Architecture Architectural Design 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An architect overlays a new wing onto a historic building using a clearly modern glass connector. Which preservation design principle does this reflect?
- Differentiating new work from old while keeping it compatible (Correct answer)
- Exactly replicating the historic facade in new construction
- Demolishing the historic fabric for consistency
- Hiding the addition underground in all cases
Correct 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.
Question 2: A design team wants to reduce a large building's apparent mass on a residential street. Which strategy is most effective?
- Stepping back upper floors and articulating the facade into smaller bays (Correct answer)
- Using a single monolithic material with no openings
- Increasing the building height at the street wall
- Painting the entire building one dark color
Correct 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.
Question 3: In climate-responsive design, a double-loaded corridor scheme is LEAST effective for which goal?
- Cross-ventilation of individual rooms (Correct answer)
- Efficient use of circulation area
- Maximizing rentable floor area
- Shortening travel distances to units
Correct answer: Cross-ventilation of individual rooms
Rooms on a double-loaded corridor have openings on only one exterior wall, preventing true cross-ventilation.
Question 4: Which drawing type best communicates the vertical relationship of interior spaces, floor levels, and ceiling heights to a client?
- Building section (Correct answer)
- Floor plan
- Site plan
- Reflected ceiling plan
Correct answer: Building section
A section cuts vertically through the building, revealing level changes, volumes, and ceiling heights.
Question 5: 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?
- About 61,500 square feet (Correct answer)
- About 26,000 square feet
- About 40,000 square feet
- About 104,000 square feet
Correct 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.
Question 6: Which facade strategy best controls glare in a north-facing artist's studio in the United States?
- Large glazing with minimal shading, since north light is diffuse (Correct answer)
- Deep horizontal louvers to block direct sun
- Mirrored glass to reflect all light
- Eliminating windows entirely
Correct 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.
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of a design charrette?
- Rapid, collaborative generation and testing of design ideas with stakeholders (Correct answer)
- Final pricing of construction bids
- Legal review of the owner-architect agreement
- Inspection of completed construction
Correct 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.
Architecture Architectural Design 4
An architect overlays a new wing onto a historic building using a clearly modern glass connector.
Which preservation design principle does this reflect?