Students with designs on our future

With nearly half of the the country's architects either out of a job or underemployed, now might not seem the ideal time to sign up for a degree in architecture. However, the lastest crop of students to enrol are hoping that, by the time they graduate, the economy will be back on its feet and the construction industry back in business. Five first-year students telll EMMA CULLINANwhy they've signed up for architecture school, and how their ideas could shape the way we live tomorrow

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO STUDY ARCHITECTURE?

RebeccaI've always been interested in it. I grew up in Dubai – I've been in Ireland for about five years – and I saw the Burj al Arab going up, the building in the sea. I lived across from Palm Island. The skyline here is completely different. In Dubai, you have desert and then all of a sudden you hit the city with all these buildings, then you get desert again and then more buildings. I grew up with a love of buildings. When people asked what I wanted to do, I always said architecture – and then I decided that I wanted so badly to do it, more than anything, that I would be willing to repeat if I didn't get in.

PaulI took up technical drawing at Junior Cert and liked it. I did Transition Year work placements and I took one with an architect in Navan called Trevor Foster. He brought me around the place and showed me everything that an architect does and I really enjoyed it.

HugoI've liked it ever since I was a baby. My grandad is an architect (Randal McDonnell). When he was minding me, I would sit in his office, which was part of his house, and there were always models – which I loved playing with. And I was always interested in drawing.

DiarmuidI have already qualified as a technician and now want to do architecture. I originally wanted to be a block layer but my dad persuaded me to go to college and I went to Enniscorthy to do construction studies.

The course opened my eyes and I loved it because I like drawing. After that I did the technician course at WIT (Waterford Institute of Technology) and then set up my own business and ran it for three-and-a-half years.

Then I realised that the things you learn in fourth year would stand to you and be a lot of use. You don’t realise these things until you go out on your own. The new regulations made me decide to go back to college and qualify as an architect. It was a big decision to stop earning and go back – it will take four more years – but, with the recession, I was not really earning money anyway.

SophieMy main reason is that I wanted to use my artistic ability for a purpose. I have always been interested in shapes and colours and loved art classes. I am lucky enough to have travelled to loads of different places – my dad lives in Egypt – and I always have a camera. I've seen the differences in design between places. In more populated countries and in big cities, you have towers of homes on top of homes, whereas in rural areas there are more traditional houses.

I’ve heard that there is a lot of studio work on the course and I’m excited about that. I’m the kind of person who likes a focus – to have something to keep working on, with an end result. In architecture school, you can work from 9am to 6pm without a break and might sometimes work through the night, and I’m a night person.

THE RECESSION DIDN’T PUT YOU OFF, THEN?

RebeccaNo. Recessions come and go.

PaulNot really. I would like to work in Ireland but I have no problem with travelling if the work is elsewhere.

HugoI am hoping that I have come to it at the right time – hoping it will have turned around by the time I graduate.

SophieHopefully, when I come out in five years, everything will have changed again. If not, I have no problem with travelling.

WHAT AREAS WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORK IN?

RebeccaI've never really thought about that. I guess I would like to own a business, although I think that's pretty difficult. And hopefully I'll design something that stands out – I love buildings that stand out and make a statement.

PaulI'll see what strengths of mine come out in the course. I like being precise with everything, neat and tidy. I like taking sketches and bringing them to neat, readable drawings – turning it into the final product.

HugoI like the idea of doing domestic things, small extensions. I know you have to begin with that, but I've always been interested in urban planning and larger work.

My mum’s cousin works as an urban planner in Africa. They take huge towns which have to be moved for whatever reason, and they rehouse people. I really hope I can go over and work there.

DiarmuidIt depends. I've been self-employed before, so I have seen the potential out there. There would be the bread-and-butter domestic houses, up to commercial work and schools and libraries – that's where the money is and I'd like to see myself there in 10 years' time.

SophieI really like Snøhetta's work. They do huge global buildings for many different countries. They must have a huge budget, and that would be brilliant because then you could push out boundaries and explore. I saw their library in Alexandria [in Egypt] and was blown away by that. I didn't even realise that it was a library. The wall and ceiling shapes were amazing.

But I know I will start with small extensions. There will be lots of work restoring buildings now, especially after the recession, and I would be into doing that: giving a building a face-lift and making sure it’s in working order.

WHAT DO YOU THINK BUILDINGS OF THE FUTURE MIGHT BE LIKE?

RebeccaSome 1980s buildings still look very modern. Some people still like buildings that are old. It all depends on the architects. There will be more environmentally friendly buildings. In Dubai, they have built a tower with wind turbines between each floor. They give enough energy to power 10 other buildings.

PaulI honestly couldn't tell you. It depends on influences. Nobody pulls things out of the sky, they take bits and pieces from everyone else and make it their own. Maybe I'll have more of an idea after six months on the course.

HugoI imagine it depends on the money. If it's banks, they will want the usual skyscrapers with big lobbies. Governments might want more logical things like motorways and railways. It depends on who has the balance of power.

I hope we’ve turned the corner from glass and steel. It looks modern but it is too easy to replicate. I like mixing old and new, especially in Dublin – it won’t work everywhere. Buildings of the future will also have to be able to withstand environmental challenges and earthquakes.

DiarmuidThey will be very sustainable – there won't be such a waste of energy.

SophieLoads of glass: I just see glass. There will be more natural light so you won't need as much electricity, and hopefully solar energy will have developed and be cheaper to install. Buildings of the future will also have many different shapes.

WHICH ARCHITECTS AND BUILDINGS DO YOU LIKE?

RebeccaIn Dublin, I'm going to be mainstream and say I love the Grand Canal Theatre by Daniel Libeskind. He's my favourite architect. I think he's amazing. I also love Sunlight Chambers on the Liffey, with its intricate carvings. I love that you can like completely different buildings: something modern, and the old redbricks like the ones on Merrion Square.

PaulI like Grafton Architects. They did a building in my home town of Dunshaughlin, Co Meath – a county council building which won awards.

It’s a really modern, neat-looking building. It’s different to every other building in the town. It has its own distinct style. The new bridge at Limerick University is spectacular. I am excited by good design.

HugoI've always been into deconstructivism and rationalism. I want to move abroad at some stage. There are great architects here, but I'd like to take a year out. I'd like to go to lectures by Frank Gehry: he's developed a CAD (computer aided design) programme in which you can create complicated shapes. I'd love to do that kind of thing.

I do like Gehry’s work. It’s hard to dislike it. He’s good at explaining his work. A lot of architects can’t verbally describe their work. If you find an architect you can talk to and who can design well, you’ve got a happy client.

DiarmuidI like Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater – that's one of my favourites of the old school. The new stuff I like is in Dubai, there's great stuff out there. I don't know what way my design will go but there will be influences from old and new.

SophieI like Scott Tallon Walker's Commissioners of Irish Lights building in Dún Laoghaire. It has wide views of the harbour and looks like the top of a lighthouse. I think the main idea was to incorporate what the company does into the design. I think that's brilliant. I saw it at last year's Open House weekend.

WHAT ROLE DOES DESIGN HAVE IN SOCIETY?

RebeccaIt is definitely important. It can create atmospheres: you can design a place where people can go and relax. Everyone has their own opinion though – one thing can be thought beautiful by some people and disgusting by others. The Central Bank building in Dublin's Temple Bar caused a response: some people hate it, some like it.

PaulDesign is influenced by society. It takes from its surroundings and culture. Architects maybe use the better influences.

HugoA lot of people buy things because of design. When you go to buy a teapot, you are looking for a nice one.

If you get design right you can fuel consumerism. People go to an architect because they like the look of someone’s extension they’ve done or something they’ve seen in a magazine. Design is central to society.

DiarmuidA fairly big one. Design is one of the first things that catches people's eyes and is a topic of conversation. Having been self-employed and designed buildings, I realise that all people have their own concept of what they like. An architect's role can be to persuade them out of certain things.

Someone might want windows all along one side of the house and you have to say that it is a bad idea because they would all be on the north side. You have to work with what you have on the site. Design is not only about aesthetics but also function.

SophieIt sounds weird, but it almost controls your emotions. You have a feeling when you go into a building: will it make you happy? Are you attracted to it?

Are you drawn in? If you’re working in an office, you want to be happy. You don’t want a dark atmosphere.