10 Things You Will Find Yourself Saying at Architecture School

   You are bound to meet a variety of annoying people at Architecture School and since murder is a crime the only way to vent all the frustration is sarcasm. Here are 10 things you will find yourself saying to people you want to punch in the face or want to erase off the face of the planet with black magic.

#1 What you say: Oh that's a really nice model you got there!

What you're thinking: You made a model? Seriously? Okay. Now I'd rather just go back home than fail! Thanks to you!!

   Yeah, so all of us have that one friend/classmate who will show up on submission day with a whole bunch of plans and sections and that incredibly detailed scale model and they will make it a point to rub it into your face. They're always so charming when they do ask and the model always looks really fancy, you really cannot comment otherwise.

#2 What you say: Very interesting concept! I would really like to see how this comes out.

What you're thinking: Please! Even a kindergartner can come up with better stuff.
        You know that very enthusiastic friend who asks you what your building'g concept is just so you'd ask them in return? Yes! those are the ones with the most ridiculous ideas on the planet and they want you to know it. They want everyone to know that they think they have found the missing link in the evolution of man.

#3 What you say: I think you will make a very good architect.

What you're thinking: You keep going like this and MY future as an architect looks very bright! Muahahaha!
      To the classmates you had in architecture school who made you wonder so very often what on earth they were thinking when they decided to dive right into the construction field. They are probably better off designing clothes or maybe sand castles?

#4  What they say: You're really not going to give that in tomorrow right?

What they're thinking: Oh I'm definitely giving it in tomorrow. I'm just making sure you aren't. *smirks*

      I'm pretty sure all of us has fallen for this classic con at some point in architecture school. I bet its the same sly fox that reminds the professor about deadlines and home work and who's always talking to the principal and walking around trying to look a very important person. They make sure all their work is done and they also make sure none of us have.

#5  What you say: That's some really nice detailed drawings you've got there.

What you're thinking: Right, So maybe I should use a hundred more line weights to beat that.

           There is always that one guy in the class who was born holding a mouse and a keyboard and whose first words were PLINE, HATCH and VIEWPORT. They always seem to have the most elaborately detailed elevator details and joinery using a whole range of line weights and templates.

#6  What you say: You're structure looks very similar to mine. What a coincidence!

What you're thinking: You ripped off my idea. I know it and I'm letting you know I know.

           It's incredible how people can just copy off other people's work and act like there's nothing wrong in getting a little inspiration. It's almost like they have a built-in photocopier in their brain and there's nothing you can do about it because they will just flatly deny any allegations of plagiarism. Some people are really devoid of a conscience.

#7  What you say: I really prefer working alone. You understand right? 

What you're thinking: No, I'm not antisocial. I just do NOT want to team up with you. That's it.

           This is for that boy/girl who will team up with you and then enslave you. You find yourself unable to deal with the constant nagging and complaining and bossing and its too late in the day to pull out so you grit your teeth and tolerate it till its over. I'm sure all of us who went to architecture school had to team up with that one person who was a pain in the neck to work with. Soon enough we find ourselves using this classic dialogue. "I like riding solo. Thanks!"

#8 What you say: You know, I totally agree.

What you're thinking: Hell no. You are an idiot! I have no choice.

            Not restricted to just Architecture School. This is for all those people who will tirelessly churn out facts and opinions that are so wrong and defend them so furiously you don't have a choice but agree with them and spare yourself another earful of nonsense.

#9. What you say: Nice shoes! *imagine fake Adidas*

What you're thinking: AdiBas? You really think we don't know the difference?

          So these guys are Lil Wayne's best buddies, always flaunting their *fake* Adidas and Jimmy Choo not to mention the Chinese rip-offs of the iPhones and Beats Audio. They just want everyone to know they are living the life of the rich and famous and will go to any length to ensure they own the latest tech and designer clothes. We aren't fooled though.

#10 What you say: Are you going to read that?

What you're thinking: Put the book back so I can borrow it and actually read it.

           Sometimes I stand in the department library and watch people borrow books I can bet they're going to use only as a temporary coffee table until its time to return it. Yet they will parade around the campus with the book in their hand just to let everyone know that they are such avid bookworms. We have an intellectual in our midst everyone! NOT!
  
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Cupid's Guide to an Architect's Heart

       To most of you young people, architects are, thanks to books like The Fountainhead, a breed of highly intellectual humans with gigantic egos and strange ways.
       After five years or more of Architecture School, we have been trained to observe spaces, spot errors and constantly be in touch with our surroundings. This just makes us a tad bit annoying at social gatherings, romantic dinners and similar situations because we are quite finicky.
      So for those of you completely smitten by an architect/architecture student or probably already seeing one, this post is for you!

#1. We like people. We LOVE the intelligent ones.
If you are loud and constantly lecturing us about how to take care of our skin and eat a lot of fruit, chances are we aren't interested. Its okay to talk about Noddy and Britney Spear's wardrobe malfunctions and try to convince us Santa is real once in a while but if you do it on a regular basis you are probably being mutilated, shot or decapitated in our heads as we listen. We may also just yawn a lot. So take the hint and STOP TALKING!!

#2. We like it when you appreciate what we do.
Tell us if you think our renders look nice or if our sketches are interesting. It also doesn't hurt to read up a little on what we do and how we do it! An architect would definitely love it if they got intelligent criticism from someone outside the field and definitely from someone they like, a lot.

#3. Stationery, Stationery STATIONERYYYY!!!!!
We can never have too much paper or too many pencils. Buying us stationery every now and then is a gesture that goes a long way. Some of us probably have our very on collection of expensive fountain pens and colored post-it pads. Christmas would be an ideal time to replenish our stash of tracing paper and printer ink.

#4. We love it when you give us hand-made gifts.
We spend our whole lives thinking out of the box, making our own scale models - cutting and sawing  fiber board or balsa wood and using bottle caps and sponge to make domes and tree tops  so we really appreciate a nice DIY gift on a special occasion. So handmade cards, useful little knick-knacks and trinkets are on top of the list for those looking for Valentines gift ideas. Witty references to the architectural world when you personalize our presents can win our hearts *snaps fingers* just like that!

#5. Make us Coffee/tea/a meal. 
We spend a lot of days working late into the night. A nice hot cup of coffee or tea at 3 am with a smiley face would earn you those brownie points. Some times we are so engrossed in our work or trying to use every minute left to whip up something substantial for a submission we forget to EAT! It's true! We honestly don't realize we just missed lunch or dinner! So just get us that meal and show us you care!

#6. Be stylish. Stay classy.
Taking us out for a romantic birthday dinner? Going with us for a building's inauguration? Take the trouble to dress well and look smashing for the event. Nothing like a classy +1 by our side to boost our ego. Don't get too carried away though. Your architect boo will be the least bit impressed if you arrive looking like Marie Antoinette going to a ball or like Robinson Crusoe.

#7. Give us a hand. Give us our space. 
If you see us struggling with a scale model and need an extra hand, just sit down and HELP! It's not very complicated to paint a piece of cardboard or cut out windows. Any little thing you can do to help make our work easier goes a long way. That includes you running to the plotters while we put together a presentation. We will be ever so grateful.
Most creative people tend to be moody. We have our high and lows. We maybe sad and we honestly don't know why. Sometimes maybe a meeting didn't go too well or some professor shot our ideas down. Don't volunteer advice. We know we can do better and we are already brainstorming the next course of action. If we tell you what went wrong its simply because we are analyzing and re-evaluating the incident. Be a good Listener and give us our space when we need it. We will come back to you, eventually!

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The Importance of Being Mentored- Part II

         So in Part I of "The Importance of Being Mentored" I wrote on how choosing to be mentored made me a better person. In case you missed Part I here's a link to help you catch up!

http://archvarious.blogspot.in/2014/06/the-importance-of-being-mentored-part-i.html

Now that you're caught up! Let's dive right in!

         In my opinion, mentors can be anyone you look up to in your field and with enough knowledge and experience to be able to help you. You cant force them to mentor you but rather request it and the last thing you want is to disrespect them, offend them or tick them off.

• Mentors are like friends. They want to see you grow and are not insecure about the professional competition you might pose later on if you improve drastically. They share wisdom freely and encourage you when they truly feel you have potential. 

• They are like parents too. Tell them about your wild ideas and big plans for the future. They are bound to tell you the same things your parents would except without all the drama. They can put themselves in your parent's shoes to understand their point of view and at the same time tell you if a dream is worth pursuing simply based on your capability and the odds of it being a success. 

• They are your role models. Observing how they work, their work ethic, how they dress and how they speak can help you learn the right way they do things and be more professional. After all, they are successful at what they do because of how they do it. They may not divulge their trade secrets to you but they will invariably put it in very abstract terms and let you figure it out.

• They are the best people to guide your work. Especially things like research papers and thesis require a lot of expert advice to be good. After a while, mentors get to know your areas of interest and will not discourage you to take up a dissertation or project just because their knowledge on the subject is limited, unlike quintessential college professors, because they know the topic means something to you personally. Instead a good mentor will specially read up and do his own research on the topics you love just so they can really understand what you are trying to convey and help you focus and get you past road blocks. Don't expect to be spoon fed though. It's not like your mentor has nothing else to do apart from explaining the difference between Pin-Jointed trusses and Vierendeel trusses.   

          Sometimes, if they like you enough they just might bail you out of a sticky situation or rave about you to other people as well as get you some great opportunities! Find your friend -philosopher-guide and get that jet pack to stay ahead of the rest in the crazy rat race that is LIFE. Cheers to that!

The Importance of Being Mentored- Part I

         Before I get on with the actual post,  here is a big shout out to two of my very own mentors +Sundaresan Mahadevan and +ankit bansal. If there's anything I know about architecture as a course or a profession and if I am a better human being today, it's because of these gentlemen who were patient enough to tolerate all of my strong opinions, gravest of mistakes and big ideas and gave me encouragement by the truck load. Thank you!

GUIDES AND GURUS: MY STORY
          All of us who are in a course that involves some creative field be it, art or architecture, are bound to learn little or nothing useful from our respective colleges, especially if we were not fortunate enough to attend a premier institution. It probably isn't our fault having to go to over-crowded classrooms with no actual classes going on. So, in short, everything I learnt by my third year at architecture school was from texts books and magazines borrowed from the department library after terrorizing the librarian and articles my mother would religiously point out to in the newspapers.
          Now I had no intention of finding a mentor and college offered no option, as there wasn't a single respectable professor who had any idea about subjects they were hired to teach or were they inclined to talk to students regarding anything else but attendance reports and deadlines. So there I was left groping in the dark.
         As fate would have it, I happened to intern in a hell hole of an architect's office in the city last July. As every new intern would be, I was excited as ever and always up to do work. But for an extremely highly rated firm in Chennai metro I seemed to find absolutely nothing productive to do. Perhaps it was just the timing. I soon figured out that this was an office charged by high levels of estrogen, huge egos and menopausal women with mid-life crises and by questioning the ethics of the system I had frowns thrown my way and I was banished to the corner of permanent oblivion. Once in a while I was allowed to leave my little corner and accompany the boss to 'meetings' and 'visits'. Now its at one of these meetings that I happened to meet my potential godfather. A classic fresher-in-college style hazing which left me temporarily scared for life did not stop me from liking this person any less. So after a lot of subtle conversations on national politics and boss-bashing, towards the end of my stint with the Devil in Prada, I decided to take this acquaintance forward. I found myself my first mentor. Almost a year later I find myself more focused and more confident of the future after all the constant nudging and pushing.

The Godfather's commandments:

• Thou shall BE PUNCTUAL. Never make people wait. Time is precious and nobody likes to hang around an office for eons.
• Thou shall DEFEND an opinion fiercely but gracefully.
• Thou shall BE HONEST. Put the truth across without offending another individual.
• Thou shall WORK hard for thy wants. 
• Thou shall TAKE responsibility for errors committed.   

         In the meantime, I was fortunate enough to meet another career coach, during a brief stay at the capital city of Delhi, who obliged to guide a dissertation for college. This thirty something successful senior architect at an internationally acclaimed firm seemed to be everybody's living nightmare. But I chose to see the man for his accomplishments, discipline and keen eye for error. He wasn't so much of a father figure but a sort of yard stick to go by in the field. Although I was yelled at to a point I was close to tears numerous times, he was kind enough to plod through pages of text and data and systematically wrote down comments and helped me stay on track. I tended to meander off the topic every now and then. At the end of four months, I managed to put together a brilliant piece which was appreciated by the folks back at college. So, post this little experiment a lot of joint projects await in the near future.

A perfectionist's guide to success:

• DO NOT MAKE MISTAKES. PERIOD.
• Focus. Focus. Focus.
• Time and tide wait for no man.
• Be dedicated and STAY dedicated.                            

        So having shared my personal experience with you this is the end of Part I. So before I wrap up this post ....on a very unrelated note I leave you one of the best teacher student moments - A clip from "The School of Rock".
     

If you liked Part I don't forget to leave a comment and hit share!! 

Time capsule: The Regional Rail Museum, Chennai

Vintage Vignette 

         As a child many of us probably got a toy steam engine or a train set on our birthday which was largely a part of our play time fantasies. Be it pretending to be a superhero trying to save a teddy bear tied to railway tracks, or pretending to be Godzilla that trampled down half of Manhattan, that little steam engine was the center of the story.
        Locomotives were a part of a lot of significant moments in history like the Industrial Revolution in America, Mahatma Gandhi's movement to prevent defranchise of Indians in South Africa, to riots in Gujarat. They are also big a part of cinema with Bollywood dance sequences being filmed on the Nilgiris Express to entire action sequences being shot in Super Fast trains.
       The first Railway line was proposed in India, at Chintadripet Bridge, Chennai in 1832 much before the first successful railway line was constructed in 1853, from Mumbai to Thane. Interestingly, the first coach factory for the Southern Railway was also established at Locoworks, ICF in Chennai. This coach factory functioning from 1872 has been constantly evolving over decades since its inception during the Raj.
        Tucked away in the sleepy suburban residential colony of the Integral Coach Factory area, hidden from view by a wall of thick foliage, the Regional Rail Museum is easily missed by commuters on the busy National Highway 205. Its not surprising that, although having been a part of the city since 200, many residents of Chennai city seem surprised when asked about the museum.
      So, for those of you who don't know, here is a peek inside this time capsule.

    The Regional Rail Museum is housed in two Imperial style buildings and over a vast area of greenery. With ample parking and a ticket counter coach to fit with the theme the Museum tries its best to be creative. As one enters the building that contains the technical exhibits the first thing you notice is the cool breeze blowing through the space, dim lighting and the incessant mechanical noise from the old ceiling fans, probably spinning from British times. What really gets you thinking is what a 19th century Mercedes is doing in a Rail Museum!
     After looking at two levels of a variety of engine parts, miniature coaches and an audio-visual presentation on the Integral Coach Factory (the voice-over happily quips "Incredible Coach Factory) one moves on to see the real deal. Set up over an extremely well maintained lawn, shaded by a variety of trees are the life size exhibits of decommissioned and vintage engines and coaches.

Who cried Fowl?

Vintage Mercedes Benz

      Pose in front of a coach from the Nilgiri Mountain Railway or hop onto the 1895 Fowler Ploughing Engine. Step into a coach and you can see the controls. Some of the most engaging exhibits are the Crane Hercules, Signal posts, Railroad switches and Inspection carts. After all the climbing and walking around one can head to the little cafeteria near the entrance for a quick bite or settle into the seats of the tour train which goes around the museum's perimeter. It's really meant for the kids. Past all the live exhibits at the very end is the souvenir shop. The souvenir

Gear on the axis: Engine part 

shop has a large functioning train set filling a good part of the space. Here a little 'Duronto' and an electric train chug along going over bridges and through tunnels. Well for train enthusiasts this section of the museum is a real delight as it also has vintage miniatures and paintings on sale for very affordable prices.
       Now, architecturally this museum seems to have checked off all the boxes which makes it a go-to place. First, the whole museum is incredibly well curated with placards and posters interspersed with the exhibits to break monotony and keeping visitors engaged. The placards provide a background history and a few technical details for those who might be interested. The layout allows a visitor to pick what he wants to see first, the live engines or the technical objects on display. The imperial building, being extremely well maintained creates an ambiance which almost teleports a visitor to the era of the Raj. This sort of lets you imagine men in sack coats and bowler hats walking around looking busy mapping new rail routes and inspecting engines parts.
         The brightly painted pieces of machinery in the open lawn amid the merging shades of green and yellow is visually stunning. The landscaping makes it all the more aesthetic with neat paved pathways and boundaries around the exhibits.

Honey I shrunk the....Duronto?

So for those of you who are in the city or will visit the city soon, put on that engine driver's hat and take that ride to the past and and back!If you enjoyed this post don't forget to hit +1 to share and subscribe!