Work of an Architect ?

Jan 27 11:30 UTC 2003

don't know exactly about the other contries, well not to go as far let me tell
you all about my own country. in india most of the people employ architects to
draft the plan of their house just for the sake of getting permissions and no
objection certificates from town planning authorities. and when u evaluate the
general human thinking about work of an architect then they will say.....just
the one who can draw straight or curvilinear lines in some arrrangement can be
called as architect being an architecture student this kind of feeling hurts me
a lot, cause we have to study five years not just to attach that word
"architect" to our names but to evaluate the human needs and desing space for
them accordingly. so let me see how u all percieve about architects work. and
get the clear overall picture

regards
mukesh

response 2 of 9:

Jan 27 16:09 UTC 2003

We designed, drew up, and are building our own house.  First I talked to one
architect who did not listen to us and wanted to know how we entertained and
where to put the fireplace and the decorative staircase.  Then another one
offered to draw up our plans.  I told him we wanted a cube and he added a
second small cube to it so that bathroom would be bigger.  (also the plumbing
would probably freeze).  Then we got out a lot of books from the library and
drew our own plans.   Our plans were approved.  The inspectors are helpful.
I think here people do not usually pay architects for their plans, they buy
plans that they select from a catalog, all of which are in the style which
is currenly fashionable (like Scott says, they are all large).  The current
fashion is to have a lot of dormers sticking out of the house on the side that
faces the road, and the most expensive-looking windows on that side, and the
most expensive looking siding (brick - the back is plastic), and to have at
least one room that is twice the usable height.  I think this goes along with
the fashion for cars which are much taller and larger than useful.  Americans
have the money to be wasteful like this.

What does a typical Indian village or small-town house look like?

response 4 of 9:

Jan 28 02:26 UTC 2003

Jim wanted to be an architect.  He liked the drafting aspect but did not want
to be a salesman, or work with people who wanted to be fashionable and to
impress their neighbors.  Jim is still drafting.

response 6 of 9:

Feb 1 05:57 UTC 2003

I will no more call such fellows architect who just give already drafted plans
to their clients. I would rather call them fool. Architect should never do that
way. He should first investigate about the requirements of the dwellers and
then only should design home for them. If he fails in doing that and just
copies any already drafted plan then he is no more an "Architect". He is just
another fellow in the lobby of this construction industry.

So all u please don't consider them architect who follow this ridiculous path.

regards
mukesh
:)

response 8 of 9:

Sep 20 03:44 UTC 2006

I've heard it said that even people using 'off the peg' plans can
benefit from the insight of a decent architect.  Does anyone have any
thoughts on this?

                                                  I still want a dome.