Research guides: Architecture, Landscape, and Design Research Guide: Portfolios

Portfolio Basics

Catalogue Portfolio

A traditional or "academic" portfolio assembles documentation including accreditations, industry certifications, drafts and sketches of proposed projects, photographs of constructed designs and designs for future proposals.

Digital Portfolio

A digital portfolio is a collection of works displayed in an online format. A digital portfolio may feature all aspects of a traditional portfolio but can utilize animation, sound, and interactivity.

Video Portfolio

A video portfolio is a documentary of an architect's work, usually of a single project from conception to completion. A video portfolio is usually a supplement to a catalogue or digital portfolio.

What to include:

Carefully plan the sequence of projects and storyboard the layout of your portfolio so that the narrative presented by your work is logical and engaging. Your portfolio can include:

A title page and design statement including your interests, abilities, and direction in design (optional);
A resume and cover letter (optional);
Art / architecture / design studio course work;
A selection of projects taken from previous or summer employment;
Computer-aided design, drawing, animation/video stills;
CAD/construction and technical documents;
Coursework, if work was award-winning or highly specialized;
Original drawing and sketches.

Other considerations

Show your ability to attractively package and present information. The content of your portfolio is important, but so is the form.
Highlight projects that show off your full range of skills; software, hand-drawing, digital fabrication, etc.
Use photos to illustrate the scope of each project and then add examples of work you did on that project. Get the best quality photos you can afford.

Books

The Architect's Portfolio by Andreas Luescher
ISBN: 0415779014
Publication Date: 2010-06-04
The creation of a successful portfolio is a vital skill needed by architectural students and professionals alike. In a highly competitive global market the accomplished representation of the architect s work must be able to turn opportunities into triumphs. This book offers a fresh step-by-step approach to achieving a reflective, attractive and successful representation of one s work. Structured in four stages it takes the reader through each step needed in the creation of a successful portfolio, from understanding yourself and your market, to planning, designing and producing it. Illustrated throughout in full color, the book includes case study portfolios from the USA, UK, Europe and Asia which demonstrate the steps in the process for both practitioners and students, from sketch trials to full-colour stage lay-outs. These contributions come from architects all over the world, providing terrific insight into current practices and inspiration and ideas. This is essential reading for anyone putting together an architectural portfolio."

Constructing the persuasive portfolio : the only primer you'll ever need by Margaret Fletcher
ISBN: 9781138860971
Publication Date: 2016-09-08
'Constructing the Persuasive Portfolio' helps you learn the art of designing a compelling and effective architectural portfolio. Margaret Fletcher categorizes the architectural portfolio design process into a step-by-step method that you can manage and understand. The full-color book includes 400 portfolio examples from 55 designers, along with more than 50 diagrams, and a set of 48 design actions that are marked throughout. You will learn how to: -Identify your readership -Collect, document, and catalog your work -Organize your portfolio -Visually structure your portfolio -Design your layout -Manage both printed and digital portfolio formats.

Design Portfolios by Diane M. Bender
ISBN: 1609012410
Publication Date: 2012-04-26
Today's students of architecture, interior design, and landscape design need to master the art of marketing themselves via both traditional handheld and digital portfolios. Design Portfolios: Moving from Traditional to Digital, 2nd Edition, enables students to create portfolios that serve as both evolving collections of creative solutions to design problems and evidence of their abilities to visually relay messages. Addressing issues of creation, maintenance, and presentation, the book guides students through every step of the interview and presentation process-from making first contact to composing a thank you letter and securing a job.
The Portfolio by Katerina Rüedi Ray; Lesley Lokko; Igor Marjanovic
ISBN: 0750657642
Publication Date: 2003-06-12
The portfolio is the single most important part of every architectural student's education. This book proides a complete guide to preparing, compiling and presenting this crucial element of the architecture course.The experienced author team gives practical advice for the creation of the portfolio covering issues of size, storage, layout and order. They go on to guide the student through the various forms a portfolio can take: the Electronic Portfolio, the Academic Portfolio and the Professional Portfolio suggesting different approaches and different media to use in order to create the strongest portfolio possible. The team also presents the best examples from international student portfolios to show the reader their recommendations in practice. The book has a companion website where full colour representations of the best examples of portfolio work can be accessed.Also in the Seriously Useful Guides series: * The Dissertation* The Crit* Practical Experience
Portfolio Design by Harold Linton; Cesar Pelli (Foreword by)
ISBN: 9780393732535
Publication Date: 2012-04-30
Harold Linton’s has been the standard reference for students and young professionals in architecture, urban planning, landscape, and interior design who want to make the best impression possible in their applications for undergraduate and graduate school admissions, design grants, competitions, or in a job interview. Now, with the fourth edition, the book is better than ever. All the features that made the go-to guide—how to assemble a portfolio that will display your talents and qualifications to the best advanta≥ advice on formats, content, sequencing, page layout design, and binding systems; when to print and when to go digital; and the latest in promoting yourself on the Internet—are still there and updated. The portfolio examples are new and more numerous than ever (more than 400 portfolio pages displayed), and all in color. Drawn from a wide array of current student and professional portfolios, both print and electronic, the examples illustrate many and varied graphic design alternatives that demonstrate what will capture the reviewer’s attention—and secure you an offer. While the print portfolio is far from dead, the technology has been revolutionized, so the text now focuses on the new standard operating procedure: portfolios designed and generally produced, sent, and viewed online. Portfolio pointers from industry professionals and educators complement the practical advice given by Harold Linton, who has taught portfolio design to generations of students. As a companion to the print book, an online portfolio showcasing images from the book and bonus portfolio pages is available for browsing at: .

Online Portfolio Platforms

Archcase
Archcase is an online community to share and promote architecture work.
Archinect
Archinect is a world-wide network of architects and visual designers that allows users to use their profile page as a portfolio.
Behance
Behance, available from Adobe, is a platform to showcase and discover creative work.
Coroflot
Coroflot is a platform that design-driven companies use for recruitment. Profiles can be used to display a portfolio of work.
iBooks Author
Free for Apple users, iBooks author includes templates and allows users to interact with diagrams and images.
ISSUU
ISSUU is a platform that creates digital bindings for content and presents portfolios through a magazine-like reader.

Research Guides

Architecture, Landscape, and Design Research Guide

Portfolio Basics

Catalogue Portfolio

Digital Portfolio

Video Portfolio

What to include:

Other considerations

Books

Online Portfolio Platforms

Portfolio Samples

Library links

Libraries

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