most schools list, within the application or on their website, what they want in a portfolio. generally, from my experience, after seeing the portfolios of a few of my classmates who had no architectural work in their portfolios, it's fine. you'll probably do best if you go with your best work regardless of the medium, as long as it's something arch professors will find accessable and be able to appreciate (which is just about everything except, i think, photography). i think furniture that you've designed would be excellent to include.

thanks colcol, yeahi think it best to concentrate what i already know, rather than try to wing up something i have no idea about.

colcol--

Why is photography not accessible or a good idea to include in the portfolio?

I think photography is a great way to show an artistic eye. Since you dont have any architecture experience, I would recommend staying away from putting anything "architecturally relate." Stick to portraits, charcoals, sketches, of different things, but do not act like you can draw building sections, elevations, and floor plans. Good luck.

I have a friend who included a gingerbread house as the only "architecture" in her portfolio.

I am assuming you are applying for a 3.5 yr program if your undergrad degree isn't in architecture? In that case schools know you don't have the experience, they aren't going to be looking for examples of architecture per say.

They want to see that you have creativity and some design sensibility. If you do furniture design I think those would be great projects to put in your portfolio. Trust me, the school will teach you all about architecture and theory, they want to get an idea of your basic design skills, no matter the medium.

So I think you are correct, don't worry about renderings if they aren't your strongpoint, at this point concentrate on displaying the work that you have done in the best way possible. A well thought out composition to your portfolio is a very important factor as well in helping you put your best foot forward. I've seen other non-arch portfolios and they usually have sketches, photos, paintings-the furniture design could help set you apart I think. Good luck with it.

For each piece of work submitted in our portfolio, is it a must to add some kind of description/ explanation? Apart from that, would they penalize you if you are only able to show a few pieces of work? Any recomended amount you must at least have in your portfolio?

Are you applying for a master's program with no previous architecture education?

What they want to see is your level of creativity and visual sense. Very different from technical skills. If you do have, say, impeccable craftsmanship/skills at something other than what is required of you as an architect, it's more important to show your glass-blowing/quilting/marquetry/lithographs/whatever work than it is to show some 3d-rendering skills that everyone else either already has, or will have before graduating.

Remember to make yourself stand out as unique and memorable, rather than try to fit a pre-conceived image of what you think they want you to be/know.

Exceptional photography alone can easily get you in. (imagine James Casebere or Thomas Demand applying for architecture school?! Ha! they'd give them honorary degrees!)

really, the best part of the 3.5 yr classes is the variety of the undergrad degrees. makes for unbelievably rich learning environment. i had classmates with degrees in entomology, Italian literature, offshore engineering, you name it... You may have a bs in mortuary science from a funeral service program and embalming expertise: don't worry about your portfolio— they will accept you for what you bring to your class. For the 3.5 yr MArch application, statements are way more important than portfolios.

yea.. i have not previous architecture education... i graduated with a BEng (Hons) degree in Biomaterials Engineering.... I am planning on using selected pieces of work from my deviant site for my portfolio though:

http://hellbydante.deviantart.com/

Thanks for the advice Amandine :)

For the best advice, contact each school you are considering for application about what to include in your portfolio. As stated above, most schools are looking for creative work, not architecture. Consider obtaining Portfolio Design by Harold Linton -- www.portfoliodesign.com --

To be honest I got that portfolio esign book and felt very uninpresed.

hah, that portfolio designs website is terrible.

hellbydante... nice line work on those digital drawings. definitely show that. i'm setting up a presentation right now using illustrator, indesign and photoshop, so it's definitely relevant to architecture school work.

i had a portfolio full of painting, photography, 3d and fractal art and now im here at umich...