Vibe Code an Architect Portfolio Website
Free vibe coding prompt to build an architecture portfolio. Project gallery, design philosophy, awards, inquiry form, and SEO-optimized markup. One editorial HTML file.
Build a one-page architecture studio portfolio website as a single
self-contained HTML file (inline CSS and JS, no external dependencies except
Google Fonts and Unsplash images via their CDN).
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BUSINESS DETAILS
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- Studio name: [STUDIO NAME]
- Principal: [FULL NAME, AIA / RIBA]
- City + studio address: [CITY, FULL ADDRESS]
- Phone: [PHONE]
- Email: [EMAIL]
- Social: Instagram + (optional) LinkedIn (open in new tab, rel="noopener")
- Studio size: small/boutique
- Specialty: residential / adaptive reuse / cultural / commercial (pick 1-2)
- Founded year: [YEAR]
- Selected awards / press: [NONE, placeholder allowed]
- Inquiry: form + email
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BRAND
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- Brand colors: pure white (#ffffff), near-black ink (#111111), single
accent, deep ochre (#a87332) OR muted slate-blue (#5a7387). User picks
one accent color. Override if user provides; derive variants for AA
contrast.
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DESIGN DIRECTION
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- Editorial austere. Think Wallpaper*, Dezeen, ArchDaily. Image-led,
type-minimal, generous gutters.
- Type pairing: high-contrast display serif for project titles (PP
Editorial New alternative, try Cormorant Garamond, Fraunces) + clean
sans for body and labels (Inter Tight, Söhne alternative).
- Eyebrow labels: uppercase, tracked .26em (extra editorial), thin 32px
CSS ::before line in accent color.
- Headlines: very short and quiet ("Architecture as *quiet attention*").
ONE italic accent in the accent color.
- Grids dominate. Asymmetry is allowed. Whitespace is the primary design
tool.
- Icon system: 24x24 line icons, fill="none", stroke="currentColor",
stroke-width 1.2 (extra thin for elegance), round caps. Cover sparingly:
cube, frame, layers, scale-arrow, calendar, pin, phone, mail,
arrow-right.
- Icon containers: NONE, icons sit directly in ink color, hover
transitions to accent color.
- Motion: very slow scroll fade-ins (0.9s ease-out), no Ken Burns,
no hover transforms (project cards reveal underline links on hover only).
- Cursor: standard, no custom cursors.
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SECTIONS (in this exact order)
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1. FIXED NAV (white translucent + backdrop blur, ink text)
- Wordmark left (small, all-lowercase serif) | minimal anchor nav center
| "Inquire" small ink link right
- No CTA pill, keep it monastic
2. HERO
- Full-bleed photo top (cover, 90vh on desktop, Unsplash search:
"minimalist architecture interior" or "concrete house")
- Small overlay text bottom-left in ink on translucent white pill:
studio name + 1-sentence philosophy ("Architecture as quiet
attention to place.")
- NO CTA buttons in hero, let the work speak
3. PROJECTS INDEX
- Eyebrow + headline ("Selected *work*")
- 2-column grid of project cards (1 column mobile, NO 3-column at any
breakpoint, keep editorial)
- Each card: full-bleed project photo (rounded 4px, ratio 4:3), project
name (large serif italic), year + location + typology in small
monospace, link to anchor for the case study
- 6 projects total
- Hover: subtle underline animation on project name, photo NO transform
4. CASE STUDIES (3 expanded)
- For each: alternate alignment (left-image then right-image)
- Project number "01" / "02" / "03" in serif italic + project name +
location + year + typology
- Full-bleed lead photo (rounded 4px)
- 2-paragraph project description in body type
- 4-image detail grid below (CSS columns: 2 desktop, 1 mobile)
- Below grid: small plan/section drawing placeholder (rounded 4px,
ink border 1px)
- Each case study separated by thin ink horizontal rule across page
5. PRACTICE / ABOUT
- Two-column: text left, photo right (Unsplash: "studio interior wood"
or "architectural model")
- Right: small studio interior photo (rounded 4px, ratio square)
- Left: eyebrow, headline ("Practice"), 3 paragraphs about how the
studio works (process, materials, what we say no to)
- Below text: 3 lists side-by-side (Awards / Publications /
Exhibitions), short bulleted lines in small body type
- Use typeset names, no logos
6. PEOPLE
- Eyebrow + headline ("Studio")
- 4 team cards in horizontal row (stack mobile)
- Each: portrait photo (rounded 4px, ratio 4:5), name (serif), title
(small monospace uppercase), 1-line bio
- Real Unsplash portraits, natural, NOT staged
7. SERVICES (minimal)
- 4-column row: Residential / Adaptive Reuse / Cultural / Master Planning
- Each: small serif heading + 1-line description
- No icons, no card backgrounds, just type and white space
8. PRESS
- Thin section, borders top/bottom
- "FEATURED IN" small uppercase label left + 5 typeset publication
names right (italic serif mix, NO logos)
- Each name optionally hovers to ink
9. INQUIRY
- Two-column: text left, form right
- Left: eyebrow, headline ("Inquire"), 1 paragraph about how to start
a project, contact email displayed prominently
- Right: minimal form on white, ink border (1px), zero shadows
• Fields: name, organization (optional), email, project type (select:
Residential / Adaptive Reuse / Cultural / Other), project location,
budget range, timeline, project description
• Submit ink button, full-width
• Inline JS success message (preventDefault)
10. FOOTER (white)
- Centered small wordmark in serif lowercase
- Below: studio address + email + phone in small body type
- Bottom: instagram link (text-only, "Instagram →") + copyright + small
print "Site by [DESIGNER]" placeholder
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TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
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- Single index.html, no build step
- JSON-LD `LocalBusiness` + `Person` schema for principal
- CSS custom properties for palette at top (just 2-3 colors)
- Smooth scroll with scroll-padding-top
- Real Unsplash images via CDN with ?w=1400&q=85&auto=format&fit=crop
for case-study images (higher resolution for architecture)
- All images loading="lazy" except hero ("eager"), decoding="async"
- Image alt text MUST describe the architecture (NOT "building" -
instead "Concrete cantilever over the lake, dusk")
- tel:/mailto: links; minimal use
- Responsive at 900px and 500px breakpoints
- Semantic HTML5; aria-labels on icon-only links
- Print stylesheet for case study sections (`@media print`), make them
print beautifully on A4
- Favicon: inline SVG data URI (single geometric mark, square, triangle,
or studio initial in serif)
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COPY VOICE
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Spare, considered, third-person plural ("the studio", "we"). Avoid
adjectives where possible. Specific over generic ("A 12m cantilever over
sandstone; the floor plate is one continuous slab of polished concrete" -
not "stunning home"). Headlines short. Body copy reads like a curator wrote
it. NO sales language. Project descriptions read like museum wall labels.
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ANTI-PATTERNS TO AVOID
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- No emojis anywhere
- No CTAs in hero ("Let's build your dream home!")
- No fake stock photos of clean-cut architects in dramatic poses
- No real Dezeen / ArchDaily / Architect's Newspaper logos, typeset names
- No script/handwritten fonts
- No animated SVG building drawings
- No "passionate about architecture" / "vision" / "transformative" filler
- No bright accent gradients, accent color used sparingly, never in
gradients
- No card hover-lift effects on project cards, too crowd-pleasing
- No exclamation marks anywhere
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SEO & DISCOVERABILITY
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Implement all of the following so the page ships production-ready for search
engines and social sharing. This is not optional; treat it as part of the
build, not an afterthought.
DO NOT INVENT DATA: never fabricate business names, addresses, phone or email, license or certification numbers, coordinates, prices, reviews or ratings, team members, photos, press mentions, or results and stats. If a detail is not provided, leave a clearly labeled {{TODO: ...}} placeholder — never a plausible-looking fake. Any form must POST to a real endpoint (Formspree, Web3Forms, Basin, or similar) or fall back to a mailto:/tel: link — never show a fake "success" message with no backend. Wrap every motion effect in @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce), and make sure any accent color used for text, links, or prices meets WCAG 2.2 AA contrast against its background.
1. TITLE TAG & META DESCRIPTION
- <title> tag: "[Business Name] - [Primary Service] in [City]" (under 60 chars)
- <meta name="description"> 150-160 chars, include the city/area, primary
service, and a call to action (e.g., "Book online" / "Call now")
- <meta name="robots" content="index, follow">
2. OPEN GRAPH & TWITTER CARDS
- og:title, og:description, og:image (hero image), og:url, og:type=website
- twitter:card=summary_large_image, twitter:title, twitter:description,
twitter:image
- Place all OG/Twitter meta in <head>
3. STRUCTURED DATA (JSON-LD)
- Insert a <script type="application/ld+json"> block in <head> with
@type: "ProfessionalService" schema
- Include: name, description, url, telephone, email, address
(streetAddress, addressLocality, addressRegion, postalCode,
addressCountry), image. Add geo, openingHoursSpecification, and priceRange ONLY when the user supplied real values — never invent them; and do NOT output aggregateRating or Review markup unless the user provides real, verifiable reviews (fabricated ratings violate Google's structured-data spam policy)
- Add BreadcrumbList schema: Home > [Category] > [Business Name]
- If the page has a FAQ section, add FAQPage schema with every Q&A pair
4. HEADING HIERARCHY FOR SEO
- Exactly ONE <h1> per page — use the real, human headline the design calls for; put keywords in the <title> and meta, not the visible H1
- Logical H2 > H3 nesting for every section; never skip a level
- Section headings should include secondary keywords naturally
(keep the section's real, human label; put keywords in the title and meta, not stuffed into headings)
5. IMAGE SEO
- Every <img> must have a descriptive alt attribute that includes
relevant keywords (NOT just "image1.jpg")
- Format: alt="[what the image shows] - [Business Name] in [City]"
- Use the client's own images, or neutral solid/gradient placeholders with a visible "replace with your photo" note — never hardcode Unsplash photo IDs (they often resolve to the wrong or trademarked image). Always set width + height (or aspect-ratio) to prevent layout shift
6. LOCAL SEO SIGNALS
- Include full NAP (Name, Address, Phone) in the footer, matching the
schema data exactly
- Add a link to Google Maps with the business address
- Use location-specific keywords in at least 3 section headings
- If the page has testimonials, include the reviewer's city/area
7. TECHNICAL SEO
- Canonical tag: <link rel="canonical" href="[PAGE URL]">
- Language: <html lang="en">
- Charset: <meta charset="UTF-8"> + viewport meta (already required)
- All internal anchor links use descriptive text (not "click here")
- Loading performance: critical CSS inline, fonts via display=swap,
hero image eager, everything else lazy
- Keep the CSS and JS readable and editable — do NOT minify (this file is meant to be customized by the owner)
8. CONTENT SEO SIGNALS
- Write real, useful body copy (not just headings and bullet points).
Each major section should have at least one paragraph of 2-3 sentences
that describes the offering in natural language a search engine can parse.
- Use the primary keyword once or twice where it reads naturally; keep the rest in the title tag and meta description, never stuffed into copy.
- Include a clear call-to-action with anchor text that includes the
service keyword (e.g., "Book your appointment" not "Click here").
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DELIVERABLE
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One polished HTML file (~75-85KB), production-ready. Include JSON-LD
schema and print stylesheet. Show the file as a single code block and
briefly summarize the design decisions made.
This prompt builds an editorial portfolio site for an architect in one pass: a hero anchored by a featured project, a large-image project grid, a design-philosophy statement, a firm bio with awards, and a project inquiry form. Paste it into ChatGPT or Claude and you get a single self-contained HTML file that opens in any browser and can go live the same afternoon. The design gets out of the way so full-bleed photography and generous white space do the talking, the way a good gallery hangs work.
What does the architect website prompt build?
The spec is built to let the work carry the page: a hero with one strong project image, a portfolio grid where each project opens to scope, site, materials, and approach, a design-philosophy section, a firm bio with room for AIA awards and press, a project inquiry form, and a restrained, editorial layout that reads like a monograph. If you are deciding between a static portfolio and a database-driven CMS, our comparison of static site vs WordPress is worth a read before you commit.
Who is this architect prompt for?
It is made for solo architects, small firms, interior designers, and design-build studios that want a photography-forward presence without a bloated builder. A visual portfolio approach also suits neighboring creative fields; see the event planner portfolio prompt for a related layout. If you would rather delegate the build, we build static sites for a flat fee.
What’s inside the prompt?
- Business details block for studio name, location, and contact
- Project grid with large photography and room for a caption and year
- Project detail structure covering scope, site, materials, and approach
- Design-philosophy section for your point of view and process
- Awards and press band in the firm bio for credibility
- ProfessionalService JSON-LD schema plus title tag, meta description, and local signals
- Anti-pattern list that keeps the layout minimal and free of clutter
Frequently asked questions
How does the portfolio display my projects?
Projects appear in a large-image grid, and each one opens to its scope, site, materials, and approach, so the photography leads and the writing supports it. The layout is deliberately quiet, the way a printed architecture monograph lets the buildings speak.
Can I state my design philosophy and process?
Yes. A dedicated philosophy section gives you room to explain how you work, from first sketch through construction administration, which is often the part of a pitch that wins a commission over a competing firm with a comparable portfolio, because clients hire the thinking as much as the buildings.
Where do awards and press mentions go?
The firm bio includes a band for AIA awards, publications, and press features, so your credibility sits directly next to the work instead of being buried on a separate page a client never opens. Press logos in particular do quiet, immediate work on a first visit.
Can prospective clients start a project inquiry?
A structured inquiry form asks about project type, location, budget range, and timeline, which pre-qualifies leads so your first conversation starts with real scope instead of a vague request to “help me build a house.” That saves the back-and-forth that eats the first week of every new relationship.
Will the portfolio be found in local and AI search?
The prompt outputs ProfessionalService structured data with your studio’s location and discipline, plus semantic markup around each project, which helps search engines and AI assistants surface your firm for design searches in your area.
How to actually run this.
Copy the whole thing
All of it. Do not trim it down, every line is in there for a reason.
Swap in your details
Find the BUSINESS DETAILS part and drop in the real business. Name, what they do, all of it.
Paste and wait
Drop it into Claude for the first pass, or v0 if it is a landing page. Give it a minute.
Clean it up
Tweak the boring 10 percent. Spacing, mobile, that one cringe line. Ship it.
What’s next: from generated code to a website that works
The prompt did the hard 90 percent. What’s left is the boring 10 percent that turns a folder of code into a site people can actually find and trust. Here’s the whole checklist, in order.
1. Buy a domain
Grab your name at a registrar like Namecheap, Cloudflare, or Porkbun — about $10 to $15 a year for a .com. Skip the ten-year prepay and the upsells; you just need the domain and, ideally, the free WHOIS privacy most registrars now include.
2. Put it online
If the AI built you a static site (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript), you can host it for free: drag the folder into Netlify or Vercel, or connect a GitHub repo, then point your domain at it. If it built a WordPress theme, you need WordPress hosting — pick a managed host, install WordPress, upload the theme, and connect the domain. Either way, turn on HTTPS; it’s free and automatic on every modern host.
3. Wire up the parts AI skips
Generated sites almost always ship with a contact form that goes nowhere and a fake “success” message. Connect it to a real endpoint (Formspree, Web3Forms, or a plain mailto link) so leads actually reach you. While you’re in there: add a favicon, swap the placeholder images for your own compressed photos, and open the site on your phone to catch whatever breaks on a small screen.
4. Do the basic SEO and AI-search setup
This is what gets you found on Google and cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, and AI Overviews. The essentials: a unique title tag and meta description on every page, one clear topic per page, an XML sitemap submitted to Google Search Console, basic structured data (Organization and FAQ schema), and an llms.txt file so AI crawlers can read you. If that reads like a foreign language, our SEO optimization service does it as a flat-fee pass, and our free SEO checklist walks the DIY route step by step.
5. Make it fast
AI builders love shipping four-megabyte images and render-blocking scripts. Compress your images, lazy-load anything below the fold, and run the page through PageSpeed Insights until Core Web Vitals turn green — speed lifts both rankings and conversions, so it’s the rare fix that pays twice. Our speed optimization service handles it if you’d rather not.
6. Get found locally, and measure it
Add analytics (GA4, or a lighter option like Plausible) so you can see what’s working instead of guessing. If you serve a local area, set up a Google Business Profile and use the exact same business name, address, and phone number everywhere — that consistency is what lands you in the map pack and in local AI answers.
7. Keep it alive
A website isn’t set-and-forget, especially on WordPress. Budget for backups, security, and updates so a routine plugin update doesn’t take the site down six months from now. Our care plans cover all of it from $290 a month, or you can do it yourself — you own all the code either way.
When it’s worth handing off
If any of these steps stall you — and hosting, DNS, and SEO stall a lot of people — that’s exactly what we’re for. We build the whole thing at a flat fee, ship it live, and hand you the code on GitHub, having read every line the AI wrote. Or take the free prompts and run with it yourself. Both outcomes are genuinely fine with us.
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