HKIA/ARB PA Paper 1 study guide

HKIA/ARB PA Paper 1 · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

The HKIA/ARB Professional Assessment is the professional assessment route that sits alongside registration under the Architects Registration Ordinance (Cap. The Architects Registration Board (ARB) administers registration, the ARB Code of Professional Conduct, the rules on use of the "Architect" title, and complaints; the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA) publishes the Professional Assessment pages, including the HKIA/ARB Professional Assessment Handbook, the notice and announcement section, and the e-Self Service. The HKIA/ARB PA Paper 1 study guide has 4 sections and about 1,882 words.

Professional Practice and Legislation: Cap. 408, the Register and the Code of Professional Conduct

This domain tests the statutory spine behind the protected title "architect" in Hong Kong and the conduct standards enforced by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA). Expect questions on who may hold out as an architect, what registration and renewal require, and when a conduct failure becomes a disciplinary matter.

480 words, about 2 min 02

Contract and Project Administration: Procurement, Tendering, Certification and Security of Payment

This domain tests how work is procured and how the architect administers the contract after award: tendering routes, contract documents, securities, certification, variations, time and money, and the statutory adjudication regime for payment disputes. Routes: open tender, selective tender with prequalification, negotiated, two-stage, design-and-build, management contracting.

486 words, about 2 min 03

Building Technology, Design and Construction: Statutory Control, Detailing and Site Practice

This domain tests technical judgement: how statutory controls shape design, how details perform, and what good site practice looks like. Questions often present a detail or a site situation and ask you to identify what will fail and why.

485 words, about 2 min 04

Professional Knowledge and Case Study: Issue-Spotting, Judgement and Ethics Under Pressure

This domain tests whether you can apply the other three domains to a messy scenario and reach a defensible professional judgement. Case questions reward issue-spotting, correct use of rules and a clear recommendation.

431 words, about 2 min