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Professional Communication Skills
Ability to write and speak effectively and use representational media appropriate for both the profession & the general public
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Design Thinking Skills
Ability to raise clear and precise questions, use abstract ideas to interpret information, consider diverse points of view, reach well-reasoned conclusions, and test
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Investigative Skills
Ability to gather, assess, record, and comparatively evaluate relevant information and performance in order to support conclusions related to a specific project or assignment alternative outcomes against relevant criteria & standards
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Conduct investigations of complex problems
Use research-based knowledge and research methods including design of experiments, analysis and interpretation of data, and synthesis of the information to provide valid conclusions.
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Architecture design skills
Ability to effectively use basic formal, organizational & environmental principles & the capacity of each to inform two and three-dimensional design
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Pre-Design
Ability to prepare a comprehensive program for an architectural project that includes an assessment of client and user needs; an inventory of spaces and their requirements; an analysis of site conditions (including existing buildings); a review of the relevant building codes and standards, including relevant sustainability requirements, and an assessment of their implications for the project; and a definition of site selection and design assessment criteria.
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Site Design
Ability to respond to site characteristics, including urban context and developmental pattern, historical fabric, soil, topography, ecology and climate in the development of a project design.
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Codes and Regulation
Ability to design sites, facilities, & systems that are responsive to relevant codes & regulations including the principles of life-safety & accessibility standards
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Ordering systems
Ability to apply the fundamentals of both natural and formal ordering systems and the capacity of each to inform two & three-dimensional design.
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Use of case studies
Ability to examine and comprehend the fundamental principles present in relevant precedents and to make informed choices about the incorporation of such principles into architecture design projects
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Socio cultural study. History and Global Culture
Understanding of the parallel and divergent histories of architecture and the cultural norms of a variety of indigenous, vernacular, local, and regional settings in terms of their political, economic, social, ecological, and technological factors
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Cultural Diversity and Social Equity
Understanding of the diverse needs, values, behavioural norms, physical abilities, and social and spatial patterns that characterize different cultures and individuals and the responsibility of the architect to ensure equity of access to sites, buildings, and structures.
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Technical Documentation
Ability to make technically clear drawings, prepare outline specifications, and construct models illustrating and identifying the assembly of materials, systems, and components appropriate for a building design.
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Structural system
Ability to demonstrate the basic principles of structural systems and their ability to withstand gravitational, seismic, and lateral forces, as well as the selection and application of the appropriate structural system.
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Environmental systems
Ability to demonstrate the principles of environmental systems design, how design criteria can vary by geographic region, and the tools used for performance assessment. This demonstration must include active and passive heating and cooling, solar geometry, day lighting, natural ventilation, indoor air quality, solar systems, lighting systems, and acoustics
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Building Technology
Understanding of the basic principles involved in the appropriate selection and application of building envelope systems relative to fundamental performance, aesthetics, moisture transfer, durability, and energy and material resources.
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Building Materials & Assemblies
Understanding of the basic principles used in the appropriate selection of interior and exterior construction materials, finishes, products, components, and assemblies based on their inherent performance, including environmental impact and reuse
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Building service systems
Understanding of the basic principles and appropriate application and performance of building service systems, including lighting, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, communication, vertical transportation, security, and fire protection systems
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Professional practice, Stakeholder Roles
Understanding of the relationships among key stakeholders in the design process client, contractor, architect, user groups, local community and the architects role to reconcile stakeholder needs
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Project Management
Understanding of the methods for selecting consultants and assembling teams; identifying work plans, project schedules, and time requirements; and recommending project delivery methods
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Business practices
Understanding of the basic principles of a firms business practices, including financial management and business planning, marketing, organization, and entrepreneurship.
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Legal responsibilities
Understanding of the architects responsibility to the public and the client as determined by regulations and legal considerations involving the practice of architecture and professional service contract
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Professional Conduct
Understanding of the ethical issues involved in the exercise of professional judgment in architectural design and practice and understanding the role of the COA Code of Ethics in defining professional conduct.
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Integrated Evaluations
Integrated Evaluations and Decision-Making Design Process: Ability to demonstrate the skills associated with making integrated decisions across multiple systems and variables in the completion of a design project. This demonstration includes problem identification, setting evaluative criteria, analyzing solution.