ARCHITECTURE

An Introduction to Architecture

What is Architecture?

Architecture is the imaginative blend of art and science in the design of environments for people. People need places to eat, work, live and play. Architects transform these needs into concepts and then develop the concepts into building images that can be constructed by others. These projects can be as small as an entrance way and as large as an entire college campus—and everything in between.

An architect serves in a leadership role to bring together the design and budgetary requirements set by the client, restraints of a site (where the building will be constructed), needs of the building's users, and the limitations of materials into a unique and balanced design solution. Decision-making, team leadership and creativity are the key elements of making architecture.

Succinctly put, an architect is a licensed professional with specialized skills who designs buildings and cityscapes and helps make real the unique vision of their clients and communities.

What Architects Do
The role of an architect is not just to design buildings. Through the design, the architect must also protect the health, safety and welfare of the general public and the users of the buildings. Therefore, like medical doctors, one must have a license granted by a U.S. state or territory in order to refer to oneself as an "architect." Doing so otherwise is illegal.

Architecture Education
In the United States you should pursue a degree from an architecture program which is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) in order to meet the educational qualifications necessary to take the Architectural Registration Exam or "ARE." There are other pathways to a license and you can read more about them on the NCARB Web site.
More than 100 architecture programs are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) in the United States. NAAB accredited professional programs in architecture leading to the Doctor of Architecture, Master of Architecture or Bachelor of Architecture degree.  Students may graduate from either a pre-professional architecture degree or undergraduate degree in another discipline and then complete an accredited Master of Architecture program.
The NAAB is the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. degree programs in architecture. The listing of accredited programs is available on the NAAB Web site.
The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) offers ARCHSchools.org, an online database of all institutions that offer architecture programs in the United States and Canada. This free service allows you to search by region, curriculum, size of school and more.
Information about education in Canada can be found from the Canadian Architectural Certification Board.
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