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CRITBAY

@critbay

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An online marketplace for architecture - critiques and advice for your studio projects, portfolio and CV
Founded by architects Cathal + Rebecca

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We’re delighted to welcome Dr Rebecca Jane McConnell to Women in Architecture for this week’s featured guest takeover - some of you may know her from her viral reels over at @thefutureblueprint!

Rebecca is an architect, researcher and content creator based in Ireland. She holds a PhD in Architecture from Queen’s University Belfast and currently works as a Research Scientist at University College Dublin, exploring the relationship between architecture, systems and the future of our built world.

Alongside academia, Rebecca co-founded @critbay, a platform supporting emerging architects, and runs The Future Blueprint, where she explores architecture, design and the invisible environment.

Outside architecture, Rebecca is a mum to a toddler, a wife and a keen traveller who loves exploring new places and finding creative ways to tell stories. She is passionate about showing students that an architecture degree can open doors to careers far beyond traditional practice.

We’re excited to have Rebecca taking over our page this week and sharing more about her work, experiences and journey in architecture. Welcome, Rebecca!

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Architecture school doesn’t come with a manual but your feed can help !

Here are some architecture pages worth following for better project breakdowns, crits, career advice, stories, and simply learning to see architecture differently.

Save this for your next studio spiral 📌

Who would you add to the list?

#architecturestudent #architecture #architectureeducation

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Architecture is communication

A cover letter does not have to be the next great american novel but if youre looking for an architecture job, there are some simple steps you can take to improve your chances of keeping your application out of the rubbish bin

Comment TEMPLATE for discount access to our job hunting playbook

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Clean, well organised, balanced. I really love this portfolio!

@architecture.today_ this is your speed crit!

I love the structure of this portfolio. Very simple, easy to read with some very well balanced spreads. I think your drawings are wonderful but they could really be elevated with some tonal pops to improve the visual hierarchy throughout. Also, a number of images are 20 percent smaller than they need to be. Show your work! Make it big! Be confident! Great stuff and thanks for sending in!

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Bool your crit today with @critbay

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A very tidy portfolio!

@ob.archi this is your speed crit!

A very clean and well organised portfolio. Wonderful drawings images and graphics but I would love to see this level of consistency applied to a portfolio that showcases 2-3 projects rather than just a single project.

Range and variety is important in a portfolio, remember you will be working on other peoples projects in practice, can you apply the same rigour and consistency to work that does not have your name on it! Some food for thought. Thanks for sending in! Really great work

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Book your crit today @critbay

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I LOVE this portfolio!

@jacobtripps_over this is your speed crit!

Some really great drawings and images here, storytelling and narrative is fantastic, excellent use of the page and letting your images speak confidently. Consistent use of colour theme throughout. Really loved this. My biggest takeaway for you is that despite the consistent hand that ties every project together, half of this portfolio is grounded in architecture while the other half is much more speculative, not a problem overall but as a single document the projects are structured at odd intervals from brief, scale and type. I almost would have preferred it to be split into two halves. Just my thoughts on an otherwise excellent portfolio!
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Book your CRIT today with @critbay !

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Less is More!

@zachary_dwg this is your speed crit!

Really great work, love this portfolio. My takeaway for you might be that there is too much of it! Not necessarily a bad thing but 4 projects could be 2 and some of the pages slow down the flow! Show me the good work! Zachary you are a master of suspense! Thanks for sending in!
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Speed Crit is our free review service where you can submit your portfolio and we can quickly critique it for you in video format!

If you require more comprehensive feedback then please check out @critbay for more information about our services!

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Architecture is software.

This one is for any architecture graduate who is struggling to find employment this summer

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Ep. 34 “Image and Storytelling with Dr. Rebecca McConnell” is out now! Watch or listen on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere else you get your podcasts. Make sure to like, subscribe, and tell a friend! (All links in Bio)

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And it's a wrap! 🎬⏰
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With the final showdown of my architectural thesis and five years of endless studio hours, I humbly present you all with my jury panel and my scale models.

For my final thesis, I chose to tackle a complex and deeply meaningful challenge: designing a Juvenile Detention Center integrated with a Secure School system, which I named "Ranga Maati" or Coloured Soil due to the laterite soil which is Red in colour, primarily found in Odisha.

Architecture isn't just about creating beautiful spaces; it’s about shaping human experiences and fostering rehabilitation. My project focused on moving away from the traditional, punitive design of correctional facilities and instead creating a secure, trauma-informed environment that prioritizes education, mental well-being, and a path toward a better future for youth.

I couldn't be more grateful for the support of my professors, mentors, and peers along the way.
I’m incredibly excited to step into the professional world and continue exploring how thoughtful design can drive social change.

The next chapter starts now!

P.S. Win like the World owes you more!🐦‍🔥

#ArchitectureGraduate #BArch #ThesisDesign #SocialImpactArchitecture #PenalArchitecture

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@cathal_crumley this is your speed crit! You are a part 1 architectural assistant looking for your first job in Architecture in 2013

Some cool, interesting drawings / images but there is no story in this portfolio, no context. What am I looking at here, where is the project, what is the project? Tell a story!

I think this is a “just ok” portfolio however, this portfolio got me about 10 job interviews and 3 job offers so maybe its atually a “better than ok” portfolio???

What do you think people?

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@kyaw_khant_zaw here is your speedcrit! ⚡️ really strong drawings and visuals, love the diagrams. A few quick thoughts and suggestions!

#architecture #crit #portfolio #presentation #architect

@tomrowstudios @critbay

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