Each jurisdiction has different requirements for admission to the licensing exam. In addition, all fifty states and the District of Columbia require that architects be licensed. Education and Training RequirementsĪrchitects must have a degree from a college of architecture and must serve an apprenticeship. An extensive knowledge of design and construction coupled with creative ability is the best combination of qualities for an architect. Architects must consider the effect their buildings will have on the natural and artificial surroundings. They must know how to communicate their ideas and be persuasive. They should be aware of their clients' needs, as well as the needs of those who will use the buildings they design. Architects must be artists, businesspeople, organizers, planners, and coordinators. Architects who work in small companies handle most of the details personally. In large offices, many of the smaller details are the responsibility of other staff members. The amount of detail that the architects handle themselves depends on the size of their firms. The architect's final duty is to decide whether the contract between the client and the contractor has been satisfied. The architect checks the interior hardware and fixtures and works with the landscape planner and other workers and engineers on the building site. The architect must also approve the materials being used. Once construction begins, the architect visits the site frequently to check that the plans are being followed. The contractor who is chosen uses the plans and specifications to direct the actual construction work. Considerations in selecting the contractor include the price submitted and the quality of past work. When the bids are received, the client and the architect decide who will get the work. The contractors examine the plans and submit bids on labor and material costs. At this point, the plans go to contractors. They include technical information, or specifications, of the materials to be used and the methods of installation. They offer diagrams for heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning ducts and indicate the paths for plumbing pipes and electrical wiring. They indicate the dimensions and placement of each wall and window. Once the client approves these preliminary plans, the architect prepares more detailed plans, which show exactly how the structure is to be built. In addition to preparing the sketches and final specifications of a building, architects oversee and approve the construction as it progresses. The architect might have to revise the plans to meet the client's expectations. These first drawings suggest the general shape and appearance of the building, the method of construction, where it will be placed on the site, and how the inside will look. Next the architect creates preliminary sketches, usually using computer-assisted design and drafting (CADD) software. The architect must also consider the climate, the surrounding buildings, and the slope of the site. The architect has to consider what kind of design the building should have in relation to the site. Sometimes the architect works with the builder to find the right piece of land for a structure. Then the architect inspects the building site to see what the land looks like. When a client hires an architect to design a building, the client and architect discuss the purpose of the building, the type of building wanted, and the budget. Some architects specialize in certain kinds of architecture, such as designing school campuses, health facilities, shopping centers, or dwellings for urban renewal projects. Others work for federal, state, or local governments. Some architects work for engineers or builders. They may work for large architectural firms, or they may be self-employed. Architects work with engineers, urban planners, contractors, and landscape architects.
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