Architecture Cover Letter: Examples & Templates

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Christian Eilers, CPRW

Career Expert

Updated: June 19, 2024

Reviewed by:

Roma Kończak, CPRW

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Whether it’s designing buildings, planning renovations, or writing project specifications, you have an edifice complex. You’re the next Nouvel.

But first, you need to prove it to them. You need an architecture cover letter that’s as sturdy as bedrock and stands out from the others like a flagpole from a bay window.

This architecture cover letter guide will show you:

Architecture cover letter examples better than 9 out of 10 others.
How to write a perfect cover letter architecture design firms love.
Tips on how to grab their attention with a professional architectural cover letter.
Architecture cover letter examples to gain a lot of inspiration.
How to sell yourself on a cover letter to get the architecture jobs you want.

Writing an architectural cover letter that’s as strong as a Vierendeel truss is easier than you think. Read on to learn more!

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architecture resume and cover letter set

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Sample cover letter for a resume—See more cover letter examples and create your cover letter here.

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Considering similar positions too? See other cover letter examples for jobs in your industry:

Want to explore your options further? See our full selection of cover letter examples for every career: Best Cover Letter Examples for All Professions

First, here’s our take on the perfect cover letter for architect jobs:

Architecture Cover Letter Sample

Ilona Turenchenko

1234 35th St, #6

Astoria, NY 11106

March 1, 2019

Jessica Calatrava

Hiring Manager

SHoP Architects

233 Broadway, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10279

Dear Jessica,

As an urban design student and NYC-based architect, I was thrilled when I stumbled across your opening for the junior architect position. My previous architecture experience has honed my creativity, design, and teamwork skills, among others, and I know I have the skills and knowledge required to take SHoP Architects into the next chapter.

During my time at Big Apple Architects, I learned and developed many skills and abilities which would carry over well into the junior architect role at SHoP. My 2+ years of experience producing design and construction document drawings gives me an excellent starting point for this new role.

During my time at BAA, my wins included:

Delivered all project budgets within 99% accuracy of completed costs.
Led design of more than 25 residential and commercial building properties.
Instituted new collaboration approach with project management team which saw a 35% decrease in planning time.

As my accomplishments show, I am very proud of the work that I do, whether it’s interpreting design intent into working drawings or leading production of CAD drawings. If awarded the opportunity to prove myself at SHoP, I will come with that same work ethic and motivation.

I would welcome the chance to discuss SHoP’s upcoming projects and plans and share with you how my wins at BAA can easily transfer to your agency for any project type.

Sincerely,

Ilona Turenchenko

P.S. I’d love to meet you for a coffee and explain how I believe my 99% budget accuracy could be translated to my work at SHoP Architects.

How about that?

Want to double-check your architecture resume to be certain that’s on point? Here’s our guide on that: Architecture Resume Examples & Tips.

1. What’s the Best Format for an Architecture Cover Letter?

Before you begin writing, plan your architecture cover letter to have structural integrity. How? Format your cover letter for architects in a manner as simple as post-and-beam construction.

Here’s a sample architect cover letter outline to follow like a basic parti pris:

Architect Cover Letter Sample—Format Template

Your contact info and the date of writing
The architectural design agency’s details in a business letter format
An opening greeting (e.g., Dear Ms. Calatrava,)
An intro statement which gets their attention
A paragraph on why you’re the perfect architect for hire
A paragraph on why this specific architectural firm is perfect for you
A closing sentiment with a powerful call to action
A complimentary close (e.g., Sincerely) and your full name
Optionally, a postscript (P.S.) after your signature block

That’s the cover letter massing. But how long should a cover letter be for architect positions?

Keep your application letter between 200–300 words, depending on experience. That’s enough to sum up your experience and wins while maintaining spatial organization.

To read more about choosing the best architectural cover letter components, see this article: What to Include in a Cover Letter?

2. An Architect Cover Letter Intro HR Managers Love

Architect jobs are expected to grow by 4% between 2016 and 2026 in the US, adding more than 5,500 jobs. That means, you’ve got to stand out like the colors on St. Basil’s Cathedral.

To do that, you need an architecture cover letter opening that the firm’s principal will love. See this architecture cover letter examples to know how to do it right.

Architect Cover Letter Greeting / Salutation

Start with their name. People respond to hearing their name, according to MRI scans—first name, especially. Here’s how tough that is:

Architecture Cover Letter Example—Salutation

wrong
Dear sir or madam,

right
Dear Jessica,

Easy as a 90° corner! Search the agency’s website, scour LinkedIn, or pay the Russians to find the partner’s name you should address it to.

If you’re feeling you need to be more formal, their last name beats no name: Dear Ms. Calatrava. Can’t find their name at all?

Don’t worry. Choose a neutral cover letter salutation, such as Dear Hiring Manager. That’s still better than To whom it may concern!

Don’t care for Dear? Not able to find a name? We’ve got other options for various scenarios: How to Start a Cover Letter: Sample & Guide [20+ Examples]

Architect Cover Letter Introductory Statement

Like a ribbon-cutting for the opening of a new skyscraper, all eyes will be on this intro statement. So, here’s the floorplan for how to introduce yourself on a cover letter:

Cover Letter for Architecture Job Examples—Introductions

wrong
My name is Ilona, and I’d like to apply for the junior architect position you posted. After reviewing your various projects around the city, I see that my tastes align with the architectural styles you employ.

right
As an urban design student and NYC-based architect, I was thrilled when I stumbled across your opening for the junior architect position. My previous architecture experience has honed my creativity, design, and teamwork skills, among others, and I know I have the skills and knowledge required to take SHoP Architects into the next chapter.

That wrong one is all about you you you. It’s cheap vinyl siding compared to the solid stone cladding of the right example. In the right one, you give off some enthusiasm, relevant skills, and it perfectly segues into the main body section coming up.

Pro Tip: A generic cover letter is as bland as a single-color facade without windows. Don’t be bland. Tailor the cover letter as we did here instead of writing one cover letter to send to all the architecture and design firms in the city.

There are other ways to go about your architecture introduction statement. For more ideas, see: How to Write a Cover Letter: Sample & Guide [20+ Examples]

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3. Write a Great Middle for Your Cover Letter for Architects

It’s now time to span your worthiness for the job in the main body. In the next 2–3 paragraphs, here’s what the architecture cover letter body area needs to cover:

Explain why you’re the best architect candidate for the job.
Give numbers to prove some key past accomplishments.
Demonstrate the skills and know-how you have match their needs.
Show them they’re the only architectural firm you want to be at.

Here’s a sample junior architect cover letter body:

Cover Letter Architecture Example—Body Paragraphs

During my time at BAA, my wins included:

Delivered all project budgets within 99% accuracy of completed costs.
Led design of more than 25 residential and commercial building properties.
Instituted new collaboration approach with project management team which saw a 35% decrease in planning time.

This brief body is a mere three paragraphs in length, but it talks up your achievements, experience, and skills like a simple design diagram.

Strong as a catenary arch!

Pro Tip: Use keywords like you did on your architectural resume. Also, choose the best cover letter fonts to make it legible. Don’t take it for granite—maximizing the readability of your architectural design cover letter maximizes your chances for an interview!

Need more ideas on how to tweak these middle bits? We’ve got all the cover letter dos and don’ts here: 35+ Professional Cover Letter Tips and Advice

4. How to Close Architectural Cover Letters Like a Boss

A masonry vault can’t support itself until the keystone is finally installed. Same on an architecture cover letter: It’s not structurally or strategically sound until you end the cover letter in a way that makes the agency principal keen on opening up the resume after.

So, here’s the blueprint for a strong closing paragraph:

Architecture Cover Letter Examples—Closing Paragraph

wrong
I look forward to a call back from you at your earliest convenience.

right
I would welcome the chance to discuss SHoP’s upcoming projects and plans and share with you how my wins at BAA can easily transfer to your agency for any project type.

The first one one is cold, short, and strict—an architectural design flaw. The second one, though, is as hip as an all-’round inward-sloping roof. It brings it to a satisfying close and politely invites the agency partner to learn more about you.

Powerful and beautiful as a Late Gothic corbel. Now, a closing sentiment and your full name:

Sample Cover Letter Architecture—Valediction

Sincerely,

Ilona Turenchenko

Tough, right? And finally, we have the postscript. Adding a P.S. below the signature on your architecture design cover letter isn’t mandatory.

However, it’s a great hack to try grabbing their attention one last time. Here’s one in practice:

Architecture Cover Letter Samples—Postscript

P.S. I’d love to meet you for a coffee and explain how I believe my 99% budget accuracy could be translated to my work at SHoP Architects.

How about that? You added a human touch in this postscript, and you also remind them of your impressive accomplishments once again. That’s how you do it.

Pro Tip: Writing a cover letter for architecture internships? The same rules apply. On an architecture internship cover letter, first study the job ad to understand your daily duties. Then, talk up your biggest wins and skills which highlight your ability in those areas.

Looking for more ideas on how to close out a landscape architecture cover letter? We’ve a great guide right here: How to End a Cover Letter: Sample & Complete Guide [+20 Examples]

Key Takeaway

Now you have an architecture cover letter that deserves a Pritzker Prize.

Let’s sum up.

Here’s how to write the perfect cover letter for architect jobs:

Format your cover letter template in a way that’s structurally sound.
Begin with a captivating intro statement that entices them to read further.
Talk up the architecture skills and design experience you’d bring to the firm.
Prove you are the perfect candidate with numbered accomplishments.
Show them that this specific architectural design firm is the one for you.
End your architect’s cover letter using a powerful closing statement.
Add a postscript below your signature for one last chance to catch their eye.

Last but not least, use our expert architecture cover letter examples to cover each of your architectural cover letter sections the rightest way.

And... THAT’S an architect cover letter that stands out above the rest like the Jeddah Tower!

Have any questions on how to write a cover letter for architects? Not sure how to talk up your design skills or relate your architecture achievements? Get at us in the comments below, and we’ll answer your questions. Thanks for reading!

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