First published in 1985, Architect? A Candid Guide to the Profession quickly became known as the best basic guide to the architectural field. Within a decade, it was a standard text for introductory courses on architecture and recommended reading for aspiring architects applying to schools.

This revised edition contains new information pertinent to current education and practice. It addresses issues and concerns of great interest to students choosing among different types of programs, schools, firms, and career paths.

Roger K. Lewis, a practicing architect and educator, takes a hard look at the education of the architect. In Architect? A Candid Guide to the Profession he covers the following topics:

• Curriculum content
• Pedagogical theories and methods
• Program and faculty types
• The admission process
• Internships
• Compensation
• Computer-aided design
• The culture of small and large firms
• How an architect works and gets work
• All aspects of architectural services, from initial client contact to construction oversight

Lewis describes the benefits of becoming an architect, including the opportunity to express oneself creatively, improve the environment, and achieve notoriety. But he doesn't hesitate to show the other side — the lack of steady work and appropriate compensation, the intensity of the competition, the restrictions imposed by clients, and the high degree of anxiety and disillusionment experienced by young architects.

Written in a clear, accessible style, Architect? A Candid Guide to the Profession is accompanied by the author's often-humorous illustrations as well as a valuable appendix.

Author — Roger K. Lewis.

Paperback. 299 pages. 6" × 9" (15 cm × 23 cm).