In this book, we interviewed seven architects who run their own architectural design offices. All of them have been successful in the construction industry, however, each individual has their own career and body of work. It has been about 10 to 20 years since they established their own offices. We wanted to get a candid view of the difficulties they faced throughout their careers and how they overcame them. Living is not always a beautiful thing, and the stories of how they approached architecture in sometimes pure and sometimes cunning ways can lead to a deeper and richer understanding of life beyond the appreciation of the architecture itself.
That’s why this interview collection is not meant to be a guide to becoming an architect or working for a design office. We hope that students who are studying architecture, architects who are navigating the challenges of starting their own business, and young people who are anxious about how to live positively will all gain something from their insights. Needless to say, being an architect is not just a job, it is living a life surrounded by and deeply connected to architecture. What is written here is a portrait of seven architects who continue to live their lives creatively without being swayed by the shifts in values and economic circumstances that surround them in broader society. We believe the fresh insights contained in this book will help ease the anxiety you face and serve as a spark of encouragement to tackle new challenges head-on.