Today’s Topics:
- Exploring Your Interests
- Developing Your Skills
- Learning New Things
Many students are worried that this summer is lost. Some students have lost their internships, and others have lost their travel plans. So what is there to do instead that can still prepare you for a brighter future?
Exploring Your Interests
Something that is important in your development throughout school is finding out what you are most interested in. One of the best things that I encountered throughout my first year is learning about the different things that interest me in the world of architecture.
In architecture, you have the ability to make something that was only an idea, into something tangible. I can remember all of the times that I would tell my parents about how when I grow up I would want to have a house with various technologies that would allow me to control everything from the touch of a button on your phone.
Now I am currently working on the Futurehaus as part of the design team trying to solve the problems on how an application like this will work. There are opportunities all around you, it is just a matter of finding them and acting upon them.
This summer is the perfect time to explore the different kind of things that interest you. I encourage you to search up virtual museum tours for inspiration, or simply start with a search on Google or YouTube. You can find numerous things to research and find a better understanding of if you engage yourself in the resources that are available to you.
When you find out what interests you, it opens up a whole world of possibilities because you can always take one idea and work on it in a different way to make it better, or even create your own way of thinking about something. Having something like this will help guide you in your work.
It is important to find what you are passionate about because it has the potential to help bring out the best of your abilities.
Developing Your Skills
This summer might not go the way that you have planned it in the past, but now you have the potential to make it productive in a different way.
Maybe your typical summer would include going on vacation, or hanging out with friends, or working a summer job, but if you end up having much more free time this summer, then it is a perfect time to pick up your pencil and sketchbook to sketch, draw, or however you express your design as much as possible.
Doing this will not only help you with your artistic skills, but your professional skills.
When you discuss a project with a client how would you present your information? Would you show them a board of the floor plans that you have? Would you show them the model that you have from your computer?
What about when you are suggesting edits?
One of the most effective ways to do this is by making quick sketches of design concepts. This is important because you are visually connecting what a client wants and helping to instill trust along with an equal understanding of where your project is going
An important aspect of an architecture students resume when applying for a job is software proficiency. Some of the main software that design professionals use are Revit, Rhino, Autocad, and Google Sketchup. You may know some or all of these programs, but the important question to ask yourself is how much of it do you know how to use? Or are you using it in the same way that is used in a firm?
This summer would be the perfect occasion to develop a deeper understanding of what it means to be proficient in design software so make sure you ask your friends, search YouTube tutorials, connect with me, or even talk with professionals to maximize your learning for this summer.
Learning New Things
If you have not found enough to do from finding your interests and developing your skills, then another thing you should definitely consider is learning new things.
If you take time to think about it, being an architect requires you to do much more than just being able to design a building. You have to know a little bit of everything.
Throughout your career you will have designed many buildings that serve various groups and activities. You will have to know what doctors need in a hospital, a musician needs to perform, or what a chef needs to cook. It is very challenging to design for a use that you have not yet experienced, that is why it is essential for architects to be well versed and well rounded to find a balance between functionality and form.
Whatever your interests are for your career, take some time to find out how those type of buildings operate and the different aspects of design that they require to be functional.
I hope that you have been inspired to invest in your future for this summer. There are many things you can do this summer, but even if you just put a little bit of time into developing yourself, I promise you will not regret making that decision.
Thank you for checking out this weeks article! In other Exciting news, I have released a video explanation of my portfolio and I encourage you to check it out!
I encourage you to also take a look at my other blog posts and to check out my portfolio page! I hope you enjoyed this article, and make sure you stay tuned and come back next week! As always,
Dream Big!
Alonzo Colon 