I've recently been in touch with a few new first years wanting to know about architecture, so I thought I'd create this post and update it whenever I think of something that last year me would have liked to know about architecture.
1) You will be totally confused when you first get into studio, but it will all come together in the end. Just keep working- ALWAYS PRODUCE. Even if you have no idea what you are doing or where you are headed with your design, just keep drawing, making models, whatever... in the end something will come of it.
2) 3 things that are pretty useful to have on you at all times are:
i) A craft knife: forgetting this when you go to studio is terrible, since you will be making models like all the time. It is also handy at home, and it makes you feel safer if you have it close to you when you're walking home from uni at 11pm through the dark streets of Auckland... haha...
ii) Plasters: these are necessary because of item number one, haha... no but seriously, I cut myself sooo many times this year. To be fair model making is definitely something I need to improve on, but the probabilities of you cutting yourself are fairly high and you don't want to be bleeding all over your work when you do.
iii) A sketch pad: you never know when inspiration will strike. Also, I find I like to draw when I explain things to people, so it's annoying when I don't have it.
3) Before buying textbooks, check the library. Our required textbook for ARCHTECH 106 last year was available as an ebook, which saved me cash (which I could then go spend at Gordon Harris, our continual money sucker, hahaha...). You may also be able to get textbooks cheaper elsewhere than UBS, so check online etc. 'Cause baby, you will need moolah.
4) It is never to early to start learning software. If you are a future first year and you are reading this check out my post about ArchiCAD here Starting ArchiCAD it provides you with links for getting a free licence and for training videos.
5) Speaking of software, you will be using A LOT of software, but learning Adobe Illustrator will be very useful since it is vector based (and therefore preferred) as well as Adobe InDesign since you will be printing many, many things and it is good for layout generally. If you can, take a look at Rhinoceros3D and Grasshopper all well, we use those too (you may already know things like Google SketchUp, but some of the tutors hate it... so be wary of using it, although I personally find it useful sometimes...)
1) You will be totally confused when you first get into studio, but it will all come together in the end. Just keep working- ALWAYS PRODUCE. Even if you have no idea what you are doing or where you are headed with your design, just keep drawing, making models, whatever... in the end something will come of it.
2) 3 things that are pretty useful to have on you at all times are:
i) A craft knife: forgetting this when you go to studio is terrible, since you will be making models like all the time. It is also handy at home, and it makes you feel safer if you have it close to you when you're walking home from uni at 11pm through the dark streets of Auckland... haha...
ii) Plasters: these are necessary because of item number one, haha... no but seriously, I cut myself sooo many times this year. To be fair model making is definitely something I need to improve on, but the probabilities of you cutting yourself are fairly high and you don't want to be bleeding all over your work when you do.
iii) A sketch pad: you never know when inspiration will strike. Also, I find I like to draw when I explain things to people, so it's annoying when I don't have it.
3) Before buying textbooks, check the library. Our required textbook for ARCHTECH 106 last year was available as an ebook, which saved me cash (which I could then go spend at Gordon Harris, our continual money sucker, hahaha...). You may also be able to get textbooks cheaper elsewhere than UBS, so check online etc. 'Cause baby, you will need moolah.
4) It is never to early to start learning software. If you are a future first year and you are reading this check out my post about ArchiCAD here Starting ArchiCAD it provides you with links for getting a free licence and for training videos.
5) Speaking of software, you will be using A LOT of software, but learning Adobe Illustrator will be very useful since it is vector based (and therefore preferred) as well as Adobe InDesign since you will be printing many, many things and it is good for layout generally. If you can, take a look at Rhinoceros3D and Grasshopper all well, we use those too (you may already know things like Google SketchUp, but some of the tutors hate it... so be wary of using it, although I personally find it useful sometimes...)
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