How to Become a Architect

- Salary, Qualification, Skills, Role and Responsibilities

#Builder
#planner
#building designer,

Who is a Architect?

Architecture is the learned game, correct and magnificent, of forms assembled in the light ~ Le Corbusier

In a career as an architect, individuals plan, design, and oversee the construction of buildings. Architects design buildings and also help in supervising the construction. If you are smart, hardworking, and creative enough to plan and execute buildings of your choice, then pursuing a career as an architect is a good option. Individuals in the architecture career path provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that have human occupancy or use as their principal purpose.

Individuals who opt for a career as an architect focus on how to make living easy and comfortable for people ranging from lower-middle-class to upper-class and offer them housing and shelter with luxury and style. Students can pursue various degrees in architecture education such as B.Plan (Bachelor of Planning) Course, M.Plan (Master of Planning) Course.

Here, in this article, we will discuss the details of an architect career in India, such as how to become an architect in India or how to become an architect after 12th, architecture career salary in India, a career in architecture in India, and is architecture a good career in India.

Architect in a Nutshell

Individuals in the architecture career are the building designers who plan the whole construction keeping the safety and requirements of the people. Individuals in architect career in India provides professional services for new constructions, alterations, renovations and several other activities. Individuals in architectural careers in India visit site locations to visualize their projects and prepare scaled drawings to submit to a client or employer as a design. Individuals in architecture careers also estimate build costs, materials needed, and the projected time frame to complete a build.

Quick Facts for Architect

Industry
Construction
Average Salary in India
₹72350
Suitable for
Male, Female

An individual from any section or gender can pursue a career as an architect. Being an architect is one of the most desired professions where an individual’s gender is insignificant. Women in architecture have been documented for many centuries, as professional (or amateur) practitioners, educators and clients. In recent years, the participation of women architects has begun to achieve wider recognition since the turn of the millennium.
Any special needs
Yes

When it comes to pursuing a career as an architect it is better to be physically fit for a better and more efficient way of working. However, there is no hard and fast rule that it is compulsory to be physically fit in order to become an architect. As long as the disability does not come in the way of one’s work they are good to go for a career as an architect.

Table of Contents for Architect

What is the role of Architect?

Types of a Architect

What is the workplace/work environment of Architect like?

How to become a Architect?

What are the skills and qualities required to become a/an Architect?

Which certifications and internships can be helpful in becoming Architect?

Career path progression for Architect

Architect Jobs and Salaries

What is the job outlook for Architect?

Frequently Asked Questions for Architect

What is the role of Architect?

The job of an architect is to create architectural design structures such as office buildings, businesses, stadiums, schools, malls, and homes. Individuals in architect careers in India are responsible for drawing up detailed plans for a structure and developing final construction plans to include electrical and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. A building planner may also provide designs for landscape requirements, plumbing and communication systems.

Individuals in the architecture career path help their clients receive fair construction bids and get quality contractors. Individuals in architecture careers use tools such as building information modelling or computer-aided design and drafting. Hand-drawing skills are used mostly during the early design stages of a project.

Customer service and retention

Individuals in the architecture career path work closely with their clients. Before drafting plans, they meet with their clients several times to learn their client's objectives, budgets, and any specific requirements for their projects. Architects also work with other related professionals, such as engineers, urban planners, landscape architects, construction representatives, and interior designers.

Design, Plan and Develop

Designing, planning and developing are integral tasks in an architect’s daily routine. architects may be required to provide predesign figures such as an environmental impact or feasibility study, cost analysis and land-use study. Final construction plans are created by architects and used by builders as a step-by-step guide on how the look and details of the building will play out, including plumbing, communication and heating, electrical, ventilation and structural systems.

Working with constraints

Architecture jobs involve working around constraining factors for example town planning legislation, environmental impact and project budget. There are several laws that are imposed when it comes to building something and those laws are to be followed by an architect while he or she plans out the construction design. The biggest constraint for architectures is the project budget somehow whatever is provided seems less and they need to give the best output from the minimum input.

Working with other professionals

Architecture jobs require an architect to work closely with a team of other professionals such as building service engineers, construction managers, quantity surveyors, and architectural technologists.

Research

Architects must follow building codes, fire regulations, zoning laws, and city ordinances when creating their plans. For public buildings, architects must be aware of disabled access laws. Since these laws change regularly, architects need to stay up-to-date on policy, zoning, and regulation changes. Architects must be in on the latest energy-efficient products, and building styles and must research the area they are building to ensure their design matches current building structures.

Application of technology

Today’s architecture jobs require an architect to use a lot of technology. Individuals in the architecture career must be trained and familiar with computer-aided drafting systems, building modelling, and other relevant technologies. Architects must conceptualize and experiment with different construction approaches through software and must also be familiar with basic office software, such as word processing, spreadsheets, and accounting.

Types of a Architect

There are several types of building designers who plan the construction of various types of projects such as residential, corporate and public places. We have described below various types of architect career options.

Architectural Manager: An architectural and engineering manager is required to be at the site of construction. He or she plans, directs, as well as coordinates activities in architectural and engineering companies. An architectural manager takes care of building activities. He or she makes sure that the construction is going on according to the plan and they take care of several quality standards as well.

Construction and Building Inspector: A construction and building inspector ensures that construction meets several local as well as national building codes and ordinances, zoning regulations, and contract specifications. A construction and building inspector uses various tools like metering devices or a survey instrument in order to conduct the inspection on the construction site.

Construction Manager: A construction site is supervised by a construction manager. The job of a construction manager is to supervise the work done by the contractors as well as the labourers on the construction site. Not only that but their job function involves planning, coordinating, budgeting, and supervising construction projects from start to finish.

Drafter: A drafter uses software to convert the designs of engineers and architects into technical drawings. Most workers specialise in architectural, civil, electrical, or mechanical drafting and use technical drawings to help design everything from microchips to skyscrapers.

Landscape Architect: The landscape architect job includes designing places to make it look attractive. He or she plans and designs places such as parks and outdoor spaces of campuses, recreational facilities, businesses, private homes, and other open areas. A landscape architect plans civil infrastructures like roads or walkways. He or she focuses on including trees and greenery in their designs.

What is the workplace/work environment of Architect like?

Individuals in architect career in India spend much of their time in offices, where they meet with clients, develop reports and drawings, and work with other architects and engineers. These builders visit construction sites to ensure clients' objectives are met and to review the progress of projects. Some independently working architects work from home offices.

Does Architect require travelling?

Likely

An architecture job demands him or her to spend work hours in an office environment but it does involve travelling at times. A building designer's career requires site visits in order to see the area where he or she has to plan construction or design the building. An architecture career also involves him doing site visits during the time of construction of the building to ensure specific design requirements are met as planned.

Employment Shifts

Full Time

Individuals in architectural careers in India work full time and many work additional hours, especially when facing deadlines. Self-employed architects may have more flexible work schedules. For example, if an individual just entered the industry with one of the architecture jobs then it is likely that he or she would be working under a firm. In that case, the architect is supposed to work on a full-time basis and even work for extra hours depending on the requirement of the project. Individuals in architecture careers require completing projects within the given deadlines.

Employment Nature

Permanent, Contractual

The nature of the employment of an architect can be both contractual as well as permanent in nature. For example, if an architect is working for a government office then he or she works on a permanent basis. Their projects keep on changing as and when an architect and his team complete one. On the other hand, if an architect is working for himself then he is generally hired on a contractual basis. A private firm can hire the architect in order to build their new office for instance and as soon the work is done their job with the firm ends as well.

Work Place

On-Field, Home Office, Office

Individuals in architect career in India work at multiple locations and in different work environment settings. If they are independent, then they work from their home office, during the construction phase they work on-field or on the site of the construction. If they are working in an architectural firm, then they work in an office environment.

Presence in Geographical Area

Rural, Semi-urban, Urban

Individuals in architecture careers generally work in all kinds of geographical areas urban, semi-urban as well as rural. Urban areas provide better opportunities to building planners as people are more concerned with the designs and safety aspects of their residential places, offices, and other spaces.

Time Pressure

Likely

Individuals in architecture careers are required to work full-time. However, one who is positioned for a senior post might feel some time pressure because of his or her duties. Apart from this, a builder has to ensure the timely completion of the construction project. When they are working in the field, experiencing raw weather conditions and surviving external factors can result in a little time pressure.

Overtime Details

Although architects spend most of their time in the office, they are required to travel to their job sites and travelling sometimes causes them to work for long hours under stressful conditions. Building designer's work hours are usually extended, and sometimes it may stretch up to 50 hours a week.

Weekly Hours of Work

Min 40 Hours

An architect working for a government or a private organisation works for a minimum of 40 hours a week. It may extend in order to meet deadlines. But, if an architect works for himself and is his own boss, in that case, his working hours are flexible in nature. It is up to the architect as and when he wants to work on the project at hand.

How to become a Architect?

Steps to become a Architect

If you love to design and are interested in planning and creating the construction of buildings, then a career as an Architect is the best suitable option for you. If you are looking for the details of how to become an Architect then we have mentioned below the steps for how to become an Architecture or how to become architecture after 12th.

Identify Architect Skills
Enrol In Formal Training/Course
Pursue Specialised Certification
Build An Attractive Resume
Explore Internship Opportunities
Find Job Opportunities And Apply
Register with Council of Architecture (COA)
Find a Suitable Job
Begin A Career

01 Step

Identify Architect Skills

You must have some of the relevant skills to opt for a career as an Architect. We have mentioned here some of the soft skills and hard skills for how to become an Architect.

Some of the soft skills that are required to opt for a career as an Architect are creativity skills, communication skills, teamwork and numeracy skills.

Creativity
Teamwork
Numeracy skills
Problem-solving skills
Team-working Skills
Leadership
Management Skills
Communication skills
Interior Design knowledge

If you are looking how to become an Architect then you must also have some hard skills apart from the soft skills mentioned above. Some of the hard skills are Computer-Aided Design (CAD), AutoCAD, Revit Architecture, SketchUp and construction administration.

AutoCAD
Revit Architecture
SketchUp
Fusion 360
Construction Administration
Database Management
Visualisation
Architectural Drawings
Renovation

02 Step

Enrol In Formal Training/Course

You must enrol into a formal education or training program to become a Design Engineer. You are required to complete 10+2 in Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics from a recognised board. You must also opt for a bachelor’s degree programme by giving an entrance examination and after completing it, you can either opt for an entry-level job position or you can also opt for a master’s course to get higher-level job positions. We have mentioned below how to become an Architect, the Architect entrance examination, bachelor’s degree and master’s degree.

Entrance Examinations

JEE Main	GAT
AMUEE	NATA

Bachelor’s Degree Programmes

B.Arch. (Bachelor of Architecture)	B.Plan. (Bachelor of Planning)
B.Tech. (Bachelor of Technology) Architecture Engineering	B.Tech. (Bachelor of Technology) Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering

Master’s Degree Programmes

M.Arch. (Master of Architecture)	M.Plan. (Master of Planning)
M.Plan. (Master of Planning) Urban and Rural Planning	M.Tech. (Master of Technology) Architecture Engineering

03 Step

Pursue Specialised Certification

You can opt for a specialised certification to gain more subject knowledge and skills to become an Architecture. However this is not a mandatory step, it is completely optional. We have mentioned below some of the specialised certifications.

Introduction to Architecting Smart IoT Devices	How To Become An Outstanding Solution Architect
SOLID Principles: Introducing Software Architecture & Design	Sustainability in Architecture: An Interdisciplinary Introduction
Revit Architecture Course - Practical Approach	Splunk 2022 - Beginner to Architect

04 Step

Build An Attractive Resume

To become an Architect you are required to build a strong resume and grab hold the attention of the interviewer. Your resume must be informative and include all of your educational and personal details like educational background, interest in the field or job and your skills and knowledge.

05 Step

Explore Internship Opportunities

In a career as an Architect pursuing an internship or working on some of the projects will help you to grab better opportunities. It not only helps to obtain a good job but will also help to enhance the skills and gain knowledge of the industry. You can apply on internship-providing platforms such as Intershala, Twenty19 and others.

06 Step

Find Job Opportunities And Apply

Once you are done with your internship, now is the time to apply for full-time job opportunities in your related field. You can apply on various job offering platforms such as Naukri, Linkedin, Monster and Indeed and wait for the interview call, once you get the calls, attend some of the interviews which suit your profile.

07 Step

Register with Council of Architecture (COA)

To become a professional architect in India, you are required to register with the Council of Architecture (COA). It is necessary to register with the CoA to practise architectury in India. CoA has a register of architects offering professional services in India.

08 Step

Find a Suitable Job

Once you have completed your internship, you can now apply for a full-time job by updating your resume and uploading it on various job offerings platforms such as Naukri, LinkedIn or Monster.

09 Step

Begin A Career

This is the final and most important step in how to become an Architect. After attending several interviews you must carefully select the right offer letter that will help you to build your career, accept it and join the company and begin your career. Once you get the license you can also practise on your own by establishing your own firm.

What are the skills and qualities required to become a/an Architect?

Communication skills
Analytical skills
Creativity

If you are planning to opt for an architecture career then you must know the requirements to become a professional architect. We have listed below the architectural skill set that may help you establish a successful career in architecture in India. Here, we have discussed how to become an Architect in India.

Analytical Skills: Employees who have such abilities can fix complex issues that the company is facing and boost overall productivity and success. Analytical skills are valuable as they help in identifying solutions to problems and taking further steps. Architects need to consider the nature of the projects and the context they were produced within. Individuals in the architecture career in India need to understand the locations of mechanical systems and how those systems affect construction operations.

Communication Skills: Effective communication will give rise to an increase and improved possibilities. Effective communication helps everyone to establish confidence, which generally leads them to allow them more possibilities like presenting the employees in front of customers or participating in conferences. Architects exchange their ideas with clients, other architects, and staff who help create sketches, both in oral presentations and in writing. Many offer presentations describing their designs, too.

Creativity: Architecture education can be considered as a study of design that really gets the creative ability to its beginnings. While empowering and enriching creative thinking throughout all areas is indeed very important, it is significant in the field of architectural education. Individuals in architectural careers in India design the overall appearance of homes, structures, and other structures. The final product needs, therefore, to be attractive and practical.

Organisational Skills: Organisational competencies can help maintain facts straight. Individuals in architecture careers make it easy to handle the load of tasks assigned to an architect. Organising oneself can however significantly decrease the mess on the desk because then one can be more efficient in your working space. The projects and assignments are also supervised by architects. Individuals in the architecture career in India must maintain copies associated with the project details, such as total cost, equipment used, and development.

Technical Skills: Technical abilities are the qualities and expertise required to perform particular tasks. They are realistic and mostly apply mechanical, and mathematical skills, or observation and experiments to architectural projects. Some case studies usually involve the use of CAD software, industrial devices, or techniques. Building designers use computer-aided design and drawing technologies as part of advanced building knowledge processing to construct designs.

Visualization Skills: Visualisation relates to the process in the architectural field of describing a conceptual structure in such a way that can clearly be understood. It can be the bridge between the client and the architect. Visualisation generally happens before the construction process takes place. Individuals in the architecture career in India need to be able to see how one structure's parts relate to another. Individuals in architect careers in India should also be able to better understand how once accomplished, the overall design will look.

Popular Online Engineering Courses and Certifications

Which certifications and internships can be helpful in becoming Architect?

Are you looking for how to become an Architect in India? We have mentioned below various certification courses that aspiring individuals can opt for to establish a career as an architect.

Intelligent Transportation Systems	Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing using NX CAD
Sensor Fusion Engineer	Suspension Design using ADAMS
Post Graduate Certification in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Design & Analysis	Particle Dynamics
Master's Certification Program in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Design and Analysis	The Age of Sustainable Development
Design Engineer Master's Certification Program	Rigid Body Dynamics
Master's Certification in Computational Design and Pre-processing	Introduction to FPGA Design for Embedded Systems
Finite Element Analysis Using SolidWorks	Master's Certification in BIW Fixture & Plastic Design

Internship Availability

Yes

Before an individual enters the profession of architecture, it is always a good decision to do an architectural internship. An internship will help an architect in several ways such as practical knowledge of work, improvement in skills as well as in giving a head start. Internships are also beneficial for making contacts, which can later help in getting jobs. One can find architecture internship vacancies through recruitment websites such as indeed.com, Glassdoor, and other online-based recruitment platforms. There is a great learning curve and interns can pick up the tricks of the trade during internships.

Also read: Career as urban planner

Career Path Progression for Architect

Junior Architect: A Junior Architect is a professional who is responsible for plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. The Junior Architect controls the projects and ensures the quality must be high and manages the projects from concept development.

Senior Architect: A Senior Architect is an experienced professional who leads a team of junior Architects and other members of the team. A Senior Architect develops and implements ideas as per the needs of the client and customers.

Architect Jobs and Salaries

Junior Architect

Employment Nature

Contractual/Permanent

Monthly Salaries

Average Salary 18000

Job Description

A Junior Integration Architect is responsible for translating business objectives into technical solutions. He or she applies integration design patterns in order to deliver functionality as required.

Salary Description

An entry-level Architect salary in India ranges between Rs 0.2 Lakhs to Rs 4.5 Lakhs with an average annual salary of Rs 2.4 Lakhs per annum. Junior Architect salary in India may vary depending on various job factors like the skills and experience of the candidates, job location, and others.

Salary Source: AmbitionBox

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Senior Architect

Monthly Salaries

Average Salary 126700

Job Description

The Architect job description includes designing and planning the projects, conducting research and compiling the reports. A Senior Architect manages the project teams and collaborates with the construction professionals.

Salary Description

The estimated Architect salary in India ranges from Rs 5.0 Lakhs to Rs 48.0 Lakhs with an average annual salary of Rs 17.8 Lakhs per annum. Senior Architect salary may vary depending on the various job factors.

Salary Source: AmbitionBox

Read Full Details

What is the job outlook for Architect?

Individuals in architecture careers work with construction companies wherein they are asked to serve as a designer. Initially, an architect is expected to understand the specific requirements of clients and strike the right balance between aesthetics and practicality. Not only that, but an architect with skills can also help clients with his ideas in terms of balancing the requirements of appearance, financial budget and time frame. There are enormous opportunities for architectural jobs in India.

Most architecture jobs come up in government organisations such as the Public Works Department, National Building Organisation, Town and Country Planning Organization, Public Sector Undertakings, Housing and Urban Development Corporation, and National Building Construction Corporation Ltd. Demand for a career in architecture in India with a knowledge of “green design,” also called sustainable design, is expected to continue.

Architects should be needed to design buildings and structures that efficiently use resources, such as energy and water conservation; reduce waste and pollution; and apply environmentally friendly design, specifications, and materials. Read further to know about how to become architecture after 10th.

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Frequently Asked Questions for Architect

Que. Is architecture a good career?

Ans.

Yes, it is a good course and an ample number of career opportunities available for architect graduates. architects are the real creators of amazing buildings and structures. architects design structures and give physical face-lift as well as provide functional utility, safety and economy.

Que. Can I be an architect if I can not draw?

Ans.

You do not need to be able to draw well to be a successful architect. It is a handy skill to have - to be able to sketch an idea for a client. But, if you are not a true artist, do not worry. You will be plenty successful if you are detail oriented, good at problems solving and research, and work hard.

Que. What is a CAD drawing?

Ans.

CAD (computer-aided design) software is used by architects, engineers, drafters, artists, and others to create precision drawings or technical illustrations. CAD software can be used to create two-dimensional (2-D) drawings or three-dimensional (3-D) models.

Que. Why is CAD better than drawing by hand?

Ans.

The CAD Drafting has many advantages over manual drafting because of the tools and automation the software offers. Manual drawings are necessarily created on paper, but the CAD drawings are environmentally friendly and can be stored and used electronically without using paper.

Que. What is the salary of an architect in India?

Ans.

The architecture career salary in India varies as per his or her skills and experience. The average salary of an architect in India ranges between Rs. 3,00,000 to Rs. 5,00,000.