I find now to be an odd point in my life … then again, perhaps I am simply beginning to live.
Almost a year ago now I first began to question my path moving toward being an architect as defined by the current profession and its fascination with star architects and a continual disdain for providing design services that might help remedy some of mankind’s worst social problems. In the last few months, thanks in no small part to the economic muted maelstrom, I have been provided with the relative freedom that comes with unemployment. I have 6 months to find new work. I am almost positive that there will be no firms hiring people at my level in the architect food chain come February 28th. This month alone, I heard from over 30 friends that they would be joining me and others in the growing roll of the unemployed. To date (yet to be confirmed) the numbers in the Philadelphia region (for design firms) are approaching 25% plus of the industry personnel being without work.
I am lucky to be “young” and “single” … I have the relative freedom to subsist on other work come February (the soonest they might hire) with a catering service. In a way, I am looking forward to the opportunity. I almost miss my days working in the restaurants. I can think of no better place than a restaurant to observe the minutae of society. Of course, it just barely trumps a park bench.
I am looking forward to the New Year.
Update: I now see much validity in a statement a friend of mine made a bit ago. As a software engineer he is always in high demand … and he explains it as “Well, we save people time and we save them money. Architects only seem to be able to work when people have extra money to spend to build new stuff.”
I find the core of his thought to be strong … and I think the words only need a bit of massaging to best convey the idea.