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. Which model building code is most widely adopted across US states and municipalities? → International Building Code (IBC)
5. For a project, the architect is chosen using the ______ → Referral
6. Which zoning tool allows higher-density development in exchange for public amenities such as plazas or affordable housing? → Bonus density / incentive zoning
7. What is a 'topographic survey' used for in site design? → To map the contours and elevation changes across a site
8. A type of glass used in vision doors that needs to be shutter proof to be free of accidents → LAMINATED GLASS
9. What is the primary environmental concern addressed by 'grading and drainage' design on a site? → Managing stormwater runoff to prevent erosion, flooding, and pollution
10. What is daylighting in sustainable building design? → The intentional use of natural light to reduce electric lighting energy use
11. What is the function of a diaphragm in a building's lateral system? → To distribute lateral forces to vertical resistance elements like shear walls
12. 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
13. What is the purpose of ASHRAE 90.1? → Establishing minimum energy efficiency requirements for commercial buildings
14. The construction drawings and specifications specify the criteria for a project's construction in great detail. → Construction Docs
15. Which type of zoning district is typically most restrictive regarding land use? → Single-family residential
16. 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
17. 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
18. Frank Lloyd Wright's 'organic architecture' philosophy is best exemplified by which famous building? → Fallingwater (Kaufmann House)
19. 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
20. Under the IBC, occupancy classification determines which of the following? → Applicable fire protection, egress, and construction type requirements
21. A 'variance' in zoning allows an owner to: → Deviate from specific zoning requirements due to unique hardship
22. The Parthenon in Athens is considered the pinnacle of which architectural order? → Doric
23. Which waterproofing strategy applies a membrane on the warm (interior) side of an insulated roof assembly? → Inverted roof membrane assembly (IRMA)
24. Le Corbusier's 'Five Points of a New Architecture' (1926) included which of the following? → Pilotis, free plan, free facade, horizontal windows, and roof garden
25. The Masterformat's Division 10 → Specialties
26. Under the IBC, which occupancy group typically applies to a hospital? → I-2
27. Which standard governs the fire resistance ratings of building assemblies in the US? → ASTM E119
28. What is the primary purpose of zoning regulations in US municipalities? → Regulating land use, building height, setbacks, and density by district
29. Per ADA Standards, the minimum diameter of clear floor space required to allow a wheelchair user to make a 360-degree turn is: → 60 inches
30. In space planning, 'net square footage' refers to: → The usable floor area within a space, measured from the interior face of walls