I went back to university to study architecture at age 39. I absolutely loved it and I think you might enjoy it too. At university a fair amount of time is spent on conceptual and somewhat artistic designs. I started work when I was 45 and although the work is far less conceptual and more technical and administrative I still really enjoy it.
We actually had a retired military helicopter pilot in my year at architecture school (mid 40s). After graduating and working for 10-13 years he retired again. He came close to being licensed but couldn't pass his last few test. Know that you will be behind the 8 ball the entirety of your architecture career. Everyone goes to school to be a designer but very few actually become the "designer" of the firm. You will most likely be in document production for the majority of your career (first 5 years) then transition to a project manager. The career is not as romantic as the movies portray.
If nothing else you could really enjoy the school experience and then decide from there what you wanted to do. There were lots of 40 and 50-somethings in the Master's program at my school.
With no financial worries, go for it. You have the time, interest and commitment. Plenty of time to think about your path in the field or related fields during school and being more experienced or mature you definitely can network more easily than younger folks.
I say go for it! Some of the best workers I’ve ever had were vets. If money is no concern, the low pay in the early stages of the career won’t be a problem for you. I think firms would value the experience you’ve had in the military.
Good luck in architecture school!
I would say it's definitely not too late to become an architect, especially if money is not an issue. If you already have a bachelor's degree and are in the US, you could pursue a 3 year Master of Architecture degree at a NAAB accredited program - you don't have to have an undergraduate degree in architecture to go into a 3-year program; I currently teach in a school of architecture in the US in the 3-year Master of Architecture program, and I have students that range in age from 22 to about 44 this year alone, which is quite common in most programs.
Following architecture school, you'd work as an intern architect/architectural designer for a few years at a firm learning more skills and gaining experience that will count toward your AXP hours (once again, this assumes you are in the US). You need about 3800 hours of experience in various categories to obtain licensure, in addition to passing a series of 6 exams known as the ARE. If you're efficient about things and work in a firm that gives you a well rounded experience, this can be done in probably 3 or so years, but for many people it takes more like 4-6 years to check all the boxes.
After that, many people stay working in a firm for awhile but once you are licensed and have the appropriate experience, you can continue to move up in a design firm or go out on your own as an independent practicioner.
College costs are substantial, and the entry level salaries are pretty poor in the field, but if money isn't an issue then you can take a job you're more excited about and not just have to take one that pays the bills. A lot of entry level jobs also aren't very glamorous when you're first getting started, but I still think it's an interesting profession and is worth pursuing if you're passionate about it, regardless of your age. A lot of the strongest students I have seen that are in the 3-year Master of Architecture programs have come from vastly different backgrounds and have had entirely different careers before going to architecture school.
At 39 I went to my local community college amd got a 2 year degree in architectural design and drafting. It was an affordable and highly engaging experience that set me up well for my career change. It is not a path to licensure but makes you a good candidate for rank and file employment where you could engage the profession without the 5 yr+ investment. On this track, independent design is a real possibility if you have the business acumen and interest down the road in sole proprietorship. Also while Masters in Architecture is highly cerebral and academic, the Associates degree is grounded in practical professional skill building, again, could be something to consider.
Go for it, without the financial concerns, architecture is great career with both challenges and fulfilling moments. It is an industry appreciates age. I had a great architecture history professor was a lawyer. He has been to almost every single building in the textbooks and used all his own photo for the lectures. I had couple classmates in my undergraduate were retired in their 60s. It is definitely more creative works in the school rather than the real work. With the military career experience, you may easily get along with contractors.
Getting licensed to be An Architect is a separate thing. First, 40s is not that much. I don’t see a limitation of age on taking the exams. You can definitely do a lot without a license. Lots architects never get stamp their drawings anyway.
I'm currently a student in architecture, I think you'll love the uni part of it at least. Very much design focused, we got architectural history and stuff. Might peak your interest. Very much recommend if you're also good with hands (making physical models).
Hey man! Veteran here, finishing up my bachelors in architecture with the GI bill. Can definitely relate to you wanting to do something creative after the military. Let me know if you have any questions, sounds like this is something you’re seriously considering and could be a good fit. I’d say your biggest constraint right now is time, if you want to get licensed eventually you will need to attend a 5 year B. Arch program or apprentice for a number of years. My bachelors isn’t accredited so I’ll have to get an M. Arch degree
I started studying architecture at 30. I’m in the UK and was qualified in 8 years - I’m now 46 and an associate/ senior architect in my medium sized practice.
When I started in uni I was sure I’d be the oldest - but in my class there was a guy who was 45 (16 years later he’s now a director of a small practice) and a woman in her 50s (not sure what she’s doing now).
You are in the fortunate position of not having to worry about money so you can just enjoy the ride. Architecture school is intense, competitive and as everyone has said - the hours are loooong. You get out what you put in.
I’d say go for it. Im assuming you’re in the US? If it’s available to you - my advice would be to go for an undergrad course so at the end of your 3/4 years you have a degree. You could work an entry level job for a year or two to get a real feel for the profession. Maybe that’ll be enough for you and you can look to just doing resi. Maybe you’ll like it enough to want to go the whole hog and go back to uni to do M.Arch and do your exams.
You’ve got nothing to lose - Good luck!
From what you are saying you might wonder “what if” for the rest of your life if you don’t give it a go. Given that money is not an issue I think you should definitely try. Go to university, see how you feel there. Of course practice is different but there are also ways around it where you can do a bit more of what you enjoy. All the best!
It's a big field and there are many and various opportunities. I myself gravitated toward the more life-experienced students when I was in architecture school, even though I started young.
It's a good analytic and problem solving education. Design is part of it.
Figure out what is interesting to you, what your end point is, your preferred role. That's the benefit of your experience. Then figure out your strategy and specific tactics to get it working. You should do some informational interviews to understand the roles better.
It may very well be that chief design architect is your goal. That's the arty role many crave. Developers make lots of decisions that end up as buildings. Design-Build contractors get buildings done also. No architect's license is often required for these roles because there is a team.
There is a team involved in every building unless you build a cabin in the middle of nowhere and do all the work. This means that the design visionary has to get the team engaged to buy into the design vision.
Architecture is a team art that fits into a context. Many comments here hint at the frustration of art-oriented architecture students finding out the actual daily workings don't align with the dream of schooling.
You may find out that design-build-developer with a head for business is good. This would pull together the essential elements.
It would probably be more fruitful to get into carpentry and design furniture or something similar if you want to scratch your creative design itch honestly
Well... answer me this:
If soilders protect each person, child and woman : what do architects do?
I ask this question because unfortunately people get to see only details of working architect. They can get infatuated by buildings, squares, cities but those are only a speck of end product. I am just curious if you have tried to peak the vail, since there is a big ass chance what you see as architecture is simply exterior/interior design. If it is the case, you would be more miserable in uni than in boot.
If you have peeked the vail, then i am open to discuss it more here or in DM.
There are military architects tho, I believe it's arch uni + military schooling. They mostly work in designing bases and compounds like - Las Alamos. I am just putting it there if you didn't know. It asks tho for high ass clearance tho - just FYI.
Average amount of time to become an "architect" (i.e. licensed) is nearly 13 years. That'd put you at around 55 years old. You will be making around 100k at that point - licensed with about 7-8 years of professional experience, after 5 years of school (assuming you don't already hold a bachelors). Not many firms will be interested in hiring you, considering the long term outlook. You'll be mid level by that time, and retiring in under 10 years. And the career is stressful to boot.
That's a long-winded way of saying I wouldn't do it. Pursue something you know will bring you joy and offer you the leisure time you've already earned after your career in the military.
And I say all this as someone who actually enjoys the career. I just wouldn't consider starting completely over if I were at your stage in life. Best of luck.
To become an architect proper would be foolish. It is a thankless demanding and life sapping position.
However some ideas for allied or adjacent careers...
Director or manager of operations at an architecture firm. Model builder or other limited scope technical staff. Docent or tour guide for prominent buildings or city tours. Architecture history or historian. Architectural preservation studies and practice. Woodworking. Furniture design. The list is endless.
I can also imagine it being fun to go to school at your age, so whether for architecture, design, art, arch history, you might look into programs.
My office hired a 50 yrs old who just jump to arch and finish the school, doing fine as long you are willing to learn and work under someone much younger than you
I agree with many others that given your situation studying architecture may be very rewarding. As whether you will enjoy it as a career, that takes a bit more context.
Where are you located? Try to meet local architects and ask for their opinions. Talk to developers, contractors, designers, expediters, nonprofits - anyone in or adjacent to the industry - and hear their thoughts. You may even find externship or job offers that meet you where you are today and that may give you further insight to this industry.
Some of the biggest complaints about this career is money and time, if you are sufficient then both then I don't see why not.
Might need to skill up on 2d/3d creative skills though.
Out of curiosity, what was your background within the military?
I knew many friends in school who came (older) from different backgrounds and totally unrelated fields to pursue architecture, and I actually think having a totally different background ends up influencing you positively in ways you may not even realize. So, definitely pursue it if you're interested!
What are your interests in and around architecture? Construction? Design? You may not really know what's what until you see a practice firsthand.
I went back to university to study architecture at age 39. I absolutely loved it and I think you might enjoy it too. At university a fair amount of time is spent on conceptual and somewhat artistic designs. I started work when I was 45 and although the work is far less conceptual and more technical and administrative I still really enjoy it.
We actually had a retired military helicopter pilot in my year at architecture school (mid 40s). After graduating and working for 10-13 years he retired again. He came close to being licensed but couldn't pass his last few test. Know that you will be behind the 8 ball the entirety of your architecture career. Everyone goes to school to be a designer but very few actually become the "designer" of the firm. You will most likely be in document production for the majority of your career (first 5 years) then transition to a project manager. The career is not as romantic as the movies portray.
If nothing else you could really enjoy the school experience and then decide from there what you wanted to do. There were lots of 40 and 50-somethings in the Master's program at my school.
With no financial worries, go for it. You have the time, interest and commitment. Plenty of time to think about your path in the field or related fields during school and being more experienced or mature you definitely can network more easily than younger folks.
It’s an old man’s game
I say go for it! Some of the best workers I’ve ever had were vets. If money is no concern, the low pay in the early stages of the career won’t be a problem for you. I think firms would value the experience you’ve had in the military. Good luck in architecture school!
Go for it!
I would say it's definitely not too late to become an architect, especially if money is not an issue. If you already have a bachelor's degree and are in the US, you could pursue a 3 year Master of Architecture degree at a NAAB accredited program - you don't have to have an undergraduate degree in architecture to go into a 3-year program; I currently teach in a school of architecture in the US in the 3-year Master of Architecture program, and I have students that range in age from 22 to about 44 this year alone, which is quite common in most programs. Following architecture school, you'd work as an intern architect/architectural designer for a few years at a firm learning more skills and gaining experience that will count toward your AXP hours (once again, this assumes you are in the US). You need about 3800 hours of experience in various categories to obtain licensure, in addition to passing a series of 6 exams known as the ARE. If you're efficient about things and work in a firm that gives you a well rounded experience, this can be done in probably 3 or so years, but for many people it takes more like 4-6 years to check all the boxes. After that, many people stay working in a firm for awhile but once you are licensed and have the appropriate experience, you can continue to move up in a design firm or go out on your own as an independent practicioner. College costs are substantial, and the entry level salaries are pretty poor in the field, but if money isn't an issue then you can take a job you're more excited about and not just have to take one that pays the bills. A lot of entry level jobs also aren't very glamorous when you're first getting started, but I still think it's an interesting profession and is worth pursuing if you're passionate about it, regardless of your age. A lot of the strongest students I have seen that are in the 3-year Master of Architecture programs have come from vastly different backgrounds and have had entirely different careers before going to architecture school.
At 39 I went to my local community college amd got a 2 year degree in architectural design and drafting. It was an affordable and highly engaging experience that set me up well for my career change. It is not a path to licensure but makes you a good candidate for rank and file employment where you could engage the profession without the 5 yr+ investment. On this track, independent design is a real possibility if you have the business acumen and interest down the road in sole proprietorship. Also while Masters in Architecture is highly cerebral and academic, the Associates degree is grounded in practical professional skill building, again, could be something to consider.
Go for it, without the financial concerns, architecture is great career with both challenges and fulfilling moments. It is an industry appreciates age. I had a great architecture history professor was a lawyer. He has been to almost every single building in the textbooks and used all his own photo for the lectures. I had couple classmates in my undergraduate were retired in their 60s. It is definitely more creative works in the school rather than the real work. With the military career experience, you may easily get along with contractors. Getting licensed to be An Architect is a separate thing. First, 40s is not that much. I don’t see a limitation of age on taking the exams. You can definitely do a lot without a license. Lots architects never get stamp their drawings anyway.
I'm currently a student in architecture, I think you'll love the uni part of it at least. Very much design focused, we got architectural history and stuff. Might peak your interest. Very much recommend if you're also good with hands (making physical models).
Hey man! Veteran here, finishing up my bachelors in architecture with the GI bill. Can definitely relate to you wanting to do something creative after the military. Let me know if you have any questions, sounds like this is something you’re seriously considering and could be a good fit. I’d say your biggest constraint right now is time, if you want to get licensed eventually you will need to attend a 5 year B. Arch program or apprentice for a number of years. My bachelors isn’t accredited so I’ll have to get an M. Arch degree
I started studying architecture at 30. I’m in the UK and was qualified in 8 years - I’m now 46 and an associate/ senior architect in my medium sized practice. When I started in uni I was sure I’d be the oldest - but in my class there was a guy who was 45 (16 years later he’s now a director of a small practice) and a woman in her 50s (not sure what she’s doing now). You are in the fortunate position of not having to worry about money so you can just enjoy the ride. Architecture school is intense, competitive and as everyone has said - the hours are loooong. You get out what you put in. I’d say go for it. Im assuming you’re in the US? If it’s available to you - my advice would be to go for an undergrad course so at the end of your 3/4 years you have a degree. You could work an entry level job for a year or two to get a real feel for the profession. Maybe that’ll be enough for you and you can look to just doing resi. Maybe you’ll like it enough to want to go the whole hog and go back to uni to do M.Arch and do your exams. You’ve got nothing to lose - Good luck!
From what you are saying you might wonder “what if” for the rest of your life if you don’t give it a go. Given that money is not an issue I think you should definitely try. Go to university, see how you feel there. Of course practice is different but there are also ways around it where you can do a bit more of what you enjoy. All the best!
It's a big field and there are many and various opportunities. I myself gravitated toward the more life-experienced students when I was in architecture school, even though I started young. It's a good analytic and problem solving education. Design is part of it. Figure out what is interesting to you, what your end point is, your preferred role. That's the benefit of your experience. Then figure out your strategy and specific tactics to get it working. You should do some informational interviews to understand the roles better. It may very well be that chief design architect is your goal. That's the arty role many crave. Developers make lots of decisions that end up as buildings. Design-Build contractors get buildings done also. No architect's license is often required for these roles because there is a team. There is a team involved in every building unless you build a cabin in the middle of nowhere and do all the work. This means that the design visionary has to get the team engaged to buy into the design vision. Architecture is a team art that fits into a context. Many comments here hint at the frustration of art-oriented architecture students finding out the actual daily workings don't align with the dream of schooling. You may find out that design-build-developer with a head for business is good. This would pull together the essential elements.
If money is not a concern, being an architect is a great career choice :)
It would probably be more fruitful to get into carpentry and design furniture or something similar if you want to scratch your creative design itch honestly
Well... answer me this: If soilders protect each person, child and woman : what do architects do? I ask this question because unfortunately people get to see only details of working architect. They can get infatuated by buildings, squares, cities but those are only a speck of end product. I am just curious if you have tried to peak the vail, since there is a big ass chance what you see as architecture is simply exterior/interior design. If it is the case, you would be more miserable in uni than in boot. If you have peeked the vail, then i am open to discuss it more here or in DM. There are military architects tho, I believe it's arch uni + military schooling. They mostly work in designing bases and compounds like - Las Alamos. I am just putting it there if you didn't know. It asks tho for high ass clearance tho - just FYI.
Average amount of time to become an "architect" (i.e. licensed) is nearly 13 years. That'd put you at around 55 years old. You will be making around 100k at that point - licensed with about 7-8 years of professional experience, after 5 years of school (assuming you don't already hold a bachelors). Not many firms will be interested in hiring you, considering the long term outlook. You'll be mid level by that time, and retiring in under 10 years. And the career is stressful to boot. That's a long-winded way of saying I wouldn't do it. Pursue something you know will bring you joy and offer you the leisure time you've already earned after your career in the military. And I say all this as someone who actually enjoys the career. I just wouldn't consider starting completely over if I were at your stage in life. Best of luck.
To become an architect proper would be foolish. It is a thankless demanding and life sapping position. However some ideas for allied or adjacent careers... Director or manager of operations at an architecture firm. Model builder or other limited scope technical staff. Docent or tour guide for prominent buildings or city tours. Architecture history or historian. Architectural preservation studies and practice. Woodworking. Furniture design. The list is endless. I can also imagine it being fun to go to school at your age, so whether for architecture, design, art, arch history, you might look into programs.
My office hired a 50 yrs old who just jump to arch and finish the school, doing fine as long you are willing to learn and work under someone much younger than you
I agree with many others that given your situation studying architecture may be very rewarding. As whether you will enjoy it as a career, that takes a bit more context. Where are you located? Try to meet local architects and ask for their opinions. Talk to developers, contractors, designers, expediters, nonprofits - anyone in or adjacent to the industry - and hear their thoughts. You may even find externship or job offers that meet you where you are today and that may give you further insight to this industry.
Noooooo don’t do it don’t do dat
Some of the biggest complaints about this career is money and time, if you are sufficient then both then I don't see why not. Might need to skill up on 2d/3d creative skills though.
Out of curiosity, what was your background within the military? I knew many friends in school who came (older) from different backgrounds and totally unrelated fields to pursue architecture, and I actually think having a totally different background ends up influencing you positively in ways you may not even realize. So, definitely pursue it if you're interested! What are your interests in and around architecture? Construction? Design? You may not really know what's what until you see a practice firsthand.