Prof. Xavier Benedict, MIDAS Architecture College
An Architecture Technologist is the right hand person of any large scale construction project. Architecture is a way of life which gives peace, culture, and good lifestyle for which we need good and technologically sound building. Architectural technologist works closely with principal architect and allied building services consultants providing best design solutions and engineering values. The technologist needs a thorough understanding of traditional knowledge and as well, latest digital technology. In construction industry, the “captain” is the architect, but he may not be aware about the new technology and its upgradations. Hence, he needs an architecture-technologist by his side to improvise his design and execution.
The technologist is a specialist in the science of architecture, building design, and construction. They interact with building construction engineers to manage the process from conception to completion and compliance. The person should have a good understanding of contract management and construction technology. In India architectural curriculum shapes students with various skills to face the practical job requirements. With increase in size and fast advancement of technology in the construction industry, any large scale design firm needs an Architectural Technologist to take care of value-engineering needs.
The importance of the professional is gaining momentum due to exposure of the clients and the investors to global standards and qualities. An architect uses such professionals in their team to add value-engineering during the design process and re-engineering during execution. Hence the importance of profession forms the core of the construction industry and would become a lucrative career opportunity.
Speedy urbanization in India requires large basic amenities and infrastructure in every town and city. The government’s vision to make smart-cities needs large resources to strengthen, improve and enhance the amenities and infrastructure. Smart-cities cannot be developed only with the resources of information technology. An additional support system needs to be developed and designed with appropriate construction technology. Necessities of competent technocrats to plan, design, construct and maintain the constructions is thus of utmost importance.
A career path as an Architectural Technologist can be gained through studying a Diploma or Degree from any institute giving degrees in architecture or construction technology clubbed with practical experience. One can directly gain status as a technologist by graduating with Masters in Building Management or Technology from a few reputed institutes like IIT-Madras, SERC, CEPT, SPA-New Delhi and a few other institutes. Multi-disciplinary degree courses are becoming attractive to enhance your status as an Architectural-Technologist. Well reputed architecture institutes have started giving degrees in Bachelor as well as in Masters level in Building Technology or Geometrics or Remote Sensing. SPA-New Delhi promotes a Masters degree in building engineering and management. Such degrees will help an architect to shape himself to face challenges on large scale building construction projects. A technological degree like infrastructural-engineering or management would help professionals to face city level infrastructural execution problems. CEPT-Ahmedabad provides a Post-Graduate degree as Masters of Technology in Engineering Design (Infrastructure) and M.Tech in Geomatics.
An Architectural Technologist can work in the facilities management division in any large scale industrial complex like electrical-generation to highway road projects. From energy performance to spatial management of a building, this profession is attracting architects to take up facilities management roles in large IT-SEZs and luxury hotels. Such professional jobs are attractive with large pay packs and perks. An architectural technologist on an average gets a basic salary of Rs.25,000 per month in design-firms to Rs.1,00,000 per month in large size SEZs. In India the architects are realizing the importance of multi-disciplinary skills and education degrees to climb the ladder in their profession.
After completion of B.Arch. course, young architects are adding post-graduate degrees in various multi-disciplinary courses like Building-Performance Management, Remote-Sensing, Geomatics, Infrastructural-Engineering, Town-Planning and Managements, and Architectural-Engineering etc. Many multinational organizations have started establishing themselves in metros and recruiting professionals who have knowledge in building design and engineering to work in large scale architecture and infrastructure projects. The future of young architects is very bright. There is a movement in the right direction due to the importance given by successive governments to bridge the gap between rural and urban infrastructure.