Engineer gone Architect 1

[pavlik]

This is related to my earlier thread.
I am a trained engineer with a great interest in architecture. Instead of going for Masters in Architecture, I'd rather pursue Masters in Structural Engineering, and then Structural PE. My goal is be able to design buildings both architecturally and structurally, i.e. act an a designer and engineer for the price of engineer. Is there anything that could prevent me from doing so?

a well known "architect" Santiago Calatrava holds PhD in Structural eng., does anyone else have similat experience?

Thank you

 

[TheTick]

No doubt, you have read The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand.

 

[JAE]

I would think that it is a matter of time, money, and your own personal dedication and talent.

I know of one Architect/Structural person who is currently working in Denver.

I would think that with both disciplines there would be some level of diffusion in your expertise. In other words, you would know a little about a lot of things as opposed to being an expert in any one area.

Specialization is learning more and more about less and less until you know absolutely everything about nothing.

You seem to want to got the other way...which is good.

 

[Theophilus]

I do this now, albeit in a different field set (engineering, production, industrial design), and would recommend it to anyone whose talents seem to lie between preexisting "normal" boundaries of expertise.

Most people better excel where their interests lie. You will also become a more marketable person if you broaden your experience and expertise--follow your talents.

Specialization is great for depth in a shorter period of time, but depth of broad fields eventually comes with time and experience within those fields--especially with the more frequent challenges in learning within a more broad set of fields.




Jeff Mowry
Industrial Designhaus, LLC

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

 

[ERV]

In California, The Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors states:

Stuctural Engineers may design any building of any type.

Civil Engineers may design any building of any type EXCEPT public schools and hospitals.

Architects may design any building of any type EXCEPT the structurals portion of a hospital.

http://www.dca.ca.gov/pels/pubs/building_design_auth.pdf

I would think that other states would have similar laws or rules.

 

[TheTick]

I have been about 3/4 of the way to where Theophilus is. I am an ME that specialized in supporting industrial design. I really didn't have the "spark" to be an ID, but I appreciate what they do and I really enjoyed working around that kind of creative energy.

An alternative to billing yourself as an architect might be billing yourself as an engineer who is exceptionally responsive to architects' needs.

"Great ideas need landing gear as well as wings."--C. D. Jackson

 

[ml13]

I would check with your state architectural licensing board. There may educational requirements that you have to meet (5 year architecture degree, for instance).

Good Luck.