Architecture Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Architecture facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which influential 20th-century US architect designed the TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport (1962)? → Eero Saarinen
2. What is cross-laminated timber (CLT)? → Structural panels made of solid wood boards bonded in alternating perpendicular layers
3. What does a 'parking ratio' in site planning typically express? → The number of parking spaces required per unit of building area or use
4. In accessible design under the ADA, what is the maximum running slope for an interior ramp? → 1:12
5. Which model building code is most widely adopted across US states and municipalities? → International Building Code (IBC)
6. For a project, the architect is chosen using the ______ → Referral
7. Which zoning tool allows higher-density development in exchange for public amenities such as plazas or affordable housing? → Bonus density / incentive zoning
8. What is a 'topographic survey' used for in site design? → To map the contours and elevation changes across a site
9. A type of glass used in vision doors that needs to be shutter proof to be free of accidents → LAMINATED GLASS
10. What is the primary environmental concern addressed by 'grading and drainage' design on a site? → Managing stormwater runoff to prevent erosion, flooding, and pollution
11. What is daylighting in sustainable building design? → The intentional use of natural light to reduce electric lighting energy use
12. What is the function of a diaphragm in a building's lateral system? → To distribute lateral forces to vertical resistance elements like shear walls
13. In commercial real estate space planning, the 'load factor' (also called 'add-on factor') represents: → The difference between rentable and usable square footage expressed as a percentage
14. Which document formally establishes the date of substantial completion on a construction project? → AIA G704 Certificate of Substantial Completion
15. What is the purpose of ASHRAE 90.1? → Establishing minimum energy efficiency requirements for commercial buildings
16. The construction drawings and specifications specify the criteria for a project's construction in great detail. → Construction Docs
17. Which type of zoning district is typically most restrictive regarding land use? → Single-family residential
18. What does a sight line analysis help determine in site and building design? → Visibility to and from a site or key views within and from a building
19. The first principle of 'universal design' — 'equitable use' — means that a design should: → Be useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities without stigmatizing any group
20. In wayfinding design, which approach most reduces reliance on signage in a large hospital? → Clear spatial hierarchy with landmarks, daylight cues, and visible destinations
21. An architect receives an RFI revealing a conflict between the structural and architectural drawings. What is the proper response? → Issue a written clarification or supplemental instruction resolving the conflict
22. A theater lobby must handle 900 occupants. Besides code egress width, what design factor most affects the lobby's functional size? → Peak surge circulation during intermission and pre-show gathering
23. Frank Lloyd Wright's 'organic architecture' philosophy is best exemplified by which famous building? → Fallingwater (Kaufmann House)
24. The Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th century in the US and Britain was a reaction against: → Industrial mass production and the loss of craftsmanship
25. Under the IBC, occupancy classification determines which of the following? → Applicable fire protection, egress, and construction type requirements
26. A 'variance' in zoning allows an owner to: → Deviate from specific zoning requirements due to unique hardship
27. The Parthenon in Athens is considered the pinnacle of which architectural order? → Doric
28. During programming, an architect uses adjacency matrices primarily to determine what? → Which spaces should be located near each other
29. Which waterproofing strategy applies a membrane on the warm (interior) side of an insulated roof assembly? → Inverted roof membrane assembly (IRMA)
30. 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