Love the section on pages 12-13. Just at a quick glimpse... the first 10 pages are all similar projects, so you might consider lightening it up a bit and remove the one you least like??? I don't know if you have more images of details, but I always like to see a beautiful detail that demonstrates a persons understanding of building construction and assembly. Over all nice I like the sketch on the cover too!

A+++

Love your graphic sensibilities. By far the best portfolio I've seen on here, and I've seen some really good ones.

The rammed earth house you built is kind of superawesome. It's almost a shame that you'll be wasting away a few years of your life doing M Arch. Do yo already have a B Arch? Is it accredited? If so, I'd say skip the additional schooling. Nothing for you to learn there. You're ready to rock on your own!

Just to be a bit critical, I find some of your detail diagrams to be a bit suspect (cement board wall, radiant heating floor). That's not how they would be built in real life. Not that any of M Arch professors would ever know any different.

All the best!

It's actually a very good portfolio. The graphics are very professional and dynamic but I think you need to tie those side tabs (that have you titles) a little more uniformity throughout. Example: Page 6 looks grapically different than page 14. This is being VERY nitpicky. but generally you have done an outstanding job with the graphics.

I love the page with the Fine Arts Museum. The renderings is very well done, the photoshoping is flawless, the graphic layout is sexy as hell, and the project while complex is very straighforward and discriptive.

My favorite thing is that your abilities in using different kinds of methods at profucing architecture (CAD, 3D, rendering, model-making, etc) are evident throughout this portfolio but the only thing missing that would give it a little more edginess are some nice sketches. You are very talented, so I know you have some!

Very nice work. Just a little more "massaging" and this should get you into some good programs.

I take it you are at UNM given that most of the projects are in the Albuquerque area. I'm actually surprised to see this degree of digital design work... a lot must have changed since I went there.

I would say the biggest issue with this portfolio is that every page looks identical. The images are all roughly the same size, the text is all the same size... it's basically architecture wallpaper. After a few pages, I'm pretty bored- not because the work is bad, but because there is nothing that really grabs my attention. It would really benefit you to play around more with the amount and size of content per page so that there is variation. For example, the exploded model of the Catherine House is pretty awesome and would look great filling up a whole page on it's own with some keyed annotation. Your personal house project could be a pretty amazing portfolio piece, but right now there is so many small images crowding 2 pages, it's hard to tell what is what.

However, before you get into making some big changes to the portfolio, it might be helpful to know what schools you are applying to. Also, have you researched their portfolio requirements? I would find the school that has the strictest requirements on your list and build your portfolio around that. The last thing you want to deal with is making 2-3 application portfolios.

Myriad sucks. Don't use it. And there's way too much shit on each page. Overall length is good.

Thanks everyone for the comments- I've been looking at this thing for so long that it's hard for me to know what I'm looking at anymore!

@Cherith: I'm applying to U Penn, Columbia, Pratt, Parsons, and UNM. I completed my undergrad (BAA) at UNM last may. When did you go there? Are you still in NM?

@steelstuds: The BAA is pre professional so I still need a masters. Thanks for the complements (and the criticism) but I've got a lot to learn... Though building the house was an amazing tectonic and technological education- (I built that before going back to school) It was actually the thing that helped me decide to go back.

So it seems like the main critique is that there is too much conformity, though Med thinks there's not enough (?)

@med: How would you tie in the title bars more?

@kyleseyz: why don't you like Myriad and what do you like? (I feel that way everytime I see Papyrus)- And any pages without too much shit? You should've seen earlier versions...

thanks again all....

I think the house is amazing! I'm really impressed by how well you communicated your knowledge of different building systems and your individual images and diagrams are really well-done.

I would 2nd kyleseyz comment on your font choice and about it seeming kinda cluttered. I would establish a better grid and maybe just work on the overall layout. I think it could be longer and have larger spreads to really show-off your graphics and built work more.

One other thing is that I think this would get you into any of the more practical programs (which I assume is what you're going for) but might put off the more theoretical M.Arch programs.

just saw your new post. I think it would be great for you to go to places like UPenn or Columbia as they will teach you to think about design in a totally different way. Cool that you want to do something completely different for your Masters.

I've been out of UNM for about 6 years now. I know they just got a new dean (and thank goodness) and I'm sure the new building has helped to attract some much needed attention to the program. That said, I would say my experience at UNM has really positive, although I attribute that to having an amazing set of studio instructors that sadly got run out by the administration. From what I have seen, the undergraduate program at UNM usually fairs better because they get younger (and more progressive) instructors. The graduate program tends to be a little dated. Again, maybe some of this has changed. When I applied to grad. schools, UNM was not even a consideration. Decided I would rather wait a year and reapply to other schools.

Back on topic:

Seems like most of your schools (besides the obvious UNM safety) are pretty design and theory oriented. Penn and Columbia esp. are very much digital design/parametric/animation (Maya) based programs. I would make sure to lead off with one of the stronger design projects, either Catherine or Fine Arts Museum and make that first spread really graphic, i.e. hot rendering. The more techtonic/building projects will show you know how things go together which is important, but not priority at the schools you are looking at. Design process and iterations are also going to be important to represent, but not as the main thing. Mostly it needs to focus on design and thought- what was the spring point for the project? Sustainability/Green Design is probably not going to win them over (which doesn't mean eliminate it... just make sure your concept involved more than technical details).

Granted, there is no telling what will stand out to the application committee so at some point you have to just accept what you have and hope for the best. I do know the letter of intent is more important than you think, so don't wait until the end to do that.

When I applied, UPenn had the strictest format requirements for the portfolio- in both dimension and length - so I would research that and make sure you are making something that meets the requirements.

Your application list is pretty close to the schools I was looking at. Have you considered RISD and SCI-Arc? Considering you are looking at Penn and Columbia, SCI-Arc would be a natural fit. What most people don't know is that SCI-Arc and Columbia have nearly identical programs, but SCI-Arc is half the price. I applied to Pratt but I never got a good read on their program- it seemed very individualistic and lacking in studio culture. This was back in 2006 so it's been a couple of years. Send your stuff early to Parsons- they "lost" my friends application and it was too late to fix it. Might want to also look at UCLA. The last couple of years they have really revamped the program there with some impressive results. Plus, it's a state school so you potentially get better funding. The faculty list there is amazing. Also, having access to other departments could be a big plus... Media Arts for instance.

Cherith

I haven't considered RISD or SCI Arch or UCLA. If it were 10 years ago, I might but for where I am in my life right now, location makes a big differnce- that said- they're good suggestions. Thanks for taking the time to make them. I'll consider all of your feedback as I proceed with my portfolio.

...I don't have very abstract or parametically developed work- I just hope the review committees see something they like-

And yes- I am designing this thing to Penn's reqs and I've started my letter of intent but need to focus more on it- Any advice there?

To each his own. If it's a cost of living issue, you are applying to 3 schools in New York. I went to SCI-Arc, so naturally it is my inclination. LA is a great place to be at during grad. school. The available resources are incomparable, esp. after being at UNM.

Obviously you won't have a portfolio of work that is identical to what the school is teaching. There would be no need to go then! What I was getting at is just showing some of the thought process that went into the work you do have and adding some explanation about why decisions were made on the project beyond just technical (sustainable reasons). Talk about spatial qualities, form making decisions, etc. What where the big conceptual ideas that inspired the project? For example, the Art Museum project has this braided facade- what is that about? What drove that decision and why is it important? Does it have some visceral impact or is it related to some overarching idea?

Again, it's not about reinventing your work as something it's not, but just adding that additional level of language that frames the project within some larger discussion. I feel like all of these projects have that information embedded within them... just pull it to the surface a bit more. I just want to reiterate that the work and what you are showing is really great so don't change that. Just add some process diagrams or a small paragraph about the design principals or something. I see more evidence of this in some of the later projects, which reinforces the previous comment that project order is key. Bookend your portfolio with the best work- I would keep the house last because that is going to stand out from others. The real challenge will be making that first page and project get their attention and keep it!

It seems like, more than anything, the program at UNM has become a little more tech/green design oriented since I went through, so I had the opposite problem- all concepts and art and no "architecture" which probably worked in my favor for the schools I got into it (and not so much for the 2 rejections I got from UT!)

What I will say about the letter, from my experience, is to have a couple of different people read it and give feedback. Might be good to discuss it with the people who are writing your letters of recommendation. The advice I usually got was to make sure each letter addressed why I wanted to go to that particular school in addition to the "why I want to be an architect" that every letter will have. Showing that you took the time to research the school, the program, faculty, city, etc demonstrates that you are serious about studying at (blank) institution for more than just the name on the degree. Probably not earth shattering advice, but I think sometimes people get more focused on other things. Make it personal, which given your work should be easy. The house project alone would be great letter material- showing a real commitment to architecture and space.

Cherith, again, thank you for your long and thoughtful response. I really appreciate the people on this site who take so much time, energy, and knowledge and share it with others!