Why I Want to Be an Architect: A Student’s Perspective
Jackson Moore, aspiring architect
A/E/C Stories is an ongoing series of posts featuring individuals who excel in the architecture, engineering and construction industry. Nominate someone.
From the time I was a little kid, I loved creating, building, inventing. I took after-school classes on robot making, spent hours building with Lego and creating Rube Goldberg machines, and invested even more time playing Minecraft.
I really thought I wanted to be an engineer and an inventor, but after a few higher-level high school math and engineering classes, I was seriously questioning those plans. Around the same time, I went on a school trip to Washington D.C. and found myself noticing the neoclassical architecture (although I didn’t have a name for it at the time) and even drew a couple of the buildings. That’s when I realized that architecture might be the right fit for me.
Fast forward to today… I’m a sophomore in the Oklahoma State University School of Architecture, which is ranked in the top 25 percent of architecture programs in the country. Now that I have three semesters under my belt, I feel confident sharing the following five reasons that I want to become a professional architect:
Creative: I’ve always liked drawing what I see, but I’ve learned how satisfying it can be to create something from nothing—something truly unique.
Challenging: There’s something special and meaningful about creating something in a specific place for a specific purpose. My most recent studio project—a non-denominational chapel—is the perfect example of a worthwhile challenge.
Fun: I still love robots, Lego sets and Minecraft, but now I also love creating architectural models—both physical and digital. Even though they can be extremely challenging, I really like the whole process.
Diverse: Each project is different, and I like that. I will never create the same project twice, and that keeps things interesting. The process of solving a new problem or challenge, however annoying it might be, is always satisfying in the end.
Self-Improvement: Architecture has already forced me to improve my skills and my knowledge, and I’m sure it will continue to push me to improve myself exponentially.
Although my goals and aspirations have changed over the years, I am excited to be pursuing a career that I feel truly passionate about, and I can’t wait for what the future has in store.
I didn’t choose architecture to become rich and famous or to design incredible buildings that win awards and get published in magazines. My desire truly stems from the reasons I mentioned above: to be creative, have fun, and take on new and different challenges. But most of all, I want to be an architect because the process of architectural design inspires me to become a better person every day.
Favorite architect: Frank Gehry
Favorite building: Petra in Jordan or the Temple of Karnak
Favorite class: Architectural History
Dream job: Primary Designing Architect
Other interests: Rock Climbing, Camping and Food. I’m also an Eagle Scout.
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