The verbal presentation

The verbal presentation is essential to focus the mind of the critic on those aspects of the design that formed part of the educational objectives of the project and that you yourself find most important.

 

Keep the presentation business-like and engage the critics.

 

Stand straight, look confident without appearing arrogant, and look people in the eye.

 

A complete presentation should have the following sequence:

 

1.      Introduction: Begin by telling your audience what you are going to tell them.

2.      Main Body of the presentation: Then tell them what you want to say.

3.      End: And end by telling them what you have told them.

 

Points to remember

Explain your design in a systematic and self-evident way. Develop a point by point sequence from the intention to the means employed in fulfilling those intentions and move from the overall to the detail, from context to core, from the whole to the parts, from the diagram to the real thing and then look back at the whole.

Tell them what your aims and objectives were: what the leading ideas were that guided your design thinking; explain how the main generators were considered.

Every design project should be:

·         a statement about your attitude to architecture

·         a statement about the particular institution for which you are required to provide a design. It is essential that you develop a full understanding about these institutions and develop a leading idea from that understanding.

·         and a statement consciously developing the educational requirements of the design project. I.e. if a design project is focused on the integration of services, make sure that this is then your focus too.

 

Tell them how you set about fulfilling your aims and objectives: what were your design procedures, what was your system for resolving the various issues and contradictions.

 

Remember that everything you tell your critic must be visible in the drawing. Otherwise he or she will prick through your pretty words.

Show them how your intentions have been realised in the design and make sure that what you say is compatible with what is on the drawing.

A crit may be a day of judgement, but it is primarily an educational exercise. Therefore listen to the critic, challenge him to do his worst with your design and do not become defensive.

 

Appreciate good, hard-edged, honest criticism, it is what in the end will make you into a better designer.