I've been piecing together samples of my architectural work lately, and honestly, it's harder than I thought. First step was picking my best projects (took forever lol), then organizing them clearly and neatly. After that, tried to write short descriptions without sounding boring or repetitive—kinda tricky. Anyone got better tips or a smarter way to do this?
One thing that helped me was asking someone else to look through my samples—fresh eyes catch repetitive descriptions or weak projects I overlooked. Have you tried getting feedback from a non-architect friend or client perspective?
Totally agree with getting an outside perspective. A while back, I showed my portfolio to a friend who's really into sustainability but not architecture-focused at all. She pointed out that I was burying some of my best green building features in technical jargon—stuff clients would actually care about but couldn't easily grasp. Made me realize how important it is to frame your work in terms that resonate beyond our own professional bubble...
"She pointed out that I was burying some of my best green building features in technical jargon—stuff clients would actually care about but couldn't easily grasp."
Great point about jargon. When we renovated our home, the architect initially described everything in super technical terms—honestly, it went right over our heads. Once she explained things in everyday language, it clicked and we got genuinely excited about the sustainable features. Curious, have you found certain visuals or storytelling approaches especially helpful in making your designs relatable to non-experts?
Totally agree about ditching the jargon—clients usually glaze over when we start throwing around terms like "thermal bridging" or "passive solar gain." I've found that visuals paired with simple storytelling really help bridge that gap. For instance, instead of just showing a sleek rendering, I sometimes include quick sketches or diagrams that highlight how a design solves everyday problems—like reducing heating bills or creating comfortable spaces year-round. People connect better when they see how a design directly impacts their daily lives.
Also, I've noticed that short, relatable anecdotes about past projects resonate well. Sharing a brief story about how a previous client benefited from a specific feature makes the design feel more tangible and less abstract. It doesn't have to be elaborate—just something genuine and straightforward.
