Archinect - News

Citing equity concerns, NCARB nixes its rolling clock policy for the ARE 5.0 and above

2023-02-23T19:24:00-05:00

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has just announced a milestone change to the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) process that will affect the ARE 5.0 and any subsequent versions to follow.

The organization says it will now do away with its five-year Rolling Clock Policy governing the length of time it takes to successfully pass each division of the exam and register as a professional architect in the United States. The change will go into place effective May 1st.

The decision was purportedly the result of an analysis that showed disparities of race and gender under the current policy in addition to a marked increase in candidates' competency where that policy was not in place, to begin with.

Previously on Archinect: Tell us your experience: Challenges on the path to architectural licensure

“This research-backed decision to eliminate the rolling clock policy was unanimously supported by the Board of Directors and the new score validity policy ...

European space scientists experiment turning lunar dust into building blocks

2018-08-24T16:25:00-04:00

Scientists with the European Space Agency (ESA) have created a terrestrial simulation of moon dust to practice making bricks with. And it appears lunar “soil” is significantly different from its terrestrial equivalent, as it can be crushed, burned and compressed to form building materials, or used as the raw material for 3D printing.

The European Space Agency (ESA) is experimenting with lunar dust as a building material with goals to avoid lifting hefty materials from Earth into space. Lunar dust is electrically charged and primarily composed of basalt (like volcanic rock) with 40% of its mass made of oxygen. ESA is testing this unique material to create solid blocks, which could potentially construct launch pads or lunar habitats.

NY Construction Alliance pushes for mandatory drug/alcohol testing on all NYC construction sites

2017-05-11T13:06:00-04:00

The New York Construction Alliance is urging City Council to consider mandatory drug and alcohol testing on all New York City construction sites.

NYCA president Kenneth Thomas recently made the following statement:

“New York Construction Alliance (NYCA) is committed to worksite safety and our members take proactive steps to prevent substance abuse-related incidents. In fact, our members already engage in proactive random drug tests on sites. Industry stakeholders such as the Associated Builders and Contractors and the Building Trades Employers Association have already expressed strong support for addressing the problem of drug and alcohol in the construction industry.

The City Council should consider how mandatory drug and alcohol testing could increase construction safety on New York City worksites. We look forward to discussing this issue with city officials and how a drug and alcohol testing mandate could help make our industry safer for all workers.”

The Associated Builders and Co...

The toy-like Mola Structural Kit allows architects to experiment with structural engineering

2016-11-29T14:02:00-05:00

How can architects determine if their designs are structurally sound? Aside from consulting with a professional structural engineering firm, the Mola Structural Kit offers a playful way to test out the strength and durability of various designs. The company has unveiled the second edition of the kit, which has been designed to be compatible with the first. Here's a video that explains it all:

ARE 5.0 officially launches today

2016-11-01T19:32:00-04:00

The ARE 5.0 is finally here, and it's eight hours and one division shorter than its predecessor. Additionally, new testing methods, including the soothing sounding drag-and-place, have been added to the exam. As a press release pithily explains:

"ARE 5.0 features the latest graphic testing methods, replacing vignettes with two new question types: hot spots and drag-and-place. ARE 5.0 also includes case studies, which provide candidates with multiple pieces of information and require them to assess and solve the types of problems architects face on a daily basis."

Archinect will be featuring an in-depth series of feature articles on the ARE; for now though, here's more on the exam:

Calatrava's megatall Dubai tower: engineers complete wind tests and seismic studies

2016-07-28T14:05:00-04:00

[...] has completed advanced wind tunnel tests on The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour, which is set to be 100 metres taller than the 828-metre Burj Khalifa when complete. Emaar said the wind tests were crucial in defining the final height and design aspects, while the project’s Spanish-Swiss architect Santiago Calatrava Valls added that they "were an important component in the structural design stage, and we have deployed innovative engineering techniques to confirm the strength of the new icon".

The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour project previously in the Archinect news:

NASA to start testing inflatable "space house" concept

2016-04-04T20:11:00-04:00

NASA is hoping a new expandable habitat might one day give astronauts a little more alone time. The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, or BEAM, will be ferried to the ISS later this spring for a series of tests expected to last several years...experiments will help determine the viability of expandable habitats, which weigh less and occupy less space on a rocket, as laboratories and living quarters for future deep-space missions.

This startup hopes to bring autonomous campus shuttles to colleges by 2017

2016-03-30T13:34:00-04:00

Since summer 2015, [Alex] Rodrigues and his team [at Varden Labs] have been tinkering with autonomous golf carts on university campuses...On the one hand, campus transit agencies, and particularly university ones, are uniquely posed to experiment with pricier autonomous vehicles...But these shuttles will also need maintenance...Plus, driverless shuttles will be the diving bell for a tricky, tricky question: how important are bus drivers?

ThyssenKrupp premieres 1:3 scale model of its MULTI rope-less elevator system

2015-11-06T14:16:00-05:00

[...] one year after announcing the concept of its game-changing MULTI elevator technology, ThyssenKrupp unveils a fully-functional 1:3 scale model at its Innovation Center in Gijn, Spain. The MULTI system uses linear motors instead of ropes, enabling horizontal movement and transforming conventional elevator transportation into vertical metro systems.

Previously on Archinect:

ThyssenKrupp's cable-free elevator test tower tops out in less than 10 months

2015-07-31T15:35:00-04:00

ThyssenKrupp's MULTI elevator test tower is happening, indeed — and at a seemingly impressive rate. Less than 10 months after starting construction, the currently 232-meter structure in the German city of Rottweil recently celebrated its topping out. ThyssenKrupp is aiming to have the tower fully built and go into operation by the end of 2016. Once complete, the company will begin testing the first units of their cable-free MULTI elevator system, which they unveiled late last year.

ThyssenKrupp credits the tower's smooth construction progress through the use of "an innovative slipforming technique — all on time and on budget", and they obviously won't be slowing down anytime soon. The final glass story and the top of the elevator shafts will be added to the tower over the next two weeks, bringing the structure up to 244 meters. The tower will then reach its 246 height when the facade is complete.

Interior work for the tower is scheduled for mid-August. Building services and elevat...

Up and Down, Side to Side; ThyssenKrupp's cable-free MULTI elevator to begin testing in 2016

2014-12-01T17:37:00-05:00

Many of us who have ridden inside an elevator since its invention 160 years ago are accustomed to hearing its ominous hums and creaks, as well as stories of malfunctioning elevators that cause people to be stuck inside for hours. So, the idea of hopping into a cable-free elevator in a mid to high-rise building can sound both thrilling and nerve-wracking. That idea is soon to become a reality for global transportation manufacturer ThyssenKrupp, who is set out to test the first units of their cable-free MULTI elevator system once the testing tower in Rottweil, Germany is complete by the end of 2016.

MULTI's design is derived from the company's TWIN control system and safety features. Deemed as the world's first cable-free elevator, MULTI includes a multi-level brake system and multiple self-propelled cabins that can be incorporated within the same elevator shaft.

Operating on a circular system, the elevators will be able to move vertically and horizontally in a loop at a speed of 5 m...