Apr 7, 2023
Are you at this crucial stage of life deciding which course to take and make a career out of it? But all your heart is just wishing to pack your bags and travel the world? Yes, every one of us relate to this at different stages of life. Given a choice, we all prefer a serene location, a luxurious space, endless views of nature from our bed, bath pool or porch. Have you ever wondered who designs these fascinating spaces?? Have you looked at buildings and asked yourself, can I design something like this? Yes, you got to be an architect building dreams in reality. And what qualifies you to be an architect? A five-year professional course- Bachelors in Architecture!
The B.Arch course is a practical application-based course. One gets to experiment and explore through five years, his ideas and convert them to scaled reality, reality thereafter.
To enroll to this program, it is mandatory to write the aptitude test
prescribed by the council of architecture- the single statutory body overseeing
Architecture education and architecture practice in India. The test is called
NATA- National Aptitude Test in Architecture.
NATA tests the aptitude of the student in Architecture by assessing the cognitive skills, visual perception and aesthetic sensitivity, logical reasoning and critical thinking ability and the learnings of the student in the field of architecture.
The test format is quite simple. 125 questions to be answered in 180
minutes for 200 marks. This is similar to any entrance test as the questions
would be of
● Multiple-Choice type (MCQ): This is a very commonly known pattern to all. One question with four
choices of answers to choose one right answer.
● Multiple Select type (MSQ): These questions consist of multiple answers in which more than one
answers are possible to be right and to select those.
● Preferential Choice type (PCQ): In this type of question, a scenario may be
given and asked about what would be the right response. So the preference of
answer varies from person to person. All answer choices would be awarded with
different marks and your choice of answer would decide the mark for you.
● Numerical Answer type (NAQ): These questions assess your ability to
calculate and write numerical answers, mostly based on Mathematics and
application based.
● Match the following type (MFQ): This is the most familiar kind of question where one needs to match from column A to B the relatables.
The questions may carry 1, 2 or 3 marks. These questions may be
categorized under:
● Diagrammatic Reasoning which tests the 'ability of logical reasoning' using diagrams and
scenarios
● Numerical Reasoning which tests the 'mathematical ability' through simple problems
● Verbal Reasoning which assesses the 'ability to assess verbal logic'
● Inductive Reasoning which tests the 'ability to
see patterns' and analyze given data
● Situational Judgment which tests the
'problem-solving ability'
● Logical Reasoning which tests the' ability to recognize patterns, sequences or
relationships' between shapes and imagery.
● Abstract Reasoning which will assess 'general knowledge and ability to utilize
knowledge' in new situations.
● Questions are asked in various topics that
assess candidates on basic concepts in mathematics, physics and geometry,
language and interpretation, elements and principles of design, aesthetic
sensitivity, colour theory, lateral thinking and logical reasoning, visual
perception and cognition, graphics and imagery, building anatomy and
architectural vocabulary, basic techniques of building construction and
knowledge of material, general knowledge and current affairs, etc. and may not
be limited to these alone.
As diverse as these is the course in itself, constantly opening up minds to think 'out-of-the-box' ideas as solutions to problems identified. The course has various activities like hands-on workshops with pottery, model making, painting, etc; case studies by physically seeing, touching and experiencing spaces and materials; site visits every semester to study a site- its geographical features, climatic conditions, social context, physical features- man-made and natural as well.
Understanding human behavior in relation to all these aspects and arriving at the appropriate spatial solution that fits well in the given site, every semester. Along with design there are technical and theoretical subjects to reinforce the knowledge that can help improve design skills. The scale of the project varies through the semesters but what remains constant is the approach to architecture which is a perfect blend of Science and Art, or rather Psychology & Technology!
By, Ar.Sindhu S, Assistant Professor
