architect54

Seeking out examples of ethics and architecture, on Saturday I came across these two youtube clips. The first of German architect, Christoph Ingenhoven, discusses the image of a building creating a “unfair” (or dangerous) image and his (considered by others) moralist position. The second clip of Chinese artist, Ai Weiwei, discusses artwork spurred by deaths caused by the collapse of Chinese school buildings after a recent earthquake. Both clips have ethical implications for architects. Take a moment to think where you stand.

Arts.21 | Architecture & Ethics

Arts.21 | Still Unbowed Ai Weiwei in Munich

I’m still studying for the Structural Systems part of the Architect Registration Exam. Only a weekend after my study week did I do NCARB’s exam questions from their free exam guide. All but 2 of the questions that required calculating I got wrong. That was not good.

In addition I looked at the exam description and sample questions and realized I may have been a bit misguided in a previous post. NCARB says you need to be able to “Apply general structural principles to the design and construction of buildings.” That does not exactly mean what I said in my SS Study Week is Over post:

Basically know how to choose (calculate) a beam or column size. Same thing for masonry walls. Understand structural decision-making for concrete. Because it is a composite it’s more complicated, but still understand. (That could mean calculate beam size or rebar area. I’m not too sure. I’m still studying.)

I have to clarify that post. Knowing what’s above will help, but you may be able to pass with a well rounded compartmentalized understanding of structures (statics and materials’ properties) without having to actually calculate a beam size. A kind of abstract structural component understanding may be adequate to pass the exam. If you can determine how the components of a formula or structure are affected when a variable is altered, this may be adequate to overcome the exam. That’s my impression from re-reading NCARB’s free study guide and the A.R.E. Strategies Podcast. Don’t take my word for it. Study up and prepare.

@arch_girl is getting ready for the construction documents exam by reading up on the Sample AIA Documents that can be downloaded from the bottom of that NCARB page. So I went to look for these files that are not on NCARB’s site. (They should be on the AREforum’s FTP.) These files are the B141-1997 Commentary and the A201-1997 Commentary. Find them both here http://www.aia.org/contractdocs/AIAS076659. Or download the pdf here A201-1997 Commentary and B141-1997 Commentary.

I recommend reading these. Each gives you both the contract and a contract description at the same time. Parts of the commentary are written to clarify changes from the previous contract. Thus the commentary may not elucidate certain general contract elements the AIA thinks the versed professional understands. Still I recommend these two files for the Construction Documents and Services part of the Architect Registration Exam.

When you print these, print at a darker setting (adjust the contrast) on your printer, so you can read the soft gray contract text. This is a warning so you don’t waste paper!