Similar to the #ArchiTalks posts; this ‘Special’ is for Fathers Day where a bunch of architects that are also dads post on their experience of being an #ArchiDad…

I guess my first experience of the #ArchiDad was at college where there was always one fellow student who was the off-spring of an architect. I still think that they definitely had a head start; where they’ve seen drawings, experienced the anguished process and held the models that Daddy made and brought home. Everyone levels out in the end but if you’re Dad is an architect then take it from me that you definitely know the score ahead of the other students.

My own father (David Bernard Lewis Stephens) was a mathematics lecturer and you can read more about him HERE. So although he didn’t help in the architecture; he definitely gave me a leg-up to get through A level Maths.

So now I am a father, of four boys currently raging from 23 down to 14. Two have left home for college (one is working whilst researching for a Phd whilst the other is in second year). What’s interesting however is that none of them have had the slightest inkling of ever wanting to be an architect. Here’s the current likeliest professions:

Son 1: Researcher and Computer Games Developer
Son 2: Studying Music and Performance Technology
Son 3: Nearly finished Leaving Certificate (thank god) and fingers crossed wants to do some sort of science, possibly Physics
Son 4: Unsure but loves a good bit of baking & cake design

But look at the careers. For computer games development you need to be creating worlds. Look at Assassin’s Creed – they even had an architectural consultant that helped on the 3D world design and architectural design.

Look at the music – again creating and many would say the rhythms and harmonies of music are similar to architecture.

The physics – I wish I never game up Physics A level as a vast proportion of my work involving #Passivhaus design is entirely physics based

And cake design! Check out THIS GREAT LINK that shows what happens when architects turn to cake design. An image from this website is linked below:

Myself and my wife never consciously pushed our kids in any direction. We encouraged them to find the things that interested them and pursue what they enjoyed. Am I disappointed that none of them wanted to be architects? Nah, I just want my kids to be happy and find the thing that gives them purpose and enjoyment.

To all the Fathers out there – Have a great Father’s Day