"Invest in the skills" - Patrick Schumacher of Zaha Hadid Architects

We had the honour of talking with architect and architectural theorist  Patrik Schumacher during the World Architecture Festival 2017 in Berlin. As principal at Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) and a published author, he is recognised as a prominent thought leader in his field. We are happy to share his viewpoints on what young architects should focus on as they embark on their career path.

What advice would you give to someone applying to work at your practice?

It depends what you’ve done so far. I’m not sure how much you can manage by just putting the CV together. It’s building the CV in real life and for that I think it’s important to be building up a skill and building up computational skills and showing that you can design complex projects.

What do you think makes a candidate stand out?

We like a candidate that is articulate, easygoing, good communicator; and that’s first impressions. In the end it's the work itself that is most important. We can see very quickly the level of maturity and the level of originality; don’t be shy.

What would you like to see in a portfolio?

Mostly digital is good to show a bit of the process behind the project, if you have the work it speaks for itself. I wouldn’t worry too much about the actual interaction. Just be relaxed and open and frank. No pretense please.

What advice would you give someone starting out?

Two things: invest in the skills, the computational skills, grasshopper scripting, various plug-ins and also BIM perhaps for professional expertise. Also to take seriously the professionalism aspect, so professional practice knowledge is very useful. I think [it’s] exciting and interesting once you get into it. And read my works [a two-volume, 1,200-page book called the Autopoiesis of Architecture].

 Watch the full Patrick Schumacher video here [https://www.bespokecareers.com/uk/videos]