How to Write About Architecture for Students

Most students who take up architecture as a profession/career are not prepared for what’s coming along with it, and that is the writing part.

“Too many architecture students can’t write.” stated a writer for the Chronicle of Higher Education.

If you agree with the above, you’ll probably wonder why it is so.

To begin with, you are not at fault.

That’s because when you were younger, you were certainly taught how to write English essays or use proper grammar – practically, nothing more than that.

Then, college life came and you probably did a lot of writing, but yours was probably nowhere near high standard architectural writing.

And all of a sudden, your chosen career path happens, demanding writing skills! And now here you are, looking up guides on how to write about architecture.

Related Articles

21 Careers You Can Pursue with a Degree in Architecture

The Best Architecture Portfolio Examples, Covers, Designs

Plagiarism and Architecture｜If You Build It, They Will Copy It

How to Write About Architecture for Students

What can I do to excel in architectural writing?

So we understand that this must certainly be a herculean task for you at the moment because to master writing, while simultaneously focusing on your academics is definitely not easy.

So today, we’re going to offer you a few steps on how to nail architectural writing while you’re still practicing.

And with that in mind, let’s begin!

1. Facts

First things first, get your facts straight.

Imagine having to speak to an audience about a particular topic and one of them starts questioning the statistics of a statement which you are not completely sure of. What would you do then?

The power to convince readers about a point lies in supplying a fair amount of facts throughout the entire paper.

Facts are one of the most important contents of the paper because they earn the writer credibility. However, when using facts, make sure that they aren’t vague. They should be clear and specific. That is how anybody can understand what you’re talking about.

For instance, if you have to state about a structure being carefully built, explain how and what makes it magnificent.

A good fact leaves no space for doubts in the reader’s mind, nor does it make them wonder what the writer is talking about.

For reliable quality articles, look up sources such as Psychnet, Google Scholar, JSTOR, etc.

2. Share your own views and perceptions

When writing an architectural essay or a dissertation, show the readers your perceptions about the selected topic. It can be anything

If people are reading your piece, chances are they’re intrigued by what’s going on in the mind of the writer. Take advantage of this by letting them see your thoughts about a matter in the best way possible.

In the process of doing so, do not be afraid to reveal what you think as long as the content is beautifully and carefully crafted.

Remember that most readers read with an open mind – to see, learn, and absorb. So if you are showing them what you think, be sure that it stays sincere and clear.

3. Prepare a scene

To come up with a good piece of architectural writing, there should be a scene somewhere responsible for capturing the reader’s mind and getting them hooked on it.

The technique is commonly known as ‘setting’. Setting requires you to create an image in the mind of the readers of the place so that they feel like they’re staring at it when they read.

A setting is specifically useful for architectural writing because it describes the place and whatever is going on in a delightful, poetic tone.  

Besides that, what it does is keep the readers interested and excited about what’s coming next.

To write a captivating scene, you must be able to improve your ability to observe the surroundings.

And when you finally have to write about it, try to describe the place as if it’s got a life of its own. You can do so by telling the readers about its aura and the feeling it gives someone being there.

4. Use metaphors and similes

Almost all of us understand things better with examples, especially when it comes to challenging topics.

This is one of the main reasons why most talented writers use similes and metaphors. The purpose of using these devices is to portray an idea very precisely without having to mention its actual term.

Good metaphors and similes act as comparison devices and substitute what is not familiar to most people with something that is much more relatable or common.

In a field as difficult as architecture, metaphors and similes are crucial. Here’s why:

For example, there is a topic about a project which you are sure only people from the field of architecture would understand at first glance. But then, what about the rest of the readers?

In such cases, using metaphors or similes would be a great idea. It will not only help these other readers to understand it better but the vivid description will stay in their minds whenever they think of that particular matter.

5. Use personification

The use of personification helps widen readers’ imagination. Not only that but it also makes them discern matters better.

The secret behind the power of personification is that humans can relate better to other humans.

What personification does is it take an inanimate object and give life to it, figuratively. And a very good personification can go to the extent of making non-human objects seem as though they have emotions and feelings as humans do.

So if the writer describes a building as it appears, we will, of course, try to understand it from a vocational point of view. But when the writer describes the building as though it possesses human traits and attributes, readers will find it to be both interesting and easy to comprehend.

Rather than just seeing the building for what it is, personification helps create a new perspective of the structure in the reader’s mind, even to the point of relating to it.

6. Insert a quote

If you want to grab the reader’s attention immediately, start off with a catchy, meaningful quote.

The purpose of a quote is to support your writing through the statements of other people. Therefore, a quote should be an initiator to a point that you are going to make.

Besides, quotes are easier and quicker to read, and most people find them to be useful and interesting. Also, readers draw inspiration from quotations because they indicate people with experiences and knowledge.

You can also insert quotes inside your contents. But make sure to plant those quotes only at necessary periods since too many quotes will disrupt your own original points.

A golden tip of when to drop some quotes is when you feel like there is a lack of support for your writing. In this case, a quote acts as a shred of evidence that whatever you are stating is genuine.

Another good reason to use a quote is to make the writer appear well-informed, hence, increasing their credibility.

7. Insert emotion/feeling

If you want to capture the hearts of your readers, and not just their attention, then try bringing in emotions and feelings to your piece.

Generally, whether they admit it or not, readers like it when there are feelings involved in something they read. This is because it strikes something that is personal to them – their emotions. And when it does, they grow more and more curious about where the writer will take them next.

But your question right now would probably be “Does that even apply to architectural writing?”

Yes, it does.

Look around you. Buildings are creations of people who put in hours of work to design and build them. And when they’re completed, somebody somewhere is the happiest person at that period of time.  

Apart from that, there are also structures that hide reasons and stories within them, making them highly valuable. If you go back in time, there are a tonne of examples of constructions and monuments that are treasured until now because of the touching stories associated with them.

8. Inject humor

Everybody loves a writer with a good sense of humor.

It is probably the best tool to lighten up the mood of your readers when things become too informative that can make them lose focus easily.

Just be sure that when writing something funny, let it come to you naturally so that it does not appear as forced.

If you want the audience to keep turning pages and stay interested, inserting witty humor is one way to do it. It also helps them to re-engage themselves with the whole narrative.

Also, humor is a great device for addressing serious or uncomfortable criticisms, while defending your own point at the same time.

But most of all, readers love to have a good laugh and this is important because then, the writer has won the heart of the audience.

9. Use imagery

While a setting focuses on the description and the mood of a place, imagery describes what’s going on in it.

Since the architecture language is hard for everybody to understand, imagery is one of the best ways to simplify things a little.

Imagery is one of the key writing techniques to use because rather than just telling readers what is there, you’re actually showing them instead; and that helps the audience understand the piece much clearer.

Good imagery is one that can stimulate the reader’s senses, where they can actually see, hear or feel whatever the writer is describing.

The whole idea of good imagery in architecture is to give the reader a very clear and distinct picture of the structure or project, almost as if bringing them into the scene.

To make use of the power of imagery, one needs to deliver the contents in a very detailed, dramatic style.

Two golden rules students must always maintain for writing

• Good presentation

The overall outlook of your paper should have a good presentation. This is essential for every student opting architectural writing because it defines and enhances their professional image.

• Excellent structure

Using all the points and tricks we’ve mentioned is not enough if the structure does not have a flow. Therefore, you should put in some thought into the structure of the document before starting to write.

How to produce an excellent piece or writing

By now, you must have figured that architectural writing is no different from creative writing. So in order to come up with an excellent high academic paper, here are a few things you can do:

• Use helpful writing software

Whether the piece will be on paper or on screen, writing software will surely come in handy. There are a lot of software out there that will assist you in writing and making it look highly professional.

Some of these are Grammarly, Ginger, Evernote, Hemingway Editor, WPS Office, Prowritingaid, etc.

• Practice, practice, practice!

Everybody has heard of the saying “practice makes perfect”.

Without practice, there is no way anybody will find out what their hidden skills are, let alone master writing. So if you want to be able to write a paper that will awe your readers, make sure you spare a generous amount of time for practicing.

If you have a writer or a writing style that you adore, it would be an excellent idea to imitate that because by doing so, you are constructing a clear path of how your writing should be.

Finally, as obvious as it may seem, it’s important to start enjoying writing. This way, it will encourage you to be more creative and confident.

• Writing services

If you are in a rush to complete your work/assignment on time and you have no idea what to do, don’t worry. There are places where you can engage yourself with writers who provide great custom dissertation writing service to complete your task.

While you’re still grasping the idea of architectural writing, observe how these writers skillfully pen down each and every sentence to present an exquisite architecture paper.

Conclusion

So there you have it! All the effective steps to consider when writing on architecture.

Architectural writing does not always have to be in a serious tone/mood. Keep in mind that whenever it’s time to write, think about how you can attract the wider/general audience more. That way, you’ll slowly and naturally start to develop better writing skills.

We wish you good luck!