Left of Field

Research background: 'Left of Field' is a critical review of the disparity between the number of architectural graduates and registered architects and surveys the wideranging career paths that architectural training can lead to. The review taps into an ongoing questioning about the role of architecture and its broader contribution to society in line with philosopher Pierre Bourdieu's notion of cultural capital. It also aligns with recent investigations into better understanding the value of architectural education and how this can lead to graduates working within other fields, as argued by experts like entrepreneur Jan O'Connor and Professor Alan Pert. Professor Leon van Schaik has also published and researched how architects approach problem solving in diverse ways that can also be capitalised within other fields. Published within Australia's popular industry magazine, the authors' article continues within this tradition. Research significance: 'Left of Field' was published within Architecture Australia, one of Australia's leading magazines about architecture. The magazine has been in print in various forms and under various names for over a 100 years. It was first published in 1905 and is now an important part of design discourse. As Professor Philip Goad points out, "after one hundred years, 'Architecture Australia' still remains the focus of the Australian architecture profession's dialogue with its members and its public." Research contribution: In line with contemporary theorists and academics like Jeremy Till and Jane Rendell, this article aligns with the notion of writing as an expanded form of practice beyond the built form and into the realm of ideas, ethics and reflection. This debate stems from a current questioning of the role of architecture within the contemporary climate that has inspired architects to experiment in non-traditional methods of practice.