HKIA/ARB PA Paper 3 study plan
HKIA/ARB PA Paper 3 · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Case Study
Map the Case Study domain into recurring scenario types (e.g. statutory submission, site supervision, contract administration, professional conduct) and list the decision points each type tests.
Build a personal checklist of the statutory and administrative steps that govern a typical project lifecycle in Hong Kong from feasibility to occupation permit.
Practise reading a scenario for the actual question asked, distinguishing the architect's duty to the client from the duty to the Building Authority and to the public.
Draft issue-spotting notes on three practice scenarios written from memory, without consulting references.
Your checkpoint
A one-page decision-point matrix covering at least six scenario types, plus three timed issue-spotting outlines of about 200 words each.
Case Study
Work through full Case Study answers under time pressure, allocating minutes per mark and stopping at the limit.
Identify where answers lose marks through vague phrasing and rewrite those sentences into specific, actionable statements.
Compare your answers against model reasoning structure (issue, rule, application, conclusion) and correct structural gaps.
Compile a personal error log of recurring mistakes with a corrective rule for each.
Your checkpoint
Two complete timed case answers (about 45 minutes each) with a self-marked error log of at least ten entries.
Professional Practice and Regulations
Consolidate the statutory framework governing architectural practice: registration, the Architects Registration Ordinance, and the professional code of conduct.
Trace the statutory submission and approval process, including the roles of the Building Authority, the Building Appeals Board, and related ordinances.
Summarise the key requirements of the building regulations and allied codes that most often appear in exam scenarios.
Identify the professional-conduct triggers in a scenario (conflict of interest, competence, advertising, fees, confidentiality) and state the correct response.
Your checkpoint
A condensed reference sheet of no more than four pages covering statutes, submission stages, and conduct rules, written in your own words.
Professional Practice and Regulations & Case Study
Answer regulation-based short questions from memory and check each against the reference sheet.
Apply regulatory knowledge to a case scenario involving non-compliance or an enforcement notice.
Explain the architect's obligations when a client instructs something unlawful or unsafe.
Consolidate weeks 1 to 4 into a single revision index with cross-references.
Your checkpoint
A closed-book self-test of 30 short questions scoring at least 80 percent, plus one written case response on an enforcement scenario.
Contract and Project Management
Distinguish the common procurement routes and standard forms of contract used in Hong Kong and state the risk allocation of each.
Map the contract administration cycle: instruction, variation, valuation, certification, payment, and completion.
Explain the roles and liabilities of the contract administrator, the employer's agent, and the certifier under different arrangements.
Summarise time, cost, and quality control mechanisms including extension of time, liquidated damages, and defects liability.
Your checkpoint
A comparison table of at least four procurement and contract routes across risk, payment, and administration, plus a one-page contract administration flow chart.
Contract and Project Management & Building Design and Technology
Work through contract-based case scenarios involving delay, variations, and payment disputes and reach a reasoned position.
Link design decisions to buildability, statutory compliance, and cost consequences in scenario answers.
Explain the principles behind common building technologies and systems and where they influence design and approval.
Practise justifying a design or technical recommendation in writing with reference to codes, standards, and performance.
Your checkpoint
Two written scenario responses (one contract, one design-and-technology) of about 400 words each with reasoned conclusions.
Building Design and Technology
Consolidate structural, materials, fire safety, and environmental design principles that recur in Paper 3 questions.
Explain the implications of site constraints, geotechnical conditions, and neighbouring development on design and approval.
Summarise sustainability, energy, and accessibility requirements and how they interact with statutory submissions.
Identify technical content that still feels weak and produce targeted revision notes for each gap.
Your checkpoint
A two-page technical summary plus a gap list of no more than five weak areas with a specific revision action for each.
Building Design and Technology & Case Study & Professional Practice and Regulations & Contract and Project Management
Sit two full mock papers under exam conditions and mark them strictly against the mark allocation.
Revisit the error log and confirm each recurring mistake has been corrected.
Revise the condensed reference sheets across all four domains in a single pass.
Rehearse time allocation and answer structure so that every question receives a complete response.
Your checkpoint
Two completed mock papers with self-marked scores, a final corrected error log, and a one-page exam-day strategy sheet.
Milestones
Week 2: You can produce a structured Case Study answer within the time limit without referring to notes, and your error log shows recurring mistakes rather than new ones.
Week 4: You score at least 80 percent on the closed-book regulation self-test and can apply a regulation correctly to an enforcement scenario.
Week 6: You can compare procurement routes and contract administration duties from memory and justify a position in a delay or payment dispute scenario.
Week 8: Both mock papers are completed within time, all four domains are represented in your reference sheets, and every error-log entry has a confirmed corrective rule.