What is an architect?

An architect is a professional devoted to design a construction, with enough capacity to give form to spaces, taking into account human’s necessities, economical and functional parameters etc

How do they train?

They must learn to see, and some ways to do that is by drawing, traveling, reading, taking pictures, seeing films…

They must learn to think by expressing themselves through different languages and tools, being critical, suspicious and curious and they have to think collectively.

And they must learn to create in order to express themselves, they need to understand the users needs, compositional rules, materials, construction techniques and constructive viability.

  • A picture from the film Tomorrowland
  • A random building in Barcelona
  • The Sagrada Familia in Barceona

Some famous architects

There are mainly more men than women who have become famous in the world of architecture. Some of them are Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, Peter Zumthor… However there are some women such as Zaha Hadid, Anna Heringer, Carme Pinós or Kazuyo Sejima.

Tips for the young in architecture

Frank Lloyd Wright in Two lectures on architecture:

  • No one should take architecture for a living unless you love it.
  • Think about the why of things
  • Study every detail.
  • Get used to analysis.
  • Order from the general to the particular.
  • Not to enter into practice without maturity.
  • Take time to prepare yourself.
  • See the machines and methods to construct.
  • What counts is quality of character.
  • Do not enter any architectural competition under any circumstances, except as novices.

The profession

Regulation in Spain: the profession is regulated by the “Ley 38/1999, de 5 de noviembre, de Ordenación de la Edificación”. This law regulates the building process, establishes obligations and responsibilities, guarantees of the users to ensure quality.

Common forms of employment self-employed work (own office) and working for other architects/companies or the administration (public work)

Main areas of work: building, urban planning, interior design, teaching…