10 THINGS THE SCHOOL DON’T TEACHES
FORGET ABOUT WINNING OR LOSING
Be your own benchmark Ultimately by ruling out the process of comparison you begin to define your own standards and measures of success which is greater than the perceived expectations that someone else will place upon me. You therefore create your own benchmark for success
YOUR TUTOR IS YOUR CLIENT
Know your tutor Similar to a client, your tutor needs to see, understand and be convinced by your design process and resolution You need to be able to convince your tutor that your design is well considered; at minimum, addressing the requirements of the brief. Take time to know your tutor (like you would with your client)
PLAY THE MOMENTUM
Make it a habit
Many great leaders in business talk about the importance of establishing and maintaining momentum. With momentum its difficult to stop, without it is difficult to start.
BREAK THE RULES
Ask the right questions
There will be a number of rules which are outlined from the brief. However if you have a better solution, break or negotiate the rules- but always understand why. Curiosity will lead to discovery, which in turn will lead to questioning. There is never only one answer rather university is about speculating many and asking the right questions.
HAVE BROAD INFLUENCES
Learn from broader influences This allowed me learn from people with vastly different perspectives and consideration and to then apply this thinking back into architecture, creating a broader and more interesting forum for discussion and negotiation .
HAVE CAUSE AND CONVICTION
Be happy with what you do Be passionate about something to motivate you through university and into your career. Game changing architects advocate a strong cause with precise conviction. As soon as you feel that you don not love what you are doing, its time to stop, question why and re-evaluate. Redirect your process or motivation and don’t let anything get in the way of your love affair.
UP-SKILL
Sharpen your pencils
Your tools, techniques and methods of communication will significantly affect your ability to communicate architecture. You need to develop strong visual, verbal and written communication skills.
BUILD MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS
Build your interest group
Keep a reliable group of go-tos, think of everyone you encounter during school as a potential connection for the future. Seek out events and happenings that will expose you to other people in the field.
LEARN PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Plan your priority
Not ever did I feel a design project was perfect and likewise Architects on every project wish they had done something differently. Understanding the perceived importance of a given task will effectively allow you to direct your focus on the right things at the right time allowing you to make smart decisions on where to spend your effort, time, money, resources and go for the maximum gain.
DON’T EXPECT THE OUTCOME
Be creative be yourself Students often limit their projects by anticipating certain aspects or the design outcome far too early in the process. If you are too focused on a fixed result, then you are denying yourself the opportunity to discover what you could not have expected. When you anticipate a given outcome, your research, equipment, processes and focus will naturally be managed in a way to best meet that anticipated solution. By contract if you try to set yourself up for the act of discovery, embracing what serendipitous events come up along the way, you will begin to tap into the tacit and often highly subjective insights, intuitions and individual thought. By surprise by your own, idiosyncratic work is far more satisfying than any mark.
FORGET ABOUT WINNING OR LOSING YOUR TUTOR IS YOUR CLIENT PLAY THE MOMENTUM BREAK THE RULES HAVE BROAD INFLUENCES HAVE CAUSE AND CONVICTION UPSKILL BUILD MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS LEARN MANAGEMENT DON’T EXPECT THE OUTCOME
10 THINGS THE SCHOOL DON’T TEACHES