Hayk works with large-scale office buildings at a Stockholm architectural company

Hi, what are you doing at the moment?

I am currently working with an architectural company Strategisk Arkitektur in Stockholm, where I started after graduating from KTH. I have mainly worked with large-scale office buildings and residential projects in different cities and participated in some major urban planning projects.

What can a regular day look like at your job?

My day at work can vary significantly depending on the type of an ongoing project as well as its current phase. If it is an early stage project, I have multiple regular meetings accompanied by an intense workflow with short deadlines. However, if it is later in the project planning or construction documentation stage, then I have a well-organised production routine with fewer meetings. There will always be one or two team meetings or fikas during the day as well in either case.

Why did you choose the Architecture programme at KTH?

After graduating from Yerevan State University of Architecture and Construction in Armenia and after working a couple of years in the profession in Yerevan, I decided to further my architectural education abroad. I always considered Scandinavia my primary destination for future studies, for its world-known innovative architecture and historically established minimalistic style and aesthetics. The School of Architecture at KTH was one of my top choices. Receiving the KTH Scholarship was a significant deciding factor for me, and after starting my studies, I was convinced that KTH was the right choice for me.

Are there any insights you acquired during your studies that have been extra useful for you in your career?

The most valuable experiences and skills that I improved were personal relations and cooperation in a team. From the architectural studio culture at KTH, I learnt the significance of maximising my personal contribution to the creative atmosphere, giving and receiving healthy criticism and the importance of productive teamwork. Since Architecture is exclusively a team profession, the invaluable experience I gained at KTH was of the utmost importance for my future professional life.

What was the best aspects of your studies at KTH?

The freedom for architectural experiments at the studio and people! 

Students in the master's programme in Architecture get to choose from various studios with different themes where they are free (and even encouraged) to experiment with their ideas. Since I already had a very traditional technical higher education in my background, I greatly appreciated the creative freedom offered at KTH and gladly used the opportunity to work with some speculative concepts. Also, the people I met during my two years at the KTH (in the campus and even at the student accommodation) enriched my everyday student life and made it special. Thanks to KTH, I established long-lasting friendships and connections with students and tutors from around the world.

What is your best memory from your time at the universities?

Study trips! During the two years I spent at KTH, I have been on several study trips that were the highlight of the studios. We usually had study trips at the beginning of the semester, and thanks to that, everyone had a chance to get to know each other better and become friends before starting the actual work on a project. The most memorable trip was to Israel and Jordan with the Practice Based Research Studio run by Ori Merom: our studio leader who became a dear friend after graduation. Unforgettable days at a kibbutz in the middle of a desert with the peers, rich architectural and historical heritage of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and the trip to the breathtaking Lost city of Petra are some of the best memories from my time at the school.

What would you want to say to a student thinking of applying for this programme?

If you are willing and ready to unleash your creativity and test your boundaries, the master's programme in Architecture at KTH is for you! Here you will find the necessary support and knowledge from professors for your projects while being mostly free with your imagination without the heavy load of traditional constraints of such a technical school. In addition, the school is located in a new building with world-class architecture, in one of the most beautiful capitals of Europe, so the setting itself is very inspiring.,