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
A mixed-use project must place retail, parking, offices, and apartments on one urban block. Which vertical arrangement is most conventional and marketable?
Answer: Retail at street level, parking and offices in the middle, apartments on top
Active retail belongs at the street, while residences occupy upper floors for light, views, and quiet.
Which concept describes designing spaces that can serve different functions over time with minimal reconstruction?
Answer: Flexibility or adaptability (loose fit)
Loose-fit, adaptable design anticipates changing uses through generic dimensions, open plans, and accessible systems.
A theater lobby must handle 900 occupants. Besides code egress width, what design factor most affects the lobby's functional size?
Answer: Peak surge circulation during intermission and pre-show gathering
Lobbies are sized for surge conditions when nearly all patrons occupy the space at once during intermission.
When locating a building on a steep slope, which strategy minimizes site disturbance and cut-and-fill?
Answer: Stepping the building with the contours or raising it on piers
Terracing with the slope or lifting the structure on piers preserves natural grade and reduces earthwork.
Which daylighting device bounces light deep into a floor plate while shading the view glazing below it?
Answer: A light shelf
A light shelf reflects high daylight onto the ceiling plane while acting as an overhang for the vision glass beneath.
In wayfinding design, which approach most reduces reliance on signage in a large hospital?
Answer: Clear spatial hierarchy with landmarks, daylight cues, and visible destinations
Intuitive wayfinding comes from legible circulation, memorable landmarks, and sightlines to destinations rather than signage alone.
A design uses a repeated structural bay but varies the facade treatment where the building meets a public plaza. Which principle does this illustrate?
Answer: Unity with variety, emphasizing a special condition within a regular system
Varying an element within a repetitive system creates emphasis and interest while maintaining overall coherence.