Studying Architecture

How do you design for specific users in a specific location in an international society? Should architects export their ideas to different regions of the world and what effect does this have?

Arguably the biggest debate in architecture right now is about how buildings respond to and effect the environment. Building efficiency, energy production and consumption, how architects can react to natural disasters are all topics architects are thinking about today. How to deal with the world's depleting resources has brought questions about recycling, local economies and sustainability to the forefront.

In a world of nanotechnology, virtual reality, biotechnology, web 2.0, web 3.0, artificial intelligence, computer animation and genetics, it's impossible to escape the possibilities technology might bring. Some architecture schools and practices love using the latest technologies and innovations, but many choose to focus on different issues.

There is a desperate need for more housing in our cities. The density, affordability and sustainability of housing solutions provided mostly by architects will have a big impact on our urban environments.

There is an argument in the architectural world that the role of the architect needs to change, where architects must focus more on place making rather than object making. Many believe that participation through a collaborative process with the users can create not only an empowering experience for the users during the design process, but will also create empowering, versatile and responsive environments.

Some in the architectural world believe that expensive iconic buildings designed by star architects is not good for the architectural profession or for the cities they build in, while others believe the exact opposite of this is true.

Many believe that the architectural education students receive in architecture schools does not fully prepare them for the world of work. Some believe that there is too much focus on conceptual ideas, fantasy, artistic representation and academia and not enough learning about the practical issues architects might face in real projects.

In 2008, 84% of ARB registered architects in the UK were male meaning that just 16% were female, while half of UK universities have no black teachers in their architecture department. There's a big debate at the moment about the issues surrounding this subject.