Kansas began licensing architects in 1949. To receive a license, the architect must show proficiency in a dozen different areas, says Trudy Arons, executive director of AIA Kansas. Architects do much more than design what is seen on the outside. Interior architects are currently in demand for redesigning spaces for preservation, says Ray Weisenburger, associate dean in K-State's College of Architecture. A recent project by K-State students created restoration plans for six theaters around the state.
Product design is also a specialty.
Landscape architects plan parks, open spaces, golf courses, and also do urban design, Weisenburger said. When it comes to homes, builders in Kansas are allowed to work a cappella. Architectural plans for a single-family residence are considered a luxury, says Robert Slemmons, a Topeka architect whose credits include the Shawnee County Jail. Pencils are still better and faster at exploring ideas. The computers does help the architect score his presentation of what he designed with pencil and paper.