Architecture is the practice of designing buildings and structures for both practical and artistic reasons. When an architect designs a building or structure, he or she must keep in mind how the building is to be used, how to make it human-friendly, how safe and strong the building needs to be, and how it communicates ideas and experiences. While safety and stability are always a top priority, the other goals may vary in importance. Architecture can be broken down into subcategories. For example, domestic architecture deals with the design of homes, apartment buildings, and other dwellings. Recreational architecture involves places like museums and stadiums. Religious architecture is the design of churches, temples, shrines, and other places of worship.
Anyone interested in studying architecture should be creative by nature and have an interest in or talent for design. Because the safety and stability of a structure are the most important goals, you'll need an eye for detail. One wrong design could have serious consequences. You'll need good computer skills too. Most people who work in the field of architecture rely on software for their designs. You'll also need to be a good communicator and someone who works well with a team.
When you take online courses, you can learn all about architecture, ranging from the basic foundations and principles to more specific aspects of it, such as creating sustainable structures or the importance of religious architecture. You can also learn about the history of architecture, such as how it impacted the Roman empire, or about the specific architecture of a region, country, or continent.
Many people who study architecture do so to become architects. You may decide to specialize in a specific subcategory of the practice, such as landscape architecture or naval architecture. However, many other people go on to careers related to the designing and construction of structures. You may become a surveyor, a town planner, an interior designer, a drafter, a construction manager, an architectural technician, or a civil or structural engineer. You may even go on to work in the film industry as a production or set designer.