Architectural Design Flashcards
7 cards from real Architecture practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Architectural Design flashcards as text
An architect overlays a new wing onto a historic building using a clearly modern glass connector. Which preservation design principle does this reflect?
Answer: Differentiating new work from old while keeping it compatible
The Secretary of the Interior's Standards call for additions that are compatible yet distinguishable from the historic fabric.
A design team wants to reduce a large building's apparent mass on a residential street. Which strategy is most effective?
Answer: Stepping back upper floors and articulating the facade into smaller bays
Upper-story setbacks and facade articulation break a large volume into a scale sympathetic to smaller neighbors.
In climate-responsive design, a double-loaded corridor scheme is LEAST effective for which goal?
Answer: Cross-ventilation of individual rooms
Rooms on a double-loaded corridor have openings on only one exterior wall, preventing true cross-ventilation.
Which drawing type best communicates the vertical relationship of interior spaces, floor levels, and ceiling heights to a client?
Answer: Building section
A section cuts vertically through the building, revealing level changes, volumes, and ceiling heights.
A university programming study lists 40,000 net square feet of required spaces and assumes a 65% net-to-gross efficiency. What gross area should the concept design target?
Answer: About 61,500 square feet
Gross area equals net area divided by efficiency: 40,000 divided by 0.65 is roughly 61,500 square feet.
Which facade strategy best controls glare in a north-facing artist's studio in the United States?
Answer: Large glazing with minimal shading, since north light is diffuse
North-facing openings in the northern hemisphere receive consistent diffuse light with little direct sun, so heavy shading is unnecessary.
What is the primary purpose of a design charrette?
Answer: Rapid, collaborative generation and testing of design ideas with stakeholders
A charrette is an intensive collaborative workshop for quickly exploring and vetting design concepts.