A client who is planning to build or renovate a home or an office wants to see work they can picture in their own space. They don't need a slogan about "bold, human-centred design". They need to see projects, understand how the practice works and feel confident that the architect will guide them through the stages.
This guide explains how an architect's website can show that clearly, while staying within the rules that govern how architects may advertise.
Organise the portfolio by project type
Group your projects by the kind of work: homes, interiors, commercial spaces, institutional buildings or renovations. Within each group, show the most relevant projects first. A client looking for a family home should find family homes quickly, not a list of every project from the last ten years.
Each project should have a clear title, the location, the type of work and the year or stage. Plans and sections help, and so do photographs taken at the right time of day.
Describe the process in plain stages
Clients often don't understand the stages of an architectural project. Explain them simply: an initial brief and site visit, concept options, design development, detailed drawings and documentation, tender and site supervision, and handover. Say what the client decides at each stage, and what they receive.
A clear process reassures clients about cost, time and control, and it gives them questions to ask at the first meeting.
Credentials, stated factually
Show the practice's registration details, the qualifications of the architects involved and the bodies they belong to, as far as the current rules allow. Only list memberships and registrations you actually hold, and keep the wording factual.
The rules on advertising
Architects in India work under the Architects (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 1989, which restrict advertising of professional services. Keep the site factual and portfolio-led, avoid superlatives and comparisons, and confirm the current guidance from the Council of Architecture before you publish. This article is general guidance, and it doesn't replace the Council of Architecture's current rules.
Quick checklist
- Group every project by type: homes, interiors, commercial spaces and renovations.
- Give each project a title, a location, the type of work and the stage it reached.
- Describe the process in the same stages for every client, with what the client decides at each one.
- List registration details only where you hold them, and check them against the register.
- Read each page for superlatives and comparisons, and remove them.
- Confirm the current Council of Architecture guidance before you publish.
What to do next
The architect websites page shows how the portfolio, process and contact sections are usually arranged. A business website is the right base for your architecture practice, and the business websites page explains how one is laid out. Sort your projects by type first, because the rest of the site follows from how the portfolio is organised.