Architectural Design & Planning Flashcards
7 cards from real CMA 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 & Planning flashcards as text
Which principle of universal design ensures that the same means of use is available to all people without the need for adaptation or specialized design?
Answer: Equitable use
The principle of equitable use holds that the design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities without requiring separate or stigmatizing alternatives.
A 'regulating line' in classical and contemporary architectural composition serves to:
Answer: Establish alignments that visually coordinate and unify disparate elements of a facade or plan
Regulating lines are geometric alignments—often diagonals, verticals, or horizontals—that relate architectural elements to one another, creating visual order.
When designing for daylighting, the 'daylight factor' (DF) is defined as:
Answer: The ratio of interior illuminance at a point to simultaneous exterior illuminance under overcast sky conditions
Daylight factor expresses interior daylight as a percentage of the diffuse light available outdoors under a standard overcast sky, independent of sun position.
An 'egress court' as defined by the International Building Code (IBC) must lead to:
Answer: A public way or yard that provides a clear path to a public street
An egress court is an open space that connects exit discharge to a public way, ensuring occupants can fully escape the building and reach safety.
In sustainable site planning, which strategy most effectively reduces the urban heat island effect?
Answer: Increasing the reflectivity (albedo) of paving and roofing surfaces and adding urban tree canopy
High-albedo surfaces reflect rather than absorb solar radiation, and tree canopy provides evapotranspiration cooling, both of which counteract heat island formation.
The ADA Standards for Accessible Design require that accessible routes connecting accessible building entrances to accessible spaces have a maximum running slope of:
Answer: 1:20 (5%)
The ADA specifies that accessible routes may not exceed 1:20 (5%) slope; steeper slopes are classified as ramps and trigger additional requirements.
In environmental graphic design, 'wayfinding' systems are most effective when they prioritize:
Answer: A hierarchical structure of decision points that delivers information when and where users need it
Effective wayfinding delivers the right information at decision points in a clear hierarchy so users navigate intuitively without information overload.