Students applying for Year 1 (the first year of a degree) are not necessarily expected to submit an architectural portfolio. We like to see evidence of current interests and activities in the form of freehand sketches, drawings, collages, photographs, films and other media.
A Year 1 (or Level 4) portfolio should demonstrate the following things:
• work with concepts and ideas
• a range of materiality/process/techniques
• exploration of concepts
For those applying for direct entry to Year 2 or 3 of this degree (Levels 5 or 6), your portfolio should include:
• clear ideas and development
• an architectural approach
• conceptual thinking
• design abilities
Students with previous architectural or design experience in Higher Education or employment may apply for direct entry into Year 2 or 3 (Levels 5 or 6). These candidates will be expected to submit a portfolio of their work to date; but also unfinished work, drawings, sketches, photographs and independent interests. Evidence of full-time architectural study is essential. Students entering L6 (Year 3 of the full-time course) must complete a total of 120 credits on either the full-time or part-time mode to be eligible for RIBA/ARB part 1.
It is worthwhile including examples of work carried out in an architectural practice as the interviewer may wish to look at them. Transcripts must be provided with your portfolio or at your interview.
Interview
The purpose of the portfolio interview is to try and assess your potential and your ability to benefit from the course. This will take the form of a discussion around your range of interests and focus on your portfolio of work. The interview is a two-way process: the interviewer wants to see what skills and interests you have, so it is important to spend some time preparing your portfolio.
Please bring an A0 to A3-sized portfolio. (Fine Art prefer an A1 portfolio) with a handle. No transparent plastic wallets to be used inside the portfolio.
Make sure that your portfolio is organised logically – either chronologically or grouped so that development work is placed next to finished piece. Include sketchbook and workbook samples.
Start your portfolio with your strongest pieces of work and keep the interest going through the portfolio with logical layout and good presentation. End your portfolio with another strong piece of work.
Title and date each piece of work on the reverse and, for reproductions only (for example photographs of a sculpture or large painting), also provide the original's dimensions (in cm x cm for 2D and cm x cm x cm for 3D). If you wish to show some digital work in addition to your original/ printed works (e.g. short film/ 3D animations, etc.) please bring these loaded onto a laptop or tablet computer. We are unable to review files stored on USB sticks.
Online/digital portfolio submissions
An online portfolio may be requested if you are an international student or cannot attend an interview for some other reason.
The same course guidance applies as for a hard-copy portfolio but your selected work needs to be scanned (where necessary) and arranged in a clear way in either Microsoft PowerPoint or a PDF.
You will be asked to upload the file to the London Metropolitan University Applicant Portal – a username and password will be sent to you in an official email.
PowerPoint
You can provide a digital portfolio as a Microsoft Office PowerPoint show file (.pps or .ppsx), ideally one image per slide, with a maximum of three.
Please include a clear contents slide at the start of the Powerpoint file.
Notes should be used for each slide image including the title of the work, date, materials and dimensions (in cm x cm for 2D and cm x cm x cm for 3D).
Please use stills only – do not attempt to embed any moving image in the PowerPoint file. Please name your PowerPoint file only as below (ie, in no other way).
Maximum file size: 5MB.
You can also provide your portfolio as a single Adobe PDF file, with one to three images per page with clear annotations and notes.
Please include a clear contents page at the start of the PDF.
Notes should be used for each slide image including the title of the work, date, materials and dimensions (in cm x cm for 2D and cm x cm x cm for 3D).
Please use stills only – do not attempt to embed any moving image in the PDF file. Name the PDF file only as below (ie, in no other way).
Maximum file size: 5MB.
What to call the file
Please name your file as follows: use the word 'Portfolio' followed by your surname in upper case, then by your first name in lower case and finally your London Met or UCAS ID Number.
(For example: Portfolio_SMITHJohn_1234567890).