Issuu for Arch

Issuu for Architects

“Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness.”

– Frank Gehry

Sharing Your Art with the World

Architecture goes beyond design or technique and creates the world we know. In many ways, it’s the foundation of the spaces we access each day. As both the outcome and the process of imagining a new structure, it can be hard to sum up in a few words, which is why there’s so much power in visuals. Architecture is as much an art as a science, requiring skill to show a project’s concept and potential effectively. But with continuous competition for project bids and an increasingly digitized industry, delivering an exceptional experience from start to finish has never been more important.

This guide will help you explore how to build virtual marketing materials that are as well-designed as your plans and project sketches. First, let’s look at some recent data about where the industry is and how it could transform even further over the next several years.

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1. Small but Mighty

When we look at 2020 data from the United States, small architectural firms (defined as those with less than ten employees) make up just over 75% of architectural firms in the country. Furthermore, mid-sized firms (those with 10-49 employees) made up just over 18%, while the largest ones (those with 50 or more employees) accounted for the remaining percentage. This means the clear majority of architectural firms in the U.S. have anywhere between 1-9 employees.

2. Growing Demand

The global architectural services market was valued at USD 359.98 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a rate of 4.8% from 2023 to 2030. The demand for services can be attributed to the increasing construction across the globe as populations age and grow. Architects are in high demand and will only continue to be needed around the world. With that demand comes competition and the increased need to stand out from competitors.

3. Digital Transformation

Recent research by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and Microsoft found that most architecture firms are transforming the way they work through digital technology. 87% of firms in the survey said they had undergone a digital transformation and found it necessary to stay relevant and innovative.

Virtual reality has been hailed as the future of architecture for several years, but since the mid-2010s, it’s become more widely used. A 2020 industry analysis found that while some firms have been slower to adopt virtual reality, it is already a popular tool within sizable segments of the industry, namely among commercial and residential architecture firms.

The digital tools needed aren’t exclusive to VR technology. Pinterest has been part of any firm’s toolbox for over a decade, and other social media platforms are just as important. As TikTok has something for just about every niche audience, TikTok-itecture has become essential in recent years.

How Digital Content Helps Architects

Transform your files into high-performance content for your website and all your digital channels. From digital portfolios to pitch decks and blueprints, Issuu empowers you to create a customized virtual extension of your most impressive work. Here’s how you can have a competitive edge and brand your firm effectively online.

Win Out the Competition

Since we know smaller firms are more common, your efforts to win contracts will need to be strong and inclusive of your best work. Do what a skilled architect does best and think creatively with your digital materials. Issuu can help you create a project-specific digital portfolio through an interactive flipbook. With your work displayed digitally, share it in customized fullscreen, which can be viewed on mobile devices or projected during a bid meeting with potential clients. From customized branding to its page-turning presentation, your proposals are sure to stand out.

Create an Online Presence

While most of your work will be shared between clients, engineers, designers, and other project stakeholders, an online presence can give your firm a boost and help establish credibility. With a smaller team, your efforts are likely spent on matters that don’t necessarily involve trying to market your business online. Having all the best tools to save time and resources is crucial for projects, proposals, and admin. Creating

a suite of digital assets can help you build your brand across multiple platforms and with Issuu’s InDesign integration, your work can flow seamlessly from design to flipbook to social media posts or newsletters and beyond.

Make a Virtual Reality

While your presentations might not call for VR headsets, virtual access to proposed designs has become the industry standard. With Issuu, you can house your entire suite of project proposal materials in one convenient place online: your publisher profile. And with features like video embed and fullscreen sharing mode, you can present your work with more detail and clarity. Blueprint reviews, portfolios, customer presentations, and bid sheets can all be turned into interactive digital content, ready for immediate distribution and sharing via a simple link.

From large firms to freelancers, focusing your efforts on digital publishing will help drive prospective business your way. Digital content can help your audience see the high quality they can expect from your work. Help your bids stand out, update clients on the progress of a project, or show off your portfolio through email and social media. With quality digital content, you can ensure your content stands out and become the top choice for clients everywhere.

Ready to build your architecture portfolio online?

Try Issuu today.

“With Issuu, we are able to publish projects with an unique format. As viewers turn the pages, they get a feel for our design process and the challenges we had to overcome. We love Issuu because it gives our design practice the freedom to create formats that reflect the depth of our work, which can be easily shared with our audience."

– HWO Architects