As you may know, to become an architect, you will need to complete a degree recognised by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) in two parts and three years of practical work experience.
Once you’ve graduated, you can choose to work for a private architectural firm, in public sector roles or even set up your own practice or become a freelance consultant. Whatever you choose, the opportunities are endless. In this article, we interviewed Ella Riley, a Master of Architecture (MArch)(RIBA pt II) student to find out more about her journey.
How did you start your architecture journey?
After graduating from the first part of my degree, I started working for Studio RHE, a London based architecture and design practice. During this time I came across some of the exciting projects that the students at Westminster were working on. I was keen to get involved and go back studying to complete the second part of my degree.
Can you talk us through your experience at Studio RHE?
I’ve been fortunate enough to work on very different projects at Studio RHE. From designing co-working spaces, luxury health clubs to huge commercial buildings with forests on the roof. I’m currently designing a series of villa’s in the Caribbean. I’m learning new things every day. In architecture, you really have to. Most architects don’t become really skilled until much later in their careers because there’s so much learning you have to do along the way. So every day, there’s something new that you didn’t know about before. It’s exciting but it can be exhausting too.
What else have you done or experimented with during your architecture studies?
I was offered my first architectural job in New York. I was living in Nottingham at the time, so I had to pack up my bags and relocate. It was an incredible experience. I stayed out there for just over a year, working on residential schemes throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn.
What were some of your fears as a student and how did you overcome them?
It can be pretty daunting to figure out what to do after graduation. There are so many choices and paths to follow that it’s hard to settle on one and feel that it’s the right one. So I figured that you just have to make a choice. The right one or a wrong one, it doesn’t really matter there is no one route.
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
I’ve been working towards becoming an architect for the past 9 years. I’m now only a few (pretty intense) months away from (hopefully) becoming a fully qualified architect. It’s been a long 9 years, and I’m looking forward to exploring what’s next.
To find out more about our School of Architecture and Cities, visit our website here.
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