Studies & Degrees in Architectural Technology
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Home to the ultimate Goddess of Greece, the Parthenon also lodges the greatness of ancient architecture. No wonder, it has been regarded as the supreme embodiment of architectural sites all over the globe. Thanks to Iktinos and Kallikrates who happen to be the artists behind the finest architecture alongside the great sculptor Phidias. Among others, its legendary components consist of stylobate’s curvature, naos walls’ taper, and finally the columns’ entasis. Apart from these, another significant brilliance was the optical refinements integrated on its construction. Undoubtedly, this ancient building has been a classical inspiration to modern architecture.
In the ancient times, the concepts of architecture evolve on three main facets such as durability, utility, and beauty. These principles were suggested by the infamous architect Vitruvius in the oldest surviving architectural literature known as “De Architectura”. The onset of the 19th century though introduced subjective views of architectural appreciation in which satisfaction of the impression of men is regarded as the ends of any building masterpiece. Consequently, modern architecture paved the way for the integration of earlier theories. As a result, it gave rise to the revolutionary idea that form follows function. This time, function is but not limited to utility but also encompasses aesthetic, cultural, and psychological aspects.
Architectural faculties remain as such unless applied in actual building construction hence the advent of architectural technology. Basically, this particular branch of architecture deals with practical application thereby providing specialization in building design services and solutions. In turn, it is meant to utilize architectural science in carrying out construction efforts upon the aid of technology. This notion best explains the technological facilities and equipment employed in the building process not to mention the tools and gadgets used by members of the workforce. As a profession, architectural technology is duly recognized and regulated in the West. For instance, Ontario Association of Architects grants license to competent technologists to join the Association of Architectural Applied Architectural Sciences authorized to design small buildings in Canada.
Attributed to the relevance of Architectural Technology, the academe provided for many different academic programs. More often than not, this specific field of study only takes two years of schooling such as the Associate of Applied Science in Architectural Technology. Associate degree holders may also enrol in relevant Bachelor’s programs for further specializations such as Architectural Technology and Construction Management, Architectural Building Engineering, and Architectural Science. Graduate schools may also offer pertinent programs consist of Master of Science in Building Technology, Master in Building Design and Architecture, and Doctor of Philosophy in Architecture.
Employment opportunities await Architectural Technology specialists. The continuous expansion of building and construction industry comprises an attractive academic niche led by premier companies in the likes of Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Bechtel Corporation, and VINCI Construction. In the same way, national governments may provide jobs on its many different agencies under the Construction and Infrastructure Department. Research institutes can also offer professional posts such as Architectural Technology Research Centre based in Florida. Not just that, educational institutions likewise recruit degree holders for teaching professions in the academe.
Job positions for Architectural Technology:
Draftsman
Before man can create, he must first know how to imagine. Before man can design, he must first learn how to draw. Before man can make a building stand, he must first understand the laws of physics. Before architects become architects, they start off as draftsmen. Draftsmen or Architectural Drafters are people who work under architects. He or she would be creating blueprints and structural plans for the designs of the architect, putting a real life design of an infrastructure on paper. Architectural draftsmen are able to draw freehand or with Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD).
Draftsmen should have developed impressive skills in the fields of math, namely geometry and trigonometry, and science, specifically physics. They must also know how to handle computer aided design since modern architectural draftsmen are now made to use this method to make their jobs faster and easier. Of course, these individuals must be good in the fields of art and design. But they should also have a basic knowledge of manual technical drawing or drafting in case they are not tasked to use CADD.
Some universities offer two or three-year courses on architectural draftsmanship and many aspiring draftsmen take these courses to be able to land a job in their desired profession. Others take full-blown four to five-year architectural courses. Architects usually start off working under architects as draftsmen before becoming architects themselves. This is usually part of on-the-job trainings or internships. Draftsmanship is usually the training ground for many aspiring architects because it is in this profession that they learn patience and discipline when working with numerous drawing projects. In some countries, undergraduates of architectural courses work part-time as draftsmen to improve their skills, practicing to be the top caliber architect in the field.
A few famous names in the profession would have to be William Walcot and Hugh Ferris. William Walcot, a British architect in Russia, worked as a Draftsman, drawing other people’s designs. He was famous in the 1920s and 30s in his career as an architectural draftsman. Hugh Ferris was an American architect and delineator. He, too, drew for other people, creating perspectives for other architects’ designs before developing his own style. He may not have designed awe-worthy or extraordinary buildings but a colleague once said that “he influenced my generation of architects” after Ferriss died.
Indeed, draftsmanship is the basic foundation and stepping stone of any aspiring architects. It is a tedious profession, with days filled with nonstop drawing and model-making of designs not concocted by your own mind. But it is through this that one is able to learn to develop new skills and be introduced to styles that can be used as inspiration for personal design preferences in the future. Draftsmanship molds the builders and designers of the future. Draftsmanship is the profession of the hardworking and the persevering, the patient and the creative, the ambitious and the proud.