What you need to enter an architect. The profession of an architect: where to study and why

The modern educational system offers future applicants a wide variety of professions. Today, everyone can become anyone and choose a specialty according to their taste and financial capabilities. One of the brightest and most promising professions in our time is the architect. Therefore, if you are a talented artist and have a good knowledge base of an engineer, you can safely enter one of the Ukrainian universities and receive a diploma of a highly qualified specialist in the field of creating a variety of original architectural objects.

But, before you enroll, you need to know what subjects you need to pass to become an architect?

To begin with, this profession requires specialists to have certain knowledge about building design standards, innovative technologies, and modern building materials. An architect must also have great creative potential, study various regulatory literature and create truly unique original structures that will fully meet the needs and wishes of the customer.

Nowadays, the demand for specialists in this field is quite large. Thanks to them, many new structures and multi-storey residential buildings have appeared in Ukraine in recent years.

For example, let's take the new buildings in Irpen, which are offered by the "Comfort Life" company. Here everyone can buy a one-room apartment Irpen on the most favorable terms. You will have a unique opportunity to move into your own home, which you have dreamed of for so long. And the managers of this organization will help speed up this process.

As it turned out, becoming a student at a prestigious Ukrainian architectural university is not so easy. The fact is that the competition for those institutes that prepare future architects is very large, and each applicant must know what subjects need to be passed in order to become an architect. Everything here will depend on a specific specialty. Today, the most popular are "General Design" and "Architecture". The first specialty includes an in-depth study of aesthetic and cultural aspects, while the second is more close to the construction itself. If you decide to become a landscape and interior architect, prepare for the exam in:

• Ukrainian literature;
• Ukrainian language;
• history of Ukraine.

It also includes a creative exam in drafting, drawing, and composition.

To obtain the profession of a general architect (restorer, reenactor), you need to pass:

• mathematics;
• Ukrainian literature;
• Ukrainian language;
• creative exam (drawing, sketching, composition).

After graduation, you will be able to get the profession of an assistant to an architect. This position is not a highly paid one, but what do you want immediately after graduating from high school. But if you prove to be a highly qualified specialist and prove yourself well, you can become a project manager in the future. It all depends on you.

Ukrainian architecture universities

There are not many universities in Ukraine that train excellent architects. As a rule, the entrance exams to these universities include the results of the UPE and additional competitions, which are conducted directly by the higher educational institution. You already know what subjects you need to pass to become an architect, now we offer a list of existing architectural universities in Ukraine for 2016.

Building is one of the most needed, respected and interesting occupations on earth. An architect is a person who largely determines how a building will look, whether it will be reliable, safe and comfortable for people.

The competition among applicants to universities that train such specialists is always great, and a large number of future applicants want to know what subjects need to be passed to an architect.

Engineer and artist

This profession is one of the most difficult. The results of the architect's work have a great influence on the living conditions of a person, on the appearance of small settlements and huge megacities. The example of the great architects of the past says that it is impossible to achieve success in this profession without a harmonious combination of artistic taste, great culture and a large amount of theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the construction business.

What subjects need to be handed over to an architect is largely determined by the location of this specialty at the junction of the humanities and the exact sciences. Good preparation in mathematics and geometry, and other natural sciences is complemented by the need to have visual skills. A true architect thinks only with a pencil in his hand. He cannot do without the ability to make his ideas visible and understandable to others, so applicants for "clean" architecture will have to complete a creative task at the university entrance exams. The content of this test is approximately the same for the leading educational institutions of this profile.

House, interior, city, landscape

Creating a comfortable environment for the life of people is the main goal of a person whose profession is an architect. What subjects need to be taken in order to start training in this specialty is determined by the regulatory documents of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation. State standards designate the main specialists of this profile, who are assigned the appropriate codes in the documents:

• 07.03.01 - Architecture. Profiles: architectural design, urban planning, restoration design.
• 07.03.02 - Reconstruction and restoration of the architectural heritage.
• 03/07/03 - Design of the architectural environment.
• 07.03.04 - Urban planning.
• 35.03.10 - Landscape architecture.

University graduates trained in these areas are called architects and designers.

There are two levels of qualification - bachelor's and master's. They have their own training programs designed for different periods of study. Some specializations (restoration and urban planning) usually only have a two-year master's degree, and you can begin to study them in depth only by becoming a bachelor. Having successfully studied for 4 years, having learned what subjects to take to an architect with and passing a creative competition, you can achieve the highest level of professional training after mastering the training course.

On the example of a capital university

There are more than 20 Russian institutes and building academies where specialists-architects are trained. The rating of such educational institutions changes annually and is largely determined by the results of the admission of applicants and graduation of diploma students.

They differ in the level of teaching, conditions for ensuring the educational process, have their own history and traditions. But there is also something in common - what subjects need to be passed to an architect, designer, what creative tests applicants pass.

Typical conditions can be shown on the example of one of the most famous universities in Russia - Moscow Architectural Institute. The Moscow Architectural Institute, now called the State Academy, has a quarter-century tradition of training architects of the highest professional level. Studying here is prestigious not only because of the location of the university in the center of Moscow. Among its graduates there are many outstanding personalities who have shown themselves brightly, and not only in the field of architecture.

The program of entrance exams at the Moscow Architectural Institute

The combination of creativity and engineering in the future profession determines for applicants who have submitted an application to the Moscow Architectural Institute's admissions office what subjects are needed for admission to an architect. The main direction of training - "Architecture" - is provided in the Russian language and mathematics, which are carried out according to the results of the exam, and additional tests of a creative and professional orientation - drawing and drawing. Applicants for Architectural Environment Design must pass the same exams, but the creative test program (picture) is different.

All exams have a 100-point grading system. The minimum in Russian is 36 points, in mathematics - 27, in additional tests - 20 points. If the number of points scored by applicants is equal, the advantage in the competition for admission will be for those who have shown themselves better in creative disciplines, and the best result in drawing is a more weighty argument.

Creative Challenge - Drawing

For a "clean" architecture, the drawing exam consists of two tasks. On the first day, applicants draw a "head" - a plaster cast from the head of an antique sculpture. Antinous, Caesar, Aphrodite, Socrates - these names are familiar to those who have studied at least once and know in advance what subjects are needed for admission to an architect.

The type of model, the angle - a matter of chance: applicants work for ten people in a room, at a strictly defined easel. On sheets of thick paper 30x40 cm in size, you need to show the ability to correctly compose the picture in 6 hours, build and express the volume of the model without distortion, convey the ratio of light and shadow.

On the second exam in drawing for the specialty "Architecture", models of geometric bodies are offered - a cube, a prism, a cone, a ball, etc. Of the given objects, two of which are required, you need to complete an imaginary volumetric composition in 4 hours. All construction lines of bodies are preserved - visible and hidden, areas of their intersection and perspective cuts. There should be several sketch options for the composition on the sheet. Hatching is only an auxiliary means for giving expressiveness to a drawing.

In the direction "Design of the architectural environment" the first part of the creative exam is drawing a still life, a composition of several objects of geometric and natural shapes. A graphite or charcoal pencil is used, 6 hours are given for work. The second 4-hour test is a planar color composition, performed on the basis of the setting of a certain color proposed by the examiners. Technique - water-based opaque paints (gouache or tempera) on paper.

Testing the ability to draw

Anyone who is attracted to the profession of "architect" should have a spatial imagination. What subjects you need to take - you can find out and prepare in advance, but if there are no practical skills in performing orthogonal projections according to the proposed axonometry, there are few chances to enter.

Modern drawings are carried out in special computer programs, and the ability to draw lines using a flight bus or compasses seems archaic. But in addition to these professional skills, on the drawing exam in 4 hours, you need to show the ability to represent in an axonometric image how the plan and side views of the object look, with a section in one of the views. The theoretical knowledge of the correct design of the drawing, the execution of inscriptions, etc. is also evaluated. The speed of work is important - pencil lines must be circled with ink. It is no coincidence that drawing turned out to be the most difficult stage for many who passed the entrance exams and who knew for a long time what subjects should be passed to an architect.

Different universities, similar requirements

Requirements for future students wishing to study "clean" architecture are high: for budgetary places in Moscow Architectural Institute in 2015 - 328. Despite this, the number of applications submitted to the admissions committees of specialized universities is impressive. Many are also interested in the areas of creativity related to architecture. There are peculiarities in the admission rules for such specialties. For example, what subjects do you need to take to the landscape architect? It is logical that biology or geography is added to the Russian language and mathematics at the discretion of the academic council of the university.

There is an opinion that they become real architects by the age of 50. Too much knowledge and skills must be acquired in order to reach the top in this most important profession. With today's pace of life, there is no time to waste. If you ask in advance what subjects are needed to enroll in an architect, and start preparing 2-3 years before graduating from high school, you can get a tangible impetus at the very beginning of the path to success.

About six months ago, I wrote an article for a small magazine on architecture education. I sent it and forgot, so I don’t know her further fate, in fact, and not particularly interesting. After a while, I admit that this is far from the best material for an applicant, but maybe someone will need it. And for professionals - so for the sake of idle interest. In advance I ask you not to reproach for mistakes and bloopers.

- who is suitable for the profession;

The profession of an architect covers such a large field of activity that almost any person can find himself in it. Here the question of motivation for mastering this profession is important. In a nutshell, I will describe the motivations with which it is worth going into architecture, and with which it is not. No. 1 - creative ambitions, without them there is nothing to do in architecture. There should be a desire to constantly create something new, and, moreover, the best. The desire to be famous (or popular) is very important. If you look at the foreign "stars" of architecture: Norman Foster, Santiago Calatrava, Frank Gerry - they are all public people. It is important not only the desire to create, but also to tell the whole world about it. Another motivation is the desire to be a versatile person. The profession of an architect is at the intersection of an engineer and an artist. The desire to "know everything" will greatly help the future specialist.

Now what can get in the way. First, the search for the "easy way". In architecture, 5% is talent and the rest is work. This is a very difficult specialty indeed. Before my eyes, people fainted from overwork, earned chronic diseases while studying. There have even been deaths. We must be ready for this and not be afraid. Secondly, the desire to make a lot of money, and if possible immediately. A good architect matures slowly like wine. In the beginning, it is very cheap, but after years of work it becomes expensive. This, too, must be realized. There will be big earnings, but the path to them is quite long. Thirdly, excessive sensitivity will greatly interfere in the profession. The amount of criticism always exceeds the amount of praise. Especially at the beginning of the journey. One must be able to take everything calmly. Every good architect has heard many times about where his arms grow from, what a straw he has in his head, and that he will never become an architect. You cannot take such statements to heart.

Based on the foregoing, I think it will not be difficult to create a portrait of a person who is suitable for this profession and try it on for yourself.

- a brief overview of universities;

The choice of a university for obtaining an architectural education is, of course, important, but not critical. The specifics of studying to be an architect is such that on average, according to the general opinion, a university can get a wonderful architectural education. The main thing is the teachers of creative specialties who will meet on the student's path. The programs of universities and architecture departments are roughly similar. The only big plus of prestigious universities like Moscow Architectural Institute, for example, is a greater chance of meeting an excellent teacher.

It is best not to force the preparation for a creative competition. Each university has its own very strict requirements for drawing and sketching. The best option is preparatory courses or private classes with teachers of the university where you are planning to enroll. A competent teacher will prepare a person "from scratch" before passing the exam in a year or a year and a half. Oddly enough, but it's good if the applicant has never studied drawing anywhere. It is easier for the teacher to immediately put in the correct technique than to correct the "mistakes of the school". It is not worth preparing too much for the creative exam in advance. Better in a year, but with great intensity, so that the future student “get in shape” for the exam and not get tired of many years of preparation.

In my opinion, the biggest mistake is trying to enter one university for several years. Years of preparation for entering even the best architecture university will not give you any knowledge in architecture. We must always remember that the goal is to become an architect, and not to enter the Moscow Architectural Institute or MGSU. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to move forward: to enter another university; to the same university, but to the evening or correspondence department; do not discard the option of obtaining secondary specialized education. Preparing for admission is a stumbling block, and going to a vocational school is a career path that can be more thorny than expected.

- how the studies are going;

When I studied at the Moscow Architectural Institute, there was a saying: "To leave the institute is much more difficult than to enter." There is some truth in this. You can, of course, talk a lot about how hard it is to study, there are conflicts with teachers, but getting an architectural education is extremely interesting, regardless of whether the student is a "physicist or a lyricist." It's all about the same interface between an engineer and an artist. All subjects can be roughly divided into 3 types: creative, engineering and general education. Traditionally, students go to creative subjects - project, drawing; from time to time appear on engineering - structures, strength materials, architectural physics; very rarely they remember about general education subjects - philosophy, sociology. This is a bad tradition. There are no random items in the program. All the knowledge that the institute gives will be useful in the profession, but in one case it is obvious - design, structures, materials science; but not in the other.

Let me give you a small example. I attended philosophy classes 2-3 times a semester. I explained this to myself by the fact that the knowledge of Kant and Hegel will not be useful to me in architectural practice. I got my triple in the test and was satisfied. Years later, in graduate school, I took a course in philosophy of science. Only there I saw how deep the philosophical roots are in architecture and work in modern architecture without knowledge of philosophy is simply impossible. I had to waste time reading textbooks and pulling my hair out of annoyance that I did not attend classes at the institute.

But, of course, the most important subject is architectural design. Essentially, all other subjects in the program serve to advance the student in that subject. Many of my colleagues remember the institute project as a "golden time". This is because the imagination of the architect is not limited by anything. There are no requirements of the economy, boring customers, uncompromising subcontractors. This is the best opportunity to show your creativity. It is no coincidence that when applying for a job, they often ask for college work. Working on a club, museum, fire station, you need to understand that for you, most likely, it is the only project on this topic. It is better to spare no effort and time on the project. It is then that the potential for growth in the profession is laid. Major architects and "stars" of architecture start with interesting creative projects.

- the logic of a professional's career;

Now the overwhelming majority of students start working in the 2nd or 3rd year. I think it's good, but only in moderation. The part-time job helps in mastering architectural programs, gives the first idea of ​​architectural practice and psychologically prepares for future work. But do not forget that number 1 is still study. It is better to take work during this period not very seriously - just as an opportunity to practice. It is possible to engage only in studies, but judging by the practice, if such students start their career growth, then with a great delay.

I have already written that the field of activity of an architect is very large. It is important to tune yourself to the place in architecture where a person will feel most harmonious. Choose your niche. It is not at all necessary to strive to become a successful and popular architect. Chasing large objects. A good layout designer can earn a lot more than a chief architect. You can engage in research activities, teaching, small architectural forms - anything you like, if it's "yours". Be successful in this area and earn a lot. Now there are no low-paid specialties in architecture, and a good specialist receives a high salary. But at the same time, it is very difficult to "make a fortune" by doing only architecture.

An architect's career can develop in absolutely any direction, but for successful development you need constant work on yourself. First of all, self-education; active participation in public architectural life: attending lectures, seminars, exhibitions.

- everyday work, interaction with engineers;

The specificity of the profession of an architect is such that for the implementation of creative ideas it is always necessary to attract additional specialists - engineers, designers. The nature of the work can be best seen with an example. Let's take the most common architectural order - an individual residential building (in simple language - a cottage). The architect receives the order and starts working with sketches. Makes layouts, facades and coordinates them with the customer. Then comes the architectural project - drawings of plans, facades, drawing in relief, general specifications. At this, it seems, the work of the architect ends, but it is impossible to build a house according to the architectural project. We need construction drawings, projects of engineering systems. This is exactly the job of engineers. A competent architect knows the basics of engineering specialties and foresees the possibility of implementing certain systems in an architectural project. It is best to work on a project in conjunction with designers and engineers, or at least consult during the architectural design phase. Even after completing all related projects, the architect's work can continue. We are talking about construction supervision. At large facilities, the relevant documentation is maintained, at small ones, a person arrives with drawings and a tape measure, and with a smart look walks around the construction site. Often, the final decisions on the choice of finishing materials, drawing of windows and fences are made already during construction, when the architecture is not on paper, but it can be “touched”. In any case, visiting a construction site is very helpful in understanding the whole process of creating an architecture. When designing and building large facilities, things get more complicated, but the essence remains the same.

The work process can take place in completely different ways: you can sit at work from 9 to 6; you can work in a free schedule; travel to objects, coordinating organizations, subcontractors; work from home as a private architect - as you like. In architectural activity, in my opinion, the most important thing is the result, good architecture, but how it turned out is not so important. You can draw "on your knee" in 5 minutes, or you can sit at the monitor for months.

- the situation in the profession today, trends.

Today Russian architecture is going through a deep crisis. This is recognized by both professionals and ordinary people who are not indifferent to what is happening in the country. By crisis, I mean the following: the architecture of most large projects under construction is simply ugly (just compare what is being built all over the world and what we have), objects of architectural heritage are treacherously destroyed, the change of generations is very difficult (especially among university professors).

The professional environment is also in crisis. Design institutes, as the last year showed, are unprofitable. Good positions in large organizations go to relatives or acquaintances, and it is very difficult for even a cool architect to break through the orderly ranks of “their” people. It's also hard in private workshops. There is a lot of competition and not always fair. It is possible to work as a private architect, but the market for private architects is so flooded with non-professionals that it is very difficult to get out of this swamp even a little. Now in architectural activity, if you do not have relatives or high patrons, you have to achieve everything "with sweat and blood."

Fortunately, any crisis ends sooner or later. In my opinion, a new generation of young architects is capable of "raising" Russian architecture. There are all the prerequisites for this: information on modern foreign architecture is available, associations of young architects appear, there is an opportunity for study and internship abroad. I believe our Kendzo Tange and Richard Rogers will grow up from the generation that is just about to enter the Institute of Architecture.

The profession of an architect from the first stages of the development of human civilization was considered very prestigious and highly paid: in Ancient Egypt, for example, only members of royal dynasties could study architecture. At the same time, architecture has always been and remains one of the most demanding activities today.

Unfortunately, many young people do not understand this and go to study at universities to become an architect in the hope of earning a lot of money, which is why the competitions for this specialty are rather big - from 5 to 12 people. But then students are often disappointed: it is difficult to master the curriculum, and there is no talent for design, and there is no managerial streak, without which an architect cannot break through in the modern world.

That is why you should first try your hand and your capabilities, evaluate the desire to study architecture not theoretically, but more specifically. The best option for this is to go to an architecture college. But be prepared for the fact that you will have to overcome a serious competition: in this area of ​​secondary vocational education there are from 3 to 5 people per place, depending on the college rating.

The best architectural colleges of the European part of Russia

There are not many specialized architectural colleges in the Russian Federation; most often, training is conducted by specialized divisions of construction technical schools.

Top 10 architecture colleges and technical schools

• Moscow College of Architecture and Construction No. 7.
• College of Architecture, Design and Reengineering, Moscow.
• St. Petersburg College of Architecture and Civil Engineering.
• College of Architecture and Management in Construction No. 17, Moscow.
• Moscow College of Urban Planning and Service No. 38.
• Krasnodar Architecture and Construction College.
• Ural College of Construction, Architecture and Entrepreneurship.
• St. Petersburg College of Construction Industry and Municipal Economy.
• Moscow Construction College No. 30;
• Bashkir Architecture and Construction College, Ufa.

How to apply to an architecture college

For admission, you must successfully pass not only general education subjects (Russian language and mathematics), but also highly specialized drawing, and extra-curricular drawing. If drawing is in the school curriculum and the entrance test is based on the 8th grade curriculum, then in order to pass the drawing exam, you need to purposefully study the visual arts from 11-12 years old. During the selection process, the average grade of the certificate will also be taken into account.

Important! The drawing exam is the most important exam for admission to architecture. It lasts up to 6 hours and consists of two parts: a drawing of a plaster head and a composition task. An applicant who has an understanding of composition, color and a sense of harmony is more likely to be admitted to college than someone who writes good and competent essays and knows excellent mathematics.

What you have to learn

In addition to the general education disciplines that are standard for all secondary schools, the architectural college will study:

• introduction to the specialty;
• drawing;
• descriptive geometry;
• drawing and painting;
• architectural design and graphics;
• design;
• building codes;
• computer design programs such as AutoCad, 3D-max and ArchiCAD.

Choosing the profession of an architect is a very important step. But, if you are confident in your abilities, go to an architecture college, master the basics of this creative profession - perhaps your name will be on a par with such architectural geniuses as Vitruvius, Le Corbusier or Zaha Hadid.