Architectural Journalism As A Career Option

14 Jun 2023
By Deshal Shah

Architecture is a strange art form that is most invested in people’s life. It affects the lives of people on an everyday basis, from the tiniest to large scale. It directs the lives of people from the time they wake up to the point they go out to socialize. Yet it is least talked about.

Since Bilbao and the starchitect phenomenon developed along with it, there rose an awareness in the architectural fraternity to talk about architecture with the common folk. Each art form has its critique, like food critique, art critique; then why not architectural critique. Getting attention of people at this growing industry is very important, as it is a part of their life that cannot be removed.

It is the role of architectural journalist to translate the ideas of the architect into words for the common people. The notion of a building from an architect’s point of view will be very different than that of the people who inhabit it. So, it is necessary to bring both of these together. It is just like the process of understanding art, we read the explanation of the idea, to better engage ourselves with it. Efficiently describing the design and its experience, can help achieve this.

An architectural journalist does not only profile the architects but also critiques his work. Producing valid content for and about the field is his contribution in helping the field and introducing the dynamics of impending changes. After all the more it is written about, the more it will be talked!

Architecture

The study and art of designing buildings.

The meaning of architecture does not include the narrative of the building, which creates a vacuum between the common people and the designer. This gap is to be bridged by an architectural journalist. It is a standing debate if only people with architectural education can become an architectural journalist or any journalist can become one. The problem lies with the current curriculum of architecture, it does not include architectural journalism. Very few colleges offer it as an elective, which makes the students intrigued but does not give them proper training for it. In the present times, the students are becoming more aware about it and many choose to go on this less trodden path.

Leading architectural magazines and websites provide opportunities to the fresh architects to pursue career in architectural journalism. Blogging and publishing houses can also be looked upon as prospects. Architectural firms hire freelance writers to depict their designs and put it up on their websites, and also, to carry out preliminary research before starting an unusual project.

There is a lot of unexplored turf in the field of architectural journalism and criticism. Very few architects have gained popularity in this discipline, so a lot more can be done here to uplift and bring awareness about architecture, if you are an architect with a flare in writing or a writer with an interest in architecture!

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