Archinect - News

NCARB delays licensing exams through end of May

2020-04-27T11:44:00-04:00

Prometric, the test administration company responsible for hosting NCARB's Architect Registration Examination (ARE), has decided to keep all test centers in North America closed until May 31, 2020. According to NCARB, when the test centers do reopen they will operate at 50 percent capacity to maintain social distancing for test takers. Additionally, if a test center becomes booked beyond the 50 percent capacity limit, Prometric will randomly select candidates to reschedule.

Due to the closures and test cancellations, NCARB has offered rescheduling at no-cost and has added an additional six months to test taker's rolling clocks. The organization will be hosting a live Webinar this Thursday, April 30th, to answer questions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the ARE.

Can architects really get away with cheating on their licensing exams?

2019-03-04T15:20:00-05:00

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards recently named and shamed eight people it said shared or received content from its Architect Registration Examination, a grueling, six-part test required to become a licensed architect — and which it says ensures people’s safety isn’t put at risk by sketchy designs.

Licensing exams are standard in many professions. However, to what lengths will people go in order to pass? The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) announced that eight individuals had been outed for cheating by a whistleblower from the group. Test materials were said to be shared via email forwarding, however one of the individuals affiliated with the incident claims what they had done was common in the industry. "It’s not like we snuck into the exam and took photos. We didn’t remove any content from any of the exams. We just had conversations,” said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “In any office, people talk about exams."

Image © gotcredit.com

Board certification is a requirement for those who wish to practice legally as architects. NCARB's CEO Michael Armstrong expresses the license as "a contract between the state and government. [...] If somebody has been inappropriately qualified … then that contract between the government and the pub...

NCARB opens up official certification to much wider field of architecture students

2017-02-14T18:50:00-05:00

If you didn't get a degree from a NAAB-accredited program, but have spent years accumulating Architectural Experience Program-worthy hours, you may now receive an official NCARB certification. How? Well, the details are spelled out in the press release below, but think of it as a potential reward for years spent working in the field while trying to pay for your education so you could work in the field. Some call it The School of Hard Knocks; others, "practical experience." Now feast your eyes on the full release:

NCARB Streamlines Path to Certification for Architects
Architects without a degree from an accredited program can pursue NCARB certification through a new path.

Washington, DC—The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has launched the first phase of its revised certification path for architects without a degree from a program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). The NCARB Certificate facilitates reciprocal licensure among t...

Taking your licensing exams? Prepare for ARE 5.0's release with NCARB's "Transition Calculator"

2015-11-04T12:53:00-05:00

NCARB is phasing out the ARE 4.0 and introducing the ARE 5.0 in late 2016, which means that depending where you are with your licensing exams, you'll probably need to figure out how your ARE 4.0 credits apply to the new version. Anticipating this need, the NCARB has released a "Transition Calculator" that allows you to plan your test path. Of note: although the ARE 4.0 won't be officially retired until June 30, 2018, once you jump to version 5.0, you can't switch back.

Editor's Picks #431

2015-10-09T10:37:00-04:00

Laura Amaya interviewed Giancarlo Mazzanti, founder and principal of El Equipo de Mazzanti. The two discussed "architecture for social inclusion...from a political point of view", play or leisure, and "an architecture made of parts...or open work".

Meanwhile the latest editions of Deans List: featured Kenneth Schwartz of Tulane School of Architecture and Amale Andraos of Columbia University's GSAPP. vado retro agreed that Tulane is a "great school in a great city. enjoy it while it is still above water."

News
In a collaboration with the Architecture Biennial, Archinect offered up an Chicago installment of Next Up, the live-podcasting event.

Patrik Schumacher shared some criticism of the event and participants "one still wonders whether these laudable concerns should usurp the space that was presumably meant to be allocated to contemporary architecture."

Herzog & de Meuron released the first look at their design for the new Vancouver Art Gallery, a significant update on the Gallery's ol...

There are too many architects in Italy

2015-03-11T22:09:00-04:00

a huge sum representing 27 percent of all the architects on the Continent...more architects than there are in the United States

Stephen Hayman talked with Luciano Lazzari, an architect in Trieste who is also the president of the Architects’ Council of Europe. Late last year ACE released their biennial Sector Study of the profession.

h/t @Geoff Manaugh

Obama budget to require states to analyze the costs and benefits of their job-licensing requirements

2015-01-28T12:18:00-05:00

If Obama were truly interested in reducing inequality, writes Nick Gillespie, he would work to reduce occupational licensing

Jonathan Chait writes about the Obama administration’s plan for the federal budget, which moving forward will contain a new line-item, $15 million for states to analyze the costs and benefits of their job-licensing requirements.

New podcast, new banknotes, new neurons: Weekly News Round-Up for October 6, 2014

2014-10-13T20:27:00-04:00

Sunday, October 12:

A classic American look, feng shui notwithstanding: Investigating the impact of wealthy Chinese immigrants on suburban Seattle's real estate boom.

Saturday, October 11:

Indiana Ponders Abolishing Licensing for Architects: Part of a state-wide reconsideration of more than "200 types of professional licenses, permits and certifications", aimed at cutting regulatory costs.
Announcing "Archinect Sessions", our brand new podcast! Listen to Episode #1 now: We're launching a weekly podcast to discuss prominent news items, feat. members of the Archinect community and other special guests. Ep. #1: "Where are the women?"

Thursday, October 9:

Architects Create a 3-D Printed Column That Survives Earthquakes: Made of cement and based on ancient Incan techniques.
Renzo Piano admits he's "struggling to do something good" for the LA Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences project: A fable to remind us that architecture is never solely the product of architects.

Wednesday, October 8:...

NCARB announces it will create program for architecture students to graduate with licensure

2014-05-30T21:37:00-04:00

In a major adaptation to U.S. licensure rules, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards has proposed a new option for gaining licensure -- simply through the process of an architecture education. As announced in a NCARB press release earlier today, architecture students could earn intern experience and take their licensing exam while still in school, to receive licensure upon graduation. This stands in addition to the previous paths to licensure, and is completely optional.

The details behind the plan are still hazy, as NCARB puts together a task force of top architecture organizations (including the AIA and NAAB) to design how a "licensure-at-graduation" program could work. Research and plans for implementation are said to last a couple more years, with NCARB sharing their plans with interested schools in October 2014. But at this point, at the very least, the proposal is a step towards facilitating the process of becoming a licensed architect.

From NCARB's Board of ...

Texas to require architects be fingerprinted, starting January 1st, 2014

2013-12-11T12:43:00-05:00

So what happens if an architect in good professional standing is revealed to have a minor crime on his record due to being fingerprinted? Could he lose his license, despite the quality of his work? The TBAE absolutely reserves that right.

The requirement applies not just to new applicants, but also to licensed architects seeking to have their registrations renewed. Violators face a fine of up to $5,000 per day in which they are not in compliance with the new law. Currently only one other state (Massachusetts) even runs criminal background checks on architects. Now Texas is upping the ante.

Why Architecture's Identity Problem Should Matter to the Rest of Us

2011-10-12T12:41:25-04:00

Rather than spending their energy protecting their territory and titles, what if architects and their associations focused on resolving our nation’s housing crisis, improving our schools, or generally creating more inspiring environments for people to live their best lives?