Archinect - Features

Architectural Licensure at a Crossroads: An Interview with NCARB President Robert M. Calvani and President-Elect Alfred Vidaurri

2020-08-05T13:07:00-04:00

With growing criticism over how lengthy, expensive, and exclusive getting licensed can be, and a rising cohort of unlicensed practicing designers reshaping what it means to work in architecture, architectural licensure finds itself in a moment of relative crisis. Will the long-standing arrangement of education, apprenticeship, and rigorous examination continue or will new titles and firm structures usher in a post-licensure era?

To add to the conversation surrounding these licensure issues, Archinect recently connected with Robert M. Calvani, FAIA, NCARB and Alfred Vidaurri Jr., FAIA, NCARB, AICP, the 2020 President and 2021 President-Elect, respectively, of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, the independent organization that coordinates and supports licensure in the United States.

Archinect caught up with Calvani and Vidaurri to discuss their plans for the next two years, how NCARB is aiming to support diversity initiatives, and how the profession might mov...

The ARE Anxiety Phenomenon

2019-10-14T12:00:00-04:00

The Architectural Registration Exam is the gateway to licensure for thousands of aspiring architects across the country. Six divisions, hours of studying, years of schooling, and practice. It's an undertaking both exhilarating and debilitating, but at the same time, in its achievement, rewarding. For many candidates, however, preparation and study aren't the hurdle, but instead, it's the inescapable emotional obstacles that hold us back: the anxieties, distractions, and uncertainties surrounding the exam. We think of failing and try to fight off the fear that follows. "Everyone will think I don't have what it takes. I'll look like a fool," we might imagine. Why do things like this, and so many others cripple us? And how can we think about it in a new way?

The lazy architect's guide to completing continuing education credits

2016-09-23T11:59:00-04:00

What are continuing education credits, and why are they necessary? More importantly, what’s the easiest way of completing them? For your convenience, we've put together an overview of the AIA's Continuing Education System, and seven simple solutions for getting through it.