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...

Mónica Ponce de León on the Future of Architectural Licensure

2020-06-29T16:31:00-04:00

As schools of architecture around the country continue to focus on how they can make architecture more diverse and equitable, Princeton University School of Architecture Dean Mónica Ponce de León is on a mission to rethink the nature of architectural licensure as it exists in the United States.

Following the dean's recent statement in support of radically rethinking licensure, Archinect recently connected with Ponce de León to discuss the significant barriers to access created by licensure as currently designed, her efforts to bring diversity to the faculty and student populations at Princeton School of Architecture, and how licensure might change moving forward.

“To be or not to be” A Licensed Architect

2019-05-01T12:03:00-04:00

Herein lies a dilemma many face in architecture. Should one obtain a license or pursue something otherwise. It doesn’t seem like the professional path is so cut and dry anymore. At least this is true for the one wrestling with this question. Coincidentally, it is a dichotomy that is usually accompanied by a desire to pursue something alternative — even unorthodox. The question you’re asking is, “Is it okay for me to go this other way?” Isn’t it? You know that the tried and true path is to get your license, but yet you still yearn for something a little contrarian. So, how do you make a decision?