Hey guys, I know there are tons of useful information gained from the hundreds of portfolio review posts here, and i’ve gained so much from reading them. I’ve just been too focused on my own thing lately that I could really use another set of eyes on my portfolio. Havent put text in yet, in a separate file for editing, but very low amount of it I expect.
I plan on applying this cycle to five top schools in the US. Thanks!
delfina
Dec 13, 18 6:20 pm
really nice portfolio! one of the best I have seen on architect
lower.case.yao
Dec 14, 18 3:28 pm
Hi, thanks deflina! Here is my completely up to date portfolio:
I'm really concerned with the order I've placed the projects, but I want to see how you guys feel about it. They say put your best project first and last, but I'm not quite sure what the impact will be using what I put there. I'm also quite biased so I really need some second and third opinions.
I'm also sure that I want to update more, but I want to know what you guys think as well.
Thanks guys, please critique!
designermom
Dec 14, 18 3:32 pm
I thought your portfolio was really well done. It is easy to understand, creative and organized. I wouldn't change a thing.
Dangermouse
Dec 14, 18 5:13 pm
i'd say your chances are ~90% for GSD/Yale/Columbia/MIT, 0-50% for Princeton but really who knows
lower.case.yao
Dec 14, 18 11:18 pm
I wish the odds were that great, thanks!
Dangermouse
Dec 15, 18 12:47 pm
they are, a few projects could easily be something i'd see in a mid review pinup for core at the gsd. assuming you aren't a total fucking idiot with bad grades, an awful SOP and garbage recs, you're getting in.
lower.case.yao
Dec 15, 18 1:52 pm
Wow, that’s surprising, but good news! I think my recs are very good, grades are OK, and working on my SOP.
Dangermouse
Dec 15, 18 3:03 pm
word of the wise: make your sop about specific elements of the program to which you are applying, and do not under any circumstances make one sop for all 5 schools! "i love design" and "i wanna go to harvard" are like background noise for adcom members. talk about your specific interests (i.e. non perspective space) and relate that to specific faculty/initiatives in the school.
lower.case.yao
Dec 15, 18 3:48 pm
Thats great advice, I’ll take that to heart when crafting
my letter, thank you!
Nico Wright
Dec 15, 18 11:34 am
Your portfolio looks as good if not better than students coming out of those programs, why are you bothering with grad school and the crushing student debt? Seems like you should be able to market yourself to any firm you want to with your skills.
lower.case.yao
Dec 15, 18 1:54 pm
Thank you, but unfortunately if I want to get licensed I’ll need the M.arch. Also I legitimately like the work coming out of those studios, haha.
ArchitectureStu
Dec 15, 18 3:38 pm
Your portfolio looks really good. You sure you are applying for M.Arch 1? I think you are quiet beyond M.Arch 1 level
lower.case.yao
Dec 15, 18 3:51 pm
Thank you! Yes, I went the non-traditional route and did four years undergrad, worked for a while, now coming back to finish what I should’ve done years ago.
elianaacevedo
Dec 15, 18 5:50 pm
I would not change a thing, really well done!
lmnoc1
Dec 15, 18 10:47 pm
taken down?
lower.case.yao
Dec 15, 18 10:59 pm
Hi, sorry, its getting close to deadlines and I decided it was prudent to minimize my online presence just in case something happens. A little paranoid I know... If it get the results I want, I’ll upload it again!
lmnoc1
Dec 15, 18 11:05 pm
Anyway, congratulations. Based on the comments, sounds like some of the most competitive pieces this season
Nonononotme
Dec 23, 18 2:43 am
uu i would love to see, if u don't mind can u mail me [email protected] and i'll share mine
randomised
Dec 23, 18 8:50 am
"I'll show you mine if you show me yours" hahaha like that will work. Hope you like receiving spam...
lower.case.yao
Dec 23, 18 9:27 am
Yes...I'll get right on that....
dacedi1
Dec 26, 18 2:00 am
Would be cool to see it as well, I'll send mine along draft as well =) [email protected]
randomised
Dec 26, 18 2:38 pm
Maybe all you people that want to see that great portfolio of lowercase should post theirs here instead ;)
dacedi1
Dec 28, 18 1:20 am
True, you're right.
synekha
Dec 27, 18 2:26 am
Is it too late now to start submitting M.arch I application of Jan 2 deadline?
Hi, I think overall it’s clear and you obviously have the credentials and experience to do well in school. Just some things that stood out.
In your contents page, make the “content” text the same size as your other titles, or vice versa. Also delete the title on the opposite page. I would also delete the header because none of your other pages use it. The spread just doesn’t look right to me, and definitely not as good as your CV spread. It’s a very jarring transition.
Your Animal Center title seems a bit bigger than all your other titles, is it? On your Casa Viva page, make sure the floor plan titles are aligned.
I would also start with your thesis project and end with your Cities for Kids. Those two are clearly your strongest.
Generally, this portfolio looks more like a professional one and not one for grad school apps. I’m just assuming based on your post history that this is for school, so I think it would help if you added more process and diagrams. You need to tell the reader how you ended up with the final product, what moves you made to get there. You can get away with having minimal diagrams for one project, but you have so many there that are just flat renderings and colored drawings. I would even cut some projects out, just leave the best 5-6 and focus on telling the story of those. If all your projects showed the same level of analysis as your thesis or Cities, you would have an amazing portfolio.
elianaacevedo
Dec 28, 18 5:15 pm
Hi! haha its always good to have an eye on it, the content page, yes I think I did it in that way because the portfolio needed to be displayed one page by one, not in this 2 spread page as issuu display it, but now that I will have to send it online I think I would fix it.
elianaacevedo
Dec 28, 18 5:26 pm
The strongest is so relative to me, I'm glad that you think that cities for kids is that good haha, I was not so sure of where to put it because I didn't consider it as strong to be a closure.
This is actually a professional one as I did it for a scholarship and not for a program itself so I had to display what I had done over here, but now I have to start to arrange it to grad school, make more diagrams as you say and make it shorter.
https://issuu.com/lowercaseyao/docs/181213_test1
Hey guys, I know there are tons of useful information gained from the hundreds of portfolio review posts here, and i’ve gained so much from reading them. I’ve just been too focused on my own thing lately that I could really use another set of eyes on my portfolio. Havent put text in yet, in a separate file for editing, but very low amount of it I expect.
I plan on applying this cycle to five top schools in the US. Thanks!
really nice portfolio! one of the best I have seen on architect
Hi, thanks deflina! Here is my completely up to date portfolio:
https://issuu.com/lowercaseyao...
I'm really concerned with the order I've placed the projects, but I want to see how you guys feel about it. They say put your best project first and last, but I'm not quite sure what the impact will be using what I put there. I'm also quite biased so I really need some second and third opinions.
I'm also sure that I want to update more, but I want to know what you guys think as well.
Thanks guys, please critique!
I thought your portfolio was really well done. It is easy to understand, creative and organized. I wouldn't change a thing.
i'd say your chances are ~90% for GSD/Yale/Columbia/MIT, 0-50% for Princeton but really who knows
I wish the odds were that great, thanks!
they are, a few projects could easily be something i'd see in a mid review pinup for core at the gsd. assuming you aren't a total fucking idiot with bad grades, an awful SOP and garbage recs, you're getting in.
Wow, that’s surprising, but good news! I think my recs are very good, grades are OK, and working on my SOP.
word of the wise: make your sop about specific elements of the program to which you are applying, and do not under any circumstances make one sop for all 5 schools! "i love design" and "i wanna go to harvard" are like background noise for adcom members. talk about your specific interests (i.e. non perspective space) and relate that to specific faculty/initiatives in the school.
Thats great advice, I’ll take that to heart when crafting
my letter, thank you!
Your portfolio looks as good if not better than students coming out of those programs, why are you bothering with grad school and the crushing student debt? Seems like you should be able to market yourself to any firm you want to with your skills.
Thank you, but unfortunately if I want to get licensed I’ll need the M.arch. Also I legitimately like the work coming out of those studios, haha.
Your portfolio looks really good. You sure you are applying for M.Arch 1? I think you are quiet beyond M.Arch 1 level
Thank you! Yes, I went the non-traditional route and did four years undergrad, worked for a while, now coming back to finish what I should’ve done years ago.
I would not change a thing, really well done!
taken down?
Hi, sorry, its getting close to deadlines and I decided it was prudent to minimize my online presence just in case something happens. A little paranoid I know... If it get the results I want, I’ll upload it again!
Anyway, congratulations. Based on the comments, sounds like some of the most competitive pieces this season
uu i would love to see, if u don't mind can u mail me [email protected] and i'll share mine
"I'll show you mine if you show me yours" hahaha like that will work. Hope you like receiving spam...
Yes...I'll get right on that....
Would be cool to see it as well, I'll send mine along draft as well =) [email protected]
Maybe all you people that want to see that great portfolio of lowercase should post theirs here instead ;)
True, you're right.
Is it too late now to start submitting M.arch I application of Jan 2 deadline?
What do you think about mine? lower.case.yao
https://issuu.com/elianaaceved...
Hi, I think overall it’s clear and you obviously have the credentials and experience to do well in school. Just some things that stood out.
In your contents page, make the “content” text the same size as your other titles, or vice versa. Also delete the title on the opposite page. I would also delete the header because none of your other pages use it. The spread just doesn’t look right to me, and definitely not as good as your CV spread. It’s a very jarring transition.
Your Animal Center title seems a bit bigger than all your other titles, is it? On your Casa Viva page, make sure the floor plan titles are aligned.
I would also start with your thesis project and end with your Cities for Kids. Those two are clearly your strongest.
Generally, this portfolio looks more like a professional one and not one for grad school apps. I’m just assuming based on your post history that this is for school, so I think it would help if you added more process and diagrams. You need to tell the reader how you ended up with the final product, what moves you made to get there. You can get away with having minimal diagrams for one project, but you have so many there that are just flat renderings and colored drawings. I would even cut some projects out, just leave the best 5-6 and focus on telling the story of those. If all your projects showed the same level of analysis as your thesis or Cities, you would have an amazing portfolio.
Hi! haha its always good to have an eye on it, the content page, yes I think I did it in that way because the portfolio needed to be displayed one page by one, not in this 2 spread page as issuu display it, but now that I will have to send it online I think I would fix it.
The strongest is so relative to me, I'm glad that you think that cities for kids is that good haha, I was not so sure of where to put it because I didn't consider it as strong to be a closure. This is actually a professional one as I did it for a scholarship and not for a program itself so I had to display what I had done over here, but now I have to start to arrange it to grad school, make more diagrams as you say and make it shorter.
Hi! just sent you a message!