With only about half of those graduating from accredited architectural programs predicted to go on to become licensed architects, Sam Lubell looks at some of the other ways graduates are applying their skills.
A recent gathering of architecturally trained panelists who "who work in fields alternative to conventional practice" for a discussion titled "Architects Beyond Architecture" provides Lubell with an opportunity to reflect on the diverse opportunities available to graduates while architecture jobs remain in short supply. The event, hosted by Woodbury University, brought together alternative career success stories from recovering architects such as Natasha Case, co-founder of Coolhaus ice cream and Sebastian Munoz, a designer at design product manufacturer Arktura.
"'If we look at pure labor statistics we should shut down half the schools,' said Lee Waldrep, assistant director in the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne. Instead, he suggests that students trained as architects are also suited for communication, collaboration, research, and creative problem solving. This can open the door to careers in planning, project management, computer design, development, fashion design, photography, humanitarian development, furniture design, film, and many more. 'Design is everywhere,' as he put it."
FULL STORY: Architects Branch Out

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.

Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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