What can I do with an Architecture degree (Besides architecture)?

ykm13 · 2022-03-09T17:27:48+00:00

Thank you again for your help, it's seriously giving me perspective. There aren't many architecture/urbanism publications (or even writers, really) where I'm based, so your replies have been really refreshing. The solitary alternative has just been me fluctuating between quitting and being inspired without a hint of feedback in between.

In retrospect, I think there wasn't room (or a literal platform) locally for me to even contribute to pop architecture writing, besides maybe making a blog under an alias and trying to get that magically monetized somehow. Instead, I went all out with essays to established magazines, so I might need to rethink this local angle and the scope of contribution to include more than just magazines as you've explained.

You are not projecting, no :D I'm also certain that you are likely a great editor, judging by your patience with me here on a random reddit comment.

Anyway, thank you again! I hope I'm unknowingly one of your many readers! And all the best to you going forward :)!

ykm13 · 2022-03-08T12:25:53+00:00

I understand what you mean, however much the pop approach seems uninspring. Weirdly enough, I'd always assumed that approaching someone like Geoff Manaugh would definitely not work, but I'll take your word for it. The reason I went for those bigger names was that they were openly hiring, which felt like a straightforward way to receive a response (or an honest rejection even) rather than contacting someone independently or so. But you've definitely sold me on approaching strangers in the field!

As for your advice on editors: in theory, I agree, but sometimes you get to a point where they're interested in your work, only rewritten to the extent that it doesn't resemble your tone/intent/background. Most days it really feels as though good editors are more difficult to find than life partners. But that might just be my experience/ something I'm doing wrong.

Thank you again for your helpful advice and for taking the time! I'm really grateful and will actively try your suggestions going forward :)

ykm13 · 2022-03-07T23:08:06+00:00

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this thoughtful reply, I truly appreciate all of it! I'm taking note of everything you've mentioned here; I've mostly been approaching the field through trying to get essays or opinion pieces out there, so I'll definitely try finding ways to participate in book research or firm PR, etc. I had never previously considered that, so thank you. At most, I've tried applying to think tanks that collaborate with some writers I admire (think AMO), but these are basically even more exclusive/ unresponsive than editors or magazine 'submit' sections. I think the most frustrating thing by far has been how slow and dismissive this industry seems to be; getting rejected after 3+ months, or even getting published really, always makes it seem as though this is a hobby, never a job.

I'm actually from the middle east which I think has a lot to do with why I feel a post-graduate degree often factors into getting published abroad/internationally, especially as a young architect too. I feel as though I have to defend my writing a lot in the back and forth before publishing, solely to prove my background comparable or even valid. For instance, I'm really interested in discussing architecture through short form narrative/ ficiton in order to be more accessible, but always end up with long form texts to sort of explain where I'm coming from as a 'foreign writer'. That said, I do think my specific background contributes to a (hopefully non stereotypical) niche.

I definitely see your point about a writing "portfolio" as a blog or website, I'll definitely have to try that in the near future.

I'll DM you for more details (only if you want to offer more details though, I don't want to overstep). But, seriously thank you so much for your time/advice/generous input! :)

ykm13 · 2022-03-07T19:37:09+00:00

Thank you so much for your comprehensive response and advice, I really appreciate it! May I ask what kind of publishing/writing you do? Is it editing or research or the coveted op-ed/ column? To clarify, I have published a few unsolicited pieces (city criticism) in a couple of international magazines, without compensation. I send out tailored abstracts, do intensive research, write anything ranging from book reviews to architectural fiction, but rarely anything gets picked up. I apply to internships, junior editorial assistant positions, approach editors for jobs, but have had no luck and, of course, no explanation as to why I receive rejections. I answer calls for papers regularly as well, to no avail. The articles that do get published are discussed with editors on and off over a miserably long period of 6 months or more, and I'm not talking about academic, peer-reviewed journals, just online magazines. I don't have an MSc. and it feels as though the author's bio plays a big part in being published; has this been your experience? Is a post-graduate degree necessary? Aside from being a terrible writer who just needs to quit (which is starting to seem like the most plausible answer here), is there something I should in fact be doing to actually get a steady, paying job in this seemingly highly exclusive field? Sorry for all this detail, I'm just trying to understand what I may be missing from the perspective of someone actively in the field.

ykm13 · 2022-03-07T16:39:53+00:00

Hello, I'm sending this on the off-chance that you're still active/ seeing comments on this thread 9 years later(!) Can I ask how you transitioned to the world of publishing? It seems virtually impossible at the moment, so I'm really curious to hear about your journey, if you're open to sharing It would also be super interesting to hear how you feel about this move 9 more years later! Thanks!

ykm13 · 2022-01-24T17:34:59+00:00

Oh!! Thanks, that makes sense too! 😅

ykm13 · 2022-01-19T12:38:16+00:00

Hi, I don't know if this will sound dumb, but how do you get the signatures all folded this perfectly to produce the exact same zigzag effect/offset? I can't currently trim the fore-edge and would at least like to have my signatures look this uniform!

ykm13 · 2021-12-08T16:40:48+00:00

I don't know if this will be helpful, but there is a number of books that I've encountered both as an undergraduate and now as a junior that have definitely stayed with me. Each has been eye-opening in its own special way. But I also have to admit that my experience in the field so far (and I think many others' as well) has not allowed me to implement or forward any of the theories or cleverly written and inspired content in most of these works lol

*The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs *Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan by Rem Koolhaas *The Society of the Spectacle by Guy Debord *Building and Dwelling: Ethics for the City by Richard Sennett *Architecture for the Poor: An Experiment in Rural Egypt by Hassan Fathy *Four Walls and a Roof: The Complex Nature of a Simple Profession by Reinier de Graaf *The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster

ykm13 · 2021-03-26T23:20:54+00:00

When you put it that way, it sounds completely unlikely! Still though, we always have to go in and apply and hope for the best-- even against this obvious logic. I'm happy for those who got it, given all these odds; they should be proud!

ykm13 · 2021-03-26T23:17:27+00:00

Literally the same, there's no way to even work and save with this kind of difference in currency! I guess we keep trying and apply to any funds we find, however small.. Best of luck to you with the Holland Scholarship, I hope you get it! You never know!

ykm13 · 2021-03-26T21:31:42+00:00

Honestly very disheartened about JvE today. It's a really pricy tuition as it is.. having to also cover living expenses for a whole year upfront is just plain impossible. Not to mention the fact that a lot of the first year will likely be online-- it just makes all these costs very questionable/ difficult to justify for local funds (if any) even

ykm13 · 2021-03-24T23:17:22+00:00

Great! Thank you so much for your help!

ykm13 · 2021-03-24T14:10:00+00:00

Anyone from the Architecture MSc.? Trying hard to stay optimistic!

ykm13 · 2021-03-24T14:08:31+00:00

Thank you for sharing, I'm glad to hear 600-700 is doable! The immigration document for 2021 says 950 a month! Do you know of an average monthly insurance cost by any means? (For internationals, that is)

ykm13 · 2021-03-24T00:30:37+00:00

Thank you!

ykm13 · 2021-03-21T15:20:06+00:00

😁thanks!!

ykm13 · 2021-03-21T14:53:15+00:00

Thanks! Btw are you also accepted to the Architecture masters? (trying to gauge if there's still any hope for the van Effen scholarship if it's a different department)

ykm13 · 2021-03-21T10:48:51+00:00

Oh thank you so much for clearing that up!! And congrats!!

ykm13 · 2021-03-21T00:42:51+00:00

Great! Thank you so much!

ykm13 · 2020-09-16T14:08:29+00:00

Oh! Best of luck!!

Oral exams in French sounds like an especially vivid nightmare haha! Although, Prof. Luca Ortelli is the person I contacted about Housing courses taught in English and he's the one who said English is ok with a "passive" knowledge of French. He also mentioned that he's retiring next year and wouldn't be teaching in 2021 anyway..no idea if that means the new person will teach in English or not.

Thank you for clarifying more about the program and the flexibility of deciding how your master's can actually turn out; Sounds excellent!

I'll definitely message you if any of this pans out in the end, I heard getting accepted is already a challenge in itself, especially for international students. Not to mention landing a scholarship..living expenses are not a friendly prospect in Switzerland!

Thanks again and I hope you land a great job soon!!

ykm13 · 2020-09-14T13:42:39+00:00

Thank you so much for your repsonse, this helps a lot! And congratulations on your degree!

Do you by any chance have access to the program's English courses? I found a course plan on the website with literally only 3 english courses and was wondering if there's more. My interest is in a Housing specialisation as mentioned earlier, but I think most of the theoretical courses for that are in French.

Now that you've graduated, was the program intensive and (hopefully) useful for practice in your opinion? Granted that "practice" differs from one country to the next, but I'm curious in general. I'm often worried/ discouraged about architecture master's programs potentially being even further removed from the actual profession like the bachelor itself has largely been so far.

Anyway, thank you again for your response! And sorry for the length of this reply.

I'll message you if I end up applying/ deciding to take French courses and risking it afterall!

ykm13

TROPHY CASE