Why I Think It’s Important To Do Things Outside Architecture

Since going on lockdown I have realised how important it is to have multiple hobbies in your life. Too many times I’ve seen people fall to their doom because they had all their eggs in one basket, relying on one job to support their living — and that’s what most people do.

Staying at home I’ve had the time to think about the different things I can be doing outside of architecture, yet I didn’t want to be too far off my platform so that everything would feed into my portfolio in the future. I’ve found shockingly a number of things that fit the shoe but there is no surprise that all of them take time, and dedication to master.

You Develop a Skillset That Potentially Can Help You Earn Extra Money

Here is my list of hobbies/jobs I found that feed into architecture and could earn you additional skillsets or money.

Illustration drawing or any type of drawing frankly
Model making
Architectural journaling or writing
Photography
Cake designer
Interior design
Laser cutting
3D printing
Visualiser/renderer
Product designer
Sustainability studies (a big one nowdays)

You Bring Something Extra to The Table

During today’s unprecedented times where there is a high number of unemployment, you need to stand out from the crowd. Having an extra skill that is synthesised with your main job potentially could attract employers to hire you.

With that being said, you also need to convince the employer how you’re going to use the skillset that you have to help the company do better.

You Break Routine

Doing something outside of your normal routine encourages you to think differently. I feel that shift when I go from doing architecture work to drawing or painting. My mind is less strained from thinking numbers and constraints and it becomes more free-flowing because I am boundary-free.

You might think of something similar in your life that gives you the same feeling either its cooking, sports, music — whatever that is, its important to break routine to encourage creative flow.

You Are Able to Engage in Interesting Conversations

The more you learn the broader the spectrum of people you can relate to. Being able to speak about different topics can put you at an advantage and potentially open doors of opportunity. Either if you’re an at a conference, a talk, gathering, social events, interview, or a simple conversation with a potential employer.