<p>How is the quality of the work done by design/build firms? I can see that for something small and basic, but not for anything big.</p>
<p>Also, are you saying that there is not enough work to go around and that causes cut-throat competition within the profession? Are there any specialty areas of architecture that are easier to get into or that have more work available?</p>
<p>overall i'd say it really depends on the economy. when the economy is good, it's not very competitive because there is a lot of work to be done. when the economy is bad, no one gets jobs, no matter how good you are.</p>
<p>lkf725-the problem though is that architecture is NOT art. it is grounded very practically and makes a huge impact in many ways. the problem is that people see architecture as simply an art which is why people don't understand the value of design and won't invest in it. there seems to be a notion that practicality requires you to sacrifice design or 'art' but really, design enhances practicality because design in architecture is a lot about performance and impacting how people live.</p>
<p>i am a big believer in architects developing their own projects. this i believe is the biggest way architects can make a big impact in shaping the environment. developers make a far bigger impact environmentally than architects because they are the ones who lead and initiate projects. the problem though is that developers are not trained as architects so the decisions they make can often be wasteful or harmful.</p>
<p>you can always develop your own projects if the economy is good or bad. in fact, some students i knew who graduated a couple of years back couldn't find any jobs because the economy wasn't doing very well. so they drove around the city and looked at neglected properties that they could develop. just be careful of the financial risks involved</p>