GCSE/ALevel choice for Architecture: Art or Graphic design?

[Bidibidiba]

Hi!
My daughter is in Y9 and will soon need to narrow down her choice of subjects for GCSE. While not set in stone, she's thinking of Architecture for higher education. So I thought Math, Physics and Art are necessary, but DD argues that Graphic Design would be more relevant and workload more manageable in A level.
I don't think she will be able to keep both ART + Graphic Design for GCSE so will need to drop one of the 2. Do you think some universities prefers one over the other ? is there a portfolio in Graphic Design?
Nb. DH and I did not experience education in the UK ourselves, so feeling a bit lost with the choices to make... Any insight welcome.
Thank you!

I don't think it will massively matter as there are no specific subject requirements so I would go with what she prefers and is good at. A huge element of Architecture these days is data and 3D modelling so I would bear that in mind. When she gets to Year 10/Year 11, it might be more prudent to arrange work experience for her within an Architecture practice. That would probably be more attractive to a University.

Also bear in mind, she's only Year 9 and by the time she gets to Year 13 she may have changed her mind, anyhow. My DD is Year 11 and changes her mind every 6 months. We've tried to keep GCSE and A Level choices as broad as possible.

Thank you @CornishGem1975 . Very true .. And that's why the English system narrowing subjects so early worries me. (At my time - ie Jurassic period.. - in France, we kept practically all the subjects up to Alevel.).

And yes, good point re. mini work experience! thanks

I think a lot of places do require a portfolio for architecture, so if she is not doing an artsy subject at A level she will need to find extra time to put something together.

I suggest going to the UCAS website (which is where you actually apply for uni) and searching up some architecture degrees to see exactly what sort of requirements they have - both in terms of subject and portfolio.

Thank you @seeline, I'll have a look at the UCAS website. And try to find out whether Graphic Design involves a portfolio.

Here is one from the Uni of Reading - interesting they don't expect digital skills so reading that, I'd sway towards the Art because that would be much more helpful at building a portfolio.

"Your portfolio should demonstrate creative thinking as well as technical ability. There is no expectation of any prior digital drawing skills.

Freehand skills are valued in architecture, therefore sketchbooks showing creative thinking and ideas are particularly relevant. If you have drawings or other graphic representations which have been developed using any type of software, these should be included.

The portfolio may comprise materials from an art or design-related A level, or other relevant work. Please include photographs of any large-scale work which cannot otherwise be readily included in the portfolio."

Also meant to say - check with the school, they may allow both Art and Graphic Design at GCSE as they are quite different subjects.

The only combination you weren't allowed at ours was a GCSE in Business and then a BTEC in Business. My DS is doing two computer-based subjects.

Is Graphics DT?

Or are both art and graphics art and design options?

I taught A level Graphics (Dt) and Art A level for hundreds of years. Either are acceptable for architecture.

Daughter just qualified as architect. Her ALevels were Art,German and Physics. Take the subject your daughter most interested.
To qualify as architect has taken 7 years long Lot of hard work, Just look at courses at uni. Try get some work experience.

3D modelling isn’t done by the architects generally it’s done by people employed to model the architects 2D drawings (generally) so I’d not get too hung up there!

DP is an architect and they all did art but we are old so graphic design wouldn’t have been an option.

I work at architectural technologist office all our team here are actually from maths and science backgrounds with no actual 'art' qualifications.

I asked my director out of interest and he said these days IT would be preferable. But as long as they have maths and science grades and can show passion and willing to learn alongside essential skills he would consider recruiting a candidate.

I must say the job roles between Architects and Architechural Technologists are slightly different and our RIBA Architects prefer drawing free hand before digitally. Our office accepts both free hand and digital building design portfolios as well as digital porfolios (experience with database creation, IT design) one trainee actually showed website design portfolio which was accepted by the training provided for his course!.

My husband studied architecture at uni and in the first year there was a whole module with free hand drawing which he really struggled with. So I'm guessing doing art for GCSe or alevel may help in the long run.

Thank you so much everyone, lots of interesting insights! It's true that it feels like methods are currently evolving. Although I had a look at a couple of university websites and they tend to mention Art as "highly desirable" (but not compulsory). No mention of DT/graphics.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow yes, Graphics is part of DT.

I taught a boy A level Textiles DT. He got into an architecture course. His drawings were amazing.

At dds school you can take one Art (or design) type subject and one technology DT subject.
It would be possible to take GCSE Art and incorporate some graphics into the portfolio of work.
The focus in DT is partly design, but a lot of the marks are for making the product. It is coursework concentrating on one product in the final year and a written exam. Whereas for Art it's a coursework portfolio and a practical exam.
For Art and Design type A levels the sixth forms require a portfolio of work.
DT Graphics at A level is no longer possible in England. It was a victim of the A level reforms a few years ago. Are you sure the DT graphics is a GCSE and not a vocational equivalent? dd had to take Product Design as we were informed that DT graphics was no longer possible.
There is also Graphic Communications offered at A level (and possible GCSE) this is part of the Art and Design group of qualifications.
I would say if she is not sure of future options the best plan is to take Art and then specialise later.

Three of the lads in my sons year have started architecture degrees (well, one has deferred). All did art, one as an A level, two as part of IBCP. None did DT (graphics was not offered as a separate course).
Interestingly, and it may not affect your child, but none got their first choice even though their grades were above published typical offers. Combination of the higher grades given in 2020 and deferrals meant less places for 2021 starts.

My DS is in his second year of an architecture degree with A levels in Maths, Physics and DT (Product Design). He did DT at GCSE too (Resistant Materials) rather than Art. He got 4 offers from good unis when applying. The only disadvantage to not doing Art was he had less to put in a portfolio (needed by 2 of his UCAS choices) so had to spend more time doing independent work to create these.

@Bidibidiba
If the architecture departments say Art is highly desirable, they mean the really want to see it. It’s a notch form from required but if places are tight, they might filter out DC who don’t have it. I think art makes the portfolio easier. However he will need to do this early for possible interviews or submission on line. Therefore if he’s not doing art, it’s harder to get this done.

Lots of architects don’t see themselves as technicians using computers. It can be very creative and art is used to express ideas. So I think Art is best.

DD's friend is studying architecture at Cambridge. She did A Level art but the school does not teach graphic design. She had to supply a portfolio.

DD did Graphics and Art and Design GCSE last year, her submitted sketchbooks were very different for each subject. She is taking Graphics A level too and although she is not looking at architecture, they were told it was fine for applying for architecture.

I'm an architect. Art above graphic design any day of the week in my opinion! Graphics is fun and interesting but pretty narrow and not very academic either. Courses are super competitive to get onto these days.

Freehand drawing in architecture is still valued and degree courses in particular often have quite fine art based modules.

Dd is an architect student. She did graphic design, biology and photography a levels. She didn’t need art. She had stuff from her graphic design a level work which she used for her degree application portfolio along with stuff from gcse art and photography.

She had to submit a portfolio for each uni and got 5 offers.

Nobody insisted on art, or maths or physics. I think one or two unis might…..Bristol and the Bartlett might want maths iirc but most don’t officially care about a levels. I asked at multiple open days as I was worried (we went in year 11) so we could check and every uni said pick what you want but be prepared to do stuff in your own time for a portfolio.

One thing I will say is how tough the course is. I’m not sure Dd would have chosen it if she’d realised. The drop out rate is awful. They start with 80 per year and expect to only have about 20 make the end of year 3. Work load is crazy. Pre covid was 60 hour weeks on campus, they get keys to the studio and are in their till the small hours some nights, take sleeping bags and get a couple of hours sleep before “crits”.

Dd is in year 2 (took a year out to recover from year 1) and half the cohort have jacked it in already. They don’t seem to have such a crazy workload since covid though.

I'm an architect. Art above graphic design any day of the week in my opinion! Graphics is fun and interesting but pretty narrow and not very academic either.

I'd dispute your view about graphics being narrow and not very academic. DD's graphics course was (and is) very wide ranging, her art GCSE was very, very limited - one of the reasons she chose graphics over art at A level. Lots of political and historical research is going into her current graphics project, plus working in different mediums. I trained in art and design (and retrained in an associated field) , and wish I'd had the choice of graphics at school.

@CovidCorvid

Dd is an architect student. She did graphic design, biology and photography a levels. She didn’t need art. She had stuff from her graphic design a level work which she used for her degree application portfolio along with stuff from gcse art and photography.

She had to submit a portfolio for each uni and got 5 offers.

Nobody insisted on art, or maths or physics. I think one or two unis might…..Bristol and the Bartlett might want maths iirc but most don’t officially care about a levels. I asked at multiple open days as I was worried (we went in year 11) so we could check and every uni said pick what you want but be prepared to do stuff in your own time for a portfolio.

One thing I will say is how tough the course is. I’m not sure Dd would have chosen it if she’d realised. The drop out rate is awful. They start with 80 per year and expect to only have about 20 make the end of year 3. Work load is crazy. Pre covid was 60 hour weeks on campus, they get keys to the studio and are in their till the small hours some nights, take sleeping bags and get a couple of hours sleep before “crits”.

Dd is in year 2 (took a year out to recover from year 1) and half the cohort have jacked it in already. They don’t seem to have such a crazy workload since covid though.

Sorry, she did product design at A level. Graphic design was gcse.

I'd also do art, as the owner of a graphic design agency we are very much branding, 2D visual and creatives with a strong technical computer based workload.

But as a selection of creatives we all have a love of "art" I can draw, my staff are illustrators, photographers etc, and we all started as "art students"

So art gives you the creative grounding, I wouldn't recommend a GCSE in graphic design unless she was heading down a branding or design pathway.

I'd stay with the creative artistic route.