fancy graphics, definitely fancy graphics.

My port is still in the planning stages, but most of mine will be fancy graphics and process drawings/sketches. I'll consider putting in technical details in mine, however they probably won't be the main attraction. Of course, it depends on the school, some may really favor the technical side, but if you have 'em, and you have a good place to put 'em, might as well put them in there.

Fancy, period.

Technical/construction drawings are a dime a dozen - anyone can do them.

Creativity - this is what you need to focus on. Make things look special. Plans/Elevations/etc. can look very sexy if done well - show that.


Do a search on here and you'll see plenty of examples (from Morphosis to Miralles to Mies)




Process sketches are nice, too. Shows that you thought about things and that you do, indeed, have a process. I made most of mine while I was scanning other photos ;-) (and did apply/get accepted to the schools I went for on your list).



Good luck!! Sexy sells!!

I make most of my process sketches after I've completed my design. It's like, how can I make it seem like I thought more about this before I designed it than I actually did. lol.

And I was gonna say in my earlier post "sex sells", but I figured everyone already knew that. =)

AA has a M.Arch I?!! Is it like the M.Arch in the US?

Ooops sorry alga, didn't mean to mislead. No AA doesn't have a M.Arch program, they only have a 2 year master program for ppl from architecture undergrad.

thanks everyone else..those answers are reallly helpful

No alga, it's not at all like the North American M.Arch.

AA offers post-graduate masters degrees (ie. not fulfilling professional registration requirements / Part II) in DRL (digital research), Emergent Technologies, and a few other fields (Hosuing, Landscape Urbanism I believe, etc.)

As for the original question, it really all depends what you mean by "technical". If you're just showing a typical timber wall section (as one might find in any detail magazine or construction manual), then no, I don't think that's adding much to your project presentation.

A carefully constructed and attractive looking detail showing your uniquely designed adaptable facade system or the connections for your non-linear wooden structural lattice grid, would probably be very much appreciated though. To me that shows that you've got the creative ideas/concepts, but are also capable of adapting those ideas into a more realizable project with materiality, construction process, etc. taken into consideration. As Trace said, construction drawings are dime a dozen. I'll add that fancy renderings are as well. What's truly impressive is when the two come together.

Simply put, the work in your portfolio should not only look nice (given), but more importantly, it should succinctly explain what it is you've designed and your intentions / thought process behind that move.

I agree with Gray!

Sure, renderings are nice etc. but I think most people can learn that as opposed to learning how to do good technical drawings. They can be cad or even better if they are hand drawn. Those hand drawings will get everyone's attention more than blobs and some photoshop edited graphics. Technical drawings can show your thinking, process, crativity while sometimes renderings and pretty images can show....well that you can use a particular program, unless you have sketches and drawings showing how you got to those final images.

I think it is a good thing to have a balance, so you satisfy all of the people reviewing and not just somebody that is doing blobs and using 3dmax!

Hmm, I'd be careful about that. I'd disagree with poop - technical drawings, generally speaking, look boring. Boring is not what sells.

Renderings are simply a tool to show your design skills, not your computer skills. Let's be clear about that. Just as showing a well built model - it is showing your design skill and a little of your attention to detail (quality matters, whether it be a basswood model or rendering).


Just make sure that's what you are highlighting. Obviously, if you have some amazing detail that is truly unique, then show it (I never saw one while I was in school).


Again, it is about your design skills, so whatever highlights that best.

why can't it be both... which I think is what poop/trace/gray are all arguing for. Like do you have a project that you can explain both with beautiful imagery and process as well as some atypical technical assembly drawings? It's what I'd want to see if I were on the other side of the table as I often am.

well I guess I was aware that the answer would be "why not have them all, if you can.." I suppose it was a desperate attempt to justify myself for slacking, since I'm really tired working on the applications. But thanks, this gives me the motivation for that last push to have them all, well balanced, still looking non-cluttered:)

my concern was to not encumber the portfolio with repetition of the same material in different formats . I mean when you see an original design in a good rendering, you can kind of imagine it would have a smart atypical detail, so would they want to be bored by actually seeing that detail, but like you've all said, the trick must be in still keeping them excited looking at details..

I've just realized it was too specific a question to discuss without a subject(the portfolio itself) but I just don't feel comfortable sharing it online yet...

But I'm sure the thread has been helpful for others as well though..