Bachelor of Architectural Studies: Portfolio Package (Fall 2025)

Deadline to apply to Carleton University is Saturday, March 1, 2025 by noon ET.

Deadline to submit your BAS portfolio is Monday, March 3, 2025 by 11:45 p.m. ET.

The Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism (ASAU) at Carleton University requires prospective Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) students to submit a portfolio. Applicants will not be considered for admission if they do not submit a complete portfolio.

The four steps below are a synopsis of the BAS application process:

Step 1: Understand the opportunities and differences of the three BAS Majors: Design, Conservation & Sustainability, and Urbanism – study them carefully.

Step 2: Apply to Carleton University to get a Carleton ID number. The Carleton ID number is required to submit your portfolio.
NOTE: It can take some time to process your Carleton ID number. Please apply well before the March 1 deadline!

Step 3: Create an account in SlideRoom (https://asoaau.slideroom.com). The ASAU SlideRoom portal will be made available in mid-December.

Step 4: Submit your Portfolio via SlideRoom.

Part 1: Program description

The Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) has three majors:

Conservation and Sustainability (C&S)
The BAS in Conservation and Sustainability major addresses both the conservation of historic architecture and principles of sustainable design as applied to existing buildings. C&S explores contemporary theories of critical conservation, adaptive reuse, and traditional and emerging construction methods to reconsider our past and adapt buildings for a sustainable future.

Design
The BAS in Design major explores the development of new buildings. Design is increasingly focused on community engaged, and environmentally responsive work. Studios are supported by a robust sequence of technology, history, and media courses to form a comprehensive understanding of building design practices, and their social and technical contexts.

Urbanism
The BAS in Urbanism major examines the complex network of forces, such as climate, technology, politics, transportation, and economics, that affect our cities. Studios explore the impact of urbanization on both the established core and expanding periphery. Urbanism courses are supported within the School and by the Department of Geography.

*Applicants submit only one portfolio, even if they are interested in multiple BAS majors.

Part 2: Portfolio requirements

An applicant’s portfolio submission must include:

  • the applicant’s full name (the legal name used on their Carleton University application).
  • the applicant’s Carleton ID number (nine digits starting with either 100 or 101).

*Please read the instructions carefully as Portfolio requirements change every year.

a) Personal Anecdote (150 words max.)

What is the one thing you think we should know about you?

This is an opportunity to share something that you would like us to know as we review your application. This can be a small story or anecdote, a passion of yours, an activity that you care about, or a situation that has impact on your life and interests.

b) Your preferred BAS major (150 words max.)

Explain why you selected your preferred Major (Design, Conservation & Sustainability, or Urbanism).

c) Short Essay (250 – 300 words)

Please discuss your response to the theme, making sure you spend some time discussing two or three of the pieces you submitted. In a short text, explain what compelled you to make the pieces the way that you made them. Reflect on your experience of making the works and, if given additional opportunity, how the work might evolve.

You can use any voice (first, second and/or third person). Please edit carefully and respect the word count.

d) Required Images (four)

The four required images focus on creativity (idea) and technique (execution). We are open to a range of techniques, and you can use a range of mixed media to create your images. We are also interested in seeing your process, and ask you to include additional material that shows the development of these works (sketchbook pages, earlier studies, image references, etc.). Your process images should give us insight in how you work, and give you an opportunity to show the work at different moments in its making. Think carefully about how to integrate your process images as part of a well-curated series of images. It should be clear in the final submission which images are required and which ones are showing process.

This year you have an option between three different themes for the required images: MATERIAL, COLOR and/or BORDER. Please note that these themes may overlap, but we request that you select a preferred theme and foreground what you find compelling about the topic. Create four different images that speak to different scales of the one theme you are foregrounding. The themes are intentionally open-ended to invite creative reflection rather than literal responses. You can consider the materials, colors, and borders as they exist in larger ecosystems or in the spaces we inhabit, as organic, unplanned, or designed occurrences. We are asking that you think through different scales (e.g. that of the object, room, building, city, or territory).

We will look at each of the four images individually, and as a series. Therefore, please create an overarching narrative in each drawing and across the set of four drawings.

When you photograph your works, you may consider situating your pieces in a setting that reinforces their narrative to add further dimension to your work. Please ensure the Required Image remains clearly visible.

Note: when you submit your images on SlideRoom, you can write a short annotation for each image. In the annotation please include: 1) a title, 2) the medium and process, and 3) a brief description or a note on your intentions so that we can better understand the work.

Please save the Required Images as #1, 2, 3, and 4.

e) Optional Images (up to an additional four)

We recommend that you submit four optional images to show other forms of your creative work. This work might include, but is not limited to, other drawings, sculptures, digital work, photography, dance, theatre, fashion design, textile arts, or making skills such as woodwork, etc. These images can be produced within the context of a (art) class or in your own time.

Please save the Optional Images as #5, 6, 7, and 8.

We do not accept videos, PowerPoint/Keynote presentations or web links.

Portfolio Advice:

  1. Photograph your work carefully. Ensure the image is sharp, clear, and free of distortion.
  2. Keep the portfolio clean and simple. The Admissions Committee is focused on the images, not the graphic layout. Please refrain from unnecessary frames, borders and/or elaborate or oversized fonts.

Part 3: Using SlideRoom to submit your portfolio

You will submit your portfolio digitally using an online program named SlideRoom (https://asoaau.slideroom.com).

To submit, you must first create an account. We apologize that this has an associated cost (approx. $10.00 USD) and requires a credit card. Please note, your credit card will be charged once you submit your portfolio.

Please create an account early to prevent submission issues near the deadline date.

Save your written documents as PDF files.

Save your visual work (filenames: Image_1, Image_2, up to Image_8) as JPG files.

Uploading your portfolio

a) Fill out the required fields: full name as per your Carleton University application, and student number, etc.

b) Upload your images.

  • You can make changes to your portfolio up until the moment you submit. After submission, no changes are possible.
  • Do not make multiple submissions.

c) Submit before the deadline.

  • We get hundreds of submissions in the 24 hours before the deadline; please submit a day early.

Part 4: Prerequisites, assessment and offers, and contact information

Prerequisites and English language requirement

If you are completing the Math or Physics requirements in the summer, you will not receive an admission offer until all academic requirements are complete, and Admissions Services has received your final grade reports. You may be considered for a space on the waiting list.

You must submit your English Language Test results before March 1, 2025.

Assessment and offers

Your submission will be assessed carefully and in a timely fashion. Due to the high volume of applications and the competitive nature of the selection process, we aim to provide a decision before the end of April 2025.

Contact information

If you have questions, please contact the Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism by telephone at +1 613-520-2875 or by email at architectureundergrad@carleton.ca.

Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism website:
(https://architecture.carleton.ca/academic-programs/bachelor-of-architectural-studies-bas)

We invite you to join us for an upcoming event (https://admissions.carleton.ca/events).