I wanted to post my portfolio for some feedback since I got a bit harsh rejection letter from TU Delft earlier this year. Last time I applied just to see if I can get admission as I was planning to work another year before starting my masters, now I want to show the best of my work and hopefully get admission for the next school year.
The main requirements they have for Masters of Architecture portfolio are :
Up to 5 projects; including final year project; no more than 2 group projects and not more than 30 A4 single sided pages.
I did leave some room for improvement as I submitted portfolio with 4 projects/25pages, so this time I can add another project to address some of the feedback recommendations.
And here is what I received from TU Delft:
The Selection Committee considers the quality of your portfolio insufficient. The portfolio does not demonstrate the required abilities to communicate in a concise way and to express ideas effectively. There is not sufficient evidence in the portfolio of experience in problem based, solution-oriented and coherent approaches to the discipline of architecture and to the relationship between research and design. Basic knowledge of applied building technology is not clearly demonstrated.
Not sure if the selection committee sends out a rejection template (in most cases they do) but they were kind enough to address some points you may want to brush up on:
- At first glance your folio might be too text heavy, you can definitely shave down some paragraphs quite a bit. Your designs do seem to have a great deal of thought put into it, communicate via images than text. Either that or remove the text anyway to make good of negative spaces
- The content layouts are hard to digest so I would arrange them in the manner that reads from left to right with the hero renders/models first before breaking down the proposal
- Swap the library project (best one) with the Tiny Homes project, that way you start and end off with a high. Good move on the kartal masterplan reverse engineer, placing it at the back.
- In so far as to address this point: "Basic knowledge of applied building technology is not clearly demonstrated", I've only manage to see them at pages 5 & 9 (parametric detailing doesn't count). Do you have sufficient material to placate them?
- Any hand drawings/sketches/other creative medium that you might want to share to broaden your potential?
- Abit of typos here and there, e.g. page 9 (large font size makes it more obvious)
Would also love to hear any suggestions from alumnis of TUDelft to gain better insight of the institute.
cecoka
Oct 8, 16 2:43 pm
Hey thanks for the comment.
- I realised much of the text is not needed , but I was a bit afraid the library project may not be understood, for the rest I think I can reduce it to 50% probably.
-Removing some of the text could help simplifying the layouts even further.
-At the time of the submission Tiny homes was my most recent project. Now it have more advanced work projects and I think replacing it with purely technical one could strengthen my portfolio and address directly the point about lack of basic building technology . For example https://tshristov.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/br-sec-01.png.
- I don't have many hand drawings. This is probably the best option https://tshristov.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/bradgate_2.png , which I rate as average compared to what I have seen from other students. And also TU Delft written that on their website regarding the portfolios: You don't necessarily need to include free-hand sketches/paintings/handicraft as the application is not for an undergraduate programme. (If you do, please put them at the end of the portfolio in 2-3 pages.)
archietechie
Oct 8, 16 2:54 pm
I'd actually advise AGAINST including stuff from the first link but to include the beautiful hand-drawn section instead. Also, your Isihlangu Towers section would work better if it were larger.
"You don't necessarily need to include free-hand sketches/paintings/handicraft as the application is not for an undergraduate programme. (If you do, please put them at the end of the portfolio in 2-3 pages.)"
Strange, that's usually how it works for MArch programs. Everyone can render and design by then, thought it'd be prudent to show a page or two of unrelated material to at least demonstrate creativity.
cecoka
Oct 8, 16 3:26 pm
-What would you advise me to include to show basic understanding of building technology?
-I agree with you about the hand sketches, but when I was doing my bachelors the tutors encouraged us to use digital drawing and modelling methods and I adapted to that easily. Well, they did ask us to do many things by hand in my first year and after they introduced us the drafting software their expectation kind of changed. We were given more assignments and in order to meed the deadlines we had to go digital and nobody told us to spend some extra time preparing hand drawings and giving more character to our designs. Same process followed at work and I can't go back and change it so I have to work with the materials I have now or submit 1st year work.
archietechie
Oct 8, 16 3:54 pm
Any materials from any architecture construction/technology classes? Or perhaps do a detailed cut-out of a facade from some of your projects. Also, more could be done to show ESD principles, refer to Issuu for some examples.
Don't know much about TUDelft other than seeing some works from students that came over for exchange. They're really proficient with CD so there's that.
matdez6
Oct 9, 16 2:16 am
They use that same response with everyone who wasn't accepted.
accesskb
Oct 9, 16 3:15 pm
Look at some of the portfolios in here of students who got accepted to some top schools and look at your portfolio again and spot the differences. You are competing against other applicants after all.
Hi guys,
I wanted to post my portfolio for some feedback since I got a bit harsh rejection letter from TU Delft earlier this year. Last time I applied just to see if I can get admission as I was planning to work another year before starting my masters, now I want to show the best of my work and hopefully get admission for the next school year.
The main requirements they have for Masters of Architecture portfolio are :
Up to 5 projects; including final year project; no more than 2 group projects and not more than 30 A4 single sided pages.
I did leave some room for improvement as I submitted portfolio with 4 projects/25pages, so this time I can add another project to address some of the feedback recommendations.
And here is what I received from TU Delft:
The Selection Committee considers the quality of your portfolio insufficient. The portfolio does not demonstrate the required abilities to communicate in a concise way and to express ideas effectively. There is not sufficient evidence in the portfolio of experience in problem based, solution-oriented and coherent approaches to the discipline of architecture and to the relationship between research and design. Basic knowledge of applied building technology is not clearly demonstrated.
Link to the submitted portfolio.
Not sure if the selection committee sends out a rejection template (in most cases they do) but they were kind enough to address some points you may want to brush up on:
- At first glance your folio might be too text heavy, you can definitely shave down some paragraphs quite a bit. Your designs do seem to have a great deal of thought put into it, communicate via images than text. Either that or remove the text anyway to make good of negative spaces
- The content layouts are hard to digest so I would arrange them in the manner that reads from left to right with the hero renders/models first before breaking down the proposal
- Swap the library project (best one) with the Tiny Homes project, that way you start and end off with a high. Good move on the kartal masterplan reverse engineer, placing it at the back.
- In so far as to address this point: "Basic knowledge of applied building technology is not clearly demonstrated", I've only manage to see them at pages 5 & 9 (parametric detailing doesn't count). Do you have sufficient material to placate them?
- Any hand drawings/sketches/other creative medium that you might want to share to broaden your potential?
- Abit of typos here and there, e.g. page 9 (large font size makes it more obvious)
Would also love to hear any suggestions from alumnis of TUDelft to gain better insight of the institute.
Hey thanks for the comment.
- I realised much of the text is not needed , but I was a bit afraid the library project may not be understood, for the rest I think I can reduce it to 50% probably.
-Removing some of the text could help simplifying the layouts even further.
-At the time of the submission Tiny homes was my most recent project. Now it have more advanced work projects and I think replacing it with purely technical one could strengthen my portfolio and address directly the point about lack of basic building technology . For example https://tshristov.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/br-sec-01.png.
- I don't have many hand drawings. This is probably the best option https://tshristov.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/bradgate_2.png , which I rate as average compared to what I have seen from other students. And also TU Delft written that on their website regarding the portfolios: You don't necessarily need to include free-hand sketches/paintings/handicraft as the application is not for an undergraduate programme. (If you do, please put them at the end of the portfolio in 2-3 pages.)
I'd actually advise AGAINST including stuff from the first link but to include the beautiful hand-drawn section instead. Also, your Isihlangu Towers section would work better if it were larger.
"You don't necessarily need to include free-hand sketches/paintings/handicraft as the application is not for an undergraduate programme. (If you do, please put them at the end of the portfolio in 2-3 pages.)"
Strange, that's usually how it works for MArch programs. Everyone can render and design by then, thought it'd be prudent to show a page or two of unrelated material to at least demonstrate creativity.
-What would you advise me to include to show basic understanding of building technology?
-I agree with you about the hand sketches, but when I was doing my bachelors the tutors encouraged us to use digital drawing and modelling methods and I adapted to that easily. Well, they did ask us to do many things by hand in my first year and after they introduced us the drafting software their expectation kind of changed. We were given more assignments and in order to meed the deadlines we had to go digital and nobody told us to spend some extra time preparing hand drawings and giving more character to our designs. Same process followed at work and I can't go back and change it so I have to work with the materials I have now or submit 1st year work.
Any materials from any architecture construction/technology classes? Or perhaps do a detailed cut-out of a facade from some of your projects. Also, more could be done to show ESD principles, refer to Issuu for some examples.
Don't know much about TUDelft other than seeing some works from students that came over for exchange. They're really proficient with CD so there's that.
They use that same response with everyone who wasn't accepted.
Look at some of the portfolios in here of students who got accepted to some top schools and look at your portfolio again and spot the differences. You are competing against other applicants after all.