As with most things, there are different definitions floating around out there for what architecture is. Some say it is only creating immersive experiences by putting in lots of decorations or environments, which are mostly cosmetic. Others define it as designing buildings and landscapes, but not interactive systems such as software or technology.

Yet others describe it as designing and constructing spaces and layouts, either internal or external. All three of these descriptions sound similar, but they each have their own specialties depending on what kind of projects you want to pursue.

This article will talk about how to identify if your career is heading towards being an architect, and some basic tips for becoming one! If you’re already working in the field, let us know what you do in the comments below.

Important factors of architecture

A defining feature of architecture is its focus on space, or rather how space can be organized and designed for use. This concept is carried over into other parts of the field, such as interior design or urban planning.

Architecture also focuses on spatial relationships – for example, what happens to an object when it is placed next to another one. These types of questions are integral components in designing anything from furniture to buildings.

Another important part of architectural theory is proportion; that is, how much something is compared to something else. For instance, if you wanted to make a bed, you would look up mattress size information along with frame sizes to determine which proportions were best.

Similarly, looking at houses built years ago, you could find out whether they used large windows or small ones to achieve their style. There may even be pictures and theories about why certain styles work better than others. All of this info helps us understand not only how spaces work, but why some work more effectively than others.

Touchpoints of architecture

A defining feature of architectural work is its use of different styles or genres to convey an important message. Architectural works often include several key components, or “touchpoints” that contribute to this overall theme.

For example, a skyscraper is not only made up of tall vertical structures, but it also includes windows for views, roofs with glazed surfaces, and interior spaces enclosed by walls as well.

Likewise, a restaurant has many touchpoints such as tables, chairs, dishes, and natural light, among others. All these features combine to create an intimate space where people can come together and enjoy food or just spend time afterwork.

When designing something new like a house, consider what types of buildings you have experienced in your life and which ones influenced you. What qualities do you admire in those buildings?

These qualities may be things like proportion, color schemes, materials, or how they are organized. Using these as inspiration, determine whether there are any opportunities to improve upon them and then do so if appropriate.

Organization of architecture

The other major part of defining what makes up architecture is figuring out how to describe it. What are your parameters? What qualities make up this field? You can use these to create a definition or you can choose not to include something in your definition and that’s totally okay!

Having a degree doesn't necessarily mean someone has architected anything, but having an MFA certainly raises chances that they have at least touched upon architectural concepts. A Bachelors Degree in Art also increases chances that they've seen some pretty cool pictures too.

However, both require more than just looking at pretty things.

Architecture involves ideas like planning and designing buildings, bridges, landscapes, and urban spaces. It includes studying designs and patterns of existing architectures, as well as creating new ones. Beyond educating yourself about buildings, there are many ways to practice architecture. This could be by doing pro-bono projects for charities or working with local governments on plans and design proposals.

There are even mobile applications that help you develop your drawing skills and learn basic principles of good design. While most people don’t consider developing apps as practicing architecture, I would say that it is. By learning how to draw effectively, you're improving your ability to organize shapes into coherent forms and giving yourself a little boost in self esteem.

Process of architecture

What does it take to be an architect? To make sense of this, we must first define what being an architect actually is.

Architecture is the process of designing and creating spaces for living or working as well as developing systems that serve those purposes. Spaces include houses, buildings, rooms, landscapes, and more. Systems include everything from technological ones (like computers) to non-technology ones (like water or air).

A career in architecture can involve drafting designs, educating others about architectural concepts, project management, legal paperwork, and so on. Some architects do not directly oversee construction, but are engaged in other activities, like marketing, business development, or research and design of new projects.

There are many different specialties within architecture. For example, landscape architects focus on shaping natural environments such as parks and gardens, while urban designers work with interior space such as bedrooms and bathrooms.

Some architects combine several areas, which makes them broader than their specific area. A civil engineer designs structures and land; a product designer creates products people use everyday; and an industrial designer shapes objects needed for daily life.

Design aspects of architecture

A defining feature of architectural work is its design elements or components. These include things like colors, shapes, textures, materials, structures, and systems. What kind of element an individual designer uses for their project comes down to personal style and what they love doing!

Architects also may choose to use certain types of components in their designs more frequently than others. For example, an architect might always use circles over squares or triangles, or use bright strong colors instead of neutral shades.

These are all part of how architects show off their unique style and personality. It’s important to be aware of this when designing projects yourself so that you don’t accidentally take cues from someone else’s style and apply them to your own work! (Something we talked about in our article: Why Is My Designer Noisy On Social Media? )

Another key component of architectural design is proportion. Proportion refers not only to sizes such as tall versus short, fat versus thin, but also proportions within a given space. An interior room with large windows will have longer vertical lines than a room without windows, for instance.

Overall size and shape can influence the feel of a space. If the room feels too small, it can make people feel uncomfortable or like they do not have enough space to move around or spend time in the area. If the space is too big, people may feel overwhelmed by the amount of available area.

What is a building block?

A building block is an element of a given structure or system that can be used in different ways to create new structures or systems. For example, say you want to build a house. You would need lots of wood beams and steel framing as components for your house.

Beams are a very common component of any type of house frame, while framing uses large quantities of metal bars and plates. These materials are easily accessible at most lumber stores and home improvement centers.

The architect designs the house by deciding where to place each beam and framer so that it functions effectively and efficiently with other beams and frames. In fact, the architect may even design the house around certain types of beams or framing elements to achieve specific goals.

For instance, if the goal is to keep the house cool during summer months, then the architects might choose to use lighter gauge metal beams and frames over heavier ones. On the opposite side, winter calls for thicker, heavy-duty beams and frames to help retain heat.

What is a framework?

A framework is an integral part of any architecture project. Frameworks are what bring structure to your project by setting standards for how other parts of the software should be built.

Frameworks typically start with a set of basic components that work together to create something more complex. For example, in computer programming languages such as PHP or Java, you have a web server running on a device like Google’s Chrome OS, Android, or Amazon’s AWS platform.

The browser-based internet interface we use to access these servers is referred to as a “web browser” or sometimes just a “browser.” Web browsers were once the domain of only large companies with big budgets, but now they are free and accessible to anyone.

Google made its own browser — it calls it Chromium – so it incentivized people to make their own! This is where the term “open source” comes from: open (meaning not limited to one company) and source (because you can add features or take them out). Almost every major website uses some version of this browser technology.

What is a system?

A system is anything that works towards your goal of moving forward, something you use to fulfill an intention or desire. Systems come in many forms- computers are a very popular example. Computers are used for all sorts of things including building websites, running games, and performing math calculations.

A computer is not actively using any resources at times; it’s just sitting there doing nothing! This is what makes them unique. Almost every piece of technology out there is designed to be a toolkit waiting to be applied to new purposes. This is why systems matter.

Think about it this way – if we didn’t have computers, most of our daily lives would come to a halt. We wouldn’t be able to check our email, run our businesses, finance our investments, or do a whole lot more things because we wouldn’t have access to computations. So how did we get into having so many systems?

We built them. By creating these basic tools, we set off a chain reaction which gave us the opportunity to achieve lots of different goals. Now, let’s think about what kind of person uses technology in their everyday life. I bet you said “tech savvy” or maybe even “digital native.” They are people who understand technology and how to apply it to solve problems.