Architecture and Construction

Have you ever noticed the buildings around you and wondered who thought of the design? Or, have you witnessed a building such as a house or a new store being built and wondered how the workers knew what to do? Architecture is both the process and the product of planning, designing, and constructing buildings or any other structures. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural symbols and as works of art.

Construction is the process of constructing a building or infrastructure. Construction differs from manufacturing in that manufacturing typically involves mass production of similar items without a designated purchaser, while construction typically takes place on location for a known client.

Architecture and Town Planning

Completing a degree in architecture can be a long and arduous process, but also wonderfully rewarding. Despite this, many freshly graduated architects find themselves unsure about where to begin or deciding that they actually don’t want to be architects at all. However, you can use a degree in architecture to do many jobs such as landscape architecture where you would design outdoor spaces. You might be interested in a restoration architect where you would conserve and restore old buildings. Industrial design is another option. It focuses on smaller scale objects of mass production, as opposed to large-scale buildings designed for a specific context. If the prospect of designing something enormous, permanent, and landscape changing seems too intimidating, industrial design is a great, smaller scaled alternative.

If you don’t want a degree in architecture and prefer to attain an associate’s degree, you may be interested in drafting.  An architectural drafter makes detailed technical drawings or plans for machinery, buildings, electronics, infrastructure, sections, etc. Drafters use computer skills, software, and manual sketches to convert the designs of engineers and architects into a set of technical drawings.

Architecture is where you plan, design and construct buildings, but what is town planning? Well, town planning involves controlling both existing and proposed developments, based on the development assessment or application process. Town planning is a dynamic and continually changing field influenced by policy changes in response to a range of factors such as community needs, population growth, lifestyle changes and the needs of a changing population. Combine these considerations with a desire to balance conservation and enhance the natural environment, and you can see why town planners have a difficult task in finding balance between what people want and what is available. Town planning is both strategic and reactive, with planners aiming to create vibrant communities and improve quality of life. As cities and towns continue to evolve and expand, town planning continues to grow in importance.

Building and Civil Engineering

Civil engineering and construction engineering are similar to the degree that both deal with the construction industry. Civil engineering deals more with the design, planning and analysis of a construction project, while construction engineering is primarily on-site management of actual construction. The two different engineering degrees also qualify a person for different positions or engineering careers.

Civil engineers design the construction of buildings, roads and bridges, and they plan water supply channels and sewage line systems. Construction engineers work on site ensuring those plans are being followed by the many different contractors employed to complete the project. A civil engineer ensures that the designs meet federal, state and local building codes, while construction engineers inspect each part of the construction to verify those codes are being implemented by the workers.