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I have an Associates degree in Architectural Technology from Northern Michigan University. I took about a year off after graduating and now have been working for the same firm for the last 6 years.

It started out doing those things you said you don't want to get stuck doing. No pipelines, but floor plans, correcting drawings, electrical/mechanical layouts....etc. As time went by I learned alot of Structural design, and was given alot more creative freedom. Everyone starts out at the bottom of the chain and works their way up. You need to prove yourself... The company I work for is a smaller company with about 20 people. We are small but do multi-million dollar jobs... Mostly Schools

When I first started, my company didn't have a clue about 3D and they really didn't have any interest in it. I taught myself 3D (AutoCAD and 3DS Max). My employer loved the stuff I was forcing on them, and the clients couldn't get enough of it either. Now I do some sort of rendering for just about every major project we do.

I recently moved about 500 miles away from where my job is located (wife started graduate school). I thought I was going to have to find another job. The company I was/am working for asked me to stay on and work full time from home. So here I am... working hard as you can see :)

I started out making about $8.00 an hour. Not much, but as I proved myself, that went up pretty quickly. I currently make $16.50 and am up for a raise very soon. $16.50 is alot for where I'm from (small town upper michigan). I could probably be up in the 20's if I looked for something else where I'm at now (Ann Arbor). The lower pay is a trade-off for working at home with a great company.

It gets stressful sometimes depending on the work load and deadlines. But other times it seems like I have nothing to do. Most of the time I work a solid 40 hours a week. Over-time comes in spurts and when it rains it pours.

If you do decide to get into work like this and you want the creative freedom, I would suggest when you start looking for jobs to target smaller firms. You may not get paid as much to start, but you will move up faster and be given more responsibility quicker. I also didn't want to get stuck in a cubicle detailing curbs all day...

Hope this helps in your decision making. It has it's ups and downs but for the most part is a fun job.

check out my website here:

http://www.architecturalscience.com/

This is a site I made before we moved thinking I would try and work for myself before my company asked me to stay. There are some examples of my 3D work (although it needs to be updated badly). There is also an e-mail address there you can use if you have any other questions.

Oh, and the company I work for is here:

http://www.intdesigns.com/

This site is under a bit of construction. I work on it when I have nothing else to do...

Whew - that was a long answer... Sorry

Hi! I have applied for a degree at a Proffesional College in Denmark for Architectural Technology, however I am not sure if it is worth it as I would also want to try for pure architecture in UK or (if I can get a scholarship), in USA. I am affraid of the long term effects if I have to stay too long on PC as I have eye problems and might also have an untreated ADHD or at least some attention problems (At the aduld neurology in my town, more than 20 people enter the cabinet to be examined in one hour each day.Not surprisingly the Doctor couldn't find anything wrong in 3 minutes with me so he sent me home. Private clinics are ridiculously expensive here.) I like buildings and their design, but after being the best at maths in my class and one of the best at geography and history, I was wondering which one is worth it -Pure Architecture or Architectural Technology? Thank you!

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