Why does creating a portfolio feel overwhelming?
Whether you're competing for a prestigious job, applying to the university of your dreams, or simply trying to present yourself to the world, an outstanding portfolio is crucial.
But creating one? That's a challenge filled with confusion, indecision, and doubt.
Identify and navigate the typical challenges in portfolio creation.
Your Story, Untold.
You have the drawings, the tools, and the creativity, but piecing it all together feels like solving a never-ending puzzle.
How do you decide what to include? How do you know if it looks good or bad? You want to tell your architectural story, but the pages remain frustratingly blank.
A Missing Community
Without peers and experts to review your work, your portfolio lacks the critical insights that only a professional eye can provide. Your designs are good, but you know they can be more.
Lost in the Noise
With an overwhelming amount of tools, techniques, and trends in architectural representation, finding the right path can feel like navigating a maze.
Lack of Personal Guidance
Generic tutorials and resources might teach you how to use a tool, but they often miss the mark in teaching you how to create something that resonates with your unique style and audience.
What you need is:
The Portfolio Workshop isn't just a workshop; it's your personalized roadmap to portfolio success.
The Masterclass
Portfolio Clinic
The Builder
Portfolio in Action
The workshop is broken down into four engaging weeks covering key aspects of portfolio creation.
The Portfolio Workshop is for you if you're...
We're not just about making things look good (though we're pretty good at that too)—we give you the guidance, resources, and insights to craft a portfolio as unique as your architectural vision.
Meet your instructors!
An alumnus of the Class of 2015, Steven doesn't just sit behind a desk. He's also a practicing architect and an artist who enjoys exploring the transformations in Latin American cities through image manipulation.
As the director of Show it Better, he's not only sharing his knowledge but also inspiring future architects to represent and communicate their ideas better. Join him in the Portfolio Workshop to unravel the secrets behind captivating portfolios and build a portfolio that truly stands out.
Deciding to pursue his passion for visual communication for architects, Oliver now dedicates his time to the Upstairs community, crafting videos, courses, and packs that enhance your visualization and representation skills.
Oliver's commitment to teaching and sharing his in-depth knowledge is your gateway to refining your portfolio to perfection. With the Portfolio Workshop, you're in expert hands, ready to unleash your creative potential and stand out in the architectural world.
The Essentials to Get You Started
InDesign for Architects
Portfolio Starter Pack
The Schedule
Watch our Portfolio Review episodes on Youtube!
Driven by Your Feedback
Start Your Portfolio Journey
The Portfolio Workshop
A 4-week immersive workshop built to give you the ultimate portfolio experience. Covering essentials, delivering detailed critiques, and helping you present your work at its best.
Got Questions? We've Got Answers.
Is this a limited-seating workshop?
Yes! Every edition of The Portfolio Workshop has limited spots, but this first edition will be even more exclusive. We're keeping the group small and highly engaged to test the workshop in action, refine it, and make it even for future editions.
When will the workshop meetings take place?
Each edition of the Portfolio Workshop runs during a specific period. The first edition will take place from March 10th to April 4th, 2025. This is a fully online, live program hosted on Zoom, where all in-depth lessons, clinics, and Portfolio in Action sessions happen in real time.
If you miss a live session, don't worry! You’ll have access to a dedicated platform where you can watch the recordings anytim, and even revisit them for up to one year.
Does the workshop teach Adobe InDesign?
Portfolio creation goes far beyond just learning Adobe InDesign. But we know that mastering this tool is key to expressing yourself creatively in a portfolio. That’s why, as a Portfolio Workshop student, you’ll get free access to InDesign for Architects by Upstairs, a premium course that covers everything you need to know to design portfolios with confidence.
With these fundamentals covered, you can fully dive into the Portfolio Workshop experience, focusing on refining, building, and upgrading your portfolio.
Can I access payment plans?
For this first edition, there won’t be any payment plans since the price is already heavily discounted. However, for future editions, we’re considering adding a payment plan option.
What resources will I have access to?
As part of the workshop, you’ll receive exclusive access to the Show it Better Portfolio Starter Pack, valued at $65+.
This carefully curated selection includes:
✔ CV Architecture Templates – Professionally designed CV layouts to showcase your experience.
✔ Collage Cutouts & Assets – A variety of human figures, trees, and architectural elements to enhance your visuals.
✔ Isometric & Elevation Elements – High-quality assets for floor plans, sections, and diagrams.
✔ Interior & Furniture Packs – Essential objects to bring depth and realism to your projects.
These resources are designed to help you create stunning, professional-grade portfolios and streamline your workflow. You’ll also gain lifetime access to these assets, ensuring you can use them for future projects.
Is this workshop suitable for different career stages?
Absolutely! Whether you're applying for a job, a university program, or simply looking to level up your portfolio, this workshop is designed to help architects, interior designers, and creatives at any career stage refine and elevate their work.
How can I enroll in the Portfolio Workshop?
The Portfolio Workshop is a live cohort experience with limited spots, and enrollment only opens a few times a year. For the first edition, applicants need to fill out a form, and we’ll handpick a small group of participants for this exclusive round. In future editions, spots will also be available on a limited basis, with enrollment open for a set period until all seats are filled.