Out of Architecture: The Value of Architects Beyond Traditional Practice

Out of Architecture is a book that encourages architecture students and professionals to reassess their skills,passions,and value and consider alternate pathways. It is written by design professionals and career consultants and is informed by client accounts and the authors' own stories. The book highlights the disconnect between architectural education and practice and explores a disillusionment with the profession, unhealthy work cultures, mentorship, working with lead architects, toxic perfectionism, and the notion of a "calling." It presents the hopeful accounts of many architects who escaped the profession to find fulfilling, well-paying, creative jobs that better utilize the skills of architecture.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 10 November 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Out of Architecture is a comprehensive guide that aims to reassess the architecture profession and its education, providing valuable insights for graduates and working architects seeking to navigate their skills, passions, and value in a changing landscape. Authored by design professionals and expert career consultants, this book draws from numerous client accounts and the authors' personal experiences to explore alternative pathways beyond traditional architectural practice.

The book begins by tracing the narrative of a typical architecture training in the United States, highlighting the diverse experiences and challenges encountered by students. It sheds light on the highs and lows of the education, the skills honed, and the significant disconnect that often exists between architectural theory and practice. Subsequent chapters delve into the disillusionment many architects feel with the profession, including issues such as unhealthy work cultures, mentorship, working with lead architects, toxic perfectionism, and the notion of a "calling."

Authors then present inspiring accounts of architects who have successfully transitioned out of the traditional architectural profession and into fulfilling, well-paying, creative jobs that better utilize their architectural skills. These stories showcase the diverse range of opportunities available outside the traditional architectural field, including design, urban planning, sustainability, and more.

Written in a unique combination of storytelling and analysis, Out of Architecture offers an immersive and thought-provoking read. The book weaves together a patchwork of client and author stories, creating a rich tapestry of experiences and perspectives. It will resonate with a wide range of architecture students, graduates, educators, and professionals, providing valuable prompts for reassessing their working practices, teaching styles, and the profession itself.

In particular, this book will be of particular value to those students who are skeptical about joining the architecture workforce or those who are already further along in their careers and considering a career change. It offers a roadmap for navigating the challenges and opportunities that arise in a rapidly evolving field, helping architects find new ways to thrive and make a meaningful impact.

Overall, Out of Architecture is a must-read for anyone interested in reimagining the future of architecture and exploring new avenues for professional growth and fulfillment.

Weight: 360g
Dimension: 233 x 155 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032292946