Not only will you learn to SURVIVE the notorious architecture critique, but you’ll learn to THRIVE through it. Here are 10 tips to ACE your reviews in architecture school as a student.

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 1) It’s ok to be nervous.
Especially in your first semesters, architectural crits had me a nervous wreck. If you’re the last one to present, oh, I feel for you friend. Anxiously waiting, sweating in your hands while holding your last-minute written notes. Reading them for the 442nd time and still stuffing up on the third sentence. I feel you. And, it’s ok. It’s ok to be nervous – it’s not ok to not know what you’re talking about.

If you don’t know what you’re talking about, you haven’t practiced your presentation or clearly defined the objectives for your presentation – you are doomed. We’ll move a bit more into this in one of the later tips, let’s go to tip 2.

2) It is not an attack on YOU.
Know that you are not being criticised yourself as a person, but your ideas. The crit isn’t an attack on you, and I mean that – don’t take it to heart. There’s no point being hard on yourself if your teacher says your design sucks. Guess what, my first designs always suck. My friends’ designs always suck at first. Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid’s designs always suck at first. But how do you think they got to where they are now? By taking the advice they’re given to better themselves and better their skills.

I wish I could rename the “architectural critique” to “architectural advice.” Because that’s what it is. Your teachers aren’t taking a stab at you and your project, they’re giving you advice and feedback to improve you and your ideas and skills.

Don’t take negative feedback personally. I know there are some really toxic and harsh teachers out there who enjoy stepping on people, so it’s not easy. But that’s number 1, don’t take it personally. Listen to what they’re saying with an open mind, smile and accept that you’re not perfect, no architecture student is – hence that’s why we’re not designing real buildings. It’s expected we suck, and this is the best time to just learn and try new things and practice without the limitations of judgement or perceived failure.

3) Don’t get stuck on an idea of your own.
If a client doesn’t like something, you need to learn to be able to take their ideas, the problems they have and create tailored solutions. You do that by listening and taking their advice. Critiques really are an introduction to what the profession is like.

In the end, you’re not living in the building, so this is tip 3. Don’t get stuck on a design just because you’ve invested time into it. Experiment and take criticism on board to produce something great. Architecture is all about adapting and iterating, taking the objective and problems a client has and producing a tailored solution.

4) Don’t read off your presentation sheet.
This comes back to knowing what you’re talking about and being prepared. A picture tells a thousand words. Use images, video, diagrams and animation to talk for you. Have an objective for your presentation. A lot of students go into their crits just to explain everything they’ve done and why they’ve done it. They’ll talk about their site analysis and which way the sun moves and by the end of the presentation, they’ve said nothing useful. They’ve just . . . talked.

Look at your criteria, look at the brief, write key points that you need to address and turn it into a presentation.

5) Don’t repeat information.
If you have plans and sections and perspectives showing what the materials are, which you’re your design is oriented and how the walls join the floors, you don’t need to explain that. Once you realise that your teachers actually have eyes, believe it or not, you can understand that there’s no point repeating information. Only use your words to express key points and important information that isn’t shown in your presentation.
Keep it short, sharp and shiny.

6) PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.
7) Don’t dwell on your grade.
8) Be enthusiastic when presenting.
9) The more time you spend on your project, the better it’s going to be.
10) Try.
(Continue reading using the show notes link above)

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Hey! My name's Kyle.

On the podcast for architecture students, you'll hear from practicing architects, other students and me, Kyle, a third-year architecture student from South Australia.

Doing so, you'll learn the tips and tricks to excel past the rest of your cohort and build the skills needed to take your work to another level.

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