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i am capable of doing any type of work; my drafting skills by hand and with autodesk architecture (soon revit too) are good, my knowledge of building construction is good (hence my 2nd major). i know their program is fairly new so that's why i am hoping they are more tech oriented. i have been trying to find current students of the program to talk to and to maybe get a few shots of the studio spaces and such but everyone i have found graduated before 2000, not so helpful hah. i wish i could do work for my current firm but being 5 hours behind from Ohio i dont know if thats feasible. right now most of the work i do are projects that pop up and they need something drawn or a building modeled in 3d, some projects i have worked on long term (including the biggest project we've had in 5 years) but i'd have to talk to him i guess so see whats possible. ive been trying for a long time to outsource and do the freelance thing, i was really hoping for a residential architect because from experience i know how much clients love to see their house in a real 3d environment before it is even built.
Hawaii is kind of on an odd time frame, but it gets worked around. Mainland clients you talk to early in the day for us which is late in the day for them. Places like Saipan and Guam get the week's business done by Thursday since they are at almost the same daily time but a day ahead.
If you freelance for your mainland employer, that doesn't mean you can't also work for a Hawaii architect. I doubt they would be bidding on the same job so there shouldn't be any conflict. Freelancing by working with folks you've worked with before is the easiest way to get started. Generally with architectural projects a lot of the work is done by one person working by themselves and not in groups so they explain what they'd like to see and then go away and let you work, don't they? This would be more of the same except you'd be talking long distance or doing a conference call and then working by yourself. Now that most drafting is done electronically, it is a lot easier to send files back and forth instead of paper. The billing is a bit different, generally you get to invoice them instead of getting a paycheck. I generally invoice by the sheet or project instead of by the hour so it is easier to keep track of things, but that's just me. A state general excise tax license is easy enough to get and you can "do business as" almost any name you'd like to select. Now you are a legal and bona fide Hawaii business.
hmm does sound quite tempting. dont get the wrong impression though, i am not a licensed architect yet i am just a student intern basically working on their projects, none of the projects are my own and i dont have my own clients but i mean its like any other firm; they tell me what they want and i do it. i know it would be a blast working for an arch firm in hawaii, ive sent my resume and work to RIM Architects and have tried Philip White and many others. and this is what the hardest part is, i cant afford to move to hawaii for school and such if i dont have a job or some source of income (hopefully something a little better than a walk in and you have the job sort of thing). im not sure if i could get work transferred over, i could always ask. its too hard of a decision
OK, I went by the school of architecture yesterday. It was a rainy afternoon in Manoa, so the pictures aren't great. First, they're blurry because I was holding an umbrella with one hand and snapping shots with the other. Second, things don't look as pretty when it's all overcast and dreary. But here's what I saw:
Here's the front of the building, from the quad.
Here's the back entrance, near University Ave. The big round thing is an auditorium.
Steps up from the back entrance.
At the top of the steps, there's an open-air courtyard with these cool cardboard sculptures all around.
Next to the auditorium was a room with some student work displayed. I went in and snapped a few shots. To my untrained eye, the stuff is pretty cool.
Here's a directory of what they have. I tried to take shots of the computer lab, media lab, and research lab. But they were all on combo locks. I couldn't get in, and the glass on the window kept the pictures from coming out.
I'm guessing this is the model shop/ materials lab. It looked dangerous for someone in slippers to just walk in (lots of machine noises emanating from there).
wow i really cant thank you enough for taking the pictures for me, much appreciated. the building does look nice, the style is just beautiful. it really gives me a good idea of what they're working with. ive only ever seen a few shots of it, mostly the ones from google but these are great. now if i could only find a professor to trust me enough to be his grad assistant that would be great. i think the idea of tuition assistance would lessen my parents nagging about moving that far ha.
i think the idea of tuition assistance would lessen my parents nagging about moving that far ha.
In my department, we have limited assistantships. So students need to sort of "prove themselves". Some of the incoming students get support, but not all of them. After the first year, if someone who didn't have support turned out to be great, we find a way to support them. (This happened to two students this year.)
So this is to say: if you don't find a prof to take you on before you arrive, but you can manage it financially for a year, go for it. When you get here, work hard and offer to take stuff on. If you impress them, support will come quickly if they have it to offer.
yeah i know and its totally understandable, the school i go to now does the same thing. i was in touch with david rockwood and he just told me to email some professors and ask but they all said the same thing. but i did hear that they might be getting less funding so that might effect the number of assistantships they give. i went to the uhm website and actually emailed about position in the landscape/tropical agriculture field, dont think they will be emailing me back. well my girlfriend and i have about a month to decide if we want to move to honolulu, atlanta, boston, or new york city.
Hello acoffma.
I am a graduate from UHM. I was in the school when it was transitioning from BArch & MArch to DArch. I know many people that went through the program and what the curriculum consists of.
I have been working in the Architectural profession for quite a while now. Our office (and previous offices I worked for) have students that have either just finished (turning into full time professionals) or are still in the program.
These are things you need to consider about choosing the DArch program at UHM:
-Will your transferring credits from BGSU place you on track to achieve the DArch within 3 years? If not, will you have to take additional courses and what does extending your schooling mean?
-Your 3 years will be working on practicum and your thesis. Practicum will consist of working full time unpaid in participating Architectural firms. This means you need to work either nights and/or weekends if financing is an issue. Out-of-state tuition makes the cost even higher and this doesn't consider whether or not the DArch requires Graduate level tuition fees.
-As for facilities, at this level, may not be an issue since you'd be spending most of your time either doing practicum or doing research at the library for your thesis. But otherwise, they have a top quality photo lab that has never been used in its entire existance. The machine/wood shop has been open (under supervised hours) to Arch students only in the last few years. The computer room has turned to a printing room but you pay for all your printing for your class projects. As for computers, you are required to pay and supply your own laptop, including ALL required programs. They offer student programs at discounts but they are limited in functions. The issues you faced at BGSU in terms of budgeting issues are similar here, UHM is a public University funded by the state, this is why in-state tuition is cheap considering other Uni's in the mainland. I talked to a professor this past week whom I saw at a seminar and I was told of budget cuts in the fall 2009 semester. But overall the facilities are pretty good, and Manoa Valley is a nice area for the school to be situated in.
-Housing is available around the perimeter of campus and many people bicycle around. If you do practicum you will have to use TheBus to get around if you want to work downtown. This is a good thing because with a car, finding parking near your apartment and in downtown is either scarce or very expensive. There are Arch firms somewhat close to UHM that you can bike to, but this will limit your choices of firms you choose, and what you expect to gain from doing your practicum there.
-Cost of living is pretty rough on students, more so here in Honolulu if you have limited funding, I don't know what your situation is. You will have to be creative about savings and may consist of you and your fiance working part-time jobs as well as taking out large student loans. The University has many decent paying student jobs. Consider $1200 for rent, $400 for food (2 people), $400 for various expenses, Bus fees, cell phone bills, personal effects, getting a beer or Starbucks coffee, regular school supplies, will leave you at $2000 a month. This is just for frugal living, not considering out-of-state tuition plus books and equipment for both of you.
-Also consider what your plan is after 3 years, I'm not sure if you had indicated this. Is your Arch degree from BGSU NAAB accredited? This limits your ability greatly to getting licensed. If so, a DArch may help you fulfill that accreditation. What does getting a DArch mean to you and your professional goals? A DArch desn't mean much, currently, for Architectural professions, compared to what a PHD does for many other profession. Your experience and performance in design, construction knowledge, computer skills, licensing, and LEED certification are highly desired practical applications that employers in the Arch profession in Hawaii and as well as many firms in the Mainland look for. Although, I know of some high design Arch firms in the more metro US cities require Master degrees (D Arch would probably satisfy that requirement) from potential employees. If you desire a more Administration type role in Architecture, credentials may be more important. Because it is somewhat a newly created degree, maybe someday in the future a D Arch may become very valuable for very specific purposes, but by then you'd have the working experience for it to not really matter. An MArch is different though, don't confuse the two.
Good luck in your decision, you can send me direct messages thru this site if you want to talk about details and more stuff. Also be critical about what information you accept from this forum, some are generalizations and assumptions that on the surface sounds great, but hardly the reality you will find in the detail of things.
Last edited by lost_traveler1; 04-11-2009 at 06:40 PM..
well BGSU does not have an accredited program, they are in the midst of finalizing paper work and other documents to get our school an accredited B.Arch and M.Arch program. so far i have been accepted to georgia tech, parsons new school for design, boston architectural college, and lawrence tech and neither of the schools have had a problem with my transferrable credits; lawrence tech and georgia tech actually admitted me with advanced standing. when i graduate in may i will have a bachelors of science in technology concentrated in architectural/environmental design and a bachelors of science in construction management. so i would hope that the university of hawai'i would accept me for the three year track, if not then my high high hopes of moving and studying in paradise will be killed.
my fiance and i are looking to both move there because we were both accepted into the uhm and have been looking at places, some we found for about $1000-$1200 a month which is manageable, i already have $80,000 in loans so why not more? i understand that for the doctorates you will need to work unpaid; my sister just finished her doctorate of PT and did three years of unpaid work. the bike thing i can live with, i actually wouldnt mind riding my bike daily a few miles to work. i already have my laptop with more than enough computer programs like maya, 3ds max, revit, architecture09, sketchup, bonzai 3d, adobe cs3 suite, etc.
as far as the future is concerned i want to be a licensed practicing architect, i will be moving back to ohio most likely after i graduate and will practice in the mainland. im not sure if this will set me back but personally i think if your work shows it and you know what you are doing then there will be no problem in getting a job. my current job now is promised to me when i come back and ill probably take it, all i do are major 3d models, photorealistic renderings, and 3d drawings in architecture09. eventually i would like to teach, maybe not a full professor but enough to give back to the architecture community for all it has given me. not all firms require an accredited degree, we have several individuals in our office now who are very very good draftsman but personally i want it to be my name stamped on the drawings. the other schools i have been accepted to offer only the m.arch but they are all roughly three years to complete and a doctorate is something i have always wanted to pursue.
and what is the possibility of getting awarded an assistantship or fellowship while there? tuition assistance would be great, anything to keep me from drowning myself in loan debt. i have spoken with a few professors from the university but it seems you need to build a relationship with them first. i just want to know how good of a chance i have to get one, or how many they give out a year? also are assistantships something you can have while completing the practicum and thesis? unless i could get into somewhere around ohio i think i would just stay in hawaii for the practicum seeing as i will probably never have enough money to go back hah.
I'm not sure about your chances in getting a fellowship, during my time there the few students that got a position were liked by the professor. I agree with what Mr UHprof had said and would add that you develop a relationship with your professors. Talk to them out of class and pick their minds, many of them are also practicing professionals and outside opportunities could open up for you.
When I discussed about the accredited degree, the concerns are not about your resume, but regarding to getting licensed. If you desire getting licensed, meeting IDP requrements is much more dificult if your university's program is not accredited.
As for asking what the D Arch program would mean to you, I put those comments out there from an objective point of view. I know a lot of people who went into the program without even analyzing why they took it, except that it was the only program offered here (the B Arch & M Arch program ended) and they figured they didn't want to go to go away to school on the mainland. The results are very mixed.
But now knowing that you desired to attain a PHD and sought out for the posibility of fulfilling it at UHM, with the fact it is an accredited program, will allow you to get through IDP fairly easy, on your way to getting licensed.
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Pictures of Architecture School
