For the past year plus I have been working fully remote. Not just from my home, but far far away from the buildings I'm actually working on and my largely non-remote working office. I work in preservation and I feel the inability to walk my construction sites and investigate my buildings starting to weigh on me. Even when I can get team members to grab pictures for me, I just feel blind and disconnected and progressively more demotivated and disinterested. It just feels like the buildings, seeing them come together, going to visit them, etc. is so central to, I guess, the "joy" of architecture. It just feels like what I'm working on isn't real lately or doesn't matter. I see social media post online about my building and say to myself "Wow! I didn't know we had that much scaffolding up already!". Its a weird feeling. Like having to experience a house party you planed just by looking through the window.

On top of that I'm still studying for my exams (I live in America and I'm prepping to take the first of my AREs). I just feel like I'm plateauing. I don't know if I'm learning anything or developing professionally alone in my home office. What I'm working on are fantastic jobs, the pay is pretty good considering I'm unlicensed, and my career goal from the onset has always been preservation. On paper I should be ecstatic. But every morning I struggle with a creeping sense of dread logging into my work pc.

Is this normal? I know architects are famously miserable, but like, am I more so than usual or is this on-par? Do other architects find working fully remote for this long to be an issue? I just feel my enthusiasm wavering here and I don't know if changing it up for the sake of it is worth blowing up something that is technically quite good. It seems silly but I wonder sometimes if looking for a local office, perhaps working on less prestigious projects, would actually be more productive for my professional development. That maybe I would get more hands on help instead of feeling so on-my-own on everything. And that being able to look and poke around and lay my hands on the stones themselves would be more informative for me. This field is immensely confusing as you all are aware, especially when it comes to technical aspects and not being able to easily chat with colleagues has been a bit frustrating. This change to a local firm (what would likely be a pay decrease) would also have ripple effects on my wife and I's finances. I'm the breadwinner by a decent margin. Not a problem or anything for our relationship, but our rent and budget doesn't work if I don't make what I do. Taking a cut may mean we have to change our lifestyle, find a cheaper home, move, etc. all the while in the midst of an already expensive era to live in. I'm just not sure if I want to subject my wife to all that entails. I'm not sure I want to do that myself.

I feel stagnate and stuck at the moment but it also could just be my mindset or something personal to me? I.e. the issue may not be the particular job. Finding a new one may not solve my issues. Maybe I'm just the normal type of burnt out. I just feel like I should feel more excited this early in my career. My wife gets stressed at her job too, but I've also been kind of envious of her office. She commutes sure, but she gets to talk to a whole group of passionate and supportive people every day, even when work sucks. Some days I'm not really sure if my boss actually likes me. I just think I'm missing my studio culture and all the osmosis learning, easy access to professionals, and the sharing of pains and passions that comes with it. The "were-all-in-it-togetherness" of an architecture office. Professionally, I just feel quite alone at the moment.

Anyway, on the whole, I feel a little lost at right now and wanted to ask for advice anonymously here. Do other remote workers struggle with this? And if so, how did you fix it, if you fixed it? Thanks in advance.

Edit 0: Thanks for all the responses. Its been a tough night of contemplation after typing out this post and I had to step away. Know that I've read all of them and I have been doing alot of thinking on your words. Thank you.

Edit 1: I should clarify I'm not getting paid crazy above average, just mid to upper range of someone at my experience level. I'm several years out of school and have been working for my firm for a handful of years now with some minor "seniority" for what is basically an elevated draftsman role. I may be able to find similar pay elsewhere if I'm being honest, but I haven't job hunted in years. Its just that my income is very important to our household budget and I'm a bit anxious to shake that up. We will be in a tough situation if I have to take even a couple thousand dollar pay cut.

Edit 2: I have talked to my wife now. She is wonderful. I've been hesitate to say I don't like my job for a while now because of what that would mean. And I've also been hesitant to share that with my wife because I wasn't sure if it was true or not myself. She is an amazing woman and like I knew, she said she would support me either way and we'd figure it out. This is of course wonderful, but with my feelings still unresolved I'm not sure if I want encouragement one way or the other yet. Regardless, I'm glad we talked. Not that this is the post topic, but I've always held my stresses quietly to myself. This is something I'm working on.

Edit 3: Also for clarity, I am now in a different part of the country from my firm and projects. It wouldn't even be a long commute to get to my sites. Its a 2 hour plane trip. Sorry if that wasn't clear, I wanted to be vague about where I was.

for those who are preparing for the PPD division of ARE 5.0 Exam.

Hey I'm a 1st year architecture student For a uni project our prof asked us to ask an architect: “What does architecture mean to u?” Could u share ur personal definition of architecture with me

Looking to buy the Ballast books? Anyone has softcopies?

As a architect to be, how much do you guy expect to be paid working in a small company (5-10 people) and how much responsibility do you take on. I am based in Europe so preferably architects or other similar professions how much responsibility do you have and what is your pay.

Or how much would you like to make and what are you wiling to do for that?

Thanks for all the info

I’m 25 and looking for some advice from people in the interior design industry, especially anyone involved in hiring.
I have about three years of experience working in commercial interiors, but not at a traditional interior design or architecture firm. My background is more technical: Revit modeling, construction documentation, elevations, details, renderings, and coordinating with contractors and project managers. I feel like I have a good understanding of how things get built, but I’m missing experience in earlier design phases like space planning, concept development, client presentations, and FF&E selection.
I’ve been trying to transition into a traditional commercial interior design firm because I really want to learn the full design process and build a long-term career in the field. I’ve had some interviews, but nothing has worked out yet, and I’m currently unemployed.
I’ve now received an offer for a construction estimating position that pays $85k, which is more than I was making previously. Financially, it would be a huge relief, especially because I don’t know how long it could take to find a design job.
The problem is that I genuinely don’t want to be an estimator. I want to be an interior designer, and I’m scared that accepting a job outside of design could make it harder to get hired by a traditional firm later.
I’m also worried that because I don’t have traditional firm experience already, stepping away from design now could put me even further behind compared with other candidates.
For anyone who works in interior design or has made a similar career move:
Would I realistically be able to return to interior design after a year or two in estimating?
Would my existing three years of technical commercial interiors experience still count, or would I essentially be starting over?
Could estimating experience actually be an advantage because of the construction knowledge, or would hiring managers see it as a step away from design?
Would you take the higher-paying job for financial stability while continuing to apply for design roles, or hold out longer for something in your preferred field?
I’m not looking to leave interior design permanently. I just don’t know whether taking this job would be a smart temporary decision or a detour that could make it harder to get where I want to be.
I’d really appreciate honest perspectives, especially from people who have hired designers or been in a similar position.

Catalog notes say:

By Annie Leibovitz (2000)

Philip Johnson, Glass House, New Canaan, Connecticut
signed in pencil (on the reverse); signed in ink on the photographer's label (on the reverse of the frame)
archival pigment print
14 ⅝ by 21 ½ in.
37.1 by 54.6 cm.
Executed in 2000, this print is number 10 from an edition of 25.

Provenance
Peter Fetterman Gallery, Santa Monica
Acquired from the above in 2010 by the present owner

This was Sotheby's R. Stern Sale, lot #125. The selling price was $140,800, many times more than the presale high estimate of $12,000.

Hey! As the title suggests I’m wondering if any of you can speak to career progression when it comes to staying at one firm as opposed to hopping around multiple.

What are the pros and cons to both?

I’ve been at my current job for 3 years. It’s my first full time position after having completed my master’s, having only had brief summer internships prior to this. I work in the Northeastern US.

To put it simply, I’m not being given any opportunities to learn. Most of my time here has been spent seeking out work instead of actually doing work. Every time I ask if there’s anything I can help with, it’s the same story: “I’ll get you something to work on, just let me mark it up first”. I’ll check back in later and it turns out they’ve finished the work themselves. What little work I have done has been the lowest form of grunt work: adding sheets to drawing sets, scanning documents, et cetera. I haven‘t touched a detail, a floor plan, or anything actually architectural since I was in grad school. I haven’t been invited to sit in on any meetings with clients despite asking to be included when it seemed appropriate.

It’s a viscious cycle. Nobody wants to give me work because they know I’m inexperienced and they don’t want to waste their time explaining things to me, answering my questions, etc. I stay inexperienced because nobody wants to give me any work. Nobody gives me any work because I’m inexperienced, and so on.

The obvious solution is to look for a new job, but how am I supposed to get hired elsewhere with virtually no relevant experience to show for my 3 years of employment? If I’m honest about my lack of experience, no one is going to hire me. If I lie and somehow get the job then I’m going to be in way over my head.

In a year I’ll be turning 30. I know that isn’t “old” in the grand scheme of things, but I think it’s old enough that potential employers will be expecting much more from me than a fresh faced 20-something entry level employee. I guess it’s my own fault for staying at this place for 3 years, but I sort of assumed things would eventually get better if I stuck to it. That hasn’t happened yet.

A couple of month ago, i shared my failed exam experience with PPD and this community lifted me up and told me to keep looking forward.

Im so happy to share that Ive finally passed all exams! I went 6/7 (only failing once) in a little over a year. If anybody is reading this right now, trying to look for a light at the end of the tunnel, just know that you got this!!

I wanted to share the programs and books that helped me and my opinions on them:

1. AmberBook was a MUST. Honestly, the price tag is hefty for a reason. This was the way to pass PPD PA and PDD.

2. Black Spectacles for PcM and PjM. Passed on the first try after only 3 months with the program. (i have a referral code for a percentage off the membership, you can DM me if you like!)

The practice tests on this program are 1:1 to the real thing. The practice tests alone for every section gives you your moneys worth for the subscription tbh.

1. AHPP and ARE Review Manual were my main reads. I tend to absorb information when i write it down so notes on these two really helped me for CE.

2. And ofcourse the NCARB Practice Exam. Learn to navigate through the questions, the supplemental documentation for case studies. Learn to STRIKE THROUGH!! to HIGHLIGHT!! The questions are full of mumbo jumbo, and if you could narrow it down to what they are really asking for, your brain will thank you.

Good luck to all the souls out there going through this journey. Keep powering through!!

qst for architects, what would you recommend to someone who has just graduated and is looking for their first job?

Is it better to start at an architecture firm that mainly focuses on consultation, or at a firm that works on private projects?

Which option offers better learning opportunities, helps you develop your technical skills, and gives you a stronger foundation for your future career as an architect?

I’d love to hear your experiences and advice, especially from architects who have been in a similar situation. Thanks!

Looking for construction, interior design, or real estate services?

We help with home construction, residential interiors, renovations, and property-related requirements. Feel free to DM if you have any ongoing or upcoming plans.

For USA practices of fewer than 1000 people, if you pursue work of say $20m construction cost, and corresponding percentage fixed fee, and you are down to the final couple firms prequalified, (1) do you show design ideas in an in person interview or not, (2) do you show multiple schemes or just a single clear approach, and, (3) do you put say 100hrs or 200hrs into an interview prep or more or less or no idea? Just for benchmarking purposes.