Amogh N P
✦ In loving memory of Amogh N P — Architect · Designer · Visionary ✦
Architecture Academy · Student Track

Student Foundations.
An 8-module deep-research track for B.Arch.

From Drawing & Representation through Career Pathways — eight modules covering the gaps the existing five practitioner tracks don't fill. Researched and written for B.Arch and B.Des students in India.

8Modules
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~3 hrsTotal reading
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The Track

Eight modules. ~3 hours of deep reading.

Each module is a long-form deep-research article — peer-reviewed references, BIS code citations, tables, diagrams. All eight core modules are live.

01

Architectural Drawing & Representation Fundamentals

Live
24 min readPublished 2026-05-08

The six conventions every B.Arch student must master — plan, section, elevation, axonometric, isometric, perspective. With BIS line-weight standards, material-hatching conventions, and the sketchbook discipline.

  • Six drawing conventions explained
  • BIS line weights + material hatching
  • Perspective construction (1-pt, 2-pt, 3-pt)
  • Hand-to-software translation
  • 12-test self-diagnostic

Open Module 1

02

The Software Stack — A Working Learning Path

Live
23 min readPublished 2026-05-08

Five-tier learning path (AutoCAD → SketchUp + Photoshop + Figma → Revit + Rhino → Lumion / V-Ray / Twinmotion → AI tools), Indian student-licence map, hardware-spec recommendations at three budget tiers, file-format ecosystem, the cracked-software warning, and the 2026 AI-tool landscape (Veras, Spacely, Midjourney, ChatGPT for studio).

  • Five-tier learning path mapped to semesters
  • Indian licensing — student.autodesk.in / Chaos / Adobe
  • Hardware specs at ₹50K / ₹80K / ₹1.5L tiers
  • AI tool landscape — Veras, Spacely, Midjourney, LLMs
  • 8 common student software mistakes

Open Module 2

03

Building Your Architecture Portfolio

Live
23 min readPublished 2026-05-08

Five portfolio stages from Year-1 baseline to graduating portfolio, project-selection rubric, narrative structure, six-column layout grid, four-spread per-project template, print vs digital, and what Indian firms actually look for (data from Studio Lotus, Morphogenesis, RMA, Studio Mumbai, sP+a, Hafeez Contractor hiring practices).

  • Five portfolio stages mapped to B.Arch years
  • Project-selection rubric + typology coverage
  • 6-column layout grid + typography discipline
  • Per-project 4-spread template
  • Indian-firm hiring criteria + 8 mistakes

Open Module 3

04

Studio Jury Survival — Presentation, Critique, Iteration

Live
21 min readPublished 2026-05-08

Four jury types, the 72-hour pre-jury protocol, the seven-minute presentation arc, listening discipline during critique, the underlying-question framework for reading feedback, the 48-hour post-jury iteration protocol, eight common mistakes, and a twelve-test pre-jury readiness diagnostic.

  • 72-hour pre-jury preparation protocol
  • 7-minute presentation arc
  • Underlying-question framework for critique
  • 48-hour post-jury iteration discipline
  • Anthony, Schön + CEPT/SPA pedagogy refs

Open Module 4

05

Internship Readiness — How to Find, Choose, Excel

Live
22 min readPublished 2026-05-08

Five firm archetypes (sole practitioner to international), application package (CV + portfolio + cover letter), three outreach channels (cold email + warm referral + portal) with response-rate ranges, interview prep, Indian stipend benchmarks, first-week protocol, daily performance, conversion-to-job-offer protocol, and a twelve-test diagnostic.

  • Five firm archetypes mapped to internship goals
  • 200-word cover-letter discipline
  • Three outreach channels with response rates
  • First-week protocol + daily performance
  • Indian 2026 stipend benchmarks

Open Module 5

06

Thesis Methodology — Research, Programming, Site Selection

Live
25 min readPublished 2026-05-08

Three-filter topic selection (interest × India context × research feasibility), five primary research methods (ethnography, climate, archive, case study, interviews), programme derivation, five-criterion site rubric, thesis document structure, twelve-month thesis calendar, common pitfalls, and a twelve-test diagnostic.

  • Three-filter topic selection framework
  • Five primary research methods
  • Five-criterion site selection rubric
  • 12-month thesis calendar
  • Refs: Groat & Wang, Borden, CEPT/SPA/IIT pedagogy

Open Module 6

07

Case-Study Analysis — How to Read an Architectural Project

Live
22 min readPublished 2026-05-08

Three-question selection rubric, five-layer analysis framework (site, programme, form, material, detail), five data-collection methods, principle-transfer (not image-transfer) protocol, citation discipline, eight common mistakes, and a twelve-test pre-submission diagnostic.

  • Three-question case-study selection
  • Five-layer framework (site → programme → form → material → detail)
  • Principle transfer, not image transfer
  • Citation discipline + plagiarism avoidance
  • Refs: Plowright, Ching, Frampton, Lawson, Akin

Open Module 7

08

Career Pathways After B.Arch — Practice, Specialisation, Alternatives

Live
22 min readPublished 2026-05-08

Four trunk pathways with 5- and 10-year salary trajectories, top Indian and international schools, decision framework, six alternative-career tracks (UX/product, real estate, journalism, academia, entrepreneurship, set design), and a twelve-test fit diagnostic.

  • Four trunks with 5/10-year horizons
  • Top Indian + international M.Arch programmes
  • M.Arch abroad cost reality (₹1.0-1.83 cr total)
  • Six alternative-career tracks
  • Five-question decision framework

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Expanded Library

Eight companion guides — beyond the core curriculum.

The core eight modules cover the spine of B.Arch. The expanded library covers the surrounding layers — pre-college entrance prep, school selection, the parallel B.Des Interior track, studio-skill specialisms (model-making, heritage documentation), career skills (competitions, internship interview), and the wellbeing layer (studio burnout). All published 2026-05-09.

Pre-College26 min read

NATA & JEE B.Arch Entrance Preparation

The 2026 reference for the Class 11 / 12 B.Arch aspirant — test structures, eligibility, the two-year prep calendar, drawing discipline, mock-test cadence, cutoffs, JoSAA + state counselling, and institute-specific routes (CEPT, NID, JJ).

Read guide

Pre-College25 min read

Indian Architecture Schools — A Working Shortlist

Working shortlist of COA-approved B.Arch institutions — four-tier map, geographic distribution, profiles of SPA / IIT / NIT / JJ / CEPT / RV / BMS / Manipal / Sushant / NID, cost bands (₹4-45L), scholarships, application calendar, and the comparison rubric.

Read guide

Parallel Track22 min read

B.Des Interior Design — The Student Track

Parallel-track reference for the B.Des Interior aspirant — distinction from B.Arch, IIID voluntary framework, entrance landscape (NID DAT, Pearl GAT, SET-Design, NIFT), four-year curriculum, the SketchUp + V-Ray pipeline, deep materials and FF&E vocabulary.

Read guide

Career Skill21 min read

Architecture Competitions — A Working Calendar for Students

Indian (NASA, Zonasa, IIA) and global (Bee Breeders, YAC, ARCHmedium, Inspireli, d3, Velux, Solar Decathlon) student-eligible competitions, the five-year strategy, team formation, brief-reading discipline, board production, and the portfolio-compounding effect.

Read guide

Studio Skill22 min read

Model-Making for Studio Juries

Working reference for the physical-craft layer of B.Arch — five model types (massing, working, presentation, sectional, detail), scale-to-material map (1:1000 to 1:1), Indian material sources, hand-cutting vs laser-cutting, scale figures, and the five-year skill build.

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Wellbeing21 min read

Studio Burnout & Mental Health for Architecture Students

Plain-language reference on burnout in B.Arch — six warning signs, daily / weekly / quarterly recovery protocol, the all-nighter culture and why it damages, navigating harsh crits, imposter syndrome, where to seek help in India (iCall, Vandrevala, AASRA). Published in memory of Amogh N P.

Read guide

Specialism22 min read

Heritage Documentation & Measured Drawing Studio

Year-3/4 measured-drawing studio reference — three-stage process, eight typologies (haveli, temple, vernacular cluster, urban precinct, industrial, colonial, stepwell, single element), tool kit (tape to total station to photogrammetry), drawing conventions, INTACH + ASI frameworks, and the conservation career path.

Read guide

Career Skill21 min read

Internship Interview & Résumé Content

Operational companion to internship readiness — twelve sections of a one-page B.Arch résumé, the four-paragraph cover-letter framework, five-stage interview process (screen, phone, portfolio walk-through, sketch test, offer), stipend benchmarks (₹5-25K), and offer-letter evaluation rubric.

Read guide

Why this track exists

The five practitioner tracks don't serve students.

The existing /academy tracks (Bylaws, Contracts, Site Management, Practice, Sustainability) are written for working architects. Students need something different — foundational craft, portfolio survival, jury preparation, thesis methodology, career mapping. This track fills that gap.

Foundational, not advanced

Every module assumes you are starting — no prior practice experience required. Modules build on each other but each works as a standalone reference.

Indian B.Arch context

BIS code citations, COA Stage 1-9 framework, Indian salary ranges, M.Arch fees in lakhs of rupees, top Indian schools listed by name. Not a generic global resource translated for India.

Practitioner-written

Every module is written by an architect who remembers being a student. Real problems, real solutions, real Indian-context examples. No academic theory disconnected from practice.

Free, forever

Studio Matrx is a tribute to Amogh N P. The track is free for every B.Arch and B.Des student in India. No signup wall, no premium tier, no time limits.

Companion Hub

Student Resources Hub

Software stack with Indian licensing, downloadable templates, reading list (40+ books, films, podcasts, journals), Indian architecture timeline, and career pathways. Use alongside this track.

Open Hub →

Start with Module 1.

Architectural Drawing & Representation Fundamentals — the most-used module of any B.Arch syllabus, written for the Indian context with BIS line-weight standards and material-hatching conventions.

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Studio Matrx is a tribute to Amogh N P. The Academy is free, forever.