what is the architecture presentation

12 Tips on Architecture Presentation (for Beginners)

No matter how great your design is, it is ultimately only as valuable as others determine it. This assessment is not based solely on your design’s inherent characteristics but also on how you prompt others to see it.

In other words, improving your presentation skills will be an incredibly valuable skill, not just in school but in the professional field of architecture.

The design itself is important, and while there is nothing you will read here that will negate that, it is crucial to know that your work does not end when the drawings are complete.

While it is undoubtedly appealing to utter that classy phrase, “My work can speak for itself,” it is not always true. Your work can say a great deal, certainly, but you are there to build it up even higher so that your audience cannot easily overlook it.

If you are a student, you may want to be aware of some useful tips for architecture presentation, along with some things you should include.

1. Get a Grasp of Your Audience

Interest levels are going to vary between audiences based on the context of your presentation. If you are a practicing architect, your design is the keystone of the presentation.

In this scenario, your professional success depends not just on how good your designs are but how well you can sell them to clients.

If you are a student, you are unlikely to be selling your design as much as you are trying to get a grade. It would help if you considered why your audience is sitting in front of you at that time.

Chances are students who, like you, are also trying to get a grade and ultimately will spend more time in their heads going over their own talking points than paying attention to you.

It is hard to entertain everyone in such a situation (although you will reap benefits if you manage to do it), so you will ultimately want to target the ones giving you a formal review.

So, focus on demonstrating your knowledge, dedication, and creativity. Prove that you worked hard on the presentation, and you will draw respect.

2. Plan and Structure Your Presentation

Unless you are incredibly gifted (maybe you are), you are not likely going to be able to ‘wing it’ with an architectural presentation without jumping unmethodically from point to point like an inebriated cricket.

It would help if you had a plan.

More specifically, you need an outline.

If you have ever taken a writing class, you should already be familiar with what an outline is and the purpose of doing one. Get a sheet of paper or open a word document/sticky note on your computer or phone and lay it out.

Have a series of steps that break down what you are going to present in which order. For example:

• Introduction
• Define criteria
• Present design

Keep in mind, the above is only a rudimentary example, and you should structure your presentation appropriately to make it relevant to any given requirements.

Add additional details that could help you more comfortably present your design in an informative and easy-to-follow manner.

3. Structure the Visuals as You Would Telling a Story

You are an architect, after all. Words are your wheels, but compelling visuals are the car you are driving.

You want to present your design in a way that involves your audience’s eyes more so than their ears – like how you’d structure your architecture school portfolio , in a way.

If all you do is stand up there and talk, you will quickly find yourself in a room of bored faces in any presentation. This is especially true in a visually dominant subject like architecture.

Lay out your design in easily digestible chunks, which could include significant freehand sketches , artistic 3d renderings, and the study models you spent nights building.

Arrange them on the presentation board where you start with the macro-view or overarching concept on the far left; progress with other visuals as you explain and reveal details that support your ideas.

Whatever you do, base your presentation on those visuals and use your words to enhance them, don’t just add them in as a distraction from your persistent rambling.

4. Speak Clearly and Confidently

It is so blatant it’s cliché. But don’t overlook it.

Practice if this is an area in which you struggle. Your design is great, so speak clearly and confidently to back it up.

If you mumble your way through a presentation of the next Eifel Tower, but nobody understood enough of what you said to recognize that, you are not going to score very well.

Appearing unconfident during the presentation will likely attract more negative critique than if you sounded self-assured.

The concept is your brainchild; stand by it; defend it.

You need to relax because anxiety will ruin you if you let it – okay, that statement might not help.

Nevertheless, being comfortable when you have the floor will enable thoughts to flow through your head more clearly by blocking out potentially stressful outside stimuli and make the situation just about you and the design you are presenting.

It may be hard for you to get to this point, but once you do, you might find yourself looking forward to sharing your brilliant work rather than dreading it.

Easier said than done, but research deep-breathing techniques and meditation practice if you need to – find something that works for you.

Another method to train yourself in this regard is grabbing every opportunity during presentations and crits to get involved (even when it is not your turn to present) – ask questions, participate in discussions, and be an active participant.

6. Rehearse

Practice, identify weaknesses, and practice more to correct those weaknesses; recognize more areas for improvement and practice some more.

You cannot over-practice; the only thing you can gain from rehearsing is confidence and clarity, which will help with the presentation and achieve relaxation.

7. Dress Nice

For a practicing architect, a snazzy suit is a tool of the trade when presenting to clients because it demonstrates a nod to professionalism and conveys sincerity.

If you are a student, you may consider investing in high-quality garb for when you present your final project because, ultimately, putting effort into presenting yourself only aids the effort you put into presenting your project.

Should you always wear a suit when presenting a design?

Casual clothing is usually sufficient, but it certainly does not hurt to have something stashed away for those special occasions.

8. Be Concise

Short-and-straightforward beats long-and-convoluted when you consider that people seem to be developing shorter and shorter attention spans these days.

You will want to include all of the pertinent information that pertains to your design and your purpose in creating it.

But if you have to ask yourself whether or not the audience needs to know blatant fact 1 and useless detail 2, chances are you can leave them out for your presentation’s betterment.

9. Include Humor

It is entirely optional, so if you don’t have the humor gene, do not force it because that will backfire.

However, if you have a habit of making others laugh easily through your wit, it is not unprofessional to bring some of that humor to your presentation to add extra depth and color.

Also, people are more likely to remember experiences that make them laugh.

10. Be Personable

You are not a design machine; you are a human being who is creative and methodical.

If people see that you worked hard to put your presentation together, being open and sharing your experience will not bring you down.

Some people might even find the obstacles you faced and overcome as a test of your character and a tribute to your hard work. So, don’t be afraid to share your moments of weakness, observations, or whatever else that applies to human nature.

It adds a dimension of entertainment to your design project, and it adds a layer of likeability to yourself.

11. Recognize Imperfections

It does not matter how many times you revise, rehearse, or plan – if you are a student, it is virtually impossible for you to achieve perfection at such an early point in your architectural endeavor.

You need room to grow no matter how long you have been designing buildings because it is that opportunity to get better that ultimately keeps you engaged.

As an architect, if you know it all, you won’t be driven to innovate and whoever is judging your presentation is likely to know this.

All you have to do is what you can, and do not expect any more than that. If someone viewing your presentation calls you out on something or questions a component of your design, respond openly to the criticism, and don’t beat yourself up.

12. Include a Chance for Questions

The iconic last words of a solid presentation are “Any questions?”

You cannot expect to cover everything the human mind could contemplate asking, so inserting a brief Q&A as you wrap things up provides you an opportunity to cover anything you could have left out.

When you take on the challenge of encouraging questions – even if nobody asks any – it is a credible way to state that you know, in detail, everything you presented. Well enough to talk about it even when torn away from a guiding outline.

Furthermore, while it is no guarantee, you should anticipate questions if you have intrigued your audience enough with your design for them to want to dig deeper.

So, before any major design presentation, up your question-and-answering game by getting friends, colleagues, or anyone interested to ask you some impromptu questions so you can optimize how you respond to the unexpected.

You may also consider asking yourself questions, and in doing so, you may further understand your purposes in creating your design.

10 Tips for Creating Stunning Architecture Project Presentation

Architectural design projects are the life and soul of architecture school . As a student, you are always working on one, and somehow it becomes what your life is revolving around.

You would give it every possible effort and believe you have done your best, but on jury day, when you see everyone else’s project you could lose a bit of your confidence, not because your project is any less, but because your presentation is lacking.

The architecture project presentation might not be the core of the project, but it surely influences the viewer. It can also be considered an indicator of your artistic skills and sense as a designer.

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While you shouldn’t be completely dependable on positive results from a merely eye-catching architecture project presentation, you still need to give an adequate amount of time to properly plan it in a way that communicates your idea best. Your architecture professor might credit you for a creative design regardless of the presentation, but your future client might only see the presentation, so make it a habit, to involve your design skills in all aspects of your project, starting now.

Besides the essential tips and tutorials for photoshop architectural rendering that will definitely improve your board, here, we will give you some basic tips on how to create a Stunning Architecture Project Presentation . So, let’s get started.

Architecture Project Presentation Board Tips

1) size and orientation.

Most of the time your professors restrict you to specific board sizes and the number of boards. If that is the case then you need to confirm if your boards should be presented in Landscape or Portrait orientation. You, also, need to decide if you will be presenting your board side by side as one big board, one poster of equivalent size, or as separate boards that come in sequence.

Now, that you have a base to work on you need to start planning the layout of your boards or poster:

• If you are presenting hand drawings then you can do prior planning on one or more A4 paper sheets for example. Try to make an accurate estimation of the space needed per each drawing and the buffering space you would like to leave around each.

• If you will be presenting CAD drawings, then this might be easier. You can experiment with the actual drawings on CAD Layout or Photoshop if you will be rendering your project digitally.
• You can use a grid system to organize your drawings. Decide on a unit width, for example, 6cm, then use its multiples to create unit areas to contain your drawings, like for instance, 12cm for outer frame buffering, 36cm for main drawings and so.

Do This Or that! Here is an example!

3) placement and zoning.

Think of the way you would like the viewers to circulate through your presentation, what you would like them to see first, how they would best understand your project. For example, you may start by brief site analysis, then move to the concept statement and its illustrative sketches if needed.

• If your concept is form-based you may need to show the form first, before the plan, then move to the plan to reveal how the form has functionally worked out.
• If your concept is in the plan itself, then you may move directly to the plan and conclude with the rendered exterior form as usual.

Drawing and Rendering Tips

4) background.

Dark Background

It is called “background” for a reason. It should be a platform to feature your drawings as the main focus, clear of any distractions. Some students use faded renderings of their own projects as background, but this can be seriously diverting. White backgrounds are best, as they show the true colors of your project.

Some opt to use a black background to stand out, however, that doesn’t usually turn out so well. It may cause halation and strain for sensitive eyes.

Black and white presentation

There are many ways you can render your projects, choose the one you excel at and shows your project best.

• There is the Black & White or Greyscale presentation where you only show lines with various thicknesses, in addition to shade and shadow.
• There is the greyscale presentation with an element of color where you would choose one bright color, for example, green for landscape and greenery, to contrast with the, generally, achromatic drawings.
• One color might become two colors revealing different materials like wood or bricks and glass for example.

Presentation with a Color Scheme on Greyscale

All, these previous techniques would work out fine if colors are not the main focus in your project, however, if there is an idea behind your color scheme or the used materials, or there are many details that will go lost in greyscale, then there is no way out.

You need to fully color or at least broaden the color palette for your presentation.

Colored Presentation

The manual achromatic presentation can be via graphic pencils and ink, and the colored elements can be executed using watercolor, markers, brush pens, or pastels. For digital presentations, you can use Adobe Photoshop as the most commonly used tool. You can even mimic the aesthetic of the manual presentation in Photoshop using downloadable brushes and a mix of effects.

6) Visual Hierarchy

Black and White Contrast Color

What is your strongest point, the highlight of your project? Grab the attention from far away with that. There are many ways to grab the attention of a specific drawing, using color or size. For example, if the main idea is in your cross-section, you can present it on large scale with full-hue colors, against black and white plan drawings. That is mixing between two of the color presentation techniques mentioned in the previous point to get emphasis by contrast.

General Tips

7) Minimize text on your presentation board. Write a short and concise concept statement and add a very brief explanation, if needed. Don’t waste your time composing elongated descriptive text because no one will read it.

8) Replace words, whenever possible, with simple illustrative sketches and figures. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. You may use colors and keys to further clarify your illustrations.

9) Use a suitable font for your title and text and, preferably, don’t use more than one font type per project. You can vary between the title, the concept statement, and the labeling by size. Sans Serif fonts like Century Gothic and Helvetica may be good for headlines; their slick minimalism befits modern high-tech designs.

10) Finally, don’t overdo it.

• Don’t pack your boards with drawings and text at every corner. Leave some breathing space but not too much, that it would look like a) you couldn’t finish your work, b) you didn’t well plan your boards or c) you haven’t worked hard enough.
• Don’t overuse colors to the extent that they would become a distraction but also don’t make your presentation too light and faded, or it might exhaust the eyes of the viewer and give an impression of weak effort.

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Presentation tips for Architects, Part I

• Written by David Basulto
• Published on November 18, 2010

Our profession is all about presentations. It all started at university in the architecture studio, a whole semester had to be condensed into a 10-minute precise presentation in order to get the crits to understand your project, and it continued into professional life as the main tool to communicate with your co-workers, clients, a jury or with other architects in a lecture.

A good presentation could get your project approved, or quickly dismissed if you don’t plan it right. For example, a presentation to a client compared to a presentation for a group of architects is very different, even if the project you need to communicate is the same.

As I usually have to give at least a couple presentations per month, I have always tried to make them worth and not waste other people’s time. A big help for that has been Garr Reynolds, the “Presentation Zen” from which I haven taken some key points of which I will share with you in order to make a good presentation, adapted to our profession.

I think that this is the most crucial part no matter what you need to communicate. In order to deliver your message you need to present it according to whom you want to understand it. There are several terms and concepts that we as architects can easily understand, but that our clients or a general audience might not understand at first. Often we even invent or misuse words, misleading our audience. Program, urban fabric, etc.

The same as we do with our projects, a presentation should be simple. We should strip out anything that is unnecessary. Think of it as a Mies building on which everything is there for a reason and nothing can be removed. This is often the most difficult part, as we have to reduce it to its essentials. As an exercise Garr suggest that you outline the three things you want your audience to remember from your presentation.

“Less is more”.

Related to the previous point (and also to the 1st). Put yourself in the shoes of your audiences and ask “so what?”. You might have several interesting stories or concepts to tell the audience, but if they don’t add to what you want to communicate – just take them out.

You start with the foundation, follow with the structure, then move on to the skin and the interiors. This is a crystal clear process that you already know. Do the same for your presentation.

It also makes your audience follow you and focus on the presentation. When I have to make a long presentation I always start with an index, and as we move forward I keep reminding the audience where we are in the presentation, therefore they can follow along, stay focused, and recall what comes next.

Say the speaker before you exceeded on their time, or the client was late and is short on time. You always need to have a short version of the presentation, or at least know which parts you can skip in order to make it on time. The exercise is usually called “the elevator pitch”, under the idea that you should be able to sell your idea in the time span of an elevator ride, meaning in a maximum of 30 seconds and in 130 words or fewer.

Regarding the previous point, it reminded me of Frank Lloyd Wright drafting the Fallingwater House only 2 hours before his meeting with Kaufmann, all that in one sitting at his drafting table.

As you can see, this story was appealing to you as an architect, and you immediately understood my point. Stories can connect you with your audience, and engage them.

You can think about your project as a story, and develop the whole presentation as if you are the story teller. Just keep in mind the previous points, as an irrelevant story can do more harm than help.

Last year Volume Magazine published an issue on Storytelling, intro by Jeffrey Inaba .

Even after almost a hundred presentations, I’m still nervous before giving them. If you are nervous, your audience will notice it, and will focus on that instead of your project.

Mies may have suggested a glass of scotch, but the best is to rehearse, rehearse and rehearse. If you know your presentation backwards and forwards it will flow naturally, and will also keep you prepared for any unexpected event during the presentation.

And “picture the audience nude” always comes handy.

I hope these tips can help you with your future presentations. As always, your feedback is welcome on the comments below.

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How to create successful architecture presentation boards

In architectural design, the ability to communicate your vision effectively is as crucial as the design itself. 

Architecture presentation boards are essential for this type of communication. These boards provide a visual and textual representation of your architectural solutions that is easy for your clients to understand.

Want some ideas for creating more effective architecture presentation boards? 

In this 7-minute read, we’ll delve into the art of crafting presentation boards that not only convey your design intent but do so in a manner that captivates and convinces your audience. 

So whether you’re a seasoned architect or a new contractor working on your first project, the tips in this article will help elevate your presentation skills and land you more clients. 

Let’s start with a quick look at the basics.

What is an Architecture Presentation Board?

An architecture presentation board is a visual tool used by architects and designers to convey the concepts, details and essence of their architectural projects. It combines images, drawings, text, and sometimes physical materials, to provide a coherent and appealing overview of a project. 

These boards are pivotal in architectural competitions and client presentations since they serve as a bridge between the architect’s vision and the client’s understanding.

But presentation boards should be more than just a random collection of visuals. 

• Use your board to tell a story and guide the viewer through the project’s inception, development, and final design. 
• Effective boards balance aesthetics with information by employing a strategic layout to highlight key elements and facilitate easy comprehension. 
• Presentation boards can vary in format from digital displays to large printed panels.

Check out the next section to see the 8 steps to creating your presentation board.

How to Develop Architectural Presentation Boards

Developing architectural presentation boards that stand out requires a blend of creativity, strategic planning, and technical skills. Here’s a step-by-step guide to crafting boards that showcase your project and impress potential clients.

1. Size & Orientation

The size and orientation of your presentation board are foundational decisions that set the stage for the rest of the board’s design.

Size: Consider the amount of content and the level of detail you wish to present. Larger boards can accommodate more information and are suitable for complex projects but require careful organization to avoid overwhelming the viewer. Standard sizes often range from A3 for smaller projects to A0 for more detailed presentations.

Orientation: The choice between landscape and portrait orientation can influence the flow of your presentation. Landscape is preferred for its width which facilitates a natural, left-to-right reading flow. It’s ideal for showcasing panoramic site views or extensive floor plans.

PRO TIP : 

• Always tailor the size and orientation to the context of your presentation. For intimate settings, a smaller board might be more practical since it allows for closer viewing and discussion.

The layout of your board is critical in guiding the viewer’s eye through your presentation. This ensures they focus on key elements without missing important details.

Balance and Flow: Create a layout that balances visual elements, text, and white space. Start with the most impactful images or drawings positioned centrally or towards the top, where they attract immediate attention. Use text sparingly to complement the visuals rather than overwhelm them.

Hierarchy: Establish a visual hierarchy that leads the viewer through your board logically, from the project overview to specific details. Use different sizes and styles of text and images to denote importance.

• Use grids to align elements. This creates a professional appearance and makes your board more readable.
• Consider color blocks or frames to delineate different sections without cluttering the board with too many lines.

DON’T FORGET:

• Keep a consistent margin around the edge of the board. This ‘frame’ ensures that none of your content is lost if the board is mounted or encased.

3. Structure

The structure of your presentation board is about more than just where things are placed. It’s about creating a coherent flow that guides the viewer through your design.

Organizational Strategy : Start with a clear organizational structure, such as chronological, thematic or by the project phase. This helps in making your presentation logical and digestible.

Connectivity: Ensure there is a clear connection between different elements on your board. Use lines, arrows or even a numbered path to indicate the order in which the content should be viewed.

PRO TIP:  

• Incorporate an “Introduction” and “Conclusion” section on your board. An introduction at the top left can set the stage for your presentation. Then, a conclusion at the bottom right summarizes the project outcomes or next steps.

DON’T FORGET:  

• The viewer’s eye naturally moves from left to right and top to bottom. Place your most important information (like the project title or key visuals) where viewers will likely see it first.

4. Background

The background of your architecture presentation board plays a crucial role in setting the tone and making your content stand out.

Simplicity is Key: Opt for a simple, non-distracting background that enhances the readability of your content. A subtle gradient or a light texture can add depth without overpowering the visuals and text.

Contrast: Ensure there is enough contrast between the background and the content to make everything easily readable. Light backgrounds with dark text and visuals usually work best.

PRO TIP: 

• Experiment with soft, architectural textures as backgrounds to add a thematic touch to your board without overwhelming the main content.

DON’T FORGET: 

• Always preview your board in its final form before printing or presenting. What looks good on a computer screen may not translate well to a large format print or display.

Colors can evoke emotions, highlight important information, and organize your board visually.

Color Scheme: Choose a color scheme that complements your project. Use your project’s primary colors, or select a palette that reflects the project’s mood and context. Consistency in color usage across the board ties the presentation together.

Accent Colors: Use accent colors sparingly to draw attention to key areas or important details. This can be an effective way to guide the viewer’s eye through the board.

• A limited color palette (2-3 main colors) can help in maintaining visual coherence and professionalism.
• Consider the psychological impact of colors. For example, blue can convey trust and stability, while green might be used to emphasize sustainability or environmental aspects.

6. Visual Ranking

Visual ranking on your presentation board ensures that key elements capture immediate attention and then guide the viewer through your design story.

Prioritize Content: Decide what elements of your design are most important and deserve the prime real estate on your board. Typically, this includes your main concept image, and key plans or sections.

Size Matters: Larger images attract more attention. Use size strategically to emphasize the most critical aspects of your project. Smaller images can show less important, but still relevant, information.

• Use visual contrast through varied textures or color highlights to elevate important content further. A high-contrast backdrop for your most crucial images or diagrams can make them stand out.

7. Image Selection

The images you choose to display on your architecture presentation board can make or break your presentation. 

Quality Over Quantity: Select high-resolution images that clearly communicate your design. Blurry or pixelated images can detract from your professionalism.

Relevance is Key: Every image should serve a purpose, whether it’s to showcase design details, illustrate spatial relationships or convey the atmosphere of your proposed project.

PRO TIP:   If you plan to use 3D-generated images, make sure they are high-quality. Poor-quality, unrealistic images can detract from your design presentation. That’s why more and more housing professionals are switching to easy-to-use 3D design software like Cedreo . Cedreo makes it easy for anyone to generate photorealistic 3D project images for architecture presentation boards.

8. Text & Font

The text and font choices on your presentation board are vital for communicating your design intent clearly and effectively.

Legibility is Crucial: Choose fonts that are easy to read at various sizes. Sans-serif fonts are often preferred for their clean lines and readability in both digital and print formats.

Hierarchy Through Typography: Use different font sizes and weights to create a visual hierarchy in your text. It should be easy for viewers to distinguish between titles, headings and body text.

• Limit your presentation to two fonts to maintain visual coherence—one for headings and one for body text. This simplifies the design and enhances readability.

Types of Architecture Presentation Boards

Understanding the different architecture presentation board templates and layouts is essential for selecting the most effective way to communicate your project’s vision. Each type serves a unique purpose and audience, from conceptual designs to detailed technical drawings.

Here are a few architecture presentation board examples.

Conceptual Board

Conceptual boards are the storytellers of architectural design. They focus on the vision, ideas, and themes behind a project. They are less about detail and more about conveying the concept and atmosphere of the design.

• Use compelling visuals that evoke the intended feel of the project, such as mood boards, abstract diagrams, and 3D floor plans .
• Include brief text descriptions or quotes that capture the essence of your design philosophy and the main concept behind the project.

Advice: Conceptual boards are your chance to connect emotionally with your audience, so choose images and words that resonate deeply with the project’s core idea. Remember: The goal is to intrigue and inspire while making viewers curious and excited about the potential of your design.

Technical Drawings Board

Technical drawing boards detail the specificities of the design through precise drawings and specifications.

• Incorporate a range of technical drawings, including floor plans , elevations , sections , and detailed construction drawings , to provide a comprehensive overview of the project.
• Use annotations, dimensions, and notes to clarify the technical aspects and innovative solutions within your design.

Advice: Make sure your technical boards are meticulously organized and labeled to ensure clarity and ease of understanding. Remember: While technical accuracy is important, consider the layout and visual appeal of your board to ensure it remains engaging and not overly dense.

Professional Board

Professional boards are tailored for client presentations, competitions, or public exhibitions. They blend both conceptual and technical elements to present a complete story.

• Combine striking visuals, key technical drawings, and succinct, persuasive text to showcase your project’s strengths and feasibility.
• Balance the layout to highlight the most compelling aspects of your design while ensuring a logical flow that guides the viewer through the narrative.

Advice : Professional boards are your portfolio’s highlight reel. Focus on quality over quantity and make sure to select only the most impactful images and information that demonstrates your vision.

Remember : Take the time to get it right. A well-executed professional board is a powerful tool for winning bids, gaining approval, and impressing stakeholders.

Get Designing with Cedreo Today!

Crafting an architecture presentation board that effectively communicates your vision and details can be a daunting task. 

Whether you’re creating a simple conceptual board for a small project or a detailed technical board for a custom home, Cedreo empowers you to make the best boards as fast as possible. 

• Rapid Visualization: Cedreo lets you quickly transform your ideas into visual concepts, with easy-to-use features that save you loads of time and effort.
• One-Stop Solution: From initial sketches to final presentation boards, Cedreo offers a comprehensive platform for all your design needs.
• High-Quality Outputs : Produce professional, high-resolution 3D presentation board images that impress clients and showcase your projects in the best light.

Get started with Cedreo now (there’s a FREE version !) and take your architectural presentations to the next level.

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Introduction

The Architecture Presentation Board is a means of producing visually captivating summaries of design projects. They can be used for a variety of purposes. On an academic level, students use them for their architecture school submissions but they can also assist a client’s imagination or help win a commission on the professional side. 

Your drawings, graphics and architecture presentation boards have one main purpose – to communicate your design in all its entirety from the concept to final renderings. If your presentation boards look good, but don’t do their job – you may need to think again.

In order to win over a tutor, client, planning officer or committee it is vital that your scheme is clearly conveyed and easy to understand. In a way it is like a sales pitch, you are selling your design, ideas, concept. So read through this post for some essential tips on designing the best architecture presentation boards!

And remember a great design can be mediocre if it is not presented well.

Scroll to the end to download this article as a handy PDF guide!

Our Top Important Tips for Architecture Presentation Boards

Brief requirements .

A project brief whether it is for a university project or for an architecture competition will typically outline what you need to include in your architecture presentation boards. So make sure you read this through and note down the non negotiables. 

Architecture presentation boards usually include floor plans, elevations, and sections along with some sort of perspective views, 3d drawings or renders. There may be a focus on some of the key features of your design, perhaps with brief sentences explaining your scheme. Hand drawings and development work can be good to include if relevant/required.

Going through the brief will also help you determine what content to assign to your boards. For architecture school projects, there may be more than one presentation board to curate. Try to determine each board’s key focus –  it could either be to depict your site analysis, conceptual development, material application, technical resolution or final scheme. Generally for competitions you will have to compile all of these key stages on one or two presentation boards.

For more helpful tips on how to dissect your briefs, check out our Architecture Assignments Brief Guide post. It includes a cool Architecture Assignment Planner:

Architecture Assignment Brief Guide – First In Architecture

When you start to plan your architecture presentation board is also crucial. If you begin planning out your boards immediately after reading through your brief, you will get an idea of what you are working towards. You can get as specific as you like with the details. Revisiting this rough plan throughout your design process may help you work on perfecting the images that will best represent your project.

On the other hand, if you plan your boards after completing your project, all the work you have done until then will determine your end result. It would sort of be like piecing all your work together as you would a puzzle. You may end up editing your existing work or even having to create more work to place on your presentation boards.

Either way, take a moment to organise your work. Think of what you are trying to convey. What drawings / images do you have to show as part of your brief/criteria? What are the key elements in your design that you would like to portray?

Collect all this information –  list out all the images to be included and what text you would like to put in, then you can start planning the structure of your boards. This will really help you visualise what information will be on your boards and how you are going to communicate your design.

Inspiration

Similar to having precedents for your design, we recommend having an idea of what graphic style you would like to use for your architecture presentation board. Try to bring your work together as a unified selection of drawings with a format, scale and style that work together to create a logical and comprehensive view of the project. Different graphic styles and inconsistencies can cause a lack of clarity and confusion.

For this you can seek inspiration from a variety of sources like Pinterest or Instagram. 

If you are finding it difficult to come up with a graphic style for your architecture presentation boards, check out our Pinterest board here:

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/1starchitecture/architecture-presentation-boards/

Representing Architecture

Your architecture presentation board must use graphics and text to represent your design idea and clearly communicate the details and essential aspects of the scheme. It is important to be efficient with the production of drawings, and only use what is necessary to convey your idea. Quality is better than quantity as quantity can lead to confusion. 

View your project as if for the first time, and consider how easy or difficult it is to understand the concept and the main elements of the scheme. Only add work you would be confident presenting in person and avoid any unnecessary information.

Architectural Notation

When you plan your architecture presentation boards make sure that you can see the relationship between the drawings. 

For example sections and plans should be aligned so it is clear to read. You can even use dashed/dotted lines to highlight these connections.

Every instance of a plan needs to be of the same orientation (north point always in the same place) otherwise it can get very confusing for someone who has not seen the project before.

When showing plans and elevations/sections together, it is beneficial if they are of the same scale and in line. However, if one drawing is more important than the others then it makes sense to show it on a different scale.

Just because it’s a pretty architecture presentation board, don’t forget to include your symbols! Scale bars, section lines and north points often get forgotten, but are important to be included in order to make your drawings and information clear.

We would recommend sketching out the structure of your architecture presentation board before you start, so you can get an idea of the possible configurations you can use and what might work best. A small storyboard sketch or small scale mock up of the presentation can work well as you can adjust the layout until you are happy with the arrangement and alignment.

In general we read design presentations from left to right and from top to bottom, so consider the story of your design and how it will be read. Show the progression and don’t be afraid to experiment.

Use a program you know. The last thing you need to be doing is learning a whole new software program whilst in the panic of putting your boards together. If you have allowed yourself enough time, fair enough. We would recommend InDesign or Photoshop, but Microsoft Word or Pages on the Mac will still give you good results if you are more comfortable using them. Powerpoint or Keynote on the Mac, can be good options, but do check they can print to the size you require the boards to be.

Orientation, setting and size

Confirm whether your architecture presentation boards are supposed to be presented in landscape or portrait orientation. Think of the size your presentation boards are going to be. Ensure you have the right resolution and print settings applied. Check if you are limited by the number of boards and don’t forget to explore relationships between each board, and how they will be read together. Consider numbering the boards to show what comes next. 

Ensuring you have set up your presentation board files correctly will help save you loads of time in the end.

Key Information – Title, story, content

Do you need to have a title bar? If so, consider keeping it consistent throughout your architecture presentation boards. This gives a sense of professionalism, and orderliness. Don’t forget to include your details – name, title of project etc and whatever else is applicable. 

It’s tempting to get carried away with multiple fonts but please, don’t! Stick to one font, a maximum of two. You can consider using fonts from the same font family for visual coherence.

Use font sizes to create a hierarchy on your architecture presentation boards – e.g. a large font for your titles, a bit smaller for subtitles and standard size for the remainder of your content. 

Make sure your chosen font and size is readable. Keep your sentences short and punchy. No one is going to want to read an essay on your presentation board. A picture paints a thousand words!

Consider how to align your text within its text box. What is easier to read? Think about text spacing, and hyphenation and how it appears on your architecture presentation board. 

For more advice on fonts and to discover some cool font recommendations, feel free to check out our blog post on the Best Fonts for Architects:

Best Fonts for Architects – First In Architecture

Try to keep your background plain, unless it is featuring one of your key images. Architecture presentation board backgrounds can get a little busy and it can be difficult to see the key details of the board.

A white background will make your images and text stand out and look professional. Most of the board images we are sharing in this post feature white backgrounds, it is clear to see why. The information comes across well, and the background makes the visuals pop on the page. 

A background image can often be distracting, so make sure all the information is crystal clear if you decide to go down that route. 

The standard architectural style particularly for students appears to be black, white and grey! Grey grey grey! We understand why people sway that way, but sometimes it’s good to break out and use a bit of colour. Agreed there is a place for simplicity, and grey can give a professional atmospheric board, but try to inject some colour. 

Think how colour is reflected in your design. If the architecture presentation board is predominantly in black and white or grey, does this make the design feel cold? Consider how colour will have an impact on the overall feel of the scheme. Imagine the function and users of your design. What colours would resonate with these? 

As a starting point you can insert colours for natural elements such as the sky, vegetation on your site etc. Experiment with accent colours to highlight key design elements or ideas.

You will also find numerous ready made colour palettes online that you can work with. 

Layout options

Consider using a grid to help you organise the visual elements on your architecture presentation board. You can use a simple grid or something more complex. A grid helps you to organise the elements on your page and produce consistency across the architecture presentation board set.

Once you have set up your page size and orientation you can start creating a grid that suits your needs. The grid can include space for title bars, page numbers, and other information that needs to appear on each board. Using a program like InDesign is great as you can set up master pages as templates so you only need to create the grid once and it can then be used on numerous pages.

Keep in mind that the grid can also be used as a guide, so you don’t have to strictly aim for perpendicular lines. You can have elements and images that blend into one another if you want.

Visual Hierarchy

You will want some of your images to receive more visual attention than others, in order to communicate your idea. You can do this by giving certain images more space in the grid than others. If you wish to showcase one compelling visualisation, you can centre this image or  make your other content fit around this image. It often works best when this type of image has elements that form the background of the architecture presentation board, for instance an extended sky or landscape.

When you view your architecture presentation board, you want something viewable from a distance (an impact image) 6ft away, and up close. This communicates your visual hierarchy.

Also if you plan to use precedent images on your architecture presentation boards, remember to distinguish them from your proposal images to avoid confusion for the readers. 

Example Layouts

There are numerous ways to organise your work onto boards, here are some options to help you visualise:

Landscape Examples:

Portrait Examples:

Give yourself time

It’s a real shame when you have spent weeks/months on a design project, and leave yourself an hour or two to put it together for your architecture presentation boards. It is such a waste. By denying your project the time and care of developing a structure and a plan for how you present your work, you are effectively deducting grades/points there and then. By showing a well thought out presentation, with a clear process and design result, which is easy to engage with you will greatly increase your chances of showing how good your design is and why it should receive a stellar grade!

Our Architecture Presentation Board Templates

We are excited to present a selection of 14 Architecture Presentation Board Templates in Photoshop and Indesign that all have varying layouts and fonts.  They are designed to help speed up your process, create a strong design identity, and save you a huge amount of time. This bundle also includes some textured backgrounds to help you experiment!

You can find out more about these here:

Architecture Presentation Board Templates – First In Architecture

You might also be interested in…

We have a dedicated Pinterest board full of architecture presentation board ideas and styles that will really help inspire you:

We also have lots of incredible architecture content. Be sure to check it out:

Download the Guide!

Download this helpful article as a pdf to keep for reference later!

We hope this post helps you come up with some really good architecture presentation boards, and to show off your work to its best.

If you have got some tips and advice to offer to our readers, let us know in the comments below.

And finally, if you found this post useful, do share it with a friend.

Thank you! 

Image Credits

Landscape Example 1

https://www.arkxsite.com/site-chapel-_-winners

Landscape Example 2

https://architecturecompetitions.com/teamakersguesthouse

Landscape Example 3

https://archidose.tumblr.com/tagged/student

Landscape Example 4

https://www.kairalooro.com/competition_emergencyoperationcenter/winningproject_mentions.html

Landscape Example 5

https://www.archdaily.com/257270/buenos-aires-new-contemporary-art-museum-competition-results/0412750?next_project=no

Landscape Example 6

https://www.presidentsmedals.com/Entry-49001

Portrait Example 1

http://www.arquideas.net/es/vof1170

Portrait Example 2

https://www.pinterest.es/pin/488710997053933680/

Portrait Example 3

https://www.dezeen.com/2020/06/08/carleton-university-graduates-architecture-vdf-school-shows/

Portrait Example 4

https://www.behance.net/gallery/47245227/The-First-Half-A-War-to-Eywa

Portrait Example 5

https://www.archidiaries.com/result-announced-bauhaus-campus/

Portrait Example 6

http://www.arquideas.net/es/mesc1258

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24 Comments

Really great Emma,

Both in the tips and tricks but also in the observation and selection of images used. (nice to see them properly credited).

An extra tip; when including precedent studies, make it clear what is precedent rather than proposal by grouping, using a background colour or outline, and if they are on multiple pages keep them to the same place on each page.

Although your tutors are familiar with most precedents, confusing a precedent with proposal is embarrassing for all of us!

Hi Caine, Thanks for your comments – much appreciated.

I WAS ABLE TO USE THIS IN MY CLASS EMMA. WITH DUE RESPECT AND PERMISSION. MY STUDENTS WERE IMPRESSED WITH YOUR COLLECTION OF IDEAS. TNKS.

Thank you so much for this post, I’ve always had a bit of a problem with my boards and this will surely help me in the long run.

with what for a program do u make these portfolios ?

Those presentation boards look awesome! 🙂 what for a program is used to do something like that ?

Hi Jeffry, Boards like these can be achieved using a number of programs, most commonly inDesign or Photoshop. If you don’t have access to this software you can also use things like powerpoint or keynote – although you may be more limited with functionality.

Hi, just wondering what do you recommend to be the best way of getting images onto presentation boards? drawing/ rendering the design then scanning, then editing/ enhancing on photoshop? or using revit to draw and render and transferring these to the boards?

If you could reply to this, it would be muchly appreciated! thank you

Hi Stephanie, Thanks for your comment. I think a lot of it is down to what you are comfortable with, and what stage of your project you are presenting. If you are presenting initial ideas then hand drawings / sketches would be suitable for your boards. These would be best scanned in, and adapted in photoshop, adjust the levels and so on, to get the effect you are looking for. However, if you are presenting final work, perhaps some digital renders would be more relevant. Having said that, if you are comfortable with your drawing skills and have chosen to present your project as hand drawn work, then by all means you should draw and hand render your work to then scan in. I would recommend digitising all hand work and putting together on photoshop/inDesign, as it creates a more professional outcome – and also means you can adjust things as you wish. So, consider your time constraints, what can you achieve in the time you have. Consider what you want the desired outcome to be, and what stage of the project are you presenting. It may be that you use a combination of hand drawings, sketch up models, and final revit renders. There is no correct answer, just do what works well for you, and what you will be able to do at the best of your ability. Hope this helps – and best of luck with your work!! Emma

Heyyy how about capitalisation? Does all the writing should be in caps or it could include lower and upper case??? Thanksss

I think that is down to personal choice and how you want it to look. No strict rules on this. Just make sure you are consistent.

how about manual presentation formats?

thank you so much for all the tips! Appreciate it:)

You’re welcome 🙂

I had receive the pdf copy.however it doesnt contain any image

Hi Nurul, the pdf doesn’t have any images as it is for printing without using too much ink. If you want images you can print directly from the article web page.

Great post..Very helpful. Thanks

Hey, Thank you so much, this has been really very helpful as it has always been a task to understand the requirements and needs that have to be considered for architectural sheet presentation as we have a lot of information to put in but what matters is giving the information a hierarchy as to what needs to be included or not . Appreciate it.

Thank you Anand.

Hello Emma, thanks… I have a presentation next week, could you please send me a downloadable copy of that, thanks

can I take your post because your post very exelent

can i know what is a standard word size for an a1 size presentation board???

Hi, it will depend on many factors, like the font you are using, the intended purpose of the presentation board, how much text you are putting on there etc.

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Best Architecture Presentation Board Ideas 

• AEC Marketing
• Digital Asset Management

Posted by: Cinthya Soto

If you’re an architect, you know that one of the most impactful methods for expressing your ideas is creating architecture presentation boards. These boards serve as more than just showcasing your project; they effectively portray your concepts and narrate the story of your design. 

However, creating your architecture presentation board can prove challenging. It’s crucial to establish a well-designed layout that maintains a cohesive and engaging narrative. This will enable you to effectively communicate your ideas and elevate the impact of your architecture proposal .  

In this blog, we’ll explore ten architecture presentation board concepts, encompassing vital elements necessary for crafting a polished and visually captivating presentation. These ideas include various aspects such as layout, structure, visual hierarchy, color, and more, all contributing to the creation of a professional and visually engaging presentation. 

By the end of this blog, you’ll possess the knowledge and confidence necessary to produce a creative and impactful architecture presentation board. This will allow you to showcase your architecture projects accurately and secure new projects.

What Is an Architecture Presentation Board? 

Applying all of this information to your architecture presentation board may seem challenging, but with the help of a well-designed layout, you can effortlessly tackle this task. 

An architecture presentation board is a visually appealing graphic that effectively summarizes all the ideas of your project. It provides a condensed and clear representation of your design. Architects use architecture presentation boards to showcase their projects and work. 

The purpose of a presentation board is to construct a narrative that effectively conveys the essential information of your project in a self-explanatory manner. This enables readers to comprehend each of the proposed solutions with ease. 

An architecture presentation board fulfills multiple objectives, including:

• Serving as a tool for presenting designs to clients, superiors, or colleagues 
• Assisting in attracting clients and securing commissions 
• Contributing to the advancement of your career and elevating your architectural projects to new heights 

Architecture presentation boards serve various purposes, being used by both students and professionals. During your time as a student, these presentations are crafted for juries and submissions, allowing you to present your work to professors and peers. In your professional life as an architect, these boards are used to present designs to clients, committees, shareholders, and exhibitions. 

In many ways, an architecture presentation board resembles a sales pitch, as you are essentially promoting your design, ideas, and concept to win clients over.

10 Architecture Presentation Board Ideas 

While the architecture presentation board may not be the only aspect of the project itself, it certainly has an impact on the audience. Additionally, it can showcase your artistic abilities and design skills. 

The structure of an architecture presentation board serves as the platform for combining the key ideas of your project, presenting only the essential elements required for a clear understanding of the proposed concept. Remember, there is no need to incorporate every single detail into the presentation board. It is equally important to be careful with the amount of text used and to maintain focus on the central idea of the project. 

To help you get started, let’s take a look at some of the essential concepts (with examples) that must be considered when creating your architecture presentation board. This will help you create a flawless presentation board for clients.

1. Size and Orientation 

When designing your architecture presentation board, you will have to determine whether you will be presenting them in landscape or portrait orientation. You can explore different formats to enhance the presentation of your proposal. 

However, it’s not certain you’ll get to choose the size or orientation of your presentation boards. You’ll most likely encounter limitations that restrict you to a particular board size and a specific number of boards. Sometimes you will have the opportunity to choose the size and orientation of your presentation boards. However, more often than not, these decisions will be decided by your director, client, or professor. It’s important to ensure that you are aware of the parameters beforehand to avoid any inconsistencies. 

If you’re a student, it is common for professors to impose restrictions regarding board sizes and the number of boards. In such cases, you should verify whether your boards should be presented in landscape or portrait orientation. 

However, if you have been allowed to decide for yourself, take some time to think about it. Consider which orientation will make your graphics stand out the most and which one will best tell the story of your project. 

Apart from deciding whether your board will be in the landscape or portrait orientation, you will have to decide which way you will present your board. Some options include: 

• Side by side as a single large board 
• As one equivalent-sized poster
• As separate boards arranged in a sequence 

Keep in mind, the orientation and size of your boards can also have an impact on the structure and layout of your presentation.

2. Layout 

When arranging your architecture presentation board, think about the main ideas you want to express. Then, decide on the images and graphics that will best showcase those concepts. Collect all the required information and take note of the graphics and text that will best convey your concepts effectively. 

Before starting the actual layout of your boards, take time to sketch out different versions to identify the most suitable arrangement. Create small-scale sketches to capture the basic flow of each board, enabling you to experiment with different element placements before finalizing your design on the boards themselves. This process allows for flexibility and adjustments to ensure you achieve a complete overview of your ideal layout. 

Once you have decided on the layout you want, think about how much space each element will require on the page. Make sure each graphic is big enough to make an impact and consider the amount of space you want to leave between each graphic. Leave enough space so that it doesn’t look crowded or messy, but, avoid leaving too much space as well, as it may give the wrong impression. 

3. Structure 

Using a grid structure is the most common layout method used among architects because it simplifies the organization of visual elements in your presentation. Several compositions can be used when using a grid structure, such as square or rectangular grids, mixing texts, and images, or even adopting an organic structure. 

The grid serves as the fundamental framework for diagramming. Diagramming an architectural presentation board involves the organization and arrangement of graphic and textual elements that deliver comprehensive information about your project. This process ensures a well-structured and cohesive representation of your proposal, providing viewers with an accurate representation of your architectural vision. 

Keep in mind, you are essentially narrating a story, therefore you must carefully consider the flow of the narrative as you organize your presentation board. To help you get started, follow these steps: 

• Consider the perspective of the individual observing your presentation 
• Prioritize what you want them to see first 
• Strategize the most effective approach to displaying your project’s story to them 
• Evaluate if your structure and layout successfully achieve this objective 

Remember, normally, we read presentations from left to right and from top to bottom, so consider the story of your project and how it will be read. 

You should also consider how each board in your presentation relates to each other. Assess whether there is a logical progression from one board to the next, ensuring that the sequence flows seamlessly. In case you will not display all the boards simultaneously, consider numbering them to guide your viewers and ensure they follow the correct sequence. 

4. Background 

The background of your architecture presentation board should not be complex or cause difficulty. We want the viewer to easily see all the elements without any distractions from a busy background. It’s important to avoid anything that may draw attention away from the crucial details of the board. Let your graphics and text take center stage, refraining from using bold colors or textures that may take away the focus from them. 

With that being said, be very careful when choosing a black background. It may diminish the readability of text and potentially reduce the impact of your graphics. Moreover, background images, if chosen, can often be distracting. A black background could also set a cold and boring tone. Therefore, if you opt for this approach, make sure that all the information remains easily comprehensible. 

On the other hand, going for a white or light gray background will enhance the visibility of your graphics and text, allowing them to stand out effectively. This choice gives your presentation a professional appearance without overwhelming the viewer. While you can incorporate other colors that align with your central concept, ensure that the background remains plain enough for the viewer’s attention to be primarily directed towards the design rather than the background itself. 

Regardless of the color you select for your background, use it strategically to your benefit. Embrace the concept of negative space and leverage its power. Include only essential information in your presentation, resisting the temptation to fill empty spaces with irrelevant details. The skillful use of negative space enhances the impact of your design, creating a clean and professional feel. 

5. Colors 

While we discussed the use of the typical black, white, and gray colors in an architecture presentation board, don’t hesitate to include some colors. ​​However, be mindful of your color choices to strike the right balance, ensuring that your board doesn’t appear dull or overwhelming. Introducing hints of color can bring life to your presentation boards and draw attention to the elements you want to highlight. This will help guide your viewers’ focus to the key aspects of your presentation board.

How you can use colors to make your design more lively? One example is you can add a contrasting color like green for landscaping to a mostly single-color presentation. You can also use a different color to represent specific building materials, such as brick, glass, or wood. These color choices bring visual appeal and improve the overall look of your design. 

You can also consider opting for a bold and attention-grabbing color, such as pink or red, to serve as a prominent feature in your diagrams. If you aren’t feeling inspired, there are many pre-made color palettes available online for you to work with. 

The choice is yours and whichever color you decide to continue with, make sure to always ensure consistency by using the same color across all of your boards. This approach will help maintain a cohesive and seamless flow throughout your presentation.

6. Visual Hierarchy 

When creating your architecture presentation board, leverage visual hierarchy to highlight specific images on your presentation boards. This means you should select which image deserves the most visual attention within the hierarchy. Identify your project’s strongest point that you want to highlight, and make it the main focus that catches the viewer’s eye from far away. You should also incorporate other images that reveal their details when viewed up close. 

So, how can you do this effectively? There are various techniques to draw attention to a specific drawing, such as playing with color or size. Don’t be afraid to use up the space you need to display the images that are crucial for your vision. For example, you can make the image you wish to highlight the largest, ensuring it can be viewed clearly from a distance of 6ft. This effectively communicates the visual hierarchy and emphasizes the importance of the highlighted image. 

Another method is to use color to direct the viewer’s attention to a specific graphic. By using color in a targeted manner, you can effectively guide the viewer’s eye toward the main idea on the board. 

You also have the option to center the image you want to highlight and arrange the surrounding content to complement it. This technique is particularly effective when the image contains elements that serve as the background of the architecture presentation board, such as a large sky or landscape. 

For the best outcome, focus on keeping the overall vision of your project in mind and selecting images that directly display and strongly support that idea.

7. Image Selection 

Choosing the right images is an important aspect of creating your architecture presentation board. The graphics you select can either make or break your entire presentation board. Throughout the architectural design process, you will generate various sketches, models, renderings, and drawings. Make sure to carefully select the images that effectively communicate the important details of your project. 

Keep in mind, using an excessive number of images in your presentation can lead to a cluttered and confusing visual experience for the viewer. However, using enough images may give the impression that you needed to invest more effort into your presentation. Strive for a balanced representation that showcases your project effectively. 

8. Content 

Not only should your architecture presentation board be easy to understand but it should also demonstrate your full commitment and dedication to your project. 

When it comes to planning out the content for your presentation board, consider the following elements to ensure a clear understanding:

• Internal and external images 
• Isometric views and exploded views 
• Perspective cut 
• Diagrams 
• Volumetry studies 
• Descriptive memorial 
• Technical drawings (plans, cuts, and details) 

It’s important to note that not all the mentioned items need to be included in every project, as this depends on the specific requirements and nature of each project. However, these elements are valuable resources that can enhance the understanding of your architecture proposal whenever applicable. 

9. Text 

It’s important to keep text at a minimum on your architecture presentation board. You should write a concise and focused concept statement, avoiding wasting time on lengthy descriptive text that is unlikely to be read. Shoot for a clear and short message that effectively communicates your concept. 

Some questions to consider when organizing the text sections in your architecture presentation board include: 

• What is easier to read? 
• What flows best? 
• What is pleasing to the eye?

Moreover, when creating the text for your architecture presentation board, consider the alignment of your text within its designated text box. Think about which alignment is easier to read and pay attention to text spacing and hyphenation to ensure they appear visually pleasing on your presentation board. Don’t forget that the size and alignment of your text boxes should complement your graphics. They are important elements of the visual hierarchy in your presentation. 

Some tips to consider when creating the text for your architecture presentation board: 

• Do not use all capitals in your text, unless it’s for the title 
• Follow the standard rules of capitalization for a professional and easy-to-read presentation board 
• When possible, replace text with simple illustrative sketches and figures

Remember, your presentation serves as your sales pitch. Therefore, avoid lengthy explanations that would cause you to lose your audience’s attention and keep your message concise and engaging to effectively capture and maintain their interest.

10. Font 

Select an appropriate font for your title and text, using only one font type per project whenever possible. However, you can create variations by adjusting the font size for the title, concept statement, and labeling. Consider using Sans Serif fonts such as Futura or Helvetica, as their sleek and minimalistic style complements modern high-tech designs. 

When choosing a font for your architecture presentation board, consider the following: 

• Avoid script or handwriting fonts to achieve a clean and professional look 
• Keep the color of your font dark (ex. black or dark gray) to provide contrast to a light background 
• Choose a font and size that will be easy to read 
• Make sure the title font and placement are consistent from board to board 
• Use font sizes to create a hierarchy (e.g. a large font for titles, a slightly smaller font for subtitles, and a standard size for the rest of the content.) 

The font you choose for your architecture presentation board can significantly impact its success or failure and greatly influence its level of engagement, which is why it’s important to make sure you find the best architecture font . 

Choosing the Right Elements 

Unless specific instructions are provided to you when creating your architecture presentation board, the choice of elements to include will be up to you. When making these important and creative decisions, consider what elements will effectively express and explain your design most compellingly. Remember to prioritize clarity and coherence to create a successful architectural presentation. 

Next Steps 

We hope this guide on the best architecture presentation board ideas was helpful. As you begin creating your architecture presentation board, remember that there are several solutions out there to help you make better presentation boards and win more business. When it comes to asset management for AEC and real estate professionals, OpenAsset provides a high-quality software solution. 

At OpenAsset, the only Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution designed specifically for firms in the built world, we make it easy to find the digital assets you need. With OpenAsset, you can easily find assets by project or person using keywords or file type. Our secure platform also helps you protect your digital assets by keeping them safe from unauthorized access and accidental deletion. You can also easily share files with team members, clients, and partners using controlled access to files. 

To ensure consistency and manage your ever-growing number of digital assets, request a demo with us and learn how OpenAsset can help you manage your digital assets today.

Get OpenAsset DAM Insights

How to Create Winning Proposals

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ARCHITECTURE PRESENTATION: 5 SECRETS TO MAKING IT A SUCCESS

Architecture presentation is where the magic of the project happens. If an Architect plays his cards right, it’s when his client clicks with the design and wants to see the results as soon as possible. The ideal outcome is when the only questions left at the end of the speech are “How much?” and “When do we start?”

But things don’t always go smoothly. Sometimes, they go likes this: during the presentation, the client sits with a blank face. He does not have a single question in the end and calls back a few days later to inform that he would like to explore other options and see what other firms have to offer. So much time wasted! The project was excellent, clients – initially forthcoming and nice, yet something happened during the meeting. As the Architect looks through the notes, he realizes that the trouble was in the way he had presented his brainchild.

Presentation is 50% of success. It requires thorough preparation, creativity, excellent visual material – like architecture animation videos , communication skills and a little bit of acting. However, most of these things are long to work on. Are there points for making the next presentation a success? There sure are a few simple rules to start applying right now. Let’s find them out!

#1. Use an Index to Prepare the Audience

The Architect can prepare an Index with a short presentation plan that outlines the most important checkpoints. It will be much easier for people to follow the presenter, mentally structure the mass of new information and perhaps even make notes on some of the points. Furthermore, the creation of printed materials will show the engagement and diligent preparation of the architect.

#2. Start Architecture Presentation with the End

There are many ways to build the structure of an architecture presentation, each having its advantages. Success depends on implementation. But beginning with results is a sure attention-catcher. Logically, one would put them in the end, first walking the audience through the technical assignment, process, and challenges of the project development, building up the intrigue. But doesn’t it make a better sense to give the audience what they want first? That would get them interested. They would better understand what’s going on and be more involved in discussing details, having seen the overall picture.

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#3. use high-end visual materials.

Visual materials of the architecture presentation should be top-notch – both informative and looking high-end. The whole project will be judged by them, so all visuals, including drawings and sketches should be impeccable. Instead of references, it’s wise to get a 3D architecture video . It helps to easily demonstrate a project at its best, show all the details and strength of the design, and make a strong impression. For who wouldn’t be impressed by a photorealistic tour around the property which hasn’t been built yet?

#4. Avoid Too Much Detail

It’s perfectly understandable that the Architect loves to talk about his art. So when asked a question at an architecture presentation, he feels in his element and can get carried away a little. Going into the details is time-consuming, not to mention the audience might not need or understand them. There is a simple way to avoid it: when asked a question, the Architect should give a brief answer and then ask if the audience wants a more elaborate one. If that’s the case, better to warn that a detailed explanation will take extra time.

#5. Forget about Professional Slang

Professional slang is great for communication with colleagues. It perfectly conveys the technical aspects and is quick and emotional when necessary. It is also a sign of expertise: so much so that when 3D artists in a 3D animation studio speak it, only those who work in the sphere can understand them. And that is exactly the reason to avoid professional slang at an architecture presentation: the audience won’t understand a thing. The speech should be listener-oriented so that communication be effective. So whenever there is a need for using professional terminology, it’s better to explain every word and notion.

Preparing a successful architecture presentation is a journey rather than a goal. An Architect needs to take care of every aspect: language, structure, intonation, handout materials, and of course, get prime quality visuals. Want to take your clients on a tour through your amazing project? Then click the button below and contact CGI Flythrough architecture animation company . We will create a CG video showing the project with accuracy and Hollywood impact!

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Irma Prus Content Writer, Copywriter

Irma writes articles and white papers about CGI services. Outside of work, her passions include watching Alfred Hitchcock movies, eating mint chocolate and reading CGI news.

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Architecture

What Is Architecture Presentation

Understanding architecture presentation.

Architecture Presentation is the process of presenting the concepts and ideas built around a particular architecture in an organized, effective, and communicative manner. It is a style of sharing the architectural details of a concept or design that helps in conveying the architect’s idea in a convincing way to the audience. The goal of architecture presentation is to ensure that every element and concept is communicated effectively. It is a way of making sure that the people who see and use the architecture understand the idea behind its creation.

Architecture Presentation Styles

Architecture Presentation has various styles, including graphic presentations, three-dimensional perspective drawings, videos, audio-visual materials, and written presentations. Graphic Presentations are the most popular form of presenting architecture as they can effectively convey both the design concept and the technical details accurately. Three-dimensional Perspective Drawings are another popular way of presenting architecture, as they provide a more realistic view of the design and also allow viewers to visualize the design from different angles. Videos and audio-visual materials are effective tools to communicate the architectural design in a visually dynamic context. Written presentations involve creating documents that outline the details of the architecture and help in conveying the design concept in a more comprehensive and detailed manner.

Benefits of Architecture Presentation

The process of Architecture Presentation has a number of important benefits. It helps in improving the design process by showing the concept through multiple angles and helping the architects to identify any potential mistakes or improvements in the design that weren’t apparent before. Additionally, it can also be used to convince potential clients or users of the design. By presenting the design in an effective and engaging manner, it can help to effectively demonstrate the idea behind the architecture and persuade the audience of its worth.

Setting Out An Architecture Presentation

When setting out an Architecture Presentation, it is important to make sure that the information is presented in an organized and easy-to-follow manner. This means that the design concept should be made clear and easy to understand, and all technical details should be concisely explained. Additionally, the visuals should be presented in a visually appealing way, with the use of high-quality images and visuals. It is also a good idea to engage the audience to ensure that the architecture presentation can effectively capture the attention of the audience and emphasize the concept being presented.

Tips For An Effective Architecture Presentation

In order to ensure that the Architecture Presentation is effective, there are a few tips and tricks that architects should keep in mind. Firstly, it is important to make sure that the design concept is clear and easy to understand. Additionally, it is important to use visuals that are accompanied with informative descriptions and explanations. This will help to effectively communicate the concept and technical details to the audience. It is also a good idea to create custom visuals as this can help to effectively communicate the design in a unique and engaging way. Lastly, it is important to make sure that the presentation is professional, engaging, and informative.

Presentation Formatting and Software

When creating an Architecture Presentation, it is important to make sure that the formatting and design are professional and polished. This can be done through the use of various software, such as PowerPoint, Adobe Creative Suite, and Inkscape. The software can help to create visuals that are visually appealing, informative, and help to illustrate the design concept effectively. Additionally, various multimedia can be used to add audio and moving visuals to the presentation, making it more engaging for the audience.

Presentation Tips For Architecture Students

For architecture students, creating an effective Architecture Presentation can be a daunting task. In order to ensure that the presentation is effective, it is important to make sure that the design concept is outlined in an organized and easy-to-follow manner. It is also important to make sure that the visuals are high-quality and effectively illustrate the design concept. Additionally, making use of multimedia, such as audio and video, can help to make the presentation more engaging and help to effectively highlight the concept.

Successful Presentation Examples

In order to effectively create an Architecture Presentation, looking at existing successful examples can be helpful. By analyzing different successful presentations, it can help to understand the basics of creating an effective presentation. This can include understanding the structure and content of the presentation, understanding how visuals are used to effectively demonstrate the concept, and understanding the tone of the presentation. This can help in creating a presentation that is successful and communicates the design concept in an effective and convincing manner.

Architecture Presentation is an important process in creating an effective and convincing architecture presentation. It helps to ensure that the design concept and technical details are accurately and effectively communicated to the audience in an organized and engaging manner. In order to ensure a successful presentation, it is important to make sure that the design concept is easy to understand, that visuals are high-quality and effective in communicating the concept, and that multimedia elements are used to make the presentation more engaging. Additionally, looking at successful examples of architecture presentations can be helpful in understanding the basics of creating an effective presentation. With these tips, architecture students can create an effective and successful architecture presentation that is sure to leave a lasting impression on the audience.

Anita Johnson

Anita Johnson is an award-winning author and editor with over 15 years of experience in the fields of architecture, design, and urbanism. She has contributed articles and reviews to a variety of print and online publications on topics related to culture, art, architecture, and design from the late 19th century to the present day. Johnson's deep interest in these topics has informed both her writing and curatorial practice as she seeks to connect readers to the built environment around them.

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Architecture Presentation Board Ideas

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Being an architect, you understand that showcasing your project effectively to the stakeholders is very essential. The architecture presentation board examples helps make that right impact in the first go. These architecture presentation board drawings ensure that your idea is beautifully expressed and is conceived the same way as you have thought.

But creating and designing the architectural presentation is a challenging task as a slight mismatch or mistake can completely ruin your architectural project. It’s very important to design the presentation board in such a way that it can communicate your ideas cohesively and engagingly.

Best Architecture Presentation Board Ideas

Let’s have a look at 8 critical elements of architectural presentation boards design that’ll help you craft a polished and visually captivating presentation. Just go through these tips and enhance your ability to showcase your architecture projects impactfully and impressively.

What do you mean by an architecture presentation board? How it is helpful?

An architecture presentation board is a visual summary of a project, used by architects to showcase their designs to clients, superiors, or colleagues. It serves as a tool for presenting ideas, attracting clients, and advancing careers. The purpose of an architectural presentation model is to convey essential project information in a self-explanatory manner.

Key elements of an effective architecture presentation board layout include:

• A well-designed layout that organizes and presents information in a logical and visually appealing way.
• Clear and concise text that explains the project’s concept, goals, and solutions.
• High-quality visuals, such as drawings, renderings, and photographs, that illustrate the project’s design and features.
• A consistent visual style that creates a unified and professional look.

Architecture presentation drawings are used by both students and professionals. Students use them to present their work to professors and peers, while professionals use them to present designs to clients, committees, shareholders, and exhibitions.

Top 8 Architecture Presentation Board Tips and Techniques

To help you get started, Renderspoint has exclusively curated some of the best architectural presentation board techniques and tips that must be considered when creating your architecture presentation board. So, let’s get started in our journey to create flawless architecture presentation board tips for clients.

1. Size and Orientation of the Architecture Presentation Board

When creating an architecture presentation model, consider the size and orientation that will best showcase your project. You may have limited options due to restrictions imposed by your director, client, or professor. If you have the freedom to choose, think about which orientation will make your graphics stand out and tell the story of your project most effectively.

Presentation Options:

• Single Large Board : Present your boards side by side as a single large board. You may choose horizontal or vertical architectural presentation boards depending on the requirements of the project.
• Equivalent-Sized Poster : Present your boards as one poster of equal size.
• Separate Boards : Arrange your boards in a sequence, with each board presenting a different aspect of your project.

The orientation and size of your architecture presentation board can influence the structure and layout of your presentation. Choose the option that best suits your project and allows you to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively.

2. Choosing the Right Layout for your Architectural Presentation Board Drawings

It all starts with brainstorming for the right layout. Brainstorm and jot down the main ideas you want to express. Also, work on the images and graphics that will best showcase those concepts. Now start creating small-scale sketches to capture the basic flow of each architecture presentation board. Before finalizing your design, keep experimenting with different element placements until you get the perfect one. You may explore some architectural presentation board layout examples online for some cool and best ideas.

Be very diligent regarding the space allocation. Determine how much space each element will require on the page. Ensure each graphic is impactful and consider the amount of space between elements. Avoid overcrowding or excessive space. By carefully planning the layout of your architecture presentation board, you can ensure that your ideas are communicated clearly and effectively.

Also, work on the size of images. Too small an image will fail to make that impact. Try to go for big and visually appealing images/graphics. You can even approach a 3D architectural rendering firm as 3D renders give a more photorealistic option to impress the stakeholders. Remember, the goal is to create a visually appealing and informative presentation that effectively conveys your project’s message.

3. Structure and Flow for a cohesive Architecture Presentation Board Style

The structure and flow of your architecture presentation board are crucial for effectively communicating your project’s vision. Using a grid structure can simplify the organization of visual elements, while diagramming helps deliver comprehensive information. Consider the narrative flow of your project, ensuring a logical progression from one architecture presentation board to the next. Number your boards if they won’t be displayed simultaneously.

Remember, viewers typically read presentations from left to right and top to bottom. Use visual cues to guide their eyes through your architectural presentation models. Maintain consistency in font, colour, and style throughout your architectural presentation boards. Leave sufficient white space to avoid overcrowding. Finally, proofread your text carefully for errors. By carefully following these professional architectural presentation board techniques, you can create a visually appealing and informative presentation that effectively conveys your architectural vision to your audience.

4. Visual Hierarchy of Architecture Presentation Board: Guiding the Viewer’s Eye

In architecture presentation board, visual hierarchy plays a crucial role in directing the viewer’s attention to specific images. This involves identifying the strongest point of your project and making it the primary focus that catches the eye from a distance. Other images should reveal their details upon closer examination.

Techniques to Create Visual Hierarchy:

• Size : Make the image you want to highlight the largest, ensuring it can be viewed clearly from a distance.
• Colour : Use colour strategically to guide the viewer’s eye toward the main idea on the board.
• Placement : Centre the image you want to highlight and arrange the surrounding content to complement it.

Additional Tips:

• Keep the overall vision of your project in mind when selecting images.
• Choose images that directly display and strongly support your project’s idea.
• Avoid using too many images that will make the board look cluttered and messy.
• Maintain consistency in the style and tone of your images.

By carefully considering visual hierarchy, you can create conversion-ready architectural presentation drawings that effectively communicate your architectural vision and guide the viewer’s eye to the most important elements of your project.

5. Choosing Perfect Colours: Bringing Life and Focus to Your Architecture Presentation Board

This is one of the most critical architectural presentation board techniques that you need to decide very wisely. While black, white, and grey are commonly used in architecture presentation boards, don’t shy away from incorporating colours. However, be mindful of your choices to strike the right balance and avoid overwhelming the viewer. Here’s how you can make strategic use of the colours in your presentation architecture style.

• Introduce hints of colour to bring life to your architecture presentation board.
• Use colour contrast as it helps to draw attention to elements you need to focus on.
• Represent different building materials with unique colours.
• Consider bold colours for diagrams to create a focal point.

Maintain consistency by using the same colour across all architectural presentation boards. This approach ensures a cohesive and seamless flow throughout your presentation. Also, you may explore pre-made colour palettes online for inspiration. Experiment with different colour combinations to find the best fit for your project.

6. Selecting Background Colour: Enhancing Clarity and Focus

The background of your architecture presentation board should be a supporting element, not a distraction. Avoid complex or busy backgrounds that may draw attention away from your graphics and text. Bold colours and textures should be used sparingly, if at all. Here are three key things that you need to keep in mind while selecting a background colour for your architectural presentation board.

• Black Background: Use with Caution

Black backgrounds can be challenging to work with. They can diminish text readability and reduce the impact of graphics. Additionally, black backgrounds can create a cold and boring tone. If you choose to use a black background, ensure that all information remains easily comprehensible.

• White or Light Gray: A Professional Choice

White or light grey backgrounds are typically the best choice for an architecture presentation board. They enhance the visibility of graphics and text, creating a professional and clean appearance. Other colours can be incorporated to align with your central concept but ensure that the background remains plain enough to direct the viewer’s attention to the design.

• Embrace Negative Space

Negative space is your friend. Resist the temptation to fill every space with information. The strategic use of negative space enhances the impact of your design, creating a clean and professional feel.

7. Image Selection: Striking the Right Balance

Choosing the right images is crucial for creating an effective architecture presentation board. Your graphics can either enhance or detract from your overall presentation.  Always go for high-quality images/CGI and ensure that they are relevant, engaging, and catchy.

As already stated just use enough images to effectively communicate your project. Avoid overcrowding your architecture presentation board with too many images. strive for a balanced representation that showcases your project’s key aspects.

You may include a variety of images, such as sketches, models, renderings, and drawings. This approach provides a comprehensive overview of your project.

8. Content, Text, and Font: The Impression Makers

An effective architecture presentation board should convey a clear understanding of the project and demonstrate the designer’s commitment and dedication. Key elements to include are internal and external images, isometric and exploded views, perspective cuts, diagrams, volumetry studies, descriptive memorials, and technical drawings. The specific elements used may vary depending on the project’s requirements and nature.

Make sure the text that you place on the architecture presentation board should complement the layout and try to keep it minimum. A crisp, concise, and focused concept statement will make your architecture presentation board more impressive and attention-grabbing.

Additional tips that will enhance your communication power using texts on the architecture presentation board.

• Consider readability, flow, and visual appeal.
• Align text within text boxes for easy reading.
• Complement graphics/images/CGI with text box size and alignment.
• Avoid all capitals except for titles and follow standard capitalization rules.
• Use simple sketches and figures instead of text when possible.

Select a single font type that complements your project’s style. Sans Serif fonts like Futura or Helvetica are popular choices for their clean and modern look. Avoid script or handwriting fonts for a professional appearance. Use dark hues for your font to ensure contrast against a light background. Choose a font and size that is easy to read and create a hierarchy using different font sizes for titles, subtitles, and body text.

Win More Clients with Perfect Architectural Presentation Boards

Hope you liked our tips and techniques to make your architecture presentation board impressive and converting. At, Renderspoint, we offer you the best 3D CGI that will ace up your architecture presentation board styles and help you communicate in a never-like-before way. Reach out to us for eye-catching and engaging 3D visualization such as 3D rendering, modelling, floor plans and more. Feel the magic that our 3D rendering studio experts cast on your images.

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15 reasons to improve your architectural presentation

When architects finally get their design in mind, putting it on paper becomes challenging, and a hundred papers get smashed and thrown into the trash can. It becomes important to get the design on paper right and presented well. And architectural presentation plays a vital role in this; as well as in the competitive architecture world . 

Be it getting the portfolio right, or winning a client; the architectural presentation takes the limelight. Articulating the design to an audience is not just about the right use of pen, pencil, or digital pre se ntation tools, but there’s more to it with creativity as focus. 

There are a few reasons why we should improve our architectural presentation .

1. To grab the Attention of the Audience | Architectural presentation

It is significant to understand who the audience is to present the design effectively. The audience could be the client from whom you want to win a project, the employer who can hire you, or could be the juror in your architecture school . Seeking the attention of the audience depends on the first impression we create with the presentation of sheets. There is a difference in presenting a residential plan to your juror and a client. The juror will expect a design process well explained in the presentation of sheets , while a client would expect you to visualize his residence in the drawings.

2. Less is more

Less is more in the architectural presentation; because the audience is not interested in every detail, but a simple message portrayed in the presentation to get convinced. It is more impressive for the juror to review the entire design conveyed in a drawing sheet than a 100-page report that shows the research, case study, and the process of how you arrived at your design.

3. Time is precious | Architectural presentation

Presenting the design creatively in an understandable format can be favorable because there is always a time factor involved in presentations. Architectural presentation makes it worth why the perceiver should take time out to review your design. Making use of the time effectively can be a win-win situation for both the presenter and perceiver.

4. Showcasing Artistic Skills

Communicating the design process in an out-of-the-box notion also lets you showcase your artistic skills . It also lets your viewers comprehend the concept better. For instance, a sectional view scaled out higher in a presentation can be read more easily than having multiple elevations and sections explaining the same. This is more an artistic and logical solution at the same time.

5. Easier to Read | Architectural presentation

Presentation is brushed aside in working drawings of the building, but it is crucial to read them easily. The misinterpretation of drawings is often caused by neglecting presentation in these drawings, and the consequences can be fatal. A dimension can be read as 66mm or 99mm if the presentation isn’t clear as to how it has to be read.

6. To Sell a Concept

Marketing skills come in handy if you’re a sales executive while presentation skills will help in selling a design idea. Convincing clients about the design idea is the key to getting our designs alive and standing tall. An architectural sketch explaining how the design was created can draw more attention than a series of text written beside the plans explaining the same.

7. Visualizing the Design

Lack of visualization skills in people is the reason why presentation in architecture takes a stand. Architects develop these skills and present the design to those who don’t understand, which is the challenge. Walking the audience through the design and letting them visualize the design can be achieved with a good presentation.

8. Visually Pleasing | Architectural presentation

Architecture presentation is the most pleasing drawing to look at in the construction field. Intriguing visuals or representations of the design can draw one’s attention amidst the creative architecture world. 

9. Keeping up with the Trend

The presentation does not just include 2D representation on paper but can also be in terms of architectural models , Walkthrough Videos and Virtual Reality. Illustrating designs are taking new shapes in this competitive field, and adapting for the same is significant. The current trend is Animated GIFs.

10. Being Unique | Architectural presentation

One can easily identify an architect’s work with the style that he possesses uniquely. The presentation takes the same road of individuality. Be it the font style or the sketches or the colour composition, the presentation style that we develop renders an identity, and it also reflects one’s personality.

11. Presentation as a Story

A design should always have a story and not just the end-product. Conceptual diagrams and graphical charts show the entire design process, but they seem to be neglected in most cases. They are useful means for analyzing a concept abstractly. A narrative presentation is what one looks forward to.

12. Explore Tools

Exploring different tools can improve technical skills to arrive at the best presentation that aligns with the concept. When a designer runs out of time for drawing sections in a digital tool, one can sketch the same and digitalize in an instant with the use of any of the Adobe tools. A hybrid presentation of hand-drawn and digital can contribute to the drawings to blend well with the other drawings. 

13. Realism in Renders | Architectural presentation

The most competitive form of representation in the Architecture field is the realism in renders . Clients ask for renders to be perceptible of the design. This representation is more inclined towards the end of the design phase to close out the final look and feel. 

14. The design comes in different Scales

An architecture competition would restrict its submissions to an A1 size panel with a few other presentation restrictions. In such cases, architectural presentation plays a considerable role with designs from participants varying in scale exhibited in a common canvas.

15. Interpretation | Architectural presentation

Interpreting the design with presentation is a tricky aspect. For instance, one can overpower the use of linestyle in their sketches to show the texture of materials used in the design while the audience perceives the same to be the brutalism style in architecture. Presentation skills should be given more attention and thought to convey the design in the right fashion .

Rohini M is an Assistant Architect in Atkins, Bangalore. She is also certified LEED Green Associate and COA registered Architect. Moreover, she also contributes articles to Building Design Journal in Atkins UK. She is a go-to person for hand made cards for any event or wall arts in the firm.

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Architecture Pin Up: How to prepare for a winning design review

• Updated: October 15, 2023

An architecture pin up or design review, is for most students one of the most nervous moments of their architecture school experience.

Few people enjoy them, and why would you? A whole semesters (…sometimes a years) worth of hard work all boils down to that one moment …there’s a lot riding on it.

In this post we want to highlight the key areas for preparing for an architecture pin up and design review, as we feel this is the most important part of the process. You simply will not be able to deliver the best presentation you can without good preparation.

The key areas include:

Presentation layout

• Time management
• What to wear
• Arriving on time

But first…

What is a pin-up in architecture?

In the context of architecture, a “pin-up” refers to a formal or informal presentation or review of architectural designs. This can be in a studio, academic, or professional setting. The term comes from the tradition of literally pinning up drawings, diagrams, and renderings on a wall for critique and discussion.

Pin-ups can vary in formality and structure. Some are more formal, with a set time for presentation and a panel of critics. Other times, they may be informal, with work simply being displayed for peer feedback or self-review.

These presentations play an essential role in the architectural design process. They offer an opportunity for architects, designers, students, and others to discuss ideas, receive feedback, challenge assumptions, and refine their designs.

What is the pin up process like for students?

The “pin-up” process for architecture students generally follows these steps:

• Preparation: Students spend time creating drawings, diagrams, renderings, and sometimes physical models that communicate their design idea. This includes plans, sections, elevations, perspectives, and conceptual diagrams, and may also include details, analytical drawings, and other types of images. These are often printed out on large sheets of paper for presentation.
• Pin-Up: The physical act of pinning one’s work onto a presentation board or wall space. This is where the term “pin-up” comes from. The layout of the work is very important, as it needs to tell the story of the project in a logical and compelling way.
• Critique: Once the work is pinned up, it’s time for the critique (often referred to as a “crit”). This is when professors, peers, and sometimes guest critics will review the work. They’ll look at the design, the drawings, and the overall presentation to offer constructive feedback.
• Discussion: During the crit, there is typically a lot of discussion. The student explains their project and thought process. Critics ask questions, provide insights, suggest improvements, and generally help the student to see their work from different perspectives.

In some cases, as you’ve mentioned, the review can be done without the student present. In this situation, the focus is completely on the material that’s been pinned up, without any verbal explanation from the student. This places a lot of emphasis on the clarity and effectiveness of the visual presentation.

While the pin-up and review process can be nerve-wracking, it’s also a very valuable part of architectural education. It’s a chance for students to learn how to present their ideas, handle critiques, and think critically about their own work. It’s also an opportunity to see what other students are doing and learn from their projects and presentations.

What makes a good pin up?

In order to produce a strong pin-up presentation, you should focus on the quality, legibility, and organization of your drawings, paying attention to how they can tell the story of your project without verbal explanation.

We would also add:

• Clarity: Your drawings and diagrams should be self-explanatory. Avoid ambiguity, ensure the scales and orientation are clear, and the main aspects of your design are easy to comprehend. Think of your presentation as a silent storyteller.
• Hierarchy: Not all drawings are equally important. Decide which ones are your key drawings and give them more space on your board. The way you place and size your drawings communicates to the viewer what to pay attention to.
• Consistency: Maintain consistency in graphic style, line weights, and color palette across all drawings. This helps tie the presentation together and makes it visually appealing and professional.
• Narrative: Arrange your work in a way that tells the story of your design process. This could start with site analysis, initial concepts, development sketches, and finish with the final design represented in plans, sections, elevations, and 3D views or models.
• Details and Sectional Views: Including detailed drawings and sectional views can really help to show the complexity and thoughtfulness of your design. It can be very helpful to show how different parts of your design come together.
• Context: Show how your project fits into its surroundings and responds to its context. This could be through site plans, context elevations or rendered views.
• Rendering Quality: Spend time on producing high-quality renderings if they are part of your presentation. They can help to communicate the atmosphere and materiality of your design.
• Design Process: If possible, showcase your design thinking and process. This could be through sketches, study models, or iterative drawings. This gives a sense of your journey and how you arrived at your final design.
• Annotations: Although the drawings should speak for themselves, well-placed short annotations can guide the viewers through your design and highlight important aspects.

Remember, your presentation board is a representation of your design thinking, process, and outcome. Invest time in it and remember to step back from time to time to look at it as a whole. Ask yourself if it communicates your design effectively and adjust as necessary.

Lastly, don’t forget to breathe and relax. It’s normal to feel nervous about this, but remember you’ve worked hard and learned a lot. Use this opportunity to showcase your growth and your creativity.

How to prepare for an architecture pin up or design review

You should plan your presentations layout early on in the projects development, in order to decide on sheet formats and size. This also then provides a guide for how much and what work needs to be produced.

The appearance of your presentation is very important, it must look attractive and be well considered. It must not be a jumble of randomly arranged sheets resulting in you having to jump between pages.

The layout must follow and show your projects progression and story, it must have a beginning a middle and an end. This not only provides you with a guide to ensure you present your work in the correct order, but also allows it to viewed and understood in your absence. Think of your presentation as a short narrative.

For this reason we prefer physically pinning work up and arranging it as a collective, rather than slide by slide via a projector or screen.

Don’t forget to consider where and how you present your models, they should form an important part of your presentation and offer an alternative media that almost never fails to excite and captivate its audience.

Different colleges and universities have different requirements for how your work should be presented, but a lot of them require your work to be physically printed. Which when compared to digital presentations is far better, as your work can be viewed as a whole, rather than in slides.

The size of your sheets should have already been worked out when you designed the layout of your presentation, but be mindful that A4 sizes are really not suitable for this type of presentation and A3’s should only be used to show single images. It’s best to stick to A2 and A1 paper sizes, landscape, portrait, square …up to you.

Before printing your presentation you should always print a draft set first, even if it’s a smaller size, as there will always be things you notice that can’t be seen on your screen.

Final printing needs to occur at least 24 hours before your pin up (at the very minimum), preferably 48, this provides a small buffer of time to re-print something if you need to make some final adjustments.

You also need to bear in mind that your whole year group and even years above and below are likely to be printing their work at the same time, so there may be a queue. One way around this is to use a designated printers outside of your architecture school, which can also be a bit cheaper.

Once printed, keep your work safe and out of harm’s way, there is nothing worse than damaging a freshly printed set of drawings. Drawing tubes are excellent for this (we recommend one here ) and if they are mounted then use a large hard backed portfolio case like this one here .

Giving yourself enough time in-between finishing a project and its critique is key in delivering a good presentation, you want to be aiming to use the last day for only pinning up and/or organizing your slides, along with giving yourself a buffer for any emergency printing.

This leaves the evening relatively stress free and allows you get a good amount of sleep in readiness for the next day.

Though this is obviously a lot easier said than done, and it’s all too easy to leave everything to the last minute. However in every year group there are always a select few that manage to be finished before everyone else, and these are almost always the best students and ones who gets the best grades.

We should all be aiming for the best possible result, and with a little forward planning and time management, it’s quite possible.

Once you have your work printed, then the next stage in your preparation towards the design review is to pin your work up.

We like to do this the day (afternoon) before, as if you pin up too earlier there may be a risk of your work getting damaged during the very busy period with everyone else also trying to do the same thing.

Additionally there should be little than can go wrong at this stage if you have followed the above steps, so you have a little time.

In terms of arrangement, you will already have the order and layout resolved (we set ours out in CAD) and so print a copy of this out to guide you.

Your work needs to be evenly spaced out, straight and aligned, a 2cm gap between each sheet is a good start, and you may want to use a tape measure and spirit level to assist you with alignment.

The pins you use are also important, there is nothing worse than a miss match of sizes and colors. So buy a good set, and keep them in a pot so you can reuse them for future presentations.

We recommend any of these push pins

Note that each presentation sheet should be pinned on all four corners …please don’t leave loose edges, it looks terrible.

Lastly, and once everything is up and you’re happy with it, don’t forget to leave your area tidy by removing any spare pins and bits of paper, and may be even give it a sweep. First impressions are everything.

With your work now pinned up and organised, it will be the perfect time to run through your presentation. You should have organised it so that the start and finish runs left to right or up and down the wall, telling the story and showing the projects process’s.

Starting at the beginning and if you need to, make a few notes on the important points that each sheet address’s to help prompt you during your presentation. When under pressure and normally a little bit nervous, it’s easy to forget key facts.

Try to also highlight where you think the weak points of your project are, and plan your answers around any potential questions you may be asked.

What to wear for a pin up and design review

What to wear for an architecture pin up is a common question and one that architecture school’s don’t often supply any guidance on, which leaves it slightly open to individual interruption.

The short answer is ‘smart casual’, but on the day you’ll notice a full array of appearances.

Some students will simply wear what they wear on a day to day basis, some will still be in what they were wearing the day before, some will be smart, and some will be scruffy. 

What you need to remember is that first impressions count, and if you dress appropriately then at the very least you give the impression that you’re taking the presentation seriously, and are more likely to gain your audiences interest from the beginning.

You are there to represent your work it the best possible light you can, so dress appropriately and sensibly.

On the day, make sure you wake up in time to have a good breakfast. Setting yourself up for the day ahead is vitally important, and you need to give yourself the best possible chance of doing well, starting with breakfast.

If you’re presenting in the afternoon, this means lunch as well!

It’s easy for nerves to take control on the day, but don’t let that stop you from eating and drinking plenty of water.

Arrive on time

This is all about making the presentation day as stress free and easy as possible, and arriving on time is one of the first elements that could throw it all off balance.

Aim to arrive early, and first check that your presentation is all still how you left it (sometimes things fall down) and then go get a coffee …start the day relaxed.

If you’re all set and you see someone struggling, help them out, you are all in this together.

Listen to others

Often the presentations are split into groups and project units to ensure that the review day runs as efficiently as possible, and this can mean that you may find yourself sitting and watching others present (sometimes for the whole day) before you are up.

So be patient, and try to learn from their presentations, don’t talk whilst they are presenting and aim to watch everyone.

There will be a lot to gain from studying how others present, and also the chance to get to know the guest tutors that are often invited to critique you with your full time tutors.

Every design project begins with site analysis … start it with confidence for free!.

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What Should Be Included in Architectural Presentation?

• by Elif Ayse Fidanci
• 20 September 2022

Architectural presentations mean representing your projects in architecture in your own way and in your language. Every architect needs a presentation to present their projects, ideas and concepts in architecture faculty and professional life. The elements contained in architectural presentations form your design and presentation language. Having your own design language determines your architectural vision and character. The success of architectural presentations increases the success of the projects and you can show your projects much better with a good presentation. Otherwise, if your presentations are not successful, your projects will not be perceived as perfect, even if they are perfect and complete.

Architectural presentations are an important issue on our agenda as architects every term and any type. In this article, we will talk about architectural presentations and their contents that you need to have as an architect or architecture students.

Architectural Drawings

Architectural presentation means presenting and transferring all the details of the buildings you have designed in professional life to the customers in the best way possible. That’s why you need to prepare a presentation to impress your customers and bring out the best in the project. Architectural drawings, one of the presentation elements, are not the elements we prefer for professional presentations. It is not easy for people who are not architects to read plans and sections and to understand the project through technical drawings. To avoid confusion, you should put architectural drawings in presentations of competition projects, student projects, not professional presentations.

Architectural drawings are essential for such projects and are a very important element. Architectural drawings at all scales must be seamless, error-free and clean. Drawings of architectural projects should start with 1/1000 or 1/500 master plans, and they should be placed in architectural presentations in logical order. Following the master plans, floor plans and sections are placed at 1/100 or 1/200 scales depending on the need and reading of the project. Then, when you add all of the architectural drawings, you should add real-size or small scale drawings such as 1/5, where layers such as point details, system details are well read. Make sure that your architectural drawings are prepared and presented in the same language and that the drawings are clean.

Layout Design

Successful architectural presentations and good reading of drawings and images depend on the layout design. We do not recommend making layout designs that are complex and difficult to read. Prepare simple and easy-to-understand templates to present to both clients and judges. If you design these templates and layouts to include a lot of presentation elements, you will surely make your project more difficult to understand. Sometimes crowded layouts are preferred to be “rich”, but this is very difficult for the reader to perceive.

Is background an important element for architectural presentation? Our answer is both yes and no.

If you’re making the background in a way that makes the layout easy to read and you’re confident in your graphic design skills, go for it! However, most of the time, colored backgrounds are preferred to compete with the project visuals, and this is a big mistake in architectural presentation. Our advice to you is to always make simple and clean presentations. For this, you should prefer a white background.

Explanation Text

Explaining your projects and conveying them in the best way is the purpose of architectural presentation. In line with this purpose, one of the best ways of expression is to add text to the presentations, both in the presentations you prepare in your professional life and in the presentations you will prepare for your competition and school projects. Explanatory texts required by some competitions and project submissions are critical elements in architectural presentation. The font and font size of the texts you will choose must be the simplest. You can choose from the fonts we have recommended in our previous articles. The font of your articles should be in “sans serif” format suitable for architectural presentation.

Quality Images

Quality renders and project images are a necessity to complete your presentation in the most successful way. If you think that you are not good at this subject for your presentations in professional life, you can attend visualization and rendering courses that you will develop yourself, or you can work with a professional rendering artist.

• architectural presentation
• Architectural Presentation Boards
• architectural presentation boards guide
• architectural presentation sheets
• Architecture Student Presentation
• How to create architectural presentation

Elif Ayse Fidanci

architect, writer

Thank you, for your detailed explanation. I hope to connect with. Am from Nigeria

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• Copilot Studio

Microsoft Copilot Studio: Building copilots with agent capabilities

Omar Aftab , Vice President, Conversational AI , Tuesday, May 21, 2024

At Microsoft Build 2024 , we’re excited to announce a host of new powerful capabilities in   Microsoft Copilot Studio —t he single conversational AI tool you can use to create your very own custom copilots or extend Microsoft C opilot experiences with your own enterprise data and scenarios.

The first of these are c opilots that can now act as independent agents— ones that can be triggered by events— not just conversation— and can automa te and orchestrate complex, long-running business processes with more autonomy and less human intervention.

For instance, consider the potential of a copilot that can react when an email arrives, look up the sender’s details, see their previous communications, and use generative AI to trigger the appropriate chain of actions in their response. From understanding the intent of the email, to look ing up the sender’s details and account , see ing their previous communications, checking inventory,   responding to the sender asking for their preferences, and then taking the appropriate actions to close a ticket — orchestrating and shepherding an entire process over days.  

With such capabilities, copilots are evolving from those that work with you to those that work for you. They can be designed to handle specific roles or functions, such as IT, marketing, sales, customer success, and finance across various industries, including travel, retail, and financial services.  

With these new capabilities, here are some examples of the kinds of copilots our customers can build:  

• IT help desk .  IT support is complex, involving tickets, order numbers, approvals, and stock levels . O pening and closing a ticket can be a long-running task that spans days. A copilot can now handle this process, interfacing with IT service management applications, resolving IT tickets with context and memory, creating purchase orders for device refresh, and reaching out and getting managers approvals — all independently .
• Employee onboarding . Onboarding new employees is often expensive and slow. Now, imagine you’re a new hire. A copilot greets you, reasons over HR data, and answers your questions. It introduces you to your buddy, provides training and deadlines, assists with forms, and sets up your first week of meetings. Throughout all of this, the copilot is in touch, guiding you through the weeks -long onboarding and account set up processes.  
• Personal concierge for sales and service . Balancing exceptional customer experience while meeting ambitious revenue goals can be challenging. When a copilot serves guests, i t can use the memory of previous conversations with guests to remember their preferences, make reservations, handle complaints, and answer questions related to the products and services on offer. The copilot learns from its interactions and proposes new ways of handling customer scenarios. By doing so, copilots can increase upsell and attachment rates, driving revenue for the resort while simultaneously enhancing guest experience, satisfaction rates, and repeat business.

Let’s dig deeper into a few of the underlying capabilities that make all this possible:

• Asynchronous orchestration of complex tasks . The first is the ability to use generative AI- powered   planning and reasoning to manage complex, multi step, long-running tasks. For example, reacting to a new order means determining the need to verify inventory, trigger ing the right payment processes, pinging a supervisor for approval if the amount is above a certain threshold, and replying with a confirmation. Many of these events can take hours—or even days— to complete, but the copilot will run through them , maintaining the necessary state and context to do so.
• Memory and context . One of the frustrating things about support has traditionally been having to repeat information: who you are, what your policy number is, what your address is. There is no continuity of conversation. Copilots will now learn from previous conversations from the users and utilize this knowledge to continually personalize interactions . A copilot may not need to ask you for your laptop model or your address when you call again for the same issue. Conversations will thus become long-running, contextual, and deeply personalized.
• Monitor, learn, and improve . Copilots can now learn and adapt, offering monitoring and teaching capabilities to make their interactions better. Each copilot records a comprehensive history of its activities, providing transparency into its performance, including user interactions, actions taken, and feedback received, and you can see what decisions it made — and correct and teach them — with just a few clicks.

• Delegation with confidence and guardrails . When developing copilots with agent capabilities, establishing clear boundaries is paramount. Copilots operate strictly within the confines of the maker-defined instructions, knowledge, and actions. The data sources linked to the copilot adhere to stringent security measures and controls, managed through the unified admin center of Copilot Studio. This includes data loss prevention, robust authentication protocols, and more.

The se advanced new capabilities in Copilot Studio are currently accessible to customers participating in a limited private preview  where organizations such as Centro de la Familia are excited to explore agent capabilities that support teachers and case workers, allowing them to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time working with children, ultimately leading to better child outcomes . Based on feedback from program participants, we will continue to iterate and refine these capabilities for broader access in a preview planned for later this year .  

Additional innovations with Copilot Studio

There’s a lot more to share at Microsoft Build with Copilot Studio, and we’ll touch on just a few of our new capabilities here. To learn more — just sign up and try it out for yourself here .

It’s easier than ever to create c opilots .  With Copilot Studio, creating and testing copilots is now incredibly simple. You can create your copilot with our brand new conversationally driven experience — simply describe what you want it to do, and what knowledge you want it to have, and Copilot Studio will create your very own c opilot. You can then immediately test it out, add additional capabilities, such as your own actions, APIs, and enterprise knowledge — and then publish it live with a few clicks.

Connect all your enterprise data with Copilot c onnectors .   Customers want copilots connected with data from their own enterprises business systems and apps. Copilot connectors enable anyone to ground their copilot in business and collaboration data. This makes it possible for copilots to use various data sources, including public websites, SharePoint, OneDrive, Microsoft Dataverse tables, Microsoft Fabric OneLake (coming this calendar year), Microsoft Graph, as well as leading third-party apps. You can even create your own custom generative prompts to configure how a copilot handles a response from an API or connector.

Here are a few examples of how Copilot connectors can transform copilot experiences for specific personas or functions:

• Legal and Compliance . Navigate complex legal landscapes with a Copilot extension that queries specific legal datasets, ensuring controlled and compliant responses without overwhelming users with extraneous information.
• HR Helper . Assist employees with accessing essential resources for benefits and PTO policies, and even book time off directly through Copilot.
• Incident Report Coordinator . Workers can locate the right documentation, report incidents, and track them efficiently, all within the context of the chat.

Starting in June 2024, developers can access the preview for Copilot connectors and stay informed on updates here .

Conversational analytics (private preview) : One of the most common asks from customers has been the need for deeper insight into what their copilot is doing, how generative AI is responding, when it was unable to give the right answers and why — and recommendations on what to do to improve it.

Templates : If simply describing your copilot to build it wasn’t easy enough, Copilot Studio will now also include a variety of pre-built copilot samples for departments and industries. Some templates — such as Safe Travels for comprehensive travel support, Organization Navigator for organizational clarity, Kudos Copilot for fostering recognition, Wellness for employee health insights — are available now, with many more releasing in the coming months.

Enhanced security and controls (public preview ) : Administrators can now configure advanced settings beyond the default security measures and controls. With Microsoft Purview , Copilot Studio administrators gain access to more detailed governance tools, including audit logs, inventory capabilities, and sensitivity labels. They will be able to review comprehensive audit logs that cover tenant-wide usage, inventory (with API support), and tenant hygiene (such as data loss prevention violations and inactive copilots), enabling them to effectively monitor business impact. Both creators and end-users will be able to view sensitivity labels when responses are generated using AI-powered answers based on SharePoint documents.

With all the amazing innovations, numerous organizations are using Copilot Studio to build transformative generative AI-powered solutions. Check out this story from Nsure on how they are using Copilot Studio:

Get started today with Copilot Studio

This is just a glimpse of all the exciting innovation around copilots and Copilot Studio — we have a host of exciting new capabilities to share in our sessions at Build. So, join us in watching the sessions below, and try out Copilot Studio yourself and build and share your very own copilot in minutes.

Watch the sessions at Microsoft Build:

• “ Microsoft Build opening keynote ”
• “ Next generation AI for developers with the Microsoft Cloud ”
• “ Shaping next-gen development: the future of Copilot in Power Platform ”

Deeper dives:

• Breakout: “ What’s new with Microsoft Copilot Studio ”
• Breakout with demos: “ Build your own copilot with Microsoft Copilot Studio ”
• Breakout with demos: “ Build Microsoft Copilot extensions with Copilot Studio ”
• Demo (live only): “ Build your own Copilot extension with Microsoft Copilot Studio ”

What’s next: Microsoft Build continues the evolution and expansion of AI tools for developers

May 21, 2024 | Frank X. Shaw - Chief Communications Officer, Microsoft

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Groundbreaking advances in AI are having a profound impact on Microsoft and on the developers using our technology to improve efficiency, enhance customer experiences and make new breakthroughs.

Over the past year, we’ve built Microsoft Copilot and released more than 150 updates to it, and we’ve developed the Copilot stack, which takes everything we’ve learned so far and lets developers build their own copilots.

In addition, over the past two years, GitHub Copilot has become the most widely adopted AI developer tool, with 1.8 million paid subscribers.

And just a day ago, we introduced a new category of Copilot+ PCs, the fastest, most AI-ready PCs ever built.

We are the industry leader in AI, and that’s why, as we begin our flagship event for developers, Microsoft Build, there’s one question on everyone’s mind: What’s next?

On Monday, we introduced the world to a new class of Windows PCs , Copilot+ PCs. These devices are designed to allow developers to deliver differentiated AI experiences on the edge, and, together with the great features that we are announcing at Build , make Windows the most open platform for AI and the best place for developers.

At Build, we also are announcing further branches of this technology revolution, including:

• How Microsoft Fabric is helping developers and customers leverage data in motion, or digital information being transported within or between computer systems, to build intelligent apps.
• New frontier models that allow developers to explore multimodal capabilities supporting text, images, video and other types of data in their AI applications, evolving beyond text prompts and completions.
• Partnerships that show how AI can impact the future of myriad industries, including education.
• And how an open and flexible cloud-based platform, built on a foundation of safe and responsible AI, can help developers innovate.

Microsoft Build is always an exciting time for us. About 200,000 people have registered to join us for three days of technical learning and community connection, with 4,000 attending in person in Seattle. Attendees can choose from more than 300 sessions, demos and expert and instructor-led labs from Microsoft and our partners. For those not able to attend the live event, most content will be available on demand. In total, we are announcing about 60 new products and solutions at the event.

With that introduction to Build in mind, let’s explore some of the news and announcements.

In-the-moment decision making with Real-Time Intelligence

For the most efficient AI apps, businesses need to be able to qualify, analyze and organize data at ingestion. This has proven to be a difficult step. The new Real-Time Intelligence within Microsoft Fabric provides an end-to-end Software as a Service (SaaS) solution that empowers customers to act on high-volume, time-sensitive and highly granular data to make faster and more informed business decisions.

Real-Time Intelligence , now in preview , can be helpful for analysts with simple low/no-code experiences, and it also can benefit pro developers with code-rich user interfaces. For example, racing team Dener Motorsport has been using Microsoft Fabric to support real-time analytics, storage and reporting, enabling them to sustain optimal performance and maintain the cars in good repair, which can keep drivers safer. Dener plans to use Real-Time Intelligence as part of their winning strategy to gain insights at ingestion during races.

Building apps requires a level of flexibility, customization and efficiency to make it feasible for developers. The new Microsoft Fabric Workload Development Kit makes this possible by enabling independent software vendors (ISVs) and developers to extend applications within Fabric, creating a unified user experience.

GitHub Copilot experience leans into extensibility

GitHub is introducing the first set of  GitHub Copilot extensions , developed by Microsoft and third-party partners, in private preview. These additions allow developers and organizations to customize their GitHub Copilot experience with their preferred services like Azure, Docker, Sentry and more directly within GitHub Copilot Chat.

GitHub Copilot for Azure, one of the extensions from Microsoft, showcases how building in natural language with a broader range of capabilities can propel development velocity. Using the extension through Copilot Chat, developers can explore and manage Azure resources, while also troubleshooting issues and locating relevant logs and code.

New frontier models and multimodal capabilities in Azure AI

GPT-4o, OpenAI’s newest flagship model, is now available in Azure AI Studio and as an API. This groundbreaking multimodal model integrates text, image and audio processing to set a new standard for generative and conversational AI experiences.

We also announced that Phi-3-vision , a new multimodal model in the Phi-3 family of AI small language models (SLMs) developed by Microsoft, is now available in Azure. Phi-3 models are powerful, cost-effective and optimized for personal devices. Phi-3-vision offers the ability to input images and text and receive text responses. For example, users can ask questions about a chart or ask an open-ended question about specific images.

Developers can experiment with these state-of-the-art frontier models in the Azure AI Playground, and they can start building with and customizing with the models in Azure AI Studio.

Microsoft, Khan Academy using AI to empower educators

Microsoft and Khan Academy are announcing a multi-faceted partnership to turn the transformative potential of AI into reality.

To start, Microsoft is enabling Khan Academy to offer all K-12 U.S. educators free access to Khanmigo for Teachers, an AI-powered teaching assistant that frees up teachers’ time so they can focus on what matters most – engaging with and supporting their students. Microsoft is donating access to Azure AI-optimized infrastructure to increase the availability of Khanmigo for Teachers, which will now be powered by Azure OpenAI Service.

Khan Academy is collaborating with Microsoft to explore opportunities to improve math tutoring in an affordable, scalable and adaptable manner with a new version of Phi-3, a family of SLMs developed by Microsoft. They also plan to bring more Khan Academy content into Copilot and Teams for Education, expanding resources for learners.

New partnership with Cognition AI

Microsoft and  Cognition   will bring Cognition’s autonomous AI software agent, Devin, to customers to help them with complex tasks such as code migration and modernization projects. As part of the agreement, Devin will be powered by Azure. Cognition AI is an applied AI lab building end-to-end software agents to help developers achieve more.

Powerful new virtual machines help fuel AI adoption

Microsoft has a unique systems approach to AI infrastructure, which includes hardware and software from Microsoft and our partners, all optimized to run AI workloads at scale and fine-tuned for customer needs. We are the first cloud provider to bring AMD’s leading MI300X AI accelerator chip to power customers’ AI training and inferencing needs, with the general availability of the Azure ND MI300X v5 virtual machine series optimized for demanding AI and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads like Azure OpenAI Service.

Following the launch of Azure Cobalt 100, Microsoft’s first custom-designed compute processor, the company is announcing a preview of new Cobalt 100 Arm-based virtual machines (VMs), based on the company’s custom silicon series announced in November 2023. Cobalt 100 Arm-based VMs are the first generation of VMs to feature Microsoft’s new Cobalt processor, custom-built on an Arm architecture, and optimized for efficiency and performance when running general-purpose and cloud-native workloads. Customers can expect up to 40% improved performance compared to comparable Azure VMs.

The evolution of Copilot

Copilot has been a game-changer for many people since it was first released. Using modern AI and large language models (LLMs) like Open AI’s GPT-4, copilots across Microsoft products have assisted people with complex tasks, serving as a personal, behind-the-scenes AI assistant.

Now, we are introducing Team Copilot , the expansion of Copilot for Microsoft 365 from a behind-the-scenes, personal AI assistant to a new, valuable member of your team . You will be able to invoke Copilot where you collaborate – in Teams, Loop, Planner and more. Team Copilot can be a meeting facilitator in meetings, managing the agenda, tracking time and taking notes. It can act as a collaborator in chats by surfacing important information, tracking action items and addressing unresolved issues. It can serve as a project manager to help ensure every project runs smoothly and notify the team when their input is needed. These initial experiences, coming in preview later this year, will enable us to learn, iterate and refine as we enter a new phase of innovation where Copilot begins to take more action on behalf of individuals and teams.

Microsoft Copilot Studio is introducing new agent capabilities, empowering developers to build copilots that can proactively respond to data and events, tailored to specific tasks and functions. Copilots built with this new category of capabilities can now independently manage complex, long-running business processes by leveraging memory and knowledge for context, reason over actions and inputs, learn based on user feedback and ask for help when they encounter situations that they don’t know how to handle. Users can now put Copilot to work for them – from IT device procurement to customer concierge for sales and service.

Copilot extensions , including plugins and connectors, allow customers to enhance Microsoft Copilot by connecting it to new data sources and applications, expanding its functionality.

We’re excited about these announcements and all the other updates and features being unveiled at Build. For more information, today you can watch keynotes from Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella, Executive Vice President of Experiences and Devices Rajesh Jha and Chief Technology Officer Kevin Scott.

On Wednesday, you can watch keynotes from Executive Vice President of Cloud and AI Scott Guthrie and friends. Additionally, you can explore all the news and announcements in the Book of News .

RELATED LINKS:

Watch Microsoft Build keynotes and view photos and videos

Khan Academy and Microsoft announce partnership, Copilot integration

Copilot Studio empowering next wave of copilot experiences

Azure ND MI300X V5 series now generally available

Extend and customize Microsoft Copilot with Copilot extensions

Tags: AI , Copilot+ PC , Microsoft Build , Microsoft Fabric , Phi-3 , Real-Time Intelligence , Team Copilot

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41 African countries set for stronger growth in 2024 – AfDB

– Continent second fastest growing region in the world

Nairobi, Kenya — East Africa is fastest growing region, West Africa to pick up, and Southern Africa to record slight increase in growth; Report proposes bold reforms of the global financial architecture, stronger African voice in MDBs.

African economies remain resilient, despite challenges that are testing economies worldwide. According to the latest African Development Bank Group’s African Economic Outlook (https://apo-opa.co/3KrFNjn), 41 countries on the continent are projected to experience stronger growth rates in 2024 than they did in 2023.

The report unveiled at the Bank’s Annual Meetings on Thursday in Nairobi, described Africa’s growth potential as ‘remarkable’. The continent will retain its 2023 ranking as the second fastest-growing region after developing Asia in 2024 and 2025. The theme of the 2024 AEO, “Driving Africa’s Transformation: The Reform of the Global Financial Architecture,” aligns with the Bank’s Annual Meetings’ theme.

African Development Bank President Dr Akinwumi Adesina said while the Bank was proud of the growth projections of many African countries as reflected in the report, it was not blind to the challenges. “Africa’s future is bright, but need to make sure we tackle governance, transparency, accountability, and management of our natural capital. We need to make sure resources are used for the benefit of the people of this continent… The kind of resilience we are talking about cannot happen unless we deal with the issue of climate change.”

He added: “We must make sure we are investing in our young people—in their skills, talents, entrepreneurship, and giving them tools. That is why I am excited about what we are doing with the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Banks.”

The report warns that Africa is off track to meet almost all of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

It argues that unless corrective action is taken, including to reverse the steepening poverty curve, Africa will be home to almost 9 out of 10 (or 87%) of the world’s extreme poor by 2030.

According to the African Economic Outlook, the rebound in Africa’s average growth includes a rise to 3.7% in 2024 and 4.3% in 2025, exceeding the projected global average of 3.2%. Of this figure, 17 African economies are projected to grow by more than 5 percent in 2024. The number could rise to 24 in 2025, as the pace of growth accelerates.

This growth trajectory is expected to surpass pre-2023 levels, with East Africa leading as the fastest-growing region (up to 3.4 percentage points). Other regions are also projected to witness moderate to robust growth.

In a presentation, Chief Economist and Vice President of the African Development Bank, Prof Kevin Chika Urama, underscored why strategic policies and firm political commitment are key to the effective use of resource wealth for domestic revenue generation.

He also described hard infrastructure, including roads, railways, and bridges, and soft infrastructure, including knowledge and institutional governance capacity, as “two wings of an aircraft”.

“Investing in productive infrastructure is key to accelerating Africa’s structural transformation,” he said.

Growth performance and outlook by region:

Growth prospects vary across Africa’s regions, reflecting differences in economic structure, commodity dependence, and policies.

East Africa, the continent’s fastest-growing region, will see real GDP growth rising from an estimated 1.5% in 2023 to 4.9% in 2024 and 5.7% in 2025. The downward revision of 0.2 percentage point for 2024 compared with the forecast in the January 2024 Africa’s Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook (MEO) (https://apo-opa.co/4bY0sqN) is due to larger-than-expected contractions in Sudan and South Sudan following the ongoing conflict in the former.

Growth in Central Africa is forecast to moderate from 4.3% in 2023 to 4.1% in 2024 before improving strongly to 4.7% in 2025. The upgraded forecast is due to expectations of stronger growth in Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo as a result of favourable metal prices.

Growth is projected to pick up in West Africa, rising from an estimated 3.6% in 2023 to 4.2% in 2024 and consolidating at 4.4% the following year. This is an upgrade of 0.3 percentage point for 2024 over the January MEO 2024 projections, reflecting stronger growth in the region’s large economies—Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal.

In North Africa, growth is projected to decline from an estimated 4.1% in 2023 to 3.6% in 2024 and 4.2% in 2025, with a downward revision of 0.3 percentage point for 2024 from the January 2024 MEO. Except for Libya and Mauritania, growth has been revised downward for all other countries in the region.

Growth in Southern Africa is projected to pick up slightly from an estimated 1.6% in 2023 to 2.2% in 2024 and firm up to 2.7% in 2025. The growth rates for 2024 and 2025 show an upgrade of 0.1 percentage point over the January 2024 projections, mainly reflecting a 0.7 percentage point increase in South Africa’s projected growth. Due to South Africa’s larger weight in the region, the upgraded growth forecast offset the combined effect of downward revisions in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

African Economic Outlook makes bold proposals to reform the global financial architecture

The African Economic Outlook 2024 calls for an overhaul of the global financial architecture to transform African economies. This includes giving Africa a greater voice in multilateral development banks and international financial institutions, reflecting its growing share of global gross domestic product and rich natural resources.

Adesina said, “Let’s be clear. By seeking to transform the global financial architecture, Africa is just asking for a fair share of access and availability of resources to build on our vast economic opportunities.”

The report highlights the glaring inadequacies of the current global financial system in closing Africa’s financing gap for structural transformation, estimated at US$402.2 billion annually between now and 2030. To rectify these disparities, the report proposes a bold agenda for reforming the global financial architecture, including in the five following key areas:

Leveraging Private Sector Financing: The African Economic Outlook advocates for greater private sector participation to complement public investments, particularly in areas with high social returns such as climate action and human capital development.

Simplifying the Global Climate Finance Architecture: The report calls for streamlining the global climate finance architecture to enhance coordination and facilitate access for African countries, which are disproportionately affected by climate change.

Reforming Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) : The AEO urges MDBs to revise their business models to provide long-term concessional financing at scale, to developing countries, bolstering their capital positions, channeling a portion of IMF’s Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to MDBs and ensuring a healthy replenishment of the concessional windows of the African Development Bank and the World Bank—the African Development Fund and the International Development Association.

Streamlining Debt Resolution Mechanisms: Recognizing the slow and cumbersome nature of existing debt resolution mechanisms, the African Economic Outlook advocates for reforms to expedite debt workouts and ensure sustainable debt management, including innovative market-based solutions like “Brady bonds,” debt relief for climate purposes, and sovereign debt authority systems.

Enhancing Domestic Resource Mobilization: The report emphasizes the importance of strengthening domestic revenue mobilization through improved tax policies, enhancing efficiency in government revenue collection and utilization, combatting illicit financial flows and tax avoidance, and leveraging Africa’s abundant natural resources.

According to the report, “Domestic resource mobilization is good, but so is the prudent use of such resources. Countries should therefore strengthen capacity to improve public finance management”