I am now approaching a year and six months since completing a MArch, and my head is full of construction terminologies, legislative requirements adhered to, the dynamics of dealing with clients and builders, and also adapting to the ever-changing office environment, be it projects, design teams or constant deadlines that have to be met. In light of these occurrences and a quest to receive a Chartership status, it becomes clear that my approach in design has changed (blame the projects), dress sense has been modified and an attitude to learning has been refined to cater for the requirements of the upcoming board exam.
What has become apparent though in these past months is that a graduating student like I and others have vast gaps in knowledge that could only be filled by practising the profession. The elephant in the room is that there is the subtle disconnect between what Architecture as a profession aspires towards, the reality of practising and its distorted alienation with the academia. It’s like sailing on a ship with no captain. To squeeze in a few years of academic education together with some practical experience which is not guaranteed post the first degree is unrealistic. If we are to maintain the presitige and develop a pool of skilled individuals dedicated to design and administer the development of the landscape/be it cities through their design interventions models of training and career development will have to be advanced required societal needs.
Testament of these can be witnessed in the various types of articles and research conducted by other media platform:
- For the Architecture in practice, it is about acquiring projects that will help develop her/his practice to another level. Funds fits quality of design intervention.
- For the registration body, it is about providing the illusion of being relevant to the profession whilst having a small degree of influence.
- For the institution, it is a constant search to display a degree of value to the public.
The partial evidence has been displayed and the witness has provided an account that can only describe the tusk of the Elephant. Should you wish to know more open your critical eyes and engage with current developments of the enviroment to which you will inhabit.
It’s through your participation in ongoing discussion of neighbourhood nay city development that a profession rendered with prestige, might be unstuck in a rut of producing ubiquitious extrusions which are brainchilds of a single ideology be it glocal movement.
Eat Sleep Draw 