Notes

Architects design houses and buildings. They plan offices and apartments. They design schools, churches, and airport terminals. Their plans involve far more than a building’s looks. They must ensure that buildings are safe and strong and that they suit the needs of the people who use them.

The architect and client first discuss what the client wants. The architect sometimes helps decide if a project would work at all or if it would harm the environment. The architect then creates drawings for the client to review. They may be involved in all stages of the construction of a building.

If the ideas are OK, the architect draws up the final plans. These plans show how the building will look and how to build it. The drawings show the beams that hold up the building. They show the air-conditioner, furnace, and ventilating systems. The drawings show how the electricity and plumbing work. Architects used to use pencil and paper to draw their plan, but today most architects use computers. Architects generally work in comfortable conditions because they spend most of their time in offices. However, they spend some time at building sites to see how projects are going.

Architects may feel stressed sometimes. Most architects work 40 hours a week, but they may need to work nights and weekends in order to meet deadlines.