How to build an architecture portfolio

What a portfolio is for

A portfolio is a short, edited story about you as a designer. The person looking at it may have only a few minutes, and many portfolios to see. They want to know: can this person think, draw, make, communicate and learn? Is their work interesting? Will they fit in?

Choose the right work

Quality over quantity. A small number of strong projects beats a long list of weak ones.
Show range. Different scales, types and techniques: drawing, models, digital work, writing, and, if you have it, real-world work.
Show process. Sketches, development, models, mistakes and what you learned. The route to the answer is as interesting as the answer.
Include your own initiative. Personal projects, sketchbooks and experiments show what you care about.
Be honest. Show what you did yourself. If a project was in a group, say what your part was. Credit others. Do not claim work that is not yours.

A portfolio is a short, edited story about you as a designer.
How to build an architecture portfolio

Structure it clearly

A short opening with your name, contact and, if you want, a brief statement. See How to write a design statement.
Each project has a title, a few lines saying what it is (the brief, your idea and your role), and a clear sequence of images.
A simple order, often starting and ending with strong pieces.
A consistent layout. Grid, type and margins that are tidy and let the work speak.

Design it well

You are a designer, so the portfolio is a design. Keep it simple, with good images, careful type, white space and a clear hierarchy. Do not let decoration overpower the work.

Show the work well

Photograph or scan drawings and models properly, with good light and without shadows or distortion.
Use high-quality images, sized sensibly. Large files can be difficult to share.
Label drawings with scale, titles and short notes, where useful.
Mix scales, from the big picture to detail.
Show hand work as well as digital. See Drawing by hand in the digital age.

Write short, clear text

Use plain words. Say what the project is, what the problem was and what you did. Avoid jargon and long theory. A few good lines are better than a paragraph that nobody reads.

Format

PDF is the standard for sharing. Keep to a size that opens quickly, often under a set number of megabytes.
A short online version can help.
Printed copies for interviews, if appropriate.
Follow instructions on page count, size and format.

Tailor it

Adapt the portfolio for each application. For a practice that does housing, show your housing work first. Read what they ask, and respond.

Get feedback

Show your portfolio to tutors, friends and people working in practice. Ask what is unclear, and what to cut. Then edit again.

Keep it current

Update it as you do new work, and archive old versions. See How to get your first job in an architecture practice.

In short

Choose your best work, show your process, be honest, design it well, keep text short, tailor it and get feedback.

Start a project