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Annette van Apeldoorn

Date Reviewed: October 2011

There is a real need for books that help (pre?)-students get a clear view of what it means to work as an architect. What does the work comprise of, what skills do you need, and how do I go about becoming a good architect? This book, however, is not such a book. The title suggests that it describes ways of becoming an 'new kind' of architect. This is not the case. Not only does it give very poor insight in what it means to work as professional architect and how this is different today from how it was in 'tho old days'; what is even more worrying is that the tips and notions in this book are very old-fashioned indeed, and lead to exactly the type of architect that is of little use in todays society. The authors state that the profession is rapidly changing. This may be the only statement in the book on which I agree with the authors. Both in the UK and in the Netherlands, where I work as an architect, the organization of design firms, the nature of commissions, design challenges, possibilities in construction, and expectations of all parties involved have changed rapidly. To make an informed decision about wether or not 'architect' is the right profession for someone, students should be given insight in the workings of the sector and the what it takes to succesfully and joyfully work as an architect in these conditions. Instead,this book encourages students to quote "key architectural writers, thinkers and practitioners" because "this will impress and add substance to your work". And where presentations are concerned, students are urged to "[not] be a victim! Treat your crit like a kill - be a hunter, not the hunted". To me, this hardly seems the attitude one needs to become a succesful architect. Furthermore, the book lacks structure and the authors seem unable to decide which information is relevant and which isn't. For instance in chapter 1 the text deals with the 'cool careers' of several famous people who have studied architecture but ended up doing something completely different, like becoming famous rockstars or moviemakers... And while talking about a career opportunities in itself is useful, I don't think this is way to go about it. A bit more realism would be helpful. Luckily, if you do decide to become an architect, this books gives you heaps of other good tips, like tips on making good photographs. A whole page is concerned with 'tips to take a good picture'. And although I agree with the authors that photography can be an important tool for an architect, surely in a 120-pages book on what it means to be and become an architect, tips like 'exhale after you've taken the shot' is not the first bit of information you'd feel the need to share? The whole book gives the impression that it is written by students, lacking experience in this profession. Substance would have been added if for instance some succesful contemporary UK architects would have been invited to talk about their firm, their careerchoices, or a typical designprocess. I'm afraid that in my opinion, this book doesn't fulfill its promise of "providing clear advice and tips for successful career development and management". This book is a missed opportunity. I would not recommend this to students.

Helen Parramore, Ed.D.

Date Reviewed: December 2010

Review for Towards a New Architecture, by Yasmin Shariff and Jane Tankard

Every young person starting out in the world needs a wise guide, but few are lucky enough to find one. This remarkable book provides that sane, steady voice for architecture students setting out on what can be a puzzling journey through academic training and on to building professional relationships with established architectural agencies and organizations. It's a beautifully designed book, written in clear, readable sections and paragraphs, illustrated with photographs and drawings, full of useful ideas, advice and smart tips. It's a wonderful mentor, never overwhelming, always interesting and throughout one hears the sweet clear voices of wisdom, truth and beauty. We need guides like this for all students; for educators, writers, artists, musicians, etc. I wish I'd had one when I set out alone in art so many years ago.