ARE 5.0 · Division 03 of 06

PAProgramming & Analysis

What happens before design: understanding a site, its context and its constraints, and turning a client’s needs into a program. Building analysis and programming is the largest share — expect questions about new and existing buildings, sites and zoning.

questions

testing time

objectives

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01 — Content areas

What's on the exam, and how much each part counts.

Weighting ranges are NCARB's, shown as a share of scored questions. The heavier the rule, the more the content area counts.

14–21%

1 Environmental & Contextual Conditions

1.1Evaluate site-specific environmental and socio-cultural opportunities

1.2Evaluate site-specific environmental constraints

1.3Determine optimal use of onsite resources by incorporating sustainability principles

16–22%

2 Codes & Regulations

2.1Identify relevant code requirements for building and site types

2.2Identify relevant zoning and land use requirements

2.3Identify relevant local and site-specific requirements

21–27%

3 Site Analysis & Programming

3.1Evaluate relevant qualitative and quantitative attributes of a site as they relate to a program

3.2Synthesize site reports with other documentation and analysis

3.3Analyze graphical representations regarding site analysis and site programming

37–43%

4 Building Analysis & Programming

4.1Evaluate relevant qualitative and quantitative attributes of a new or existing building as they relate to the program

4.2Evaluate documentation, reports, assessments, and analyses to inform the building program

4.3Identify and prioritize components of the building program

4.4Assess spatial and functional relationships for the building program

4.5Review and assess the feasibility of the project budget and schedule to meet the project scope

4.6Identify alternatives for building and structural systems for given programmatic requirements, preliminary budget, and schedule

4.7Analyze graphical representations regarding building analysis and building programming

02 — Sample questions

Try a few. Every answer is explained.

Question 1Objective 3.1

A site rises 6 feet over a horizontal distance of 120 feet. What is the slope?

Question 2Objective 2.2

A 20,000 sf lot has a maximum floor area ratio of 2.5. What’s the maximum gross floor area?

Question 3Objective 2.3

What’s the best first source for a municipality’s long-range intentions for the area around a site?