Be the architect of your future
By Taru Bahl

IF you have a dream of building your own house, commercial studio, restaurant, shopping mall, hospital or an apartment block, chances are you would have shortlisted the architect of your choice much before thinking of how to finance and source the project. The same was not true three to four decades ago. Although people built opulent mansions, much of the building decisions were left to masons, civil and structural engineers. Masons, whose trade entailed building with stones and bricks, using mortar and cement as bonding agents, were the overall advisers, especially to the middle class who put their life savings in the construction of their homes. All they wanted was decent advice by some one who understood the trade and who didn't cheat them. Today, with high awareness levels and also the fact that education has become specialised, you have each area of construction and design handled by professionals who contribute their mite in giving shape to your dream project.

An architect's role has become more significant because physical space is available at a premium. The challenge of giving more in less space requires a thorough knowledge of the profession. Architecture, therefore, is a multi-disciplinary profession where other than the person's innate creativity and technical skill there is a blend of design, sociological, environmental and technological expertise. An architect is not just supposed to create beautiful aesthetic spaces. He has to assume responsibility for plumbing, electrical fittings, airconditioning and all other engineering details. He has to balance his clients' demands and expectations with other functional factors which pertain to the climatic, locational and legal aspects.

Kerala based French architect, Laurie Baker, for example, has specialised in using low-cost eco-friendly design mud construction materials. Seeing India's extreme climate, he strongly advocates mud houses and the usage of innovative materials like fuler slab rooves, pre-cast panels, stone lintels and arches, clay tile floorings, jungle wood/steel doors and windows, soil cement blocks and wire cut bricks in rat trap bonding for walls. These are not only cost effective and easy to maintain but also not responsible for depleting forest cover. Then there are architects like Bangalore-based Chitra Ramchandran who advertise on the internet, offering services like architectural visualisation, 3D studio effects, walk throughs and flybys.

To study architecture you can apply for undergraduate study at any of the forty plus national institutes within the country. Diploma as well as postgraduate courses are available at select institutions. There are eight schools of planning where you can do your B. Arch followed by an M. Arch. Admission is through a joint entrance examination where you have an objective type aptitude test based on your knowledge of physics, chemistry, maths and English. A full-time degree course takes five years and a part-time course takes up to seven years. It is important to enrol in an institution which complies with the educational guidelines laid down by the Council of Architecture.

Some of the well established and prestigious institutes include Delhi's School of Planning and Architecture and Ahmedabad's Centre of Environment and Planning Technology and the JJ School of Architecture. These institutes give a 30 per cent weightage to your class XII (Science) marks.

The course curriculum includes theoretical and practical education. You will study the history of art, theory of structures, settlement planning and design, art appreciation, building construction and building management. You can later specialise in say hotel architecture or hospitals, schools, amusement centres, shopping malls, multiplex cinema houses etc. Additional expertise in an allied area like ceramic technology, studio pottery, sculpture, art, photography and landscape design can be a bonus besides emerging as independent professional options. Being artistically inclined is a definite advantage. Although you can hire professional services for your drawings, layouts and detailed plans, it helps to conceptualise and translate these yourself. This way you would be in a better position to work out the viability of the project as also think of suitable alternatives.

Universities abroad are encouraging interdisciplinary approaches, leading to hybrid professional careers and new models of practice. For example the descriptions and professions of architecture and landscape architecture are moving rapidly towards technological, economic, environmental and social change if they want to reach out to newer market segments.

An architect doesn't just sit in his well designed studio drawing and planning layouts. He also works on construction sites, supervising building operations. At times he camps at the site to oversee different functions. It is a gruelling job where you have to work with people from different disciplines, thought processes, backgrounds and mind sets. You must have the ability to work in a team in the ultimate interest of the client. Mathematical and numerical skills are necessary to ensure your calculations do not go haywire. Ideally a mix of creativity and scientific ability is required.

Once your practical training is over, you can hunt around for a good architectural firm where you can apprentice or assist a senior architect. Most firms employ a team of junior architects and architectural assistants. This could give you excellent hands — on experience right from the conceptional stage to the execution and the after-construction service period. If you want to branch out on your own, you could start with small projects, residences, low-budget offices, schools etc. You could also undertake drawing assignments for larger architectural concerns. Many architects want to steer clearly away from doing residences. Their experience of working with the nouveau riche has been difficult which is why they don't mind smaller projects but which offer greater professional freedom and flexibility. Many top-of-the-league architectural firms want to position their person in the city where they have a mega assignment. Since they do not live there and they also do not want to incur the expenditure of setting up a full-fledged office, they welcome the idea of a representative local architect who can take instructions from them and oversee the day-to-day progress.

If seeking employment in the government, look at any of the Central and State Public Works Departments, HUDCO, national building origination, Town and City Planning Departments. Teaching is also an attractive option. You can do it full-time or opt part-time, combining it with your architectural work. Architecture is a rewarding career if you are willing to learn as you move along. The target audience is growing at a phenomenal pace. Working couples from the huge middle class have become aware about the benefits of space and aesthetic management, which makes the task of the architect all the more challenging.