Favorite Parts Of Working In The Architecture Industry As An AIA Architect
Laurie's passion for design and "the built environment," ignited by childhood experiences in historic buildings, fuels their architectural career. The profession's diverse skillset requirements, encompassing artistic talent, technical expertise, and even literary abilities, allows for many different career paths within architecture, making it a rewarding field for individuals with varied gifts.
Design, Built Environment, Problem-Solving, Teamwork, Career Diversity
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Laurie Friedman
Architect
AIA Architect
University of California, Los Angeles and University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana
Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Master of Architecture
Architecture, Interior Design, Fine Arts, Music
Architecture, Construction & Design, Consulting & Related Professional Services
Creative
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. Love of design and buildings: Laurie emphasizes her passion for design and the built environment, ignited by childhood experiences exploring historical buildings. This highlights the importance of creativity and a genuine interest in architecture.
2. Diverse career paths within architecture: She points out the varied skills needed in the field, from design and drafting to technical and engineering aspects. This emphasizes that the profession isn't limited to one skill set and offers opportunities for individuals with diverse talents.
3. Room for diverse skills and talents: Laurie mentions the many different roles within architecture, highlighting that there are opportunities for people with artistic, technical, mathematical, or literary skills. This encourages students with diverse interests to explore the field.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your industry?
First and foremost, I just love design and I love buildings. Ever since I was a kid, going into older buildings, I'd get that sense of place and think about the people who walked through the halls before me. Thinking about the people who walked through the halls of this historic train station just really triggered my imagination.
It woke something in me. I love playing a part in the built environment, and I do like the respect architects are generally given. But at this point in my career, there's room for so many different talents within the profession.
I notice this when I'm teaching. Some of my students in my introductory hand drafting class might not be the best draftspeople. I tell them they're going to be using computer-aided design.
But I also know that those struggling with computer-aided design might be more technical and can go into architectural engineering, for instance. There's also AI now; there's just so much you can do with your talents. If you're more artistic, the ones who have trouble with CAD, I figure you're probably an awesome designer and you'll probably be fine.
But you have to get through this. You need to know enough to direct someone else to do it for you later on. So you can be artistic, a math or science person, or a literary person. There is so much room for people who have different gifts.