The Life of the Architect had an interesting podcast episode about critical skills for an architect.
I agreed with their list — critical thinking, communication skills, attention to detail, and 3D visualization. Admittedly I was a bit weak at 3D visualization, but the other three skills made me a good production architect (DD through CA).
Before listening to the meat of the episode, I jotted my own list of four key skills for a working architect, especially a young professional.
- Show up every day, fully. Be reliable and don’t let anything slip through the cracks.
- Learn how to research. We’re generalists so we’re always exploring unfamiliar problems. When starting out, it might be picking up an old set and applying the template to a project. After a while, you’ll be tasked with tricky building conditions or complicated regulations. If you don’t know, ask. Learn how to ask questions. I’ve met architects who dislike their telephones. This weakness has stunted their careers.
- Get comfortable being wrong. I’ve seen people freeze up at the blank page (often when drawing details). Don’t wait! Jump in! The solution is just a couple mistakes away. The sooner you make them, the sooner you’ll solve the problem.
- Learn from your mistakes. This combines the first three points. There’s no point in making early mistakes if you don’t learn from them. Past errors are the library for self research. And if you’re fully present at work, you’ll avoid repeating those old mistakes.
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I would add one more skill from the Owner’s perspective (and to borrow a point from the podcast). As the Owner’s PM, I need my architects to communicate.
Everything an architect does is communication. Drawings are communication. Design is communication. Coordination is communication.
My biggest frustrations arise when the architect goes quiet or doesn’t follow through on their promises. Keep me posted early and often. Mistakes happen, no big deal, I’ve made plenty in your shoes. We’ll fix it together. But never keep me in the dark.
Life-safety is always number one. But let’s be real, everything else — including design — is secondary to communication.
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Justus Pang, RA