Getting a Laptop for Architecture School

A laptop for architecture school is the most likely type of investment an architecture student will make as opposed to a desktop PC – we’re constantly on the go, we need something that can be easily transported, and we need a computer to work on when the computer lab is full, to work in studio or home, or the library. I’ve had the unfortunate experience of having a bulky “PC Replacement” that just failed on me constantly.

Things to Look for in a PC for Architecture School!

Having a PC in addition to your laptop is definitely valuable for architecture school. Heck, some students would actually bring their PC to studio and lock it down...or assume that their peers and the security locks to the building and studio will be okay =S. I know how it feels to look for a computer...and believe me, I still struggle with knowing what is best and I would go to my friends for help during the search.

Computers + Architecture School

More and more students today have access to a laptop. For architecture schools, this has not only  transformed the way we work as students, it has also transformed the studio environment physically. Goodbye drafting tables with mayline rule and green mat and say hello to generic desks and uncomfortable, pedestrian office chairs!

Mental Health Awareness for the Architecture Student.

In August 2012, I was a guest post on Life of an Architect for this entry on mental health awareness and studio culture. I believe that this is an important topic for those struggling and gives hope to other architecture students out there to get help from professional counselling services in order to be your best in studio. 

This post was revised October 9, 2013

Perspectives on The Life of an Architecture Student

There are two videos that I have found that portray the life of an architecture student - I found this insteresting - two different views with a different tone painting different images that. Not bashing either, just seeing the differences and commonalities is interesting.

The Almighty All-Nighter (Part II)

The Almighty All-Nighter: not necessary, but it is inevitable. For others, necessary in architecture school. They are stressful and unhealthy, and yet we are proud to boast of our 3 to 4 night marathon. (Even friends in architecture school were concerned of a lot of my late nights when I hit a 2^nd night in a row). I've seen students that have come up with the best stuff and worked the graveyard shift to have stellar projects, and I've seen students that are not able to make the most of the extra hours deeming it in vain.

The Almighty All-nighter (Part I)

Come to the first year studios of my school, the space is cluttered with the graffiti of architecture students past. One can’t help the spray painted message on the broken window: SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK! The All-Nighter is no stranger to architecture students whether you try to avoid it or not.

Ma Visite à Montréal

Long time no blog entry - sorry about that. I just returned home from spending my week in one of Canada's major cities - the beautiful and vibrant, Montréal! I finally get to see the city that I was researching into during my second year architectural history course. I was looking into I.M. Pei`s Place Ville Marie and had to contextualize it`s time and place in the development of the city. Additionally, the 60s-70s is my favourite time period to look into Canada`s history. Throughout the 20th century Montréal was in constant competition with Toronto in terms of population and economic growth. I remember from my history and theory classes in architecture school how significant  Montréal was. During the 20th century Canada was modernizing and was getting ready to commemorate it's centennial of confederation.  Montréal sets the stage for this transformation and and coming of age by hosting Expo 67 and the 1976 Olympic Games. Canada wanted to be unique and modern and open itself to the world. I'd like to think of this as the glory days Canada since it is a pivotal moment in the growth and development of this city, our country, and thus our architectural heritage. It was a time of looking to the future and it's potential, a time of innovation, a time to be proud of being Canadian.