Jury Presentation Tips: How to Ace Your Architecture Crit

Juries can be very stressful, especially when you are running out of time and work seems never-ending. But this time, your experience will be different because you will have this guide, who will help you at every step of the way to make it a little easier for you. 

This guide includes answers to all the questions that you might have before your jury. I have put together all these answers based on my experience in the last seven semesters. So, I am sure this will definitely help you navigate better. 

What To Do If Your Drawings Or Models Are Incomplete ?

• Don’t panic at all, a few days before the jury when you realise that all your work is not gonna get complete. 
• Take a step back and analyse what you actually need to explain your design and narrow your focus on completely those properly first and then you can move to the remaining ones. 

How To Decide What To Show In The Presentation?

• When reviewing your process sheets, make a note of your decision-making steps. Highlight these decisions in the process sheets and make a chronological order or a mind map to present your thought process on paper. 
• If you are only presenting the outcome, make some diagrams and sketches to show the concepts and your intentions. 

   How To Make Presentation Boards?

• Try to be cohesive with your narrative and layout of your board. 
• Decide if you want to focus on explorations or the outcome, what do you want to highlight in your jury? 
• Apart from technical drawings, there should be at least 1 piece that captures the essence of your concept. That could be a process sketch, a diagram a mood board or even a reference. 
• Arrange your most important drawings at eye level or in some sort of hierarchy. 
• Make it easier for the juror to visualise your design [renders, sketches or physical models]. As soon as the juror understands, he will start reviewing your design rather than picking your drawings. 
• If any sketch, process sheets or models are in bad condition but seem important to process, present them (you never know what catches the attention of the juror). 
• Any drawing that has some character but is not important still put it on your board (you never know what might get you bonus points).
• Having said that, don’t flood your board; you want to keep it organised, and focused and direct the juror on something you have actually worked on or rather them getting distracted with something insignificant. 
  

  What To Speak In The Jury?

  • My faculty in my 2nd semester had told me this and I have tried to do this for every jury. Not the night/morning before, at least a week before start planning what you are gonna talk about in your design. 
  • Open all your process sheets go through them and make notes to remind you of the process you followed and what led to what decision, this makes you more confident about your design and you will be mentally prepared for it. 

  How Should I Explain My Project?

  • Do not start with this is the entrance or this is how you go through the building. This is something that jurors can read through your drawings. 
  • Tell them about the parts where you put some specific thoughts or the narrative that you are trying to build or the experience you generate. Use your time of presentation very wisely.
  • Don’t forget you use your models (final as well as process to explain).

How To Prepare For A Jury?

• Try to get at least some sleep the night before otherwise it will affect your presentation. 
• Rehearse your speech and make bullet points of important things to keep with you. 
• Keep your presentation short like a maximum of up to 7 minutes [depending upon the requirement of your college] and let the juror talk. Let your work talk. 
• Recheck your drawings for nameplates and north signs. 
• Clean and label your models [I know this sounds like a luxury of time but plating got points.]

How To Present In The Jury?

• Do not show up like you haven’t slept in days, even if that’s true. You should try to look fresh and tidy. Most importantly, look awake and put together. 

What Happens In The Jury 

• Always Make notes of your jury feedback. 

Jury time, usually we are sleep deprived and our minds are not at their best, so to learn from it, you will need those tips. If you’re too zoned out ask your friend to record it for you 

• There is a high chance you would go into a comparison spiral

Believe in yourself, shut off your – ‘this is not good enough’ nonsense. Reassure yourself that you have done your best and focus on how to present it rather than overthinking the design concept just before the jury.

What To Do If The Jury Does Not Go Well?

• Don’t take it personally. Design is very subjective – what someone doesn’t like, someone else might like. 
• Filter the constructive criticism and focus on improvement. 
• Be conscious about when to defend your design, and when to accept/ keep quiet. 

What You Might Feel After Jury.. 

• At the end of the semester or near your jury date – You might feel like this could have been better or I could have put more effort into this part/drawing etc. 
• Tell yourself, you did your best in the time and energy you had, and it can also be seen as a sign of growth. It happens to everybody. 
• At the end of the semester you might also feel oh, I was supposed to do this differently or better. 
• Don’t panic that means that you learnt what you were supposed to in that studio and maybe you couldn’t apply it all but take it with you next semester and future. 

I hope this guide helps you ace your jury presentation! If you’re looking for more tips and resources to make architecture school easier, sign up below to download my free resource guide—and get exclusive insights through my newsletter.