Your images should let the jury understand the project without guessing what each view is meant to show. Start with a clear cover, then use supporting images to explain the setting, organisation and important details. You do not need a different image for every sentence of your description.
Check the upload requirements first
The following limits are published in the current IADA FAQ. Recheck the guidance beside the upload fields before preparing your final files.
| Item | Current requirement |
|---|---|
| Formats | JPG, PNG or WebP. |
| File size | Up to 5 MB per project image. |
| Pixel count | Up to 24 megapixels per project image. |
| Cover | Square, at least 1024 × 1024 pixels. Choose and confirm a square crop in the editor, or upload an already-square image. |
| Supporting images | Up to eight. Choose only the views that help explain the project. |
| Presentation boards | Not required. Photographs, renderings, drawings, diagrams and boards may be uploaded as images in the accepted formats. |
Give each image a job
The sequence below is a suggested editorial approach, not a required order or an instruction to fill every available slot. Adapt it to your project type.
01
Identify
A cover that makes the main idea legible at a glance.
02
Orient
A context view, plan or diagram that helps the reader understand the project.
03
Explain
Views that show spatial relationships, use or the design process.
04
Prove
A detail, material relationship or drawing supporting a claim in the description.
For a building, an exterior view may establish the project while a plan explains movement. For an interior, a wider view can establish the organisation before you show junctions or finishes. For a product, show the object clearly, then its scale, use and relevant construction detail. Use the images your project needs rather than following a fixed formula.
Choose a cover that survives a square crop
Check the actual crop before confirming it. Keep the principal subject away from the edges and make sure the crop does not remove the feature you describe. Avoid using a dense board as a cover if labels become unreadable at a smaller display size.
A 1024 × 1024 image meets the minimum cover dimensions, but the minimum is not a reason to enlarge a blurry source file. Start from a sharp original and export an appropriate copy. Keep your original files separately.
Remove repetition, not useful information
| If you notice… | Try this |
|---|---|
| Several nearly identical views | Keep the strongest and use the space for context or a detail. |
| An attractive image with no clear purpose | Ask what it teaches the jury about the project. Remove it if another image does the same job. |
| Tiny labels or crowded boards | Simplify the layout or use a closer view that remains readable. |
| A rendering presented like a completed photograph | State the project status clearly and distinguish proposed work from completed work. |
Credits and permissions are part of preparation
Record who created each photograph, rendering or drawing. If different people supplied images, keep a simple list matching each filename to the correct credit, then complete the account’s dedicated image-credit fields accurately.
Confirm that you have the authority to submit the project and the required permission to use the materials. Providing a photographer’s name does not itself grant permission. Keep identifying names and logos out of the jury presentation where the competition’s anonymity rules require this; put authorship and studio details in their dedicated fields.
Check the saved result
- Every file is accepted by the editor and displays correctly.
- The cover is square and the intended crop is confirmed.
- Supporting images are sharp enough to read, with no accidental duplicates.
- Credits correspond to the uploaded images.
- Both required permissions are completed.
- Changes are saved before you leave the editor.
If you remove a required cover after submitting, the project returns to Draft until you replace it and submit again. Always recheck the status after changing required materials.
Pair the images with a clear project description and use the final submission checklist. Check the submission deadline before making last-minute changes.