Narratives of Architectural Education
Narratives of Architectural Education provides an overview of life as an architecture student, detailing how a layperson may develop an architectural identity. This book proposes becoming an architect as a personal narrative of professional development structured around various stages and challenges associated with identity transformation.
Using a case study of aspiring architects along multiple time points of their professional education, Thompson investigates the occupational identity of architects; how individuals construct a sense of themselves as future architects and position themselves within the architectural community.
This book provides previously unexamined insights into not just the academic development of an architect, but also the holistic and experiential aspects of architectural education. It would be ideal for those in the educational field of architecture, to include students, educators, interns, and mentors.
James Thompson is a Lecturer at the University of Portsmouth’s School of Architecture. He earned his PhD from the University of Washington’s College of Built Environments and his Master of Architecture from the University of Minnesota.