Build a Dream Career in Architecture

In India, the construction and property is seeing a confident boom. The focus has shifted from just basic functionality to aesthetics, comfort, luxury and style. Hence, the demand for good architects is also increasing. Architecture involves planning and designing of building and structures. A good architect can create marvels that remain as a testimony to his talent for ages. Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, pyramids of Egypt, Hotel Burj Al Arab, and  more  like these are masterpieces of ancient and modern architecture. Today, architects have to blend their vision and dreams with materials to come up with structures that are high quality, with good functionality and green too.

Architects must design various structures such as for example houses, apartments and colonies, shopping and commercial complexes, offices and industrial complexes, hospitals, hotels, airport terminals, schools etc. They are also required if a building must be renovated or repaired. Thus, the demand for architects will never dwindle.

All those who are seeking to make a career in this field have a couple of things to bear in mind. Ideally, students good at physics and mathematics are better suited to study architecture. To become an architect, you need to have creativity with an intention towards designing. It really is beneficial if you can also sketch and draw with a free hand. One should be socially and environmentally aware apart from being technically and mathematically sound to become good architect. Of course, good communication skills, physical capability to work on the site, high concentration level, flexibility, patience, team spirit, responsibility and accountability can take one quite a distance in this field.

There are good training courses in architecture offered by institutes across India. To use for a course, you need to have completed higher secondary education with physics, chemistry, mechanical/ engineering drawing and mathematics, with a minimum of 60 percent marks. Most of the schools conduct entrance tests through national and state level entrance examinations. For entry to undergraduate programmes in government and private institutes, national level entrance examination is conducted by the Council of Architecture. However, you can find separate state level tests too, such as one conducted by Tamil Nadu. Indian Institutes of Technology also offer architecture programmes. Entrance to these programmes is through the Joint Entrance Exams (JEE) held in-may each year. Apart from theses, one has to appear for an aptitude test to ensure admission.

The degree course B.Arch is a 5 year course. Following the graduate course, one can also study architecture at the post graduate course which varies from 18 months to 2 years.
There are many good institutes offering courses in architecture. School of Planning & Architecture in New Delhi offers two Undergraduate Programmes resulting in Bachelor's Degree in Architecture and Planning. The Bachelor of Architecture is a five-year programme. The school offers the Master's and Doctoral Programmes in Architecture. SPA offers a 4-year programme in Bachelor of Planning.

Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA) is another good institute. The college conducts a five year course resulting in the degree of Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.)
The admission is made on the basis of the Common Entrance Test (CET) and Architecture Aptitude Test conducted by the Punjab University.

Based in Mumbai, the Sir J J School of Art conducts a 5-year course in Bachelor Of Architecture (B Arch). and a 3-year Master Of Architecture Degree. The institute also offers short term courses in computer education highly relevant to architecture after college hours.

Apart from these, there are other good schools like School of Architecture CEPT, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad; Lucknow University, Govt. College of Architecture; Goa University, College of Architecture; Indian Education Society's College of Architecture, Mumbai; Pune University, Marathwada Mitra Mandal College of Architecture; Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, School of Planning & Architecture, Hyderabad; Kerala University, College of Engineering, Thiruvananthpuram; Anna University, School of Architecture & Planning., Chennai; IPS Academy, School of Architecture, Indore; Bengal Engineering College, West Bengal; Sushant School of Art and Architecture, Gurgaon; Vastu Kala Academy, School of Architecture & Interior Designing, New Delhi.

Some architects go set for specialization in India and abroad. The fiels of specialization could be urban designing, regional planning, building engineering and management, architectural conservation, industrial design, landscape arhitecture, naval architecture, architecture concerning traffic and transport planning etc.

There are a great number of avenues to select from for architects. There are opportunities available in government as well as private sectors. The government organisations include Public Works Department, the Archaeological Department, Ministry of Defence, Departments of Railways, Post and Telegraphs, Public Sector Undertakings, National Building Organisation, Town and Country Planning Organisation, National Institute of Urban Affairs, Housing and Urban Development Corporation, National Building Construction Corporation Ltd., City Development Authorities etc. One can also go or private practice and start own firm and become a successful architect. After all, it requires dreams and good vision to generate a mark in this industry.