The Student Room Group

Architecture Portfolio advice

Hey. so,

Loughborough have sent me an email requesting my portfolio and I'm not sure what to include. Yes, I've checked their site and I do have a range of projects with different 'styles' and 'techniques'. However, I do graphic design and thus many of these projects are digital/graphical. Also, the overall project is based on animals.

They state "You are not required to present any particular item or demonstrate any particular skill necessarily" but every single portfolio I've seen, including their examples, are somewhat related to architecture (buildings etc) and are in no form 'digital'. Am I at a somewhat disadvantage and is there anything I can do?
Original post by MNTS
Hey. so,

Loughborough have sent me an email requesting my portfolio and I'm not sure what to include. Yes, I've checked their site and I do have a range of projects with different 'styles' and 'techniques'. However, I do graphic design and thus many of these projects are digital/graphical. Also, the overall project is based on animals.

They state "You are not required to present any particular item or demonstrate any particular skill necessarily" but every single portfolio I've seen, including their examples, are somewhat related to architecture (buildings etc) and are in no form 'digital'. Am I at a somewhat disadvantage and is there anything I can do?


Some of the previous TSR applicants to Architecture kindly shared their portfolio links: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=70087576&highlight=

You can see that there's a wide variety of styles and content there.

The guidance from Loughborough http://www.lboro.ac.uk/media/wwwlboroacuk/assets/architecture/downloads/architecture-portfolio-submission-guidance.pdf talks about wanting to see your creative ideas and development

Do you have any sketches from life of buildings or architecture/spaces? It's hard to judge based on your description here but if you have concerns then you should still have time to work on and add in some development/work in progress for something more building or 3d based.

If you don't feel ready to send in your portfolio or for the interview then get in touch with them and ask to reschedule it later. That shouldn't be a problem and would give you some time over the christmas break to add the extra work to your portfolio.
Original post by MNTS
Hey. so,

Loughborough have sent me an email requesting my portfolio and I'm not sure what to include. Yes, I've checked their site and I do have a range of projects with different 'styles' and 'techniques'. However, I do graphic design and thus many of these projects are digital/graphical. Also, the overall project is based on animals.

They state "You are not required to present any particular item or demonstrate any particular skill necessarily" but every single portfolio I've seen, including their examples, are somewhat related to architecture (buildings etc) and are in no form 'digital'. Am I at a somewhat disadvantage and is there anything I can do?


This shouldn't be a problem as they know that not everyone takes Fine Art so they're happy to see DT work (plus I assume they'll like to see that you can use CAD software), and they usually don't necessarily want to see work that's strictly architectural because that's what you go onto the course to learn. However, they'd probably like to see work that shows your spacial and 3-dimensional awareness/ability, so if you have any 3D work (even just little card or wire models, doesn't have to be a full blown sculpture), that would be good to include. Also maybe just go out into your area and make sketches of interesting buildings and spaces, because they often like to see that you're trying to understand them through drawing them.

Where else are you applying?
Reply 3
Original post by PQ
Some of the previous TSR applicants to Architecture kindly shared their portfolio links: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=70087576&highlight=

You can see that there's a wide variety of styles and content there.

The guidance from Loughborough http://www.lboro.ac.uk/media/wwwlboroacuk/assets/architecture/downloads/architecture-portfolio-submission-guidance.pdf talks about wanting to see your creative ideas and development

Do you have any sketches from life of buildings or architecture/spaces? It's hard to judge based on your description here but if you have concerns then you should still have time to work on and add in some development/work in progress for something more building or 3d based.

If you don't feel ready to send in your portfolio or for the interview then get in touch with them and ask to reschedule it later. That shouldn't be a problem and would give you some time over the christmas break to add the extra work to your portfolio.


Thank you for replying. I've sent an email regarding the extension, hopefully they'll allow it.

And for sketches, I do have some. One is essentially a 2 point perspective sketch of a fictional building of which I also added materials/textures to replicate a CAD 'Render'. I also have drawn an abstract 3D structure where I've shown my shading capabilities but that's about it - working hard on more.

I'm worried my portfolio won't make any sense as it would have a couple of buildings and bam, the rest of the pages are animals. I could send you a PM of the designs if you'd like. Someone's guidance would probably aid me a lot.
Reply 4
Original post by Amanzhol
This shouldn't be a problem as they know that not everyone takes Fine Art so they're happy to see DT work (plus I assume they'll like to see that you can use CAD software), and they usually don't necessarily want to see work that's strictly architectural because that's what you go onto the course to learn. However, they'd probably like to see work that shows your spacial and 3-dimensional awareness/ability, so if you have any 3D work (even just little card or wire models, doesn't have to be a full blown sculpture), that would be good to include. Also maybe just go out into your area and make sketches of interesting buildings and spaces, because they often like to see that you're trying to understand them through drawing them.

Where else are you applying?


Unfortunately, I do not do DT so crafting some real life structures could be difficult. Whilst I have been working on CAD designs and sketches to show my ability, I do not see how my current designs and illustrations that are heavily influenced by photoshop or illustrator would be able to show my ability for 3D designs. Hell, I even have many animations but those still have nothing to do with presenting the skills that they seek. So yeah, I'm struggling.

I've applied to Bath, Loughborough, Huddersfield, Cardiff & UWE Bristol.
Original post by MNTS
Unfortunately, I do not do DT so crafting some real life structures could be difficult. Whilst I have been working on CAD designs and sketches to show my ability, I do not see how my current designs and illustrations that are heavily influenced by photoshop or illustrator would be able to show my ability for 3D designs. Hell, I even have many animations but those still have nothing to do with presenting the skills that they seek. So yeah, I'm struggling.

I've applied to Bath, Loughborough, Huddersfield, Cardiff & UWE Bristol.


Don't worry you don't have to have done DT to be able to make some of your own 3D work. You could make studies of your own house or other buildings that you're familiar with out of card or wire (see the images below which are from a GSA example architecture portfolio). Also you could include stills from those animations, especially if they're 3D, but even if they're just drawings that could show your drawing ability. I think the two main things to consider are doing lots of drawing from life (of buildings, spaces, cityscapes, landscapes, etc) and also experimenting with model-making just out of simple materials like card and wire.

Those are strong choices, I've gone for Bath too.
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