Things not to do before your architecture deadline

Health.Study.
Written By Aliya Pinnock

So it is indeed deadline season. The day you have been working towards is finally here and it can feel overwhelming and scary BUT there are certain things I have learnt myself and seen in others that I would not recommend you do right before your deadline.

Learn new software

So I’m starting this post of with something perhaps, a little controversial but I’ve seen how it can completely derail students. If you have prior knowledge and are confident you can learn quickly, then go ahead. But if you’re trying to learn a new software as an absolute beginner whilst still developing your work it can get messy.

Miss your tutorials

Honestly one of the worst things you can do, especially if you feel like you’re behind. Your tutors are there to help, go to each and every tutorial, work or no work. Use them for whatever you need and if they aren’t what you need, ask other students, friends or another tutor!

Rush your work

I know and have seen the impact that feeling of being overwhelmed towards a deadline has as a student and as a tutor. Please know, you have time. Plan your days and manage your time between now and your deadline to spread out your work load.

I hope this was helpful for you and if you have any more ideas or comments, please feel free to leave them below.

See you in the next one!

 

Most Recent Posts

Featured
The Biggest Issues I see in architecture Portfolios
The Biggest Issues I see in architecture Portfolios

In my 12+ years in architecture I have seen my fair share of portfolios, some amazing, some absolutely shocking.

I myself have produced some good ones and bad ones, but I have also had students send their portfolios into archistudentnotes for me to review and at one of my last practices, a shared company email meant that everyone could see each and every job application that came in.

I think it is fair to say I know what makes a good portfolio and also how employers react to the different elements that make a portfolio.

Whilst I do obviously judge a little, I do not blame the student or assistant because you are not taught how to produce portfolios suitable to send to professionals at university.. and if not then.. when are you meant to learn?

This post is to highlight elements you should definitely avoid but first, let’s look at different types of portfolios. I’ll keep it simple for this post, you have a short portfolio and a long portfolio.

How to master your next architecture crit
How to master your next architecture crit

Architecture crits, or my preferred term, architecture reviews, are how you communicate the ideas and resolutions that you have been working on for the weeks or months prior. It is how you show everything, the hours you have spent thinking about your project, the ideas you have tested and the models you have used to explore different ideas.

It is the only way to

  1. Prove you have actually been doing work and have not just found an idea on pinterest and submitted as your own and,

  2. That you know and understand what you are talking about

These reasons make your architecture review one of the most important parts, if not the most important part of studying architecture. Get them right and your ideas are efficiently shared with your tutor, nothing is missed and you finish your architecture review confident, and hopefully with no regrets. Get it wrong and all your efforts can be lost in communication, or I guess lack of communication.

In this blog I walk through the 6 stages of an architecture crit that you need to prepare for: The Intro, Site Analysis, Concept Design, Design Development, Final Design and of course the Questions at the end but first.. how do we prepare?

Staying Organised as an Architecture Student
Staying Organised as an Architecture Student
Part Time Jobs as an Architecture Student - Money or Experience?
Part Time Jobs as an Architecture Student - Money or Experience?
What you need to know before you start your architecture degree
What you need to know before you start your architecture degree

It is coming to the end of the summer holidays (Boooo, I know, but be thankful you still have them!) and a lot of you will be starting to prepare for the new academic year whether that is as a first year where everything will be new or as a second or third year, more familiar with the processes and what to expect but perhaps with a few changes on what is expected of you...

In light of the looming academic year I have put together a list of 5 of the most important things I believe you need to do before your first day. All of these things you can look into now, and best of all they are all free! (Yes, travel and explore is a point, but do this within your own budgets! Sketching from your bedroom window is definitely an option!)

These are things I wish I knew as an architecture student and things I still try and incorporate and do prior to any significant change whether that’s moving city, moving jobs or when back when I was student, moving between years.

I hope these are helpful for you as an architecture student, assistant or Architect and if you have any to add, please write them in the comment box right at the bottom of the page. It would be very helpful for everyone else reading this too!

Enjoy! :)

Archive

Aliya Pinnock
Previous

Crying during your architecture presentation
Next

What I do to improve my mental health as an Architectural Assistant