An architecture portfolio is simply a resource used to promote and exhibit the talents and services that an architect or an architecture student may deliver to a possible employer, whether it’s for a position for an architectural firm or a private venture directly related to a client. An architecture portfolio is a ticket to the professional world. Hence, it would be advisable for the ticket to be specific about the destination and describe the passenger accurately.
A portfolio is a timeline and record of experience that illustrates its designers’ architectural abilities, processes, and competencies through the thoughtful selection of drawings, photos, text, and photographs. Here are 10 possible mistakes to avoid in your architecture portfolio:
1. Plan your portfolio | Architecture Portfolio
A portfolio is a collection of works that you have accumulated over time, it becomes extremely important to prioritize your work. It is an undertaking that requires elaborate thinking and planning of projects as well as time. Planning gives structure to your portfolio and helps you keep organized. Setting specific deadlines at uniform intervals of time will help you keep yourself in check and make the process more productive.
2. Be yourself
Your architectural portfolio is a reflection of yourself, when you send in your portfolio, it creates the first impression of yourself. An excellent portfolio is enhanced when it includes information about who you are as a person, your past, your narrative, your interests, and your way of working, it helps to build a personal connection. You are telling your story, put your best foot forward and personalize it according to your taste.
3. Dare to describe | Architecture Portfolio
The reader needs to understand or get an idea about what you want to convey, giving some context helps in imparting clear understanding to the reader. Along with your work, you are projecting yourself into the portfolio. Do not shy away to get personal or to describe something you are passionate about and elaborate your experiences in your CV.
4. Give context
A lot of thought and work goes into a design project. It’s futile to merely upload graphics without explaining the process of their development. Elaborating on the context of your work would help the reviewer to develop a profound understanding of the resultant design, and gain an understanding of your working style.
5. Be consistent | Architecture Portfolio
A reviewer goes through an architecture portfolio in around 20 to 60 seconds. Hence, there should be a consistent approach in design layout and arrangement that would make the portfolio easily readable. You can develop your own template, customize it according to your requirements, and have fun while you are at it! Along with it, you should also be consistent with the quality of work you put in, to create a lasting effect on the employer.
6. Sequence smartly
Your portfolio is a medium of marketing your skills, it is a narrative about your skills, abilities, and experiences, not a chronology of your work. Review your work from a broad perspective to identify what themes emerge, then add those selective projects that add value to your story. Select the best quality of work as well as a wide range of media and projects to demonstrate your varied skillset and talents. Let the sequence form a relationship with your work, the reader, and you.
7. Text to image ratio
The reviewer might not have time to read long paragraphs of text while reviewing your portfolio. There has to be a healthy balance of texts and graphics, they both can be used to support one another. If either of them overpowers the other, it might affect the overall readability of your architecture portfolio.
8. Grammatically correct | Architecture Portfolio
Text is as important as the graphics you present, coming across a grammatical error might be off-putting while reading a portfolio. It is advisable to write the text first in M.S word or run it through a grammar analyzing software such as Grammarly to avoid such mistakes.
9. Digitally Compatible
It is a high possibility nowadays that your architecture portfolio is reviewed on a mobile device by prospective clients or employers. It becomes increasingly important for a portfolio to be digitally compatible in terms of its size, as well as it should be well-proportioned to be viewed on a small screen.
10. Keep on updating | Architecture Portfolio
We as humans are always on the lookout for better opportunities, better work, and better life. We are always moving, and good skill is always valued and rewarded. You might never know when the next opportunity is going to pop up, or who is going to offer you the next job. It is a necessity to update your work from time to time, to not get stagnant in this fast-moving world.
