AARE case studies
AARE · Put your knowledge to work in context.
AARE stands for the Architect Registration Examination, the licensing exam that jurisdictions use to decide whether a candidate may practice architecture independently. It is written for interns and graduates who have completed the required experience record and are ready to move from supervised work to registered status. The exam is delivered in English and combines multiple-choice and multiple-select items with graphic vignette or case-based items, so it tests judgment under realistic project constraints rather than isolated recall. Content spans the full arc of practice: pre-design and project planning, site and environmental analysis, building design and programming, structural systems and building technology, environmental and MEP systems, codes, zoning and accessibility, materials, methods and specifications, contract administration and construction observation, and professional practice, ethics and project management. The AARE case studies are 5 cases and about 2,994 words.
1Four-Story Infill: Single Stair, Change of Occupancy, and Accessible Entry
A 1925 four-story, 18,000 sf building is being converted: 4,500 sf retail on grade and 4,500 sf of business office on each of floors 2–4. The only interior stair is 44 in wide with 36-in clear doors at each floor; the building has no sprinkler and no exterior stair.
650 words, about 3 min2Humidity and Pressure in a Medical Office Retrofit
A 12,000 sf outpatient clinic is being retrofitted in a humid climate. It has 24 exam rooms and 2 procedure rooms.
625 words, about 3 min3Rock at Six Feet: Differing Site Conditions and Late Written Notice
A 9.2 million elementary school is under construction on a site where the geotechnical report showed bedrock at 10–12 ft below grade. While excavating an interior footing, the contractor encounters weathered rock at 6 ft.
577 words, about 3 min4Fast-Track Library and the 14% Overrun
A library board has a 12.0 million total construction budget for a new 45,000 sf library. The architect is at 60% design development and has just received a contractor’s estimate of 13.7 million.
570 words, about 3 min5Mezzanine in a 1918 Warehouse
A 1918 warehouse is being converted to offices and a public market. The building is 30,000 sf with 24-ft-high unreinforced brick bearing walls, heavy-timber interior framing, and a 5-in slab-on-grade.
572 words, about 3 min