Oh, Im going into an undergrad programme in environmental design, so I don't think that architecture specific works are necessarily important to include, or even really a good thing. Is this a fair assessment of the situation?

The best way to set yourself apart is by making it good. Tricks, gimmicks, and silly formats aren't necessary, especially at the undergrad level. Simple quality will rise to the top on its own.

p.s.- the best way to demonstrate your creativity is generally by coming up with a creative idea on your own. If you have someone give you the idea, you're really just demonstrating their creativity at that point.

thanks for the reply. i definitely do not intend to include any 'tricks or gimmicks'. Everything I do is very clean and professional.
I have to disagree with the second part of your response, however. I'm not asking for specifics (e.g. 'paint this and this, on this size canvas, with these colours, etc.) I just want some general examples of intriguing and uncommon portfolio aspects. I am sure everyone tried to find examples before submitting their applications, as most portfolio descriptions are quite ambiguous; I am more or less doing this.
I possess a great deal of originality and creativity; however, I work much better with at least some direction. If I were to tell you to design a creative building, I am sure you could do it, but would you not rather be given some sort of guideline or criteria? Maybe not, but I would. Aside from reducing wasted time narrowing down general ideas of form and presentation, I think it adds to the problem solving aspect of architecture and all design professions, which is something that I really enjoy. If someone can give me an interesting idea that is challenging to accomplish, I will really have a good time and best be able to express my abilities and personality.
hope that makes sense.

As far as creating your own container goes...I can tell you admission boards tend to disapprove of this idea. The words "In the past, we found that some students tend to put more work into their portfolio than it's content." seem to have become commonplace on submission criteria. Not saying that you're going to do this, but if you want to make your own container, make it very simple and highly effective.

In my personal opinion, which is probably not what you want to hear, I think that simply including a broad range of different type of work sets you apart from the rest. If you show them you can work with a wide range of materials at a wide range of scales, they will be very pleased.

I agree that poetry and writing samples are not a fantastic inclusion in an architecture portfolio, they don't really ever read much of them anyway, but the other types that you mention are the most common because that is how architects know how to express themselves. So unless you can think of another creative medium that the world hasn't discovered yet, I would stick to what both you and the admission board are familiar with.

Here is a book of different graphic designers' work. Good binding, layout, etc. examples to spark YOUR CREATIVITY.

http://www.amazon.com/000-Graphic-Elements-Details-Distinctive/dp/159253077X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232643316&sr=8-1


Good Luck!

as for ideas on how to make your portfolio stand out, i'm not sure i can give you those. however, i do think there are definitely exceptions when mediums like poetry and writing (or cooking, dancing, theatre, etc.). for example, when you are extremely talented at anything, it shows your ability to commit to an area of study, and excel in it. although even being very talented, winning awards, getting lots of press in your given field can be useless in your portfolio if you can't explain WHY it's relevant. with that said, do not bother putting in experimental mediums if you are not any good at them just for the sake of being "original" or quirky.

i happen to be a semi-professional breakdancer (yes there is such a thing) and will definitely include that in my application for grad school next year. i have been doing it for 10 years and other than industrial design, it is my major creative outlet. i plan to explain how it has influenced my design work and my creative process, which it undoubtably has.

i would caution JC's advice about sticking to what you and the admissions board are familiar with. i would rephrase it as simply: stick to what you are good at. show your talents.

if you happened to be a successful pop up book designer, would you not do a pop up version of your portfolio?

if you are different, BE different. if i were a juror on a panel reviewing 1000+ portfolios and I came across one that taught me something new, i would probably remember them.

that's just me, we'll see how my application goes :)

good luck!

apparently they like to see evidence of critical thinking

so if something is original and seemingly irrelevant to arch, but nonetheless displays evidence of strong critical thinking, why not include it?

for example, music may reveal strong evidence of critical thinking, depending on how complicated and melodic the piece is. if you can get a bunch of instruments to build up to a strong chorus and have them sing in harmony like dancing angels, then it must've taken a bunch of critical thinking. "oh i must put this note here for this duration at this volume at this velocity because that's how to make it sound good". similar thing goes for poetry

also, what about videogames? surely a fairly complex videogame displays evidence of strong critical thinking, due to the programming necessary to complete it. and good graphic design in the videogame would show evidence of good artistic and technical skills which would be a plus in arch

switch...absolutely. that can definitely be re-phrased to stick with what you're good at.

The word familiar is still relevant though, as camhard is asking for new things that will make his portfolio stand out. Just be careful, because what I meant was by sticking to what you're familiar with, you're likely going to be very skilled at it in terms of both development and representation. If you try something new to your skill set, it has a higher risk of being underdeveloped and misunderstood.

So what I am trying to warn you of is that new or different isn't always better.

by the way, semiprofessional breakdancing? that is awesome!

Content is king.

Thanks for all the replies. I never thought that so many people would try over-the-top approaches to their containers.
The music issue is something I have struggled with for a while. I travelled to Scotland two summers ago and placed second at the World Pipe Band Championships in the juvenile (U18) category and won the North Irish Championships. I am therefore a pretty good piper (probably way better than anyone most people have heard: don't judge bagpipes by what you see/hear in the park or in movies). I was thinking of including this in my biographical summary, as it required a great deal of focus and effort to compete at that level, but I am unsure of whether including a composition would be effective. Would the reviewers want to move from wherever they are looking at the portfolios, in order to find a stereo to play a CD? I guess it would definitely make it stand out. hmmmm, maybe I should get writing. I tend to write quicker, more technical tunes, rather than melodic type stuff, which would be better? I can put nice harmonies, etc. in either and make them both sound cool.

If you somehow did a graphic representation of your musical composition, or just some photography of you playing, accompanied by the CD, that may be pretty cool.

What I'm trying to get at is...try to do something where they don't HAVE to play the CD to get the gist of what you've accomplished in your music, but if they are interested and want to play it, its there.

Music has a definite relationship to architecture, they are both compositions of otherwise individual parts. What I think the reviewers would appreciate you showing them is how your musical background can help you be more creative in architecture, or how it has informed your decision to pursue a degree in architecture, if it has.

I dunno, I could be wrong but that's what I'd do.

few archi-prof types will be in a position to judge musical composition.

part of the bid is to demonstrate communication skills. communication assumes/requires an audience. directing images and thoughts and compositions to people incapable of reading it is demonstration of bad communication skills, regardless of whether you won award for whatever you are trying to show.

music and architecture are not strongly related in spite of statements to contrary over ages. There is a case to be made but only in generic sense.

If you want to show your piping then you need to convert your achievements into visual form. Showing music sheets is perhaps enough to get across idea especially if you use it as graphic design element. That will grab attention. Photos of you playing? Boring.

Don't forget you are applying to architecture school not music school.

the same goes for other creative works. anything goes but only if you can transform it into something the readers can understand. that's why most of us with any experience would not recommend making a special case for portolio and why rationalist suggested just working hard on having good content instead. the audience is not impressed usually with such things and may even take the other side and be biased against a portolio in its own plastic case because by and large they suck suck suck and tend to indicate work by someone with no content rather than culmination of amazing package. There are examples where this is not true, but the ones i have seen have been rather horrid florid.


you know i was trying to think what those over the top portolios remind me of and it just struck me - they are like velvet paintings of dogs playing cards or pictures of unicorns. kind of over-eager and evidence of immaturity.

focus on content. and communication.

great, ill take this all into consideration. ill post what i plan on sending in when it's mostly ready (probably about a month and a half or so; it's due mid-March, but I want to be done ahead of time, to allow for good quality printing etc.).

With regards to the music, I am going to try something, which I think will be pretty cool, if it works out, though the question of accessibility still bothers me. I also don't want to waste all of my time trying to accomplish something impossible as I am also taking the LEED exam near the end of February. I guess I'll just see how it all works out.

Thanks again.