The verdict in three sentences
For an architecture practice, the website is the permanent reference file that a competition jury, a developer or a bank's real estate team checks before calling you. A portfolio of 45 projects sorted by typology, with client, floor area, construction cost and renders, costs £10,000 to £25,000 from a London studio or USD 12,000 to 30,000 in Dubai in 2026, while Kolonell's brochure grid sits between 800,000 and 3,500,000 FCFA (EUR 1,220 to 5,340), delivered in 5 to 7 weeks. With fees of 6 to 10 % of construction cost, one extra project won through the site repays the investment many times over.
Who looks at your site, and what they look for
A 14-person practice usually lives on three sources: public competitions (ministries, councils, state agencies), private developers, and banks or insurers building headquarters or branches. In London that means RIBA competitions and housing associations, in Dubai master developers and hospitality groups, in Dakar the new Diamniadio districts and the Corniche. Each reads the site differently.
The jury wants comparable references, with values and dates. The developer wants delivered schemes, deadlines kept and cost control. The bank wants restraint, certifications and proof that the practice has handled large construction budgets.
| Client profile | What they check first | Page that answers | Typical fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public competition jury | Comparable references, values | Filterable project sheets | 6 to 8 % of construction cost |
| Residential developer | Delivered schemes, renders, timelines | Portfolio and live projects | 6 to 9 % |
| Bank or insurer | Headquarters, security, office references | Commercial page and team | 7 to 10 % |
| Hotel or resort | Atmosphere, materials, photography | Hospitality gallery | 8 to 10 % |
| Development agency or NGO | Schools, clinics, controlled costs | Public buildings page | 6 to 8 % |
| High-end private client | Villas, style, budget | Villas gallery | 8 to 10 % |
On an office building with £8 million of construction (about USD 10 million), 7 % fees mean £560,000. That is the order of magnitude that justifies a carefully built showcase.
Structuring a 45-project portfolio that convinces a jury
Every project sheet follows the same template: client (or "confidential"), location, year, floor area in m², construction cost, scope of appointment (concept, scheme design, planning, site supervision), three to eight images and a simplified plan. Filters by typology, year and value let a jury find "three office projects above £3 million delivered since 2020" in 10 seconds.
Renders carry weight. A fast site compresses images to WebP or AVIF, loads galleries on demand and keeps a project page under 1.5 MB on first display, which matters for jurors opening the link on a phone. A "Competitions" page lists won, shortlisted and ongoing competitions with dates and status. The site's languages are set in the quote; in Dubai an Arabic version is often requested by government clients.
| Site component | London or Dubai studio (2026 estimate) | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|
| Simple 5-page site | £3,000 to £6,000 / USD 4,000 to 8,000 | Starter 800,000 to 1,200,000 FCFA (EUR 1,220 to 1,830) |
| Filterable portfolio and blog | £6,000 to £12,000 / USD 8,000 to 15,000 | Growth 1,200,000 to 2,000,000 FCFA (EUR 1,830 to 3,050) |
| Animations, advanced SEO, heavy galleries | £12,000 to £25,000 / USD 15,000 to 30,000 | Premium 2,000,000 to 3,500,000 FCFA (EUR 3,050 to 5,340) |
| Private area for competition files | Quoted separately | Quoted separately |
| Monthly maintenance | £150 to £500 / USD 200 to 600 | 75,000 FCFA (EUR 114, Standard) |
| Time to launch | 8 to 12 weeks | 5 to 7 weeks |
See the details of our brochure website service.
What makes the difference in a competition
Jurors rarely download a 60-page PDF. They open the site from the link in the application. A "References for competitions" page that groups comparable projects, downloadable completion certificates and partner CVs shortens their work. Add professional registration (ARB in the UK, the relevant engineering and architecture registers in the UAE), indemnity insurance and partner engineering firms. A related example: the engineering consultancy website built for public tenders.
Mini case study
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James, managing partner of a 14-person practice in Clerkenwell, picks the Premium tier at 2,800,000 FCFA (about EUR 4,270) with Standard maintenance at 75,000 FCFA (EUR 114) a month. First-year cost: EUR 4,270 + 12 × 114 = about EUR 5,640.
Before the new site, the practice won 2 competitions out of 15 entries a year. With a filterable portfolio and complete project sheets, it targets 3 out of 15. A mid-sized win, a school with £4 million of construction and 7 % fees, brings £280,000. The website costs around 2 % of the fees from a single additional project. Even if the extra win comes from a developer rather than a competition, the maths holds.
FAQ
Should we publish the construction cost of each project?
Yes when the client allows it, because juries compare values. A range such as "£3 to 5 million" is enough for 80 % of projects.
How many images per project?
Three to eight, compressed to WebP. Beyond that, the page exceeds 3 MB and slows down on mobile.
Can the site host competition files?
Yes, through a password-protected private area for a jury or a client. That module is quoted separately depending on the number of users.
Who updates the portfolio after launch?
Your team, from a simple interface. Standard maintenance at 75,000 FCFA (EUR 114) a month covers technical updates, backups and publishing support.
How long does content preparation take?
Allow 2 to 3 weeks on your side to select the 45 projects, write the sheets and collect client approvals.
Let's scope your project. Send us your project list and upcoming competitions, and we will scope the portfolio and a 5 to 7 week launch plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.