In a parallel universe, Ice Cube could have designed your home | CNN

Brad Pitt, actor —

Consider this more of an honorary mention: Brad Pitt never actually went to architecture school (he studied journalism at the University of Missouri), but his interest in architecture has been well-established.

"Whilst acting is my career, architecture is my passion," Pitt said in a 2008 interview with the Telegraph.

In 2007, he founded Make it Right, a charity that collaborates with architects like Frank Gehry, David Adjaye and Shigeru Ban to build homes for communities in need.

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Ice Cube, rapper —

Phoenix Institute of Technology was where he studied architectural drafting. But his love of design didn't end after he left his studies. In 2011, he gave a video tour of the Eames House for an exhibition called "Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A. 1945- 1980."
"In a world full of McMansions where the structure takes up all the land, the Eames made structure and nature one," he waxes. "This is going green 1949 style, bitch -- believe that."

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Samuel L. Jackson, actor —

This should bring solace to indecisive freshmen everywhere: Samuel Jackson originally enrolled at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia to study marine biology, but later switched his major to architecture...and then acting. Third time's the charm?

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Martha Stewart, TV personality —

Media entrepreneur and master of all things homemade Martha Stewart graduated from Barnard College in 1963 with a degree in history and architectural history. Her first job out of college would be working as a Wall Street stockbroker.

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George Takai, actor and activist —

At the urging of his father, George Takai -- known for his role as Hikaru Sulu on Star Trek and his comical Facebook page -- studied architecture at Berkeley for two years before transferring to the University of California, Los Angeles to study theater arts. Does he regret the choice?

"If I were George Takei, architect, I would not have access to people like you, or journalists," he said in a 2012 interview with Esquire. "I'm an activist. That serves as a megaphone to amplify my voice, or whatever issue I'm concerned about, and so it's been a wonderful and seamless dovetailing of my professional career with my other mission in life: to make our democracy a better one."

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Art Garfunkel, singer —

Art Garfunkel, of Simon & Garfunkel fame, studied architecture at Columbia University for three and a half years, but ended up graduating with a degree in art history.

"I think I was foolish enough to be involved with the concept of myself as an architect rather than with designing and buildings, and you know, architecture itself," he said in a 1990 interview.

"And after quite a while I realized I don't like to pick up a pen and freely sketch and let my imagination run towards structures. And if I don't have that natural desire, what am I doing here? How did I let this illusion go on so long?"

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"Weird Al" Yankovic, singer —

This is no joke: Alfred "Weird Al" Yankovic holds a degree in architecture from California Polytechnic State University. Another bit of trivia: It was during his time at the university that people started calling the four-time Grammy winner "Weird Al," according to his website.

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Courteney Cox, best known for her role as Monica on <em>Friends</em>, briefly studied architecture at Mount Vernon College in Washington, D.C.

Courteney Cox, actress —

Courteney Cox, best known for her role as Monica on Friends, briefly studied architecture at Mount Vernon College in Washington, D.C.

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Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, model and singer —

When she was 19, model, singer, and former First Lady of France Carla Bruni-Sarkozy studied art and architecture at the Sorbonne. She abandoned her studies after one year to before pursue modeling full-time.

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Tom Ford, fashion designer —

It should come as no surprise that creative jack-of-all-trades Tom Ford has architecture experience. He studied architecture at Parsons The New School for Design, and spent his senior year at the university's Paris outpost. However, after graduation, he turned his attentions to fashion.

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David Byrne, musician —

Talking Heads co-founder David Byrne studied Bauhaus Theory, a functional design course, at the Rhode Island School of Design for one year before dropping out.
In 2010, he delivered a popular TED Talk (it's been viewed over 1 million times) on how architecture helped music evolve.

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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, actress —

Before she was a Bollywood sensation, and even before she was crowned Miss World in 1994, actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was just another bookish architecture student trying to make earn her degree at the Raheja College of Arts, modeling part time to pay the bills.

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Tinker Hatfield, shoe designer —

You may not recognize his face, but you've definitely seen Tinker Hatfield's work. The shoe designer (pictured on the right), who serves Vice President for Design and Special Projects, is responsible for some of Nike's most iconic sneaker designs, most notably the Air Jordan 3 through 30.

Hatfield, who has a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon School of Architecture, occasionally incorporates his architectural background into his work. The original Air Max 1, for example, was inspired by the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Handout/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images for Jordan Brand

Tom Sachs, artist —

Contemporary artist Tom Sachs, primarily known for his sardonic sculptures, received a BA from Bennington College in Vermont, and studied at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.

He flexed his architectural muscle at the 2010 Venice Architecture Biennale, where he presented an installation dedicated to Swiss-French architect and urban planner Le Corbusier.

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Athens-born designer Mary Katrantzou's innovative prints have been worn by the likes of Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Alex Chung and Kerry Washington.<br /><br />She started her education at the Rhode Island School of Design, where she studied architecture, but a growing interest in fashion led her to transfer to the prestigious Central Saint Martins college in London to earn a BA in textile design -- and subsequently a Master's in Fashion.

Mary Katrantzou, fashion designer —

Athens-born designer Mary Katrantzou's innovative prints have been worn by the likes of Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Alex Chung and Kerry Washington.

She started her education at the Rhode Island School of Design, where she studied architecture, but a growing interest in fashion led her to transfer to the prestigious Central Saint Martins college in London to earn a BA in textile design -- and subsequently a Master's in Fashion.

Ian Gavan/Getty Images Europe

They studied architecture, then changed their minds

CNN —

In a parallel universe, Ice Cube could have designed your house.

Or perhaps it could have been Art Garfunkel. Or “Weird Al” Yankovic. Or maybe Martha Stewart?

These are just a few of the surprising famous faces who got their start in architecture school before switching majors, dropping out, or earning degrees they’d never end up putting to good use. (Celebrities: they truly are just like us.)

Check out the gallery above to find out more about the creatives who abandoned architecture in favor of other artistic pursuits.