So here it is. My 'portfolio.' I need to apply for summer jobs soon, so I'd like some feed back on my portfolio. It's no where as impressive as half of the undergrads' portfolios, but it's what I have. I guess I need some design sheets too. Tips, suggestions, brutally honest crits appreciated. The size is 5.5"x8" and will be printed on matte photo paper probably with white-ish plastic spiral binding. I haven't made a cover yet. May just be white with my name.
Yeah sorry. It's on some crappy Geocities site. I can only transfer 4 MB per hour haha. So, come back later. I just shrank it so like 3 people per hour can look at it. Also note, the last 4 spreads are floaters. I don't know what to keep and what to lose. I really like my DS+R map, but the Japan part is optional. I don't know how to tie it in.
I'm doing a dissertation on flexibility of dwelling spaces - movable architecture. The scope of which extends from anything like movable partitions and walls, to movable, multifunctional living spaces, furniture, foldable installations etc... REFERENCES, IDEAS, LINKS, COMMENTS are welcome...
I like most of it. My #1 critique would be that not much seems to 'pop'. I am a sucker for powerful graphics, and while I do like the subtlety of much of it I think there should be some hierarchy. There are what seem to be some very nice projects in there - I would love to see a model or an over all aerial rendering. It's too difficult to really understand the project when it's all interior renderings.
Like:
Projects - some nice projects, from my quick look
Drawings - looks like some of those are hand drawn, like the sections (not referring to the obvious sketches). Love those.
Graphics - some nice diagrams and graphics.
Don't like:
No hierarchy, both over all and in each project
Too Many - maybe too many projects. Pick 3 or so and make them kick ass
Clarity - I want to see the overall designs of some of the building projects. Make a model, even a very quick tiny one, or render some decent aerial shots.
Project Drawings - I didn't notice any traditional plans/sections
Integration - seemed to be just a catalog of projects, not a portfolio. For a summer job, that's probably fine, but you have some good graphic skills so why not put them to good use and design the presentation (overlapping, compositing, etc. - things that will help add hierarchy and clarity).
Lastly, if you do more renderings, try to learn some simple techniques. It's far more advantageous to spend a few hours on the light than comping in people. Too many students present horrible renderings, but take the time to put people and materials in - make it feel 'warm'.
Looks nice, though. Not sure why you suggested it was so horrible.
If you need suggestions for learning renderings, let me know. I can send you some sky dome lighting solutions that look pretty good for exteriors and you won't need a plugin or at least point you in the right direction.
u'd have to wait for ur turn. haha yeah i got to be of the three people this hour! all in all it's pretty cool actually, very spacious and clean, which is always a good thing. liked the sections a lot, and japan pages are a nice touch, could use a bit of editing but u should keem em. i'd cut it short a bit though, too many pages per project and the less they are the harder it would be to lose interest in each project, coz they are interesting projects.
i'm currently working on mine so might post it here soon, or might not. not that impressive but working on that!
Trace thanks for the comments. Actually, those images are pretty much everything I have that is somewhat decent. My second semester was awful, so I leave that out. If I had plans and sections, they would be in there. My critics have been very lax about having traditional drawings. I do have some from Construction II that I can put in though. As for models, I don't have any. Seriously. I haven't built any models until this midreview and it's really ugly. So I definately appreciate your comments, BUT it would require me to redo a ton of work that I just don't have time for right now haha. The building with the hand drawings doesnt have a completed 3D model, so I would have to make that to render it, nor did I ever figure out where the door goes hahaha.
I'd appreciate layout tips. I know I don't do layout (overlapping etc). I can do individual images, but have a bitch of a time making coherent layouts. My presentation boards are pretty similar to my portfolio, just big pictures.
Keep the tips coming. I guess maybe, what are the short run tips? I can work on other stuff over the summer to make the big suggestions (models etc).
Consider having someone go through and thoroughly spell-check and critique your grammar. For example, on the first page you have a "diagram of the *spectical* created by Bill Clinton".
Is this going to be printed double-sided or single sided, or viewed electronically? Unless it is double-sided, the into to the first project was too long. I lost interest before I got to the actual architecture part of it.
I think that graphically, it got much better as it went along. The last bit about the study abroad was FAR more visually interesting than the stuff at the beginning - it had more depth, it had less strict boundaries. It seems as though you learned something in the process of making the portfolio, but did not go and apply what you had learned by the end back to the first couple of projects, which I would suggest that you do.
Specifically the overlapping and variety of images get much better towards the end. The beginning is overly rigorous - it looks like you said, "ok, image here, text there, next page", instead of thoughtfully composing the pages, which you did much more sucessfully towards the end. Maybe look at a different font as well, the one you're using just isn't clicking with your drawings, which have some amount of style to them. The overlapping strategy will help with two other things - length and density. I agree with others that it goes on a bit long (which is a shame, because the best work is at the back and the interviewer may have lost interest before getting to it). And you've got a density issue - you have huge blocks of white space on many of the pages, and it looks like you were trying to make the portfolio longer by spacing them out. Don't. The visual effect of putting a proper amount of density to it will far outweigh any impression of length the viewer might get.
Sorry if I'm sounding harsh, I just think it's best to get to the meat of it. I think that some of your work is quite fun, and the Japan drawings in particular are striking. So don't let the rest of it get you down - just want to get you to show off what you can do a little better.
Your last page on Japanese population density claims that Japan's push to have Japanese start families at a younger age will put an even greater strain on the population to living space ratio. But you should take into account that Japan's birthrate has been in a pretty steady decline for the past few years. With the average Japanese lifespan reaching into the 80's for both men and women, it is the Japanese infrastructure that the government is worried about, i.e. shitloads of old people and no young people to take care of them and everything else. It is a very serious concern right now. The implications extend far beyond space limitations. And, in fact, the figure that you have for people to square km may be correct but the difference between the dense Tokyo high rises and the country areas, like where I live, is incredible. You'd have a much more impressive figures if you figured out population to square km in Tokyo metro as opposed to the inaka (countryside).
I think you're portfolio is strong in places. I might lose the drawings at the end if I were you. They might not be missed.
shows some talent and thoughtfulness and not so refined it hurts (i quite like the facade system you worked out. very nice). not so sure where you would like to work or what kind of work you would anticipate doing based on the projects you have to show though. general gopher?
so might be useful to think about how you will pitch yourself in the cover letter and in interviews. What DO you wanna do?
guigg is correct on the japan population thing. about 30 million in tokyo metro alone, which is a huge chunk of the total population, an things get real rural quite fast outside the centres. however even tokyo is expecting a 10 percent population drop over the next few decades...huge crisis looming.
not that anyone is gonna call you on that point anyway.
also agree with guigg that the drawings at the end are not so compelling and may not be missed if dropped...
Work is OK actually, refreshing to see hand drafting incorporated (or is it sketchup?) Watercolors looked rushed, the whole thing really wants to be landscape, though. Like the GCS concept, montages kept my attention. Lose the blank 1st page. Send me a finished copy if you're in NYC
I just basically want to disappear in a large firm for the summer. Thinking about architecture makes me depressed. I've considered not even getting a job in a firm this summer, but I guess I really should work at a firm before I graduate. I'm nervous about interviews because I don't know what I will talk about. <sigh>
Yeah, you know how you shoot the laser on the wall and the cat chases it around? I'll just do that to the interviewer. When (s)he tires of that...COOKIE TIME! Maybe black and white cookies. I'm obsessed with those these days.
i don't think you need to worry so much hasselhoff about interview talk. if just looking for a job to get experience and lose yourself you are more than qualified.
i took fish cakes to my prof when he interviewed me as a possible student to join his lab as PhD'er. sounds weird, i know, but this IS japan. and he did accept me. they were SPECIAL fish cakes (nothing weird or anything, just special).
-less rationalizing with the projects [too many diagrams] and more representing the whole scheme
-consider your projects found artifacts that you are now charged with the responsibility of presenting the fullest possible representation of them. how would that change your presentation of the work?
-the text and images seem to be at war with one another. let one become more important than the other
overall i think it is nice work. thanks for sharing it with us.
They love the hell out of diagrams here. And yes, for the love of god I have a blog on here saying I go to Penn. It's the highest ranking blog in the world!
I had some computer stuff that I did. They were mix CD covers and wallpapers for Windows. I did Career Discovery, so that stuff went in there. I had some furniture that I made and a variety of handdrawings and paintings. Some weird mixed media type thing. Honestly, I made almost everything for the portfolio.
I think it was really my essay that got me in. I talked about all the bullsh*t stuff that is cool in architecture these days, but didn't know it. I talked about systems and science in design. But what I meant was more like, the engineering aspects and sustainability as far as science, and for systems I just meant that if you know a little about everything, then you can make a good holistic project. Geology is a science that relies on the other sciences, so there is a systems approach to the teaching. You know, you take two semesters of chem, and physics and math etc. So I just meant the same thing is useful for architecture. I'm sure they thought I was talking about this nonlinear complex system crap that makes me want to kill myself. Based on the way a lot of people talk these days, they want scientists I think. But I got out of science because I DIDN'T want to do it anymore haha. There is very often more concern with how rigorously you followed some gibberish to make a form than how you actually design space and materials and how it's inhabited. For some, it's great, but as you can tell from how I talk about it, it's not for me. So it's a struggle a lot of the time. I rant about that somewhere on my blog. I even have a diagram full of my typical, terrible spelling.
What I meant by "Honestly, I made almost everything for the portfolio." is that the summer before I applied, I just made a bunch of stuff. I didn't have a catalog of stuff to pull from to put in a portfolio because I really didn't spend much time doing artistic/design stuff between 1998 and 2003. Mostly just using Photoshop to make inappropriate images and posters for stuff. Although I did make a cool Flash presentation for a project about the Great Rift Valley. It had this skeleton that waved and then fell apart. Awesome. Oh, and a museum exhibit that I did for a summer internship went into the portfolio.
hasselhoff- so weird! i looked at your portfolio and knew you were a geology major! you're very in tune with the fluidity of layers within a system. now...if you would only stop beating your wife....
No idea about the GPA stuff. I mean, I did well, so I'm sure it didn't hurt. I worked at Harvard for two years, so that may have helped too. You know how to Ivy's all like to make out with each other. I'll see if I can scrounge up my old portfolio. It's on a CD somewhere. I'll need to PDF it. I can do it sometime.
If my wife doesn't stop getting on my nerves, I'm gonna have to chop her up with an axe, put her in a Hefty bag and throw her in the Delaware. DON'T TELL ME MY BUSINESS WOMAN!!
1) Close the spacing in your typography. You want to communicate like this, n o t l i k e t h i s . E s p e c i a l l y w i t h y o u r c h o i c e o f a t a l l , t h i n f o n t.
2) Make clearer divisions between projects. The project titles are sort of smashed up at the top of their pages, and don't call attention to themselves. This could be accomplished in many ways, including bolder headlines, inserting some kind of blank space between projects, etc. I had a hard time figuring out when the Voting project ended, and whether the Camp David building was part of that same project, and when the Chia Roscura school project started, because there isn't a glaringly obvious visual difference when a new project starts. I don't mean that each section should be in a totally different graphic style, though.
3) I am a little confused by what that Diller Scofidio Renfro section of your portfolio is. Is it part of the building envelopes section? Is it an analysis? What the?
Hah yeah, the DS+R this is just a cool graphic I did for a case studies project, I don't know how to fit it in, but I want to show it. It's kind of a works timeline/map (obviously).
Uh.. in that case I would recommend titling it with something like "Graphic Analysis (or whatever it is, exactly) of Work By Diller, Scofidio, and Renfro."
Biggest thing you need is hierarchy. I bet the best way to get tips about this would be via conversation. Maybe if you talked about this over IM you'd get a more tailored, constructive help? Not that the commentary on here isn't a good start and all.
hasselhoff - your experiences at Upenn makes me wonder whether or not I should consider the school (if I make it in); they were all mostly negetive experiences. Were there any good experiences you think is worth your stay? I think the environment of the school itself is pretty important for me to feel motivated through school. I don't want to have to walk around campus fearful of being mugged, etc.
Superglue, I put a disclaimer on another post and mentioned it before. I do exaggerate my posts for humor's sake. Also, come on, Penn is a good school. Definately consider it. The technical faculty is great. Studio critics are hit or miss just like anywhere. Some people are great one year, have an off year the next and vice versa. If you get in, come to the open house and DON'T talk to me. Talk to other people. Maybe it's not right for me. Hell, I regularly question if any school would have been right for me. There are a lot of happy people here, and plenty of people (students and faculty) winning awards, being published in magazines, doing cool stuff.
The studio culture is pretty good. Most of us get along very well. I'm a little on the anti-social side when it comes to out of school activities with classmates just because that's always been my personality. I like to wander the city alone. But I have a few really close friends from here. Plus, I grew up in PA, so some of my best friends live in the area, some even in Philly, so I like to spend my free time with them when I can.
The computer revolution is somewhat of a downside because a lot of people work at home. Like right now, I'm one of two people in studio and we have desk crits tomorrow. There are only about 10 people total in the studio right now.
You can check Philly crime rates if you're concerned. I walk home late all the time, but I also don't carry anything with me. I know of 3 people in my year that were mugged this year though. It's a city. Campus is pretty safe and they have beefed up the security quite a bit in the past few months.
I have a sour view of Philly. I lived in Boston for two years and absolutely loved it there. Had a great apartment with an awesome roommate etc. Then I moved here, had the WORST roommates in a shitty apartment, was stressed by school, so I didn't get a good start and that unfortunatly damages your outlook on the whole thing. I have a good apartment now but I haven't really warmed to the city.
My advice, if one of those big envelopes is yours, come to open house and talk to 92384 people. If you come, I'll introduce you to people that can talk to you about the program. I'll tell them to keep it real.
That was a bit helpful. I kind of like the city scene & wandering alone as well, but after spending some time around sf & berkeley - I got tired of the filth (no offense). Is the philly anything like sf from what I described or the city in the movie "Rent"? What is about boston that you liked? Sorry, I'm just trying to get an idea of the environments.
Boston was clean and I enjoyed the water front aspect. I just felt like there were places that I wanted to go. You didn't have to worry as much that you were going to end up somewhere shady. I never saw a rat or roach on the street. I could walk around at night with camera equipment and feel safe. The subway is acceptable. I hate the Philly subway. It smells like piss, there are really creepy people on it, including a guy flicking a box cutter and a guy faux-masturbating.
Philly is a pretty poor city. There are some nice/cool areas. I don't know. I just don't feel at home here. Maybe it's just that I never really acclimated since I haven't REALLY spent free time here. This will be the first summer I stay here. This is a love it or hate it city and I know people in both camps. I think Center City is more pleasant than U. City. I have cheaper rent, but there is nothing here but Qdoba, Radio Shack, cheesy psuedo-anti-establishment art school grads and overly preppy Penn undergrads. There are more cool shops and stuff across the river. As well as the First Unitarian Church where you can hang out with more anti-establishment wage laborers, but listen to kick ass music. Oh, and there is an IKEA.
Don't really know anything about SF. I have a friend there and she loves it, so I can't comment. Never saw Rent, the music alone makes me want to VanGough myself.
Give it to me straight up-my portfolio
So here it is. My 'portfolio.' I need to apply for summer jobs soon, so I'd like some feed back on my portfolio. It's no where as impressive as half of the undergrads' portfolios, but it's what I have. I guess I need some design sheets too. Tips, suggestions, brutally honest crits appreciated. The size is 5.5"x8" and will be printed on matte photo paper probably with white-ish plastic spiral binding. I haven't made a cover yet. May just be white with my name.
Here it is
not working...
Yeah sorry. It's on some crappy Geocities site. I can only transfer 4 MB per hour haha. So, come back later. I just shrank it so like 3 people per hour can look at it. Also note, the last 4 spreads are floaters. I don't know what to keep and what to lose. I really like my DS+R map, but the Japan part is optional. I don't know how to tie it in.
looking forward to the update...
meanwhile...
I'm doing a dissertation on flexibility of dwelling spaces - movable architecture. The scope of which extends from anything like movable partitions and walls, to movable, multifunctional living spaces, furniture, foldable installations etc... REFERENCES, IDEAS, LINKS, COMMENTS are welcome...
my thread:
http://www.archinect.com/forum/threads.php?id=35451_0_42_0_C
good site to upload large files
so do we get a number or sth? when's my turn to have a quick look!
I like most of it. My #1 critique would be that not much seems to 'pop'. I am a sucker for powerful graphics, and while I do like the subtlety of much of it I think there should be some hierarchy. There are what seem to be some very nice projects in there - I would love to see a model or an over all aerial rendering. It's too difficult to really understand the project when it's all interior renderings.
Like:
Projects - some nice projects, from my quick look
Drawings - looks like some of those are hand drawn, like the sections (not referring to the obvious sketches). Love those.
Graphics - some nice diagrams and graphics.
Don't like:
No hierarchy, both over all and in each project
Too Many - maybe too many projects. Pick 3 or so and make them kick ass
Clarity - I want to see the overall designs of some of the building projects. Make a model, even a very quick tiny one, or render some decent aerial shots.
Project Drawings - I didn't notice any traditional plans/sections
Integration - seemed to be just a catalog of projects, not a portfolio. For a summer job, that's probably fine, but you have some good graphic skills so why not put them to good use and design the presentation (overlapping, compositing, etc. - things that will help add hierarchy and clarity).
Lastly, if you do more renderings, try to learn some simple techniques. It's far more advantageous to spend a few hours on the light than comping in people. Too many students present horrible renderings, but take the time to put people and materials in - make it feel 'warm'.
Looks nice, though. Not sure why you suggested it was so horrible.
If you need suggestions for learning renderings, let me know. I can send you some sky dome lighting solutions that look pretty good for exteriors and you won't need a plugin or at least point you in the right direction.
Good luck.
how'd you get in to see it, trace? all i get is a geocities 'not available' message.
u'd have to wait for ur turn. haha yeah i got to be of the three people this hour! all in all it's pretty cool actually, very spacious and clean, which is always a good thing. liked the sections a lot, and japan pages are a nice touch, could use a bit of editing but u should keem em. i'd cut it short a bit though, too many pages per project and the less they are the harder it would be to lose interest in each project, coz they are interesting projects.
i'm currently working on mine so might post it here soon, or might not. not that impressive but working on that!
geocities is, i have now learned, very annyoing. access denied. like a bad automated customer service center.
where were all those other portfolios posted?
Let's try this one
Portfolio
Trace thanks for the comments. Actually, those images are pretty much everything I have that is somewhat decent. My second semester was awful, so I leave that out. If I had plans and sections, they would be in there. My critics have been very lax about having traditional drawings. I do have some from Construction II that I can put in though. As for models, I don't have any. Seriously. I haven't built any models until this midreview and it's really ugly. So I definately appreciate your comments, BUT it would require me to redo a ton of work that I just don't have time for right now haha. The building with the hand drawings doesnt have a completed 3D model, so I would have to make that to render it, nor did I ever figure out where the door goes hahaha.
I'd appreciate layout tips. I know I don't do layout (overlapping etc). I can do individual images, but have a bitch of a time making coherent layouts. My presentation boards are pretty similar to my portfolio, just big pictures.
Keep the tips coming. I guess maybe, what are the short run tips? I can work on other stuff over the summer to make the big suggestions (models etc).
Crap. A well thought-out detailed response disappears into cyber hell.
Basically, what trace said.
Where are you looking to work?
unlike tyvek i don't have a well thought-out detailed response.
however, i like it.
Consider having someone go through and thoroughly spell-check and critique your grammar. For example, on the first page you have a "diagram of the *spectical* created by Bill Clinton".
haha good call
Hey uh, Hibz, you wanna discuss portfolios over coffee? Yeah.
Is this going to be printed double-sided or single sided, or viewed electronically? Unless it is double-sided, the into to the first project was too long. I lost interest before I got to the actual architecture part of it.
I think that graphically, it got much better as it went along. The last bit about the study abroad was FAR more visually interesting than the stuff at the beginning - it had more depth, it had less strict boundaries. It seems as though you learned something in the process of making the portfolio, but did not go and apply what you had learned by the end back to the first couple of projects, which I would suggest that you do.
Specifically the overlapping and variety of images get much better towards the end. The beginning is overly rigorous - it looks like you said, "ok, image here, text there, next page", instead of thoughtfully composing the pages, which you did much more sucessfully towards the end. Maybe look at a different font as well, the one you're using just isn't clicking with your drawings, which have some amount of style to them. The overlapping strategy will help with two other things - length and density. I agree with others that it goes on a bit long (which is a shame, because the best work is at the back and the interviewer may have lost interest before getting to it). And you've got a density issue - you have huge blocks of white space on many of the pages, and it looks like you were trying to make the portfolio longer by spacing them out. Don't. The visual effect of putting a proper amount of density to it will far outweigh any impression of length the viewer might get.
Sorry if I'm sounding harsh, I just think it's best to get to the meat of it. I think that some of your work is quite fun, and the Japan drawings in particular are striking. So don't let the rest of it get you down - just want to get you to show off what you can do a little better.
grrrrr.... that's "the INTRO to the first project" not "the into to the first project"
Hasselhoff,
Are u in the MArch 1 program at Upenn?
Whatever the 3 year one is called, yeah. I forget haha.
Your last page on Japanese population density claims that Japan's push to have Japanese start families at a younger age will put an even greater strain on the population to living space ratio. But you should take into account that Japan's birthrate has been in a pretty steady decline for the past few years. With the average Japanese lifespan reaching into the 80's for both men and women, it is the Japanese infrastructure that the government is worried about, i.e. shitloads of old people and no young people to take care of them and everything else. It is a very serious concern right now. The implications extend far beyond space limitations. And, in fact, the figure that you have for people to square km may be correct but the difference between the dense Tokyo high rises and the country areas, like where I live, is incredible. You'd have a much more impressive figures if you figured out population to square km in Tokyo metro as opposed to the inaka (countryside).
I think you're portfolio is strong in places. I might lose the drawings at the end if I were you. They might not be missed.
haha thanks for the offer. sweet, but no.
for a portfolio to find a summer job it looks ok.
shows some talent and thoughtfulness and not so refined it hurts (i quite like the facade system you worked out. very nice). not so sure where you would like to work or what kind of work you would anticipate doing based on the projects you have to show though. general gopher?
so might be useful to think about how you will pitch yourself in the cover letter and in interviews. What DO you wanna do?
guigg is correct on the japan population thing. about 30 million in tokyo metro alone, which is a huge chunk of the total population, an things get real rural quite fast outside the centres. however even tokyo is expecting a 10 percent population drop over the next few decades...huge crisis looming.
not that anyone is gonna call you on that point anyway.
also agree with guigg that the drawings at the end are not so compelling and may not be missed if dropped...
man, i got that response too many times to count. i hated that one.
ouch.
reminds me of my ill spent youth too, sadly.
Work is OK actually, refreshing to see hand drafting incorporated (or is it sketchup?) Watercolors looked rushed, the whole thing really wants to be landscape, though. Like the GCS concept, montages kept my attention. Lose the blank 1st page. Send me a finished copy if you're in NYC
I just basically want to disappear in a large firm for the summer. Thinking about architecture makes me depressed. I've considered not even getting a job in a firm this summer, but I guess I really should work at a firm before I graduate. I'm nervous about interviews because I don't know what I will talk about. <sigh>
not sure what to talk about? may I recommend smoke and mirrors?
Maybe I'll bring a laser pointer or some coockies.
hey did that come out rude? let me put it another way, i would've actually considered it if we were on the same continent.. but, damn it!
how's that?
substitute bright light for mirrors, cookie dust for smoke?
hmmmmm. you may be on to something...
Hahaha no worries Hibz. No offense taken.
Yeah, you know how you shoot the laser on the wall and the cat chases it around? I'll just do that to the interviewer. When (s)he tires of that...COOKIE TIME! Maybe black and white cookies. I'm obsessed with those these days.
such a happy world....
i don't think you need to worry so much hasselhoff about interview talk. if just looking for a job to get experience and lose yourself you are more than qualified.
i took fish cakes to my prof when he interviewed me as a possible student to join his lab as PhD'er. sounds weird, i know, but this IS japan. and he did accept me. they were SPECIAL fish cakes (nothing weird or anything, just special).
its ok. i think that some quick fixes could be:
-less rationalizing with the projects [too many diagrams] and more representing the whole scheme
-consider your projects found artifacts that you are now charged with the responsibility of presenting the fullest possible representation of them. how would that change your presentation of the work?
-the text and images seem to be at war with one another. let one become more important than the other
overall i think it is nice work. thanks for sharing it with us.
~Z
(sing it) Word man here, word man here, here is the word man here:
I think "connectivity" works better in place of "connectedness".
In the same phrase: "filling" s misspelled.
And to correct myself, "is" is misspelled.
They love the hell out of diagrams here. And yes, for the love of god I have a blog on here saying I go to Penn. It's the highest ranking blog in the world!
Lafayette College, BS Geology, Minor in anthropology and sociology.
I had some computer stuff that I did. They were mix CD covers and wallpapers for Windows. I did Career Discovery, so that stuff went in there. I had some furniture that I made and a variety of handdrawings and paintings. Some weird mixed media type thing. Honestly, I made almost everything for the portfolio.
I think it was really my essay that got me in. I talked about all the bullsh*t stuff that is cool in architecture these days, but didn't know it. I talked about systems and science in design. But what I meant was more like, the engineering aspects and sustainability as far as science, and for systems I just meant that if you know a little about everything, then you can make a good holistic project. Geology is a science that relies on the other sciences, so there is a systems approach to the teaching. You know, you take two semesters of chem, and physics and math etc. So I just meant the same thing is useful for architecture. I'm sure they thought I was talking about this nonlinear complex system crap that makes me want to kill myself. Based on the way a lot of people talk these days, they want scientists I think. But I got out of science because I DIDN'T want to do it anymore haha. There is very often more concern with how rigorously you followed some gibberish to make a form than how you actually design space and materials and how it's inhabited. For some, it's great, but as you can tell from how I talk about it, it's not for me. So it's a struggle a lot of the time. I rant about that somewhere on my blog. I even have a diagram full of my typical, terrible spelling.
What I meant by "Honestly, I made almost everything for the portfolio." is that the summer before I applied, I just made a bunch of stuff. I didn't have a catalog of stuff to pull from to put in a portfolio because I really didn't spend much time doing artistic/design stuff between 1998 and 2003. Mostly just using Photoshop to make inappropriate images and posters for stuff. Although I did make a cool Flash presentation for a project about the Great Rift Valley. It had this skeleton that waved and then fell apart. Awesome. Oh, and a museum exhibit that I did for a summer internship went into the portfolio.
hasselhoff- so weird! i looked at your portfolio and knew you were a geology major! you're very in tune with the fluidity of layers within a system. now...if you would only stop beating your wife....
No idea about the GPA stuff. I mean, I did well, so I'm sure it didn't hurt. I worked at Harvard for two years, so that may have helped too. You know how to Ivy's all like to make out with each other. I'll see if I can scrounge up my old portfolio. It's on a CD somewhere. I'll need to PDF it. I can do it sometime.
If my wife doesn't stop getting on my nerves, I'm gonna have to chop her up with an axe, put her in a Hefty bag and throw her in the Delaware. DON'T TELL ME MY BUSINESS WOMAN!!
Layout tips for Hasselhoff:
1) Close the spacing in your typography. You want to communicate like this, n o t l i k e t h i s . E s p e c i a l l y w i t h y o u r c h o i c e o f a t a l l , t h i n f o n t.
2) Make clearer divisions between projects. The project titles are sort of smashed up at the top of their pages, and don't call attention to themselves. This could be accomplished in many ways, including bolder headlines, inserting some kind of blank space between projects, etc. I had a hard time figuring out when the Voting project ended, and whether the Camp David building was part of that same project, and when the Chia Roscura school project started, because there isn't a glaringly obvious visual difference when a new project starts. I don't mean that each section should be in a totally different graphic style, though.
3) I am a little confused by what that Diller Scofidio Renfro section of your portfolio is. Is it part of the building envelopes section? Is it an analysis? What the?
Hah yeah, the DS+R this is just a cool graphic I did for a case studies project, I don't know how to fit it in, but I want to show it. It's kind of a works timeline/map (obviously).
Uh.. in that case I would recommend titling it with something like "Graphic Analysis (or whatever it is, exactly) of Work By Diller, Scofidio, and Renfro."
Biggest thing you need is hierarchy. I bet the best way to get tips about this would be via conversation. Maybe if you talked about this over IM you'd get a more tailored, constructive help? Not that the commentary on here isn't a good start and all.
hasselhoff - your experiences at Upenn makes me wonder whether or not I should consider the school (if I make it in); they were all mostly negetive experiences. Were there any good experiences you think is worth your stay? I think the environment of the school itself is pretty important for me to feel motivated through school. I don't want to have to walk around campus fearful of being mugged, etc.
Superglue, I put a disclaimer on another post and mentioned it before. I do exaggerate my posts for humor's sake. Also, come on, Penn is a good school. Definately consider it. The technical faculty is great. Studio critics are hit or miss just like anywhere. Some people are great one year, have an off year the next and vice versa. If you get in, come to the open house and DON'T talk to me. Talk to other people. Maybe it's not right for me. Hell, I regularly question if any school would have been right for me. There are a lot of happy people here, and plenty of people (students and faculty) winning awards, being published in magazines, doing cool stuff.
The studio culture is pretty good. Most of us get along very well. I'm a little on the anti-social side when it comes to out of school activities with classmates just because that's always been my personality. I like to wander the city alone. But I have a few really close friends from here. Plus, I grew up in PA, so some of my best friends live in the area, some even in Philly, so I like to spend my free time with them when I can.
The computer revolution is somewhat of a downside because a lot of people work at home. Like right now, I'm one of two people in studio and we have desk crits tomorrow. There are only about 10 people total in the studio right now.
You can check Philly crime rates if you're concerned. I walk home late all the time, but I also don't carry anything with me. I know of 3 people in my year that were mugged this year though. It's a city. Campus is pretty safe and they have beefed up the security quite a bit in the past few months.
I have a sour view of Philly. I lived in Boston for two years and absolutely loved it there. Had a great apartment with an awesome roommate etc. Then I moved here, had the WORST roommates in a shitty apartment, was stressed by school, so I didn't get a good start and that unfortunatly damages your outlook on the whole thing. I have a good apartment now but I haven't really warmed to the city.
My advice, if one of those big envelopes is yours, come to open house and talk to 92384 people. If you come, I'll introduce you to people that can talk to you about the program. I'll tell them to keep it real.
That was a bit helpful. I kind of like the city scene & wandering alone as well, but after spending some time around sf & berkeley - I got tired of the filth (no offense). Is the philly anything like sf from what I described or the city in the movie "Rent"? What is about boston that you liked? Sorry, I'm just trying to get an idea of the environments.
Boston was clean and I enjoyed the water front aspect. I just felt like there were places that I wanted to go. You didn't have to worry as much that you were going to end up somewhere shady. I never saw a rat or roach on the street. I could walk around at night with camera equipment and feel safe. The subway is acceptable. I hate the Philly subway. It smells like piss, there are really creepy people on it, including a guy flicking a box cutter and a guy faux-masturbating.
Philly is a pretty poor city. There are some nice/cool areas. I don't know. I just don't feel at home here. Maybe it's just that I never really acclimated since I haven't REALLY spent free time here. This will be the first summer I stay here. This is a love it or hate it city and I know people in both camps. I think Center City is more pleasant than U. City. I have cheaper rent, but there is nothing here but Qdoba, Radio Shack, cheesy psuedo-anti-establishment art school grads and overly preppy Penn undergrads. There are more cool shops and stuff across the river. As well as the First Unitarian Church where you can hang out with more anti-establishment wage laborers, but listen to kick ass music. Oh, and there is an IKEA.
Don't really know anything about SF. I have a friend there and she loves it, so I can't comment. Never saw Rent, the music alone makes me want to VanGough myself.
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