willing to “Love what you do and listen to those with industry experience.” work. If you lift the foot off the gas and think you can cruise through, this is the wrong field for you. Darron Lyons, Owner, I felt that studying at Federation University The Red Shed, & Member, Ballarat provided a fantastic learning DMN Committee of Management, NT. environment, as you were treated like employees by some lecturers working in their design studio and expected to perform at the top level by others.” Stephen Schenk, Unicorn Architecture, Vic.
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