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Architect Exam Prep: The ARE Podcast

Architect Exam Prep: The ARE Podcast

著者： David Doucette & Eric Corey Freed
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概要

 Listen in as David and Eric talk about issues aimed at candidates preparing for the NCARB Architect Registration Exam (ARE) . We discuss topics related to helping you become a better test taker as well as become a more valuable employee.2012-2026 アート マネジメント・リーダーシップ リーダーシップ 教育 経済学
エピソード
  • 093. ARE Technical: Top 5 Tips for Project Development & Documentation (PDD)

    093. ARE Technical: Top 5 Tips for Project Development & Documentation (PDD)
    2026/04/08
    In this episode, David and Eric focus on the ARE PDD (Project Development & Documentation) exam, framing it as the construction documents phase in contrast to PPD’s schematic design and PA’s programming. They emphasize that PDD is less about memorizing content and more about using judgment, coordination, and decision-making at a detailed scale, and while it’s often seen as the most technically demanding division, they argue it’s best understood as an exam about “details and decision making.” Listen to the Audio Show Notes Key Concept: Scale & Phase Differences PA: Programming phase – big-picture, site plan / 1⁄16″ scale.PPD: Project planning & design – floor plan scale (1⁄8″, 1⁄4″), schematic design.PDD: Project development & documentation – detail scale (1⁄2″, 1″, 3″), full detail level.Same topics (structure, ADA, waterproofing, cost, etc.) appear across PA/PPD/PDD, but: The phase and scale determine the right decision, not the topic itself. Tip 1: PDD Is a Coordination Exam Before a Detailing Exam Architects act as coordinators (“master conductors”) among disciplines: Making sure sprinklers, beams, and ducts don’t clash, and that it all looks good. On PDD, the emphasis is: Integration of building materials & systems (~1/3 of exam).Construction documentation (~1/3 of exam). These domains show that PDD is fundamentally about coordination, not just isolated details.Context is critical: Example: vapor barrier placement can’t be memorized as “always on the warm side” – climate, building type, and other conditions change the correct answer.The test is a judgment test, not a pure memorization or math test. Tip 2: Know What Level of Detail Is Appropriate Distinguish what is under the architect’s responsible control vs. contractor’s: Architects do not dictate means and methods.Architects review shop drawings only for design/esthetic intent, not for buildability.Shop drawings and submittals: Shop drawings = detailed drawings (e.g., custom cabinets) by subs.Submittals = cut sheets, product data, samples, mockups, etc., provided by contractor.Architect reviews/approves for design intent, but doesn’t create them. Avoid over‑detailing or chasing hyper‑specific local practices: The exam assumes a general North American standard of care, not one office’s or one region’s quirks. Use rules of thumb, but always understand the why: Foundations below frost line → top of footing must be at or below frost depth (to avoid freeze–thaw heave).Expansive clay → generally go deeper or adjust foundation type.Understanding the reason behind rules allows you to adapt in different scenarios. Tip 3: Systems Questions Are About Selection & Sizing, Not Heavy Calculations Modern ARE format: No calculus or full engineering design.Possible light calculations: CFM, board feet, simple area comparisons, etc. Focus on: Selecting appropriate systems for building type and use. Example: Big-volume church used weekly → CAV system is reasonable.Elementary school with many small zones → CAV would be inefficient. Relative sizing, not exact engineering numbers. Example: Duct sizing based on approximate areas: If 12″×12″ (144 in²) doesn’t fit, 10″×15″ (150 in²) is “good enough.” Use common sense and elimination, not perfectionism. Strategy: Know a handful of basic formulas as backup.Understand how to apply them and what the quantities represent.Adopt a “reasonable and works in practice” mindset rather than “exact to three decimals.” Tip 4: Construction Documents Communicate, They Don’t Explain CDs are meant to: Be bid, permitted, and built from.Communicate design intent, not act as step‑by‑step instructions. Good CDs: Use coordinated plans, sections, details, schedules, and keys to convey information clearly and consistently.Avoid long explanatory paragraphs; if a detail needs a paragraph to explain it, it’s probably a bad or overly complex detail. Varying levels of completeness: Permit sets: Only enough for code review and approval; minimal extras.Bid sets: More detail on scope and quantities so contractors can price.Construction sets: May go further for clarity, but still aren’t “assembly manuals.” CD standard: Clarity over cleverness; communicate efficiently and consistently. Tip 5: Codes and Costs Are Filters at the Detail Level Architects are not cost estimators: Costs fluctuate daily; the exam expects conceptual understanding, not dollar-accurate pricing.Example: Galvanized < Stainless < Copper in relative cost; exact numbers not needed. Code and ADA at the detail level: Aim for detailed‑level compliance (meeting intent within real‑world tolerances).Buildings are not built to 1/32″; materials move, contractors shim and adjust. In AIA B101: Architect provides an “estimate of the Cost of the Work” at the end of each phase (SD, DD, etc.), often by: SF ...
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    42 分
  • 092. ARE Technical: Top 5 Tips for Project Planning & Design

    092. ARE Technical: Top 5 Tips for Project Planning & Design
    2026/03/27
    David and Eric discuss how PPD fits into the ARE sequence, how it differs from other divisions (especially PDD), and five key mindset/strategy tips for candidates. The main emphasis: PPD is about integration and judgment, not memorizing formulas or hyper‑detailed systems data. Listen to the Audio Show Notes Candidates often see PPD as “the big one” and psych themselves out.Compared to exams like PcM, PjM, CE, PA, PPD and PDD: Are longer and more technically demanding.Test how “architect‑like” a candidate thinks. Other divisions feel more siloed (e.g., contracts, firm types, corporate structures).PPD throws in multiple dimensions at once: cost, aesthetics, structure, codes, ADA, systems, site, climate, etc. → The challenge is the breadth and integration, not obscure content. Tip 1 – PPD is an Integration Exam, Not a Systems Exam PPD’s biggest module is Project Integration, and that’s where many struggle.The architect is the “conductor”: Coordinates structural, mechanical, electrical, code, and owner requirements.No one else on the team is integrating all of this. On questions: Don’t fixate on missing info (“that depends…”).Focus on the one or two key clues NCARB gives you.You’re not picking the perfect answer, you’re picking the best answer among several “good” ones.This requires adopting a realistic architect mindset (compromise, “good enough,” best fit). Tip 2 – Let Site and Climate Drive Design Decisions PPD is basically the schematic design phase: Programming is done; spaces and relationships are known.Now you must actually place and shape the building on its site. Candidates often underuse: Sun path, wind, micro vs. macro climate, orientation. Example: If the question says “Phoenix, Arizona,” that’s a huge clue: hot, dry climate → certain orientations and shading strategies are clearly better. Many candidates: Treat climate as secondary.Have never used a sun chart or don’t know they vary by latitude. Key message: If your design ignores the site and climate, it’s likely wrong – and NCARB is explicitly testing that. Tip 3 – Codes Shape Design; They Don’t Kill It Code thinking evolves across phases: Programming/PA: basic occupancy type, rough allowable height/area (e.g., table 503).PPD / schematic design: feasibility and layout: Allowable building height & area.Occupancy separations.Egress requirements and egress strategy. Codes aren’t “copy‑paste” details: Architects interpret the code and its intent.Egress, ADA, etc., are designed experiences, not just diagrams. Relationship to PDD: In PPD you decide: building type, heights, separations, general strategy.In PDD you detail and carry out those decisions. Bonus point: When codes conflict, it’s not either/or: You must comply with both; practically, you follow the more restrictive so both are satisfied. Tip 4 – Systems Questions Are Conceptual, Not Calculational PPD = still schematic design → things are fluid, nothing is sized to the last CFM.You might see very light “back‑of‑the‑envelope” math, but: Focus is on choosing appropriate systems conceptually, not crunching numbers. Example: Church used mainly on Sundays → large volume, infrequent use → CAV system makes sense.Music studio with small rooms: CAV could be noisy and inappropriate.Hydronic or quieter solutions may be more suitable. You use: Use type, occupancy pattern, acoustics, flexibility, climate as clues. Again: there is no “perfect” system, only the most appropriate given the clues.Don’t silo PPD vs. PDD: PPD‑style conceptual questions can show up on PDD, and vice versa.NCARB expects flexible knowledge application. Tip 5 – Budget Is a Design Constraint, Not a Math Problem In schematic design you do not: Produce detailed cost estimates or exact per‑unit pricing. You do: Understand relative costs: Brick vs. CMU: similar order of magnitude but different roles.Core‑ten vs. ACM panel vs. stucco.Marble countertop vs. plastic laminate. Recognize major cost drivers: Deep underground parking.High water tables and hydrostatic pressure.High‑performance envelopes for hurricane/tornado zones. As per B101 (Bonus Tip): Architect provides an estimate of the Cost of the Work at each phase (SD, DD, CD).Detailed cost estimates are typically done by a third‑party cost estimator or contractor, or as an additional service. Exam wise: If the owner wants a detailed cost estimate at SD, that’s unrealistic.PPD focuses on: “Given this budget constraint, which design move is more appropriate?” Closing Points from the Episode PPD vs. PDD distinction: PPD: concept, integration, “we’ll figure that out later.”PDD: “there is no later” – now you must detail and make it buildable. Candidates must: Stop chasing perfect answers and precision they don’t have at schematic phase.Work with clues, appropriateness, standard of care, and ...
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    34 分
  • 091. ARE Technical: Top 5 Tips for Programming & Analysis (PA)

    091. ARE Technical: Top 5 Tips for Programming & Analysis (PA)
    2026/03/20

    David and Eric discuss five tips for passing the programming and analysis (PA) division of the Architect Registration Examination (ARE). They emphasize that PA is about evaluation, not design, and highlight the importance of using highlighting tools for long, wordy questions. They stress that programming focuses on constraints before opportunities, using codes and zoning as filters, and that economics matter at a high level. Programming is about relationships and feasibility, not just square footage. They also note that PA questions are longer, providing more clues for candidates to use.

    Listen to the Audio

    Show Notes

    A. Setup & Mindset Shift

    • Why PA feels so different from PCM / PJM / CE and PPD / PDD
    • PA = gray area, long wordy questions, more about judgment than memorization
    • Bonus: practice using the exam highlighter—critical for PA’s long questions

    B. What PA Is Really About

    • Programming phase = problem seeking, not problem solving
    • No design yet: you’re evaluating constraints, feasibility, and relationships
    • You’re analyzing inputs: site, climate, soils, codes, zoning, owner’s program

    C. Five Core Tips

    1. Stop Designing – Evaluate, Don’t Solve
      • You haven’t designed anything yet
      • Compare options, surface risks, and recommend feasibility
      • Bubble diagrams and big‑picture fit, not plans and details
    2. Start With Constraints Before Opportunities
      • Environment + context: sun, wind, soils, climate, topography, neighbors
      • Look for what cannot be done first, then what could be done
      • Treat this as due diligence at the very start of a project
    3. Codes & Zoning Are Filters, Not Afterthoughts
      • Use setbacks, easements, FAR, occupancy, construction type as early filters
      • Goal: define the buildable area / envelope and check viability
      • You’re not doing deep PPD/PDD code work—just feasibility‑level analysis
    4. Programming = Relationships More Than Square Footage
      • Quantitative: room sizes, totals
      • Qualitative: adjacencies, privacy, sound, light, experience
      • Residential example: public vs. private zones, don’t dump a powder room on the kitchen
      • Good programs describe how spaces relate and feel, not just how big they are
    5. Economics Matter, But Only at a High Level
      • Rough cost per SF or per unit to test viability, not detailed estimates
      • Don’t blindly pick the cheapest option; PA is not a bid
      • Think: “Is this project basically viable on this site with this program?”

    D. How PA Connects to PPD & PDD

    • PA, PPD, PDD as three views of the same project at different scales
    • Studying PPD can make a PA retake easier (you see the “other side” of programming)

    E. Big Takeaway

    • You pass PA by thinking like an architect at the very beginning of a project:
      curious, constraint‑driven, feasibility‑focused, and comfortable in the gray area.

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    42 分
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