Architectural Journalism: The New Emerging Subject

“Architecture builds the image of the country” and the image can only be conveyed to the people through expressions and words.

What good is a design if the sole meaning behind it cannot be understood? Yes, that’s exactly what architectural journalism is about. It bridges the gap between user’s perspectives and the designer’s message to the user. This is the stream that has currently started being recognised as a fruitful career option although it still lacks a great amount of acknowledgement by the society, especially India.

An architect’s work not only involves designing efficient and functional structures but they’re also responsible for determining relationships among interior and exterior spaces. As a designer, they try to imitate emotions in their design but how often are these emotions communicated to the user? Understanding the true essence of a design would be difficult for a layman if he sees it only visually. It is through means of action or language perhaps a proper explanation regarding the concept, that has the ability to establish clear communication between both the parties.

Architectural journalism plays a major role in building this connection with the power of words. The profession involves the appreciation and criticism of works done by various designers, including the well-established ones as well as the amateurs. It is an opportunity for each and every designer to get recognised for their hardwork by the concerned writers.

“Architectural journalists are the backbone of architects.”

A lot of students, nowadays, are exploring diversified options in the field of architecture. For the people who have a good flair in writing combined with an interest in architecture and design, this is the field for you. As an undergrad student, one can start getting indulged in internships, web portals or magazine writings and present their thoughts on various design subjects. So, by the time you graduate, you will be at a platform where you can build your own start up, take a full time job in architectural magazines or research organisations.

Although, in order to develop a career in this niche of journalism, one must possess an appropriate sense of interpreting design elements and understanding of the aesthetics of a place. Applying sufficient amount of technical, logical and linguistic skills along with an architectural background will help in creating unique content that can engage its readers as well as boost up their confidence in pursuing architecture. Such journalism will be useful in promoting awareness about various unexplored and unknown places throughout the world. People might, as well, be motivated to visit these exceptional places, experience them and understand the true meaning behind their existence.

Even though, this profession provides a plethora of opportunities to the students yet it is not introduced as a mainstream subject (or even as an elective) in various universities and colleges. Only 5% of colleges, in India, have this subject in their curriculum. As a student myself, I was deprived of this opportunity. Therefore, we must understand the scope and importance of this new emerging subject. In literal sense, it is the need of the hour.

“Architectural journalism is not a hobby, but a career choice.”