DKCM
DKCM’s charming visual style and personality make for lovely scrolling. The firm’s use of color to distinguish its own images from its inspiration-focused posts (which are black and white) is a nice touch, too. Image via the Instagram account
In a few short years, what had originally been a place to share your selfies and unsolicited lunch snaps has become a meticulously curated platform for self-promotion—a personal portfolio of sorts. However, Instagram’s ubiquity affords it further influence beyond record-breaking pictures of eggs. (Yes, that happened. The internet is a weird place.)
Since its launch in 2010, Instagram has turned the design world on its head. Thanks to the growing prevalence of “Instagrammability” (an eye-catching quality that’s ideal for getting “likes” and shares) the design and photography of built space has taken on a life of its own.
Consequently, an Instagram presence has become critical to any architecture practice’s public relations and media strategy. An Instagram account is essentially a 21st-century digital architectural monograph, with hashtags thrown in for good measure. Nowadays, a few eyebrows would be raised if a young designer or a successful architectural practice shrugged off the question “What’s your Instagram account handle?” with an “Oh, I don’t have one.” (Looking at you Heatherwick Studios!)
The result is the “professional” Instagram account: a slick collection of images presented by a faceless narrator. The influx of these accounts has made it harder to find interesting and unique posters in a sea of designers simply cropping to a square and uploading the result.
We’ve selected just a few Instagram accounts that cleverly utilize the platform, whether it’s through their curation, styling, or content.
Think we’ve missed a few? Let us know! Send your selections to our comments email at the bottom of the article. (Also, don’t forget to check out Metropolis’s own Instagram!)
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Morphosis ArchitectsGood things come in threes. Morphosis will simultaneously post three images—one process-focused, one model, and one conceptual drawing—that all relate to a single project. Despite its age (Thom Mayne established the firm in 1972), Morphosis has clearly learned to make the most of this new platform. It’s professional Instagram at its most engaging.
Image via the Instagram account
Morphosis ArchitectsGood things come in threes. Morphosis will simultaneously post three images—one process-focused, one model, and one conceptual drawing—that all relate to a single project. Despite its age (Thom Mayne established the firm in 1972), Morphosis has clearly learned to make the most of this new platform. It’s professional Instagram at its most engaging.
Image via the Instagram account
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Ice Cream BooksThough not explicitly architectural, Ice Cream Books combines two of our favorite things in the most surreal and arguably architectural fashion. These images are equal parts playful and delicious.
Image via the Instagram account
Ice Cream BooksThough not explicitly architectural, Ice Cream Books combines two of our favorite things in the most surreal and arguably architectural fashion. These images are equal parts playful and delicious.
Image via the Instagram account
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False Mirror OfficeFalse Mirror Office’s feed is perhaps best experienced in Instagram’s grid format. Their strong visual style and confident use of white space makes for an incredibly satisfying experience.
Image via the Instagram account
False Mirror OfficeFalse Mirror Office’s feed is perhaps best experienced in Instagram’s grid format. Their strong visual style and confident use of white space makes for an incredibly satisfying experience.
Image via the Instagram account
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MORRIS+COMPANYMorris + Company (formerly known as Duggan Morris Architects) share often-delicate, pastel-toned architectural models, materials, and photos that beautifully and simply communicate the practice’s design process.
Image via the Instagram account
MORRIS+COMPANYMorris + Company (formerly known as Duggan Morris Architects) share often-delicate, pastel-toned architectural models, materials, and photos that beautifully and simply communicate the practice’s design process.
Image via the Instagram account
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Norman Foster’s personal InstagramThis account is an absolute goliath on the platform. Foster + Partners' Instagram account is hyper-polished, which makes Norman Foster’s personal account all the more fascinating as a direct juxtaposition. It’s a fun one to follow, as it gives a less serious sneak peak (albeit still a curated one) into Foster's daily life.
Image via the Instagram account
Norman Foster’s personal InstagramThis account is an absolute goliath on the platform. Foster + Partners' Instagram account is hyper-polished, which makes Norman Foster’s personal account all the more fascinating as a direct juxtaposition. It’s a fun one to follow, as it gives a less serious sneak peak (albeit still a curated one) into Foster's daily life.
Image via the Instagram account
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Jerry LarsonThis architecture professor’s account shares bite-size bits of architectural history, covering Romanesque castles in Normandy all the way to more contemporary projects in the U.S. Larson, who teaches at the University of Cincinnati, has also recently launched another equally fascinating historical account that focuses purely on Chicago’s history (
@thearchprofessorinchicago).
Image via the Instagram account
Jerry LarsonThis architecture professor’s account shares bite-size bits of architectural history, covering Romanesque castles in Normandy all the way to more contemporary projects in the U.S. Larson, who teaches at the University of Cincinnati, has also recently launched another equally fascinating historical account that focuses purely on Chicago’s history (
@thearchprofessorinchicago).
Image via the Instagram account
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ParlourPerhaps one of the more unusual additions to this list, Parlour is an Instagram account that has takeovers by guest contributors every week. This provides new voices to a wider audience and makes the account a great way to add new and diverse content to your stream.
Image via the Instagram account
ParlourPerhaps one of the more unusual additions to this list, Parlour is an Instagram account that has takeovers by guest contributors every week. This provides new voices to a wider audience and makes the account a great way to add new and diverse content to your stream.
Image via the Instagram account
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IhaveathingforwallsA wall isn't only a load-bearing element, but also a space for expression. Ihaveathingforwalls' crowd-sourced content is a global collection of walls and frontages that capture colorful imagery full of character. (However, the account hasn’t posted since last October, so we hope they’re still around!)
Image via the Instagram account
IhaveathingforwallsA wall isn't only a load-bearing element, but also a space for expression. Ihaveathingforwalls' crowd-sourced content is a global collection of walls and frontages that capture colorful imagery full of character. (However, the account hasn’t posted since last October, so we hope they’re still around!)
Image via the Instagram account
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Geometry ClubBudding architectural photographers unite! This is account serves as a catalogue for those facade geometry perfectionists among us. It’s incredibly satisfying to scroll through its posts.
Image via the Instagram account
Geometry ClubBudding architectural photographers unite! This is account serves as a catalogue for those facade geometry perfectionists among us. It’s incredibly satisfying to scroll through its posts.
Image via the Instagram account
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Flores & PratsBlending the rigor of academic theory with architectural practice, Flores & Prats’ Instagram account documents their process with countless images of models and drawings at their Barcelona studio.
Image via the Instagram account
Flores & PratsBlending the rigor of academic theory with architectural practice, Flores & Prats’ Instagram account documents their process with countless images of models and drawings at their Barcelona studio.
Image via the Instagram account
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Slum BeautifulDesmond Meek’s photography aims to capture snapshots of the spirit of contemporary America. He typically reflects on the diversity and the beauty of the American building typology while capturing moments of decay.
Image via the Instagram account
Slum BeautifulDesmond Meek’s photography aims to capture snapshots of the spirit of contemporary America. He typically reflects on the diversity and the beauty of the American building typology while capturing moments of decay.
Image via the Instagram account
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