Architects have the capacity to stamp their work on a city and perhaps gain international recognition. Icons such as the Sydney Opera House, Eiffel Tower, and Empire State Building are all examples of famous architectural constructions.

There are about 950 architects in Western Australia. Over 90% work in metropolitan Perth.

Degree courses are available through Curtin University and the University of Western Australia.

Around 120 first year places are offered each year and competition for entry is very strong.

Gaudi, Lloyd Wright, Utzon, Gehry...You?

From designing buildings, preparing sketches, estimating costs, writing specifications to conducting on-site construction inspections. Architects are integral to all of these processes.

Architects design anything from houses to small buildings to large-scale developments. To be an architect requires creativity, imagination and an understanding of materials and construction. Perth architect, Colin Armstrong, sheds some light on how he feels upon the completion of a building.

''It's a real achievement when you create and complete a building that someone lives or works in and enjoys.''

The Architectural Process

The architect and client go through a series of steps to arrive at the desired space or building. The first phase informs the architect of the goals of the owner and the boundaries of the project. It includes the collecting and organising of the information and ideas that will drive the project.

It is important that the client express his/her desires for the project, which in turn enables the architect to learn the functional requirements and the imagery and style desired by the client to start the process moving in the right direction. Architects will then go through a series of steps to bring the project into focus.


The first of these involves the listing of the spaces, their sizes, functions and the type of space that would best suit their use, and is used to understand the spatial requirements of owners and users. For example, an owner may wish to have a home office and prefer for this to be centrally located within the home.

Diagrams, or a visual statement of ideas, follow and present a clear and logical order to plan the form of the building. Then, to give the owner a visual idea of what his/her concepts will become in 3-dimensional form, the architect does sketches and/or constructs models of the proposed buildings.

Architects estimate construction costs throughout the design process. The owner can then add or subtract from the design to meet his/her budget. Reviewing the state and local community's conservation and zoning requirements, so the project will receive a building permit, is next.


Ready, Set, Go!


Once this stage has been approved, architects can provide the owner with a series of drawings including floor plans, elevations, renderings and, in some circumstances, a model of the proposed building. Final adjustments are made and then, with the client's approval, the architect can complete the construction documents.

Construction documents provide builders with a set of directions required to construct the building to the client and architect's specifications. Finally, construction drawings are drawn up for contractors. These are specific instructions for contractors and what is to be built. They indicate all the dimensions and materials of the building.


Architects and architectural teams often specialise in a particular area of design or construction from houses to hospitals, restoration to religious buildings, shopping centres to sustainable communities. Anything that can be built, an architect can specialise in. However, architects aren't necessarily limited to their area of speciality as many start in one area and move to another or continually take on a variety of projects.

Architects work primarily in offices but also spend time on building sites. They tend to work regular work hours but extra hours will need to be invested in order to meet project deadlines.

Various employment avenues exist for architects such as working for architectural firms, consultancies, government departments, residential developers or being self-employed. With experience, architects may move into senior management positions or find work with government agencies. Those with their own consulting firms usually have extensive business experience.

Demand for architects is currently strong, however, fluctuations in the economy affect the work available. Industry bodies forecast continued good opportunities for people dedicated to their craft.


Skilling Up

If you're interested in becoming an architect, practise drawing and design and building things. Try replicating houses or buildings and making them more eye-catching. It may be useful to phone an architect to talk to them about their job. Read books from the library and the many architectural magazines you can find at the newsagent. Also, surf the Net to learn as much as you can about this exciting but always-evolving occupation.

As far as technical skills are concerned, computer skills are becoming increasingly important as most architects now work with computer-aided design programs. Architects also need good problem solving, organisational, supervisory and communication skills.

For those interested in the construction side of architecture, you may want to consider doing degrees in both architecture and engineering. Interior design courses may also be of value.

The starting salary for a graduate is approximately $38,500 per year. A senior architect can earn around $120,000 or more. For more up-to-date figures you could contact the Royal Australian Institute of Architects.

Completion of Year 12 with a good TER score is required. You should have a wide background in the sciences and humanities.

To be a practising architect requires five years of full time study. To be registered as an architect means having your degree or equivalent qualifications approved by the Architects Registration Board, at least two years' work experience, and passing the Architects Registration Board's assessment test.

Curtin University offers the Bachelor of Applied Science program, which is three years full time. After that you'll need to do a Bachelor of Architecture, which is another two years full time.

The University of WA offers a Bachelor of Environmental Design, also three years full time. From there, it's on to the Bachelor of Architecture, also two years of full-time study.

''Build a portfolio, you'll need one if you're going to get into an architecture course. You'll also have to go through an interview,'' says Andrew Marsh of UWA's School of Architecture and Fine Arts. ''That portfolio can include photographs, drawings, art, sculptures, anything creative.''

Architecture is a competitive course. Those whose TER scores are not high enough can apply to other university courses and complete their first year. If you can demonstrate good grades in other courses, you may gain entry into either university's program.

	Universities
	Homepage links and contact details for all Universities in WA.

Royal Australian Institute of Architects
QV1 Upper Level Plaza 250 St Georges Terrace Perth WA 6000 Ph: (08) 9321 7114 Fax: (08) 9321 4708 Email: meino.merkva@raia.com.au URL: www.raia.com.au

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One of the lucky ones, Colin Armstrong, a partner in a Perth architectural firm, was offered employment while still at university. Just two weeks after graduating from the 5 year architecture degree, he swapped student life for the 'real world'.

And this was the beginning of other good things to come. Colin's fit-out of the School of Architecture and Fine Arts won the Royal Australian Institute of Architects' 'Interior Award' for the architectural firm that employed him at the time. The job took over two years to complete, and the end result is what Colin describes as a ''functional, modest interior incorporating a lot of timber finishes which provide warmth''.

He still gets a buzz after completing each job, knowing that he's reached a goal and that he's created a building someone will enjoy spending time in.

Being an 'all-rounder' is also important.

''I chose to cover all aspects of architectural practice, as do all of the people who work with me. I think that helps architects maintain their varied skills as well as service the client well because the project has the full commitment of one person.''

A typical day for Colin might include site inspections and meetings with the client or builder on-site before heading to the office.

''Designing takes up much of our time in the office. This involves drawing but we also select materials and make choices about construction methods.''

Architects communicate through their drawings, he says, so it's critical they know how to draw well. Today's architects also utilise Computer Aided Design software in the drawing process so they need to be knowledgeable about this application.

Colin says, while this occupation offers many opportunities for creative expression, the work environment also tends to be structured and technical. He also says that upcoming architects should be prepared for the lengthy building process and the long hours generally needed to complete a job.

And what does he think about the standard of architecture in Perth?

''The standard of architectural skill in Perth is very high, but the opportunity to use it is limited. Perth has a conservative and restricted understanding of architecture, but this is slowly changing for the better. Culturally, Perth is 'grasping' at architectural design but has yet to fully appreciate and utilise the enormous skill available.''