Getting Brutal. A brutalist portfolio of who I am, what I do and the accomplishments I've done

This is a submission for the New Year, New You Portfolio Challenge Presented by Google AI

About Me

I'm Vicente Reyes, known in the digital creative world as Highcenburg. Based in the Philippines, I operate at the intersection of logical rigor and artistic expression. As a Full-Stack Developer and Audio Engineer, I build digital experiences that don't just work—they SLAP. My goal for this portfolio was to move away from the "minimalist gray" trend and embrace a bold, high-contrast Neubrutalist aesthetic that reflects my personality as both a coder and a musician.

Portfolio

How I Built It

The stack for this project was chosen for performance, type safety, and raw visual impact:

• Frontend Framework: React 18 with Vite for lightning-fast HMR.
• Styling: Tailwind CSS for rapid neubrutalist UI construction, utilizing custom shadows and hard borders.
• Animations: Framer Motion for that signature "bouncy" neubrutal feel.
• Google AI Integration: I used the @google/genai SDK to build my AI Twin. This is a context-aware assistant powered by the gemini-3-flash-preview model.
  • I fed the model a structured knowledge base of my entire project history and service pricing as a system instruction.
  • The AI acts as a 24/7 project consultant, answering technical questions about my stack or specific project details with a personality that matches the site's edgy vibe.

What I'm Most Proud Of

Aside from realizing I've done 25+ projects in total, I'm also most proud of the AI Twin integration. Unlike standard chatbots that feel robotic, this assistant uses Gemini's advanced reasoning to contextualize my experience. If you ask it "Why should I hire Vicente for Shopify?", it doesn't just list my skills—it references specific projects like Herb Guard or Renegade Jewelry to build social proof. It effectively bridges the gap between a static resume and a live consultation.

Technically, achieving a consistent neubrutalist look that remains accessible in both Light and Dark modes was a fun challenge. Seeing the high-contrast shadows flip seamlessly from black to off-white while maintaining visual hierarchy is incredibly satisfying.