Are architects really cool?

The answer to this question is: It depends on the person.

The general public has a preconception about what an architect is by watching television and movies. If you can't think of any off the top of you head here's a list that I found posted on another website. (The original author was someone named "manfromearth".) See how many of these movies you've seen in your life.

Movies with actors/actress playing architects:

* At First sight -1999 ( Mira Sorvino )
* 12 Angry Men-1957(Henry Fonda)
* Backstab-1990 ( James Brolin )
* The Bedroom Window -1987 ( Steve Guttenberg )
* Belly of an Architect-1990 (Brian Dennehy)
* The Black Cat-1934 (Boris Karloff)
* Breaking and Entering-2006 (Jude Law, Martin Freeman)
* The Brass Bottle- 1964 (Steve Randall )
* The Christmas Gift-1986 ( John Denver )
* Click -2006(Adam Sandler)
* .Com for Murder-2003(Roger Daltrey)
* Dangerous-1935 (Franchot Tone)
* Death Wish -1974(Charles Bronson)
* Designing Heaven-2006? (Richard Gere)
* Don’t Look Now-1970 (Donald Sutherland)
* Dream Lover-1994( James Spader )
* Earthquake-1974 (Charleton Heston)
* Falling in Love-1984 ( Robert DeNiro)
* Fear -1996(William Peterson)
* Fearless-1993 (Jeff Bridges)
* Firewall-2006(Virginia Madsen)
* FountainHead-1949(Gary Cooper)
* The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing-1955 ( Ray Milland )
* Hanky Panky-1982 ( Gene Wilder )
* Hiroshima Mon Amour-1959 (Eiji Okada)
* The Holcroft Covenant-1985 (Michael Caine)
* Housesitter-1992 ( Steve Martin )
* Indecent Proposal-1993 (Woody Harrelson)
* Inside the Third Reich-1982 ( Rutger Hauer )
* Intersection-1994 (Richard Gere)
* It's My Party-1996 ( Eric Roberts )
* Jungle Fever-1991 (Wesley Snipes)
* Just Like Heaven-2005 (Mark Ruffalo as a Landscape architect)
* The Jokers-1967 ( Oliver Reed )
* The Lake House-2006 (Keanu Reeves)
* Life as a House-2004(Kevin Kline)
* Mr. Blandings-1948 (Cary Grant)
* The Pallbearer-1996 (David Schwimmer)
* Pares y Nones-1982 ( Antonio Resines)
* Playing by Heart-1998 ( Jon Stewart)
* Poesidon-2006(Richard Dreyfuss)
* Pueblito-1961 ( Fernando Soler )
* One Fine Day- 1996(Michele Pfeiffer)
* Return to Me-2002 (David Duchovny)
* The Second Woman-1951 (Robert Young)
* The Serpants Kiss-1997 ( Ewan McGregor)
* Sleepless in Seattle-1993 ( Tom Hanks)
* Spanish Affair-1957 ( Richard Kiley )
* Super Ex-Girlfriend-2006 (Luke Wilson)
* Tempest-1982 ( John Cassavetes )
* That's Life-1986 ( Jack Lemmon )
* Three to tango-1999( Matthew Perry & Oliver Platt )
* 'Till there was You-1997 ( Dylan McDermott )
* The Towering Inferno-1974 (Paul Newman)
* Three Men and a Baby-1987 (Tom Selleck)
* Two for the Road-1967 (Abert Finney)
* White Noise-2005 ( Michael Keaton)
* World Traveler-2001 (Blly Crudup)

Then of course there are many television shows including:

* The Brady Bunch - Mike Brady
* Mr. Ed - Wilbur Post
* Seinfeld - George Costanza as Art Van de lay

So, now that you remember a few of these, ask yourself... "Are architects cool?"

I think it's safe to say that Hollywood portrays the architect's life as a very exciting one. According to Hollywood we always dress impeccably, drive sports cars, have great houses, travel to exotic places and are always surrounded by beautiful and interesting people.

There is some truth in this, however most architects that I know would envy this type of life, but with the [low] salaries that architects make it's very difficult to have most, or even a few of these things. Most architects that I know do it because they love the profession and what they get to create... and here's a key point... they love doing this despite all of the challenges faced every day in the profession.

More about these challenges later.