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The Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing, China, hosted athletes in the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Sports were the main event. But the eyes of the world also took in the spectacular architecture of the stadium.

High -profile projects like this increase the visibility of architects, says Michael Willis. He is the founder and president of an architecture firm in San Francisco.

"It is seen that good design increases the value of projects, and thus architects may see more of a demand," says Willis.

Bruce Goetzman has 40 years of experience as an architect and says that it can be a "tedious business."

Not all architects will get to design San Francisco International Airport's international terminal, as Craig W. Hartman did in 2000. Goetzman explains that celebrity designers do the major building projects. Most architects work in offices doing very detailed work.

It is a great reward for any architect, however, to see something they imagined become a reality -- whether it's an international landmark or a family home.

"A composer wants to hear his music played. An architect wants to see his design built -- just like any other artist," says Goetzman. The creativity involved in designing a new building is exciting for architects. On the downside, if they are unhappy with the finished building it is on display for a long, long time.

"All you can do for your mistakes is to plant ivy," he jokes.

Goetzman, a professor emeritus of architecture, believes in something called contextualism. That's the idea that a building should blend in with its surroundings. A building can have a different style than its neighbors, but it must be appropriate for the context.

"That's just my opinion -- other architects will disagree," he says. He doesn't think buildings should scream, "Look at me! Look at me!" That is, unless they are foreground buildings, such as a church, city hall or courthouse. Such feature buildings of a community have a very individual style to make them stand out.

Many architects develop their own style. There are also many ways an architect can specialize. Goetzman's specialty is historic preservation and restoration.

There are technical aspects of design to specialize in. For example, designing operating rooms in hospitals requires a very detail-oriented architect. Entire architecture firms might have specialties such as designing hotels. Goetzman even knows an architect whose specialty is designs that transform old gas stations into veterinary hospitals.

"It's a very, very rewarding profession, but it's not for everybody. But for those who pursue it and commit to it, it can be very rewarding," says Goetzman.

Anna Foulkes decided to pursue architecture because of her fascination with how things work. "I was the kid who constantly asked 'why' until my parents went crazy," she admits. As she grew up, her interest narrowed to buildings' function. She committed to an architecture program and earned a six-year professional degree. She now works at an architecture firm in Portland.

"In architecture, what you see is not what you get. There is so much more involved and I loved that discovery process," she says. The beauty and aesthetic important to architecture set it apart from engineering.

Designing neighborhoods and infrastructure for people is what drives Willis. Managing the parts of his job that are not architecture-related challenge him. He must also deal with the financial and business side of his practice.

Architects, builders, engineers, designers, consultants and sometimes even community members may participate in the building project. These group sessions are called charrettes. Charrettes encourage people to work together to find solutions that satisfy all involved.

"Architecture is essentially team practice, within the offices and in the construction environment. It is the only way to practice. Adding to that, holding charrettes brings the public in to designs that benefit their neighborhoods and cities," says Willis.

Willis says a person with "inexhaustible energy and a curiosity about how buildings and cities work" should consider a career in architecture.

Sue Clark earned her undergraduate degree in pre-professional architecture. She's now finishing a master of architecture degree. She also works for a consulting firm as a sustainability analyst and designer. Her firm is involved in sustainable building.

Clark always wanted to work on sustainable buildings. She started trying to find work with green architects in 2000. She had very little success. "Green building as an industry didn't really begin to boom until a couple of years ago," she says. She did a number of co-op terms before finding the right fit.

"Something that's really fun about being in green consultancy now is the sheer range of projects you get to be a part of. I get to work on government buildings, houses, college residences, manufacturing plants, retail stores, park buildings, and office interiors, to name a few. I also get to travel, which is cool," says Clark.

Making green building accessible to her clients is the biggest reward of Clark's job. She teaches people about how they can build sustainably. An important part of that is making green building affordable.

"I would encourage people to become engaged in green design because I don't think there'll be such a thing as 'green design' in a decade or two. There will just be design, and everyone will incorporate sustainable principles into their work," says Clark. "Green design will become synonymous with good practice. So it's an excellent time to start."