Black Spectacles, an online education program providing architects with resources on their path to becoming licensed and advancing their careers, is pleased to unveil Spectacular—a free online platform that helps architects with career growth and leads firms to great talent.  

Recognized by Inc. Magazine as the 11th fastest growing education company in the United States, Black Spectacles has spent the last decade supporting and inspiring architects through world-class educational materials. In fact, 75% of the top 50 architecture firms currently subscribe to Black Spectacles. With a mission to remove barriers to career expansion and pave the way for creative potential, Black Spectacles’ Founder and CEO Marc Teer recognized an opportunity to elevate the architect’s portfolio and transform traditional job boards into meaningful connections. 

Spectacular will streamline the job searching experience by offering a modern alternative to the profession’s traditional sharing of portfolios in printed and pdf format. In addition, Spectacular will feature and rotate projects—both conceptual and completed work—on the website’s homepage serving as inspiration for other users, expediting the speed at which new ideas are shared, and giving job seekers increased exposure. Architecture firms will be able to post job openings, showcase their firm’s profile, and search for architects that meet specific criteria.

“As we have matured and developed our company’s core purpose—to help architects thrive in their careers—it has become clear to me that designing a strong architecture portfolio and job hunting are two recurring challenges,” explained Teer. “The pandemic has significantly impacted the profession of architecture and forced many firms to adapt remote work scenarios. This transition has the potential to open up remote job opportunities for architects across the globe, unlike ever before. Spectacular will address this accelerated need for a virtual platform where architects can post their resume, projects, and portfolios to be connected with firms that are hiring around the world.”

As a licensed architect and AIA Fellow (FAIA), Teer has developed an awareness of the challenges associated with career development in the architecture profession. His past experiences include transitioning out of architecture school, joining Gensler, and helping his fellow peers with career guidance during his two-year tenure as Chair of the AIA Chicago Young Architects Forum. Through his involvement in the industry, Teer realized he had a passion for helping architects advance in their careers by removing obstacles to career expansion.

Today, Teer’s enthusiasm for helping architects navigate their careers has been realized through a natural progression and expansion of Black Spectacles’ product offering. In preparation for the launch of Spectacular, Black Spectacles formed a 10-person product advisory board, including both young and experienced professionals from multiple continents, ranging from firm owners to Harvard University professors, to advise on the direction of Spectacular and fulfilling the needs of individual architects and firms. 

Board member Martha Thorne, the executive director of the Pritzker Architecture Prize and Dean of IE School of Architecture and Design, said, “Even with so much information circulating on the Internet,  there is a real need for a platform where young architects can showcase their work and find job offerings on a carefully designed site. The development of Spectacular by a company founded by architects with an entrepreneurial mindset promises to fill a need in the best possible way.”

Spectacular’s landing page is now live at https://spectacular.design currently offering professionals the ability to request an invitation to use the free platform. Invitations will be extended in January of 2021 during the official launch of Spectacular to cultivate an active, interested community of architects and firms.

About Black Spectacles

Black Spectacles provides support and inspiration to architects through world-class educational material and career resources at every stage of their careers. Marc Teer, FAIA, an award-winning architect, founded the company in 2010 to democratize the learning process and remove barriers to career expansion while helping architects thrive and foster career growth. As the first and only NCARB-approved test prep provider for all six divisions of the ARE® 5.0 exam, the subscription-based software has established Black Spectacles as a preeminent figure in sophisticated online learning. Through comprehensive and contemporary educational technology, media, and a burgeoning platform, Black Spectacles paves the way for expansive creative potential in architecture and design.