How A Portfolio Can Be Used To Exhibit Modern Architecture

Necessary for both up-and-coming architects, seasoned professionals and everyone in between, an architecture portfolio is an essential document, in which both past and current architectural projects can be displayed, to present potential clients with a clear perception of your architectural design work and expertise.

Used to offer clientele a clear understanding of what work you have previously completed to determine if you are the right fit for their potential development project, it’s important that your architecture portfolio reflects your stylistic choices, be it modern/contemporary or traditional, appropriately. In this helpful guide, Spatial Design Architects highlight what a portfolio is, and how it can be used to exhibit modern architecture.

What Is An Architectural Portfolio?

Before we can delve deeper into what, exactly, a modern architecture portfolio may look like, we must of course first understand what an architecture portfolio actually is! There are a few subtle differences to architecture portfolios, depending on the stage of your career you may find yourself in, and these are generally broken down into three sub-categories; professional, entry-mid level, or student portfolios. Below, we take a closer look at each, highlighting what needs to be included and how they may differ from one another.

Professional Portfolios

Ideal for those seeking a new job or establishing a body of work for the next stage of their career, a professional architecture portfolio should be impeccably designed, showcasing your unique skill set, professional interests and stylistic choices as well as your individual brand. Below are some examples of where a professional architect portfolio should be implemented:

• First Architectural Job
• Changing Jobs/Employer
• Career In Academia
• Annual Reviews
• LinkedIn Integration

Academic Portfolio

A key requirement when applying for academic programmes or university courses, an architectural portfolio for academic purposes is necessary for all aspiring architects, whether at college, university or PhD level. Below, we outline some of the key reasons an academic portfolio may be required:

• Undergraduate Applications
• Graduate Architecture School Applications
• PhD Program Applications
• Proposals
• Scholarships
• Grants
• Awards

Personal Portfolio

Keeping a record of your architectural work in a portfolio won’t just benefit your professional life, it will also play a key part in your personal one too, as you will have a proven record of all your work to date, keeping a close eye on your progress over time. A portfolio should represent who you are as a designer, and in this case, don’t be afraid to truly experiment and express yourself here, as it may later influence your professional architecture portfolio too. Below are some of the key things you could include in a personal portfolio:

• Archive Of Previous Work
• Experiments With Presentation
• Format Current Academic Work
• Show Friends/Family For Feedback
• Record Of Achievements

How To Create A Portfolio That Exhibits Modern Design

A portfolio that needs to reflect modern design, should, of course, be just that; modern. Contemporary architecture portfolios must exhibit the same qualities that potential projects and/or developments display; sleek, simple and impeccably designed. Below, we offer guidance on how to exhibit modern design in your contemporary architecture portfolio, providing examples of our own work as examples.

Less Is More

A good rule of thumb to follow in any contemporary design, and therefore a principle that should be extended to your modern architecture portfolio, is the age-old adage; less is more. Reflecting your contemporary architecture, your portfolio should also be kept simple and stylish, with less emphasis on detailed information via long descriptive paragraphs; instead, focus should be placed on using eye-catching iconography, key figures and statistics. 

Presentation of your portfolio is equally as important as the content itself, with architecture portfolios overloaded with information typically standing out far less amongst a stylish, design-orientated market. Generally, it is considered far more preferable to have more pages in your portfolio, than to squeeze images, text and specifications across every inch of your page. Don’t be afraid of using white/blank/negative space in your work, thinking carefully about proportions and the geometry of your architecture portfolio. Examples of this can be found on Spatial Design Architects own portfolio, featuring contemporary projects such as Bluebell Lake, a 450m² New Build Contemporary Home.

Build Your Brand

As an extension of the above, updating your portfolio to meet your current brand values, iconography and stylistic choices is crucial in maintaining a modern portfolio that reflects your own architectural interests and completed projects. When updating your architecture portfolio, you should pay close attention to your brand detailing, your current biography page and list of most recent projects. The more they reflect your work in its most recent form, the more potential clients can get a sense of what you can offer.

This will help your brand grow, as recognition begins to spread and your clientele becomes more diverse. At Spatial Design, we maintain a consistent format, stylistic choice and design specification for our entire portfolio, ensuring our brand is consistent and understood and that it reflects our modern architectural projects

Use A Template

Keeping your portfolio presentable, professional and accessible is vital in proving to potential clients that your architecture will provoke the same qualities, with an online portfolio an ideal platform to showcase your projects, attract new clients and build your brand in a way that is entirely personal to you. Using a template may seem like the very opposite of this, but let’s face it, we’re architects, not web designers, and consistently, clarity and functionality are all just as important as the content itself. Using a template or format from an established site such as Squarespace or Wix will help you create an entirely customisable site without the need for a degree in coding.

Highlight Your Best Work

This one probably goes without saying, but nethertheless, highlighting your best and most recent work is absolutely essential whenever creating a portfolio, no matter the profession, to offer your clientele a clear understanding of the qualities you possess. Showcasing your finest work will offer peace of mind to potential clients and prove to them that you can assist in realising a development project they may have never truly imagined being brought to life.

At Spatial Design, we’re proud to highlight our best work, such as our 786m² New Build Contemporary Beach House, which has won multiple awards, including the ‘Building Excellence Region Housing Award, and the ‘Best Individual New Home, East Anglia Region’ both in 2020.

Update Regularly

Maintaining a modern portfolio to match your contemporary design developments requires regular updates, to ensure your portfolio continues to reflect current trends and industry expectations, with the rules in graphic design consistently hanging in an ever-modernised environment. Your portfolio must be continually updated with your most recent projects to reflect your current brand, stylistic choices and eye-catching architectural developments.

At Spatial Design Architects, we update our architecture portfolio regularly, and ensure our greatest achievements are showcased to both current and potential clients; including the as mentioned Contemporary Beach House as well as many offer incredible projects we;ve completed, such as our ‘Build Architecture Awards’ winning project; a single storey contemporary extension for a private client.

Spatial Design Architects - Traditional & Modern Architectural Designs Across Essex

At Spatial Design Architects we have a clear ethos; no matter the scale or type of project, we are dedicated to delivering a professional service and client satisfaction. Our reputation as one of the leading contemporary architects’ practices in Essex, means we are always exploring contemporary design and its possibilities to create something unique and exciting. Please refer to our existing Portfolio page for more detail on our incredible contemporary architecture and for a visual indication of how a modern architecture portfolio should be composed.

For our clients, new and long-standing, we always aim to deliver their desires, objectives and within structured timescales. Our open-plan studio shows the attention to detail that we bring to our projects and the interior was designed for a relaxed, invigorating, and productive workspace. It also creates a comfortable meeting environment to discuss client projects in greater detail with all parties. Contact us today.