You often find ‘Tips on Surviving Architecture School’ blogs that are compiled of what drawing equipment or software first year architecture students need.

While these are useful, not many that I’ve found so far talk about surviving architecture school with good mental health.

A survey carried out by the Architects Journal in 2018 states 1 in 3 architecture students suffered from mental health issues. Now, due to the pandemic, this may have increased to 58 per cent of architecture students that responded to a study done by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

This blog will talk about the right mindset and techniques you may need to keep a clear headspace during architecture school.

Find out more 👇

Don't pull all nighters

The pressurised atmosphere and competitive nature of an architecture school, compel a student to pin an entire wall with a ton of fresh drawings for each crit. Doing an all night to achieve this is a common mistake and is usually set up for a big fall (trust me).

Quality not Quantity

Not every page in your portfolio or crit needs to be a masterpiece, it is far more important your drawings explain your project clearly.

Use your time wisely and focus on some well-drawn simple pages that are easy to read. Then, work on a series of key pages showing off your creativity and skills.

Your work should be able to explain itself. Plus, the quicker critics understand your project the quicker they can give you valuable feedback, and less explaining (persuading) will be needed from you.

Time Management

This is one of the most important elements in surviving architecture school.

A common temptation for students is to solely work on their design project which as a result neglect other modules as such essays or techbooks.

It is important to create a schedule that allows time for other modules. This will relieve stress and not create a backlog of work. Developing time management skills is an employable attribute in professional life.

Save time for your presentation

You should only rest on the eve of a crit as it is more important to deliver a clear presentation than having one more drawing to pin up. The best thing to do the night before crits is to stop working around 6ish to plan your presentation. Then relax for the evening and get a good night's sleep.

Make friends with your studio mates.

Most of your day will be at the studio along with your fellow architecture students. Developing a strong comradery and friendship with the people you interact with daily makes the experience of architecture school so much more enjoyable. It will become easier to bounce ideas off each other and form a support network for those inevitable tough days. As well as forming lasting relationships with like minded people.

Be strategic

The more knowledge you have on your site, the stronger your argument and the more informed your design decisions will be.

Achieve this by doing the following; break down your brief into main sections and develop your own narrative as a continuation of the brief through historical research and site investigation. This is the backbone of a well-considered project thesis.

Eat Healthily

No, this doesn’t include a Tesco meal deal even if you choose a smoothie. In addition to regular sleep, a healthy diet is essential in keeping your mind and body running at their full potential. Eating only junk or fast-food causes fatigue among other health issues. Plus those easy meal deals and pastries are expensive. Don’t be lazy get into the habit of making a packed lunch and take a flask. 

Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise in any capacity lowers fatigue, raises energy levels and increases your brain activity. It is also a successful output for stress relief and mood booster, all of which will have a positive impact on your productivity and experience at architecture school.

Learn how to speak in public

This comes with practice which you will have plenty of at architecture school. To help built confidence quickly go into every presentation extremely well prepared.

Script the presentation down to the last word and rehearse the night before. Speak coherently and explain your project clearly, remember the jurors do not know your project so be sure it makes sense to new ears.

Conclusion

Architecture schools are a place where your creativity is encouraged, challenged and developed. You will experience incredible highs and lows during your time there. They nurture your creativity but are also challenging by nature. You are constantly criticised and on display. There is a tough-love approach with your best interest in mind. You will be challenged throughout your working life and the thick skin and design skills you developed studying will be your main tools to success. There is no other place that has such a vast pool of design expertise and knowledge.

Architecture is such a rich and rewarding subject that goes far beyond the built form. History is written in architecture as well as designed for the future. For these reasons architecture school is a truly unique and special place that I would encourage anyone to experience.

Back to top