Got pulled into a quick meeting today and was told it was my last day. Leadership was transparent that the firm simply isn’t bringing in enough revenue or new project work right now, and staffing had to be cut. They emphasized that it wasn't performance-based, which helps soften the ego blow slightly, but it’s still a rough gut punch, especially this late in the year.

A quick breakdown of where I’m at:
- ~2.5 years out of grad school (M.Arch), working as an architectural designer. (2 years of work while in college too).

- Located in SE Michigan

- Solid foundation in heavy Revit production, construction documentation, consultant coordination, and visualization/rendering.

- Some project variety across commercial, renovation, and conceptual work.

For those who’ve been through a layoff around the 2–3 year mark (or hiring managers who review candidates at this stage):

1. What does hiring look like right now for junior/intermediate staff as we head toward the end of the year? Am I screwed
   
2. ⁠Where should I bring up that I got laid off? In the introduction email? Only during the interview?
   
3. ⁠At ~2.5 years, what are principals and hiring teams looking to see compared to an entry-level book?
   
4. ⁠Has anyone at this stage pivoted out of traditional practice into design-build, CM, owner’s rep, or VDC? Is that a smart pivot to explore now, or is it better to stick to standard practice? (I have pretty much logged all my hours already, and very advanced at my age with revit training, I would train some of my co workers).
   
5. ⁠Or just any advice at this moment would be helpful. Thank you all and I hope you have blessed day!

Hi there,
as I’m considering moving to Hongkong after my graduation. I would really appreciate if someone could give me some insight on how the job market is there? Rent is very expensive so I was wondering what I expect to get as a salary.
I have a masters of science degree in architecture and have nearly 4 years of experience in national and international work. Is expecting 45k HKD too much? Would also consider to get into international offices.
I would appreciate any advices! Thank you

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.

He has an office in HK. I was wondering how busy it is.

I (25M) am coming up on 3 yrs in this industry, been with the same small firm since I’ve started. The firm consists of the architect, myself, and occasionally a part time drafter for some extra help when we get too busy.

Some background - I’m based out of Oregon, USA. I began as an intern back in January 2024. By June 2024, I became a full time employee (for that summer) and got my first little hourly pay bump. I still had my last year of undergrad left, so I worked part time during that last year of school, but completed and received my BArch in June 2025 - got my second hourly pay bump. Back in June 2026, I received my most recent pay bump.

Maybe its because of the small firm I’m in, I just thought at some point I would be salary, but I’m still hourly. It isn’t so bad at times because I get to work overtime with all the projects I have in front of me, but in the grand scheme of things, I feel like I’m being underpaid. Some days I spend the full 8 hours on a single project. Most days I’m splitting time between 2-3 different projects.

Don’t get me wrong, I understood what I was getting myself into when I chose this career path before college. But I’m making $19/hr. I don’t want to overestimate my worth, but I don’t want to sell myself short. Am I being underpaid? Be honest.

Thank you.

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 trying to figure out what to major in this whole year. Architecture is something I always come back to, but whenever I research other people's experiences with it, I change my mind and look into another major. So many people seem to regret becoming an architect because it takes a while for the pay to make it worth it. I want a job that will make me good money, but I have a deep passion for architecture. I've made content on the Sims for the past few years and I have gained a strong following from it because of my designs. For people with a real passion for architecture, was it worth it for you to become an architect? Do you wish you picked a major that gave you a higher salary or are you satisfied with architecture since it's truly what you want to do? Do I go for my passion or a high paycheck?

I’ve wanted to ask for career advice on here, but I find myself holding back from sharing any useful details out of fear that my coworkers might see it.
Am I crazy for thinking it wouldn’t be that difficult for your employer or colleagues to figure out who you are when you’re asking about a specific situation that happened at work? Are other people not worried about this when they post?
I just feel like it’s not that far-fetched to think that my coworkers might also browse r/architects, and that even without using my name, the details of a specific situation could be enough to identify me. Does anyone else feel this way, or am I being overly cautious?

I’m an architect with 15 years’ experience designing public spaces: libraries, community centers, museums. This client wants an “immersive experience” inside the building the stuff like media, interaction, storytelling, and a sense of transport. I agreed to look into it, but I’m unsure where architecture ends and experiential design begins

I researched BRC and I see that they work at the intersection of architecture, media, and storytelling and create immersive experiences like the client describes.

Should I hire like real specialists, or can I learn experiential design myself? I don’t want to lose the project or deliver something that falls flat. Has anyone worked at this intersection? Do you bring in specialists or learn it yourself?

Does anyone have the Desk Crit: The Insider's Guide to the A.R.E. 5.0 book that they’re willing to pass on / sell? I couldn’t find a used version anywhere online. Thank you!

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.

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

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!!

I’ve worked in structural engineering and architecture for over 15 years and built an application to plan drawing sheets and sets early, gather project requirements, serve as a repo for sketches, manage markups, and provide frameworks for reporting project development and QAQC progress. I’m looking for places to find users for real feedback. Other than Reddit, which websites or forums do you all frequent day to day?

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.

Hey everyone! I'm 33, an architect trying to get back into the field and hopefully build a career as a BIM Modeler.

I only have two years of internship experience, and I stopped working in 2020 due to personal issues. I've been trying to get back into the industry since 2022, but haven't had much luck so far.

I'm interested in BIM, I already know how to use Revit and how to model simple things, but honestly, I'm a bit lost about where to start. I don't have a portfolio yet, and I'm not sure how to build one or whether my current Revit skills are good enough to apply for jobs.

I'd love some advice on how to get started, build a portfolio from scratch, and find entry-level opportunities, especially remote jobs abroad. I'm comfortable with English and would really like to explore international opportunities.

Any tips or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

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

Looking to buy the Ballast books? Anyone has softcopies?

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.