History, Theory, Planning, Practice
30%of exam
Utilities, Structural Conceptualization, Building Materials, Technology
30%of exam
Architectural Design and Site Planning
40%of exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- PRC Licensure for Architects
- Schedule
- Two examination days
- June dates
- June 8 and 10, 2026
- Area I
- 5 hours; 30%
- Area II
- 5 hours; 30%
- Area III
- 10 hours; 40%
- Passing average
- 70% weighted
- Subject floor
- No grade below 50%
- Education
- Recognized BS Architecture
- Experience
- Two diversified years
- Master's credit
- One experience year
Area I Quartet
History, theory, planning, practice share Area I
History: manifestationsTheory: design principlesPlanning: settlementsPractice: professional duties
Program vs Syllabi
PRC Program
- Dates and times
- Subject weights
- Exam-day rules
Board Syllabi
- Knowledge scope
- Area rationale
- Building types
Logistics vs content scope
Practice Document Picker
- Need scope and compensation→Service agreement(Notarized writing)
- Need project requirements→Architectural program(Before design)
- Need concept direction→Schematic design(Initial solution)
- Need coordinated solution→Design development(Refine systems)
- Need form and location→Drawings(Graphic information)
- Need quality requirements→Specifications(Written standards)
- Need construction obligations→Contract documents(Read together)
- Need site resolution→Site development plan(Coordinate whole site)
Architectural History
- Origins
- Beginnings of architecture
- Prehistoric works
- Dolmen menhir cromlech
- Historic styles
- Period centers characteristics
- Western succession
- Ancient through modern
- Asia-Pacific
- Regional architectural development
- Philippine architecture
- Legacies and pillars
- Style influences
- Historical environmental sociocultural
- Heritage work
- Preservation conservation restoration
Statutory Triad
Utility, strength, beauty frame architecture
Utility: functionStrength: soundnessBeauty: aesthetic quality
Drawings vs Specifications
Drawings
- Graphic information
- Form and location
- Dimensions and relationships
Specifications
- Written information
- Quality requirements
- Materials and workmanship
Show work vs describe quality
Design Theory
- Architecture
- Art and science
- Design process
- Transforms needs into form
- Need-specific elements
- Respond to user requirements
- Structural elements
- Support and stabilize
- Circulatory elements
- Organize movement
- Protective elements
- Separate and shelter
- Anthropometrics
- Human body dimensions
- Proxemics
- Cultural interpersonal space
- Tropical architecture
- Climate-responsive design
- Master architects
- Philosophies and works
Design Responsibility vs Construction Supervision
Architect-of-record
- Total project design
- Signs issued documents
- Assumes design liability
Architecture-in-charge of construction
- Construction supervision
- Responsible field direction
- Separate defined role
Design responsibility vs site supervision
Planning
- Planning process
- Classify analyze propose
- Urban planning
- City-scale organization
- Regional planning
- Interlocal development framework
- Comprehensive planning
- Coordinates multiple systems
- Land-use planning
- Allocates compatible activities
- Urban design
- Shapes public urban form
- Human settlements
- Housing policies and production
- Site planning
- Ecological functional spatial response
- Landscape architecture
- Site development and landscape
Anthropometrics vs Proxemics
Anthropometrics
- Body dimensions
- Reach and clearance
- Physical fit
Proxemics
- Interpersonal distance
- Culture affects spacing
- Social comfort
Body size vs social space
Architectural Practice
- Practice statutes
- Regulate professional work
- Professional organization
- Integrated accredited body
- Ethics
- Guides professional conduct
- Service spectrum
- Defines architectural services
- Fees
- Compensate agreed services
- Competitions
- Select design proposals
- Contract documents
- Define construction obligations
- Specifications
- Describe quality and standards
- Quantity surveying
- Measures work quantities
- Project management
- Coordinates resources and delivery
Schematic vs Contract Documents
Schematic Design
- Explores concept
- Tests organization
- Early project phase
Contract Documents
- Defines obligations
- Coordinates construction information
- Later project phase
Explore solution vs direct construction
RA 9266 Roles
- PRBoA
- Regulates architecture practice
- Architect
- Registered and licensed professional
- Architect-of-record
- Responsible for total design
- Architecture-in-charge of construction
- Responsible for construction supervision
- Consulting architect
- Recognized specialist
- Structural conceptualization
- Conceives structural arrangement
- Service agreement
- Notarized scope and compensation
- Professional seal
- Signals document responsibility
- Instruments of service
- Architect's intellectual property
Weighted Average vs Subject Floor
Weighted Average
- Combines three areas
- Must reach 70%
- Uses official weights
Subject Floor
- Applies separately
- No grade below 50%
- Cannot average away
Meet both passing conditions
Eligibility and Rating
- Citizenship
- Filipino or reciprocity-qualified
- Character
- Good moral character
- Degree
- Recognized BS Architecture
- Experience
- Two diversified years
- Experience certifier
- Registered licensed architect
- Architecture master's
- Credits one experience year
- Weighted average
- At least 70%
- Subject minimum
- At least 50%
Utility Family
Water, air, power, sound, safety, signals
Water: plumbing drainageAir: HVACPower: electricalSignals: communications
Structural Concepts
- Mechanics
- Forces and equilibrium
- Strength of materials
- Stress strain capacity
- Theory of structures
- Structural behavior analysis
- Seismic analysis
- Earthquake response principles
- Timber
- Wood structural systems
- Reinforced concrete
- Concrete plus reinforcement
- Structural steel
- Steel framing systems
- Composite structures
- Combined material action
- Advanced methods
- Emerging construction systems
Materials and Construction
- Civil works
- Site and infrastructure works
- Carpentry
- Timber construction work
- Joinery
- Finished wood assemblies
- Concrete and masonry
- Mineral-based construction
- Sheet metal
- Thin-metal fabrication
- Waterproofing
- Resists water penetration
- Dampproofing
- Controls moisture migration
- Insulation
- Controls heat or sound
- Glass and glazing
- Transparent enclosure systems
- Fenestration
- Openings and assemblies
- Hardware
- Operates and secures components
- Specialized works
- Project-specific construction
Building Utilities
- Water supply
- Source storage distribution
- Plumbing
- Rough-ins and fixtures
- Drainage
- Conveys wastewater and stormwater
- Waste systems
- Disposal treatment recycling
- HVAC
- Conditions and moves air
- Conveyors
- Moves people or materials
- Electrical power
- Supply and distribution
- Illumination
- Lighting quality and quantity
- Acoustics
- Sound control and treatment
- Fire protection
- Detection prevention suppression
- Security systems
- Protect occupants and assets
- Communications
- Voice data audiovisual systems
- Intelligent buildings
- Integrated automated systems
Design Cycle
Program, analyze, synthesize, evaluate, communicate
Program: define needsAnalyze: reveal constraintsSynthesize: form solutionCommunicate: graphical language
Planning vs Site Planning
General Planning
- Urban and regional
- Land-use frameworks
- Human settlements
Site Planning
- Specific property
- Buildings and open space
- Circulation and landscape
Broad framework vs project site
Analysis Tool Picker
- Need space quantities→Space schedule(List areas)
- Need space relationships→Adjacency matrix(Near versus separate)
- Need movement logic→Flow diagram(Map users)
- Need site constraints→Site analysis map(Overlay factors)
- Need slope information→Contour map(Read elevations)
- Need sun exposure→Sun-path diagram(Orient openings)
- Need wind direction→Wind rose(Plan airflow)
- Need mass-void pattern→Figure-ground diagram(Compare solids)
Design Method
- Problem brief
- Defines needs and constraints
- Methodology
- Orders design decisions
- Qualitative factors
- Experience character suitability
- Quantitative factors
- Areas dimensions capacities
- Space
- Accommodates activities
- Circulation
- Connects spaces and users
- Interrelationships
- Set adjacency and separation
- Form envelope
- Shapes building volume
- Systems coordination
- Integrates structure and utilities
- Visualization
- Tests spatial solution
- Graphical language
- Communicates design resolution
Site Analysis
- Context
- Surrounding uses and character
- Topography
- Slope and elevation
- Climate
- Sun wind rain heat
- Ecology
- Natural systems and impacts
- Access
- Entries and connections
- Circulation hierarchy
- Separates movement types
- Land use
- Organizes compatible functions
- Landscape
- Shapes open space
- Maintenance
- Supports long-term performance
Building Types
- Residential
- Housing and lodging
- Commercial
- Business and retail
- Mixed-use
- Combines compatible occupancies
- Industrial
- Production and processing
- Educational
- Learning and research
- Healthcare
- Medical and wellness
- Government
- Public administration
- Recreation
- Leisure and culture
- Religious
- Worship and funerary
- Transportation
- Passenger and freight facilities
- Service facility
- Infrastructure support
- Military
- Defense facilities
- Complex project
- Multiple coordinated buildings
June 2026 Exam Day
- Notice of Admission
- Required examination document
- Pencils
- Two or more No. 2
- Ballpens
- Black ink only
- Calculator
- One approved non-programmable
- Calculator check
- Inspected and reset
- Architect scales
- Design day only
- Triangles
- 30x60 and 45-degree
- Protractor
- Design day allowed
- Sketching tools
- Pencils pens erasers
- Scratch paper
- Graphing or bond paper
- NBCP excerpt
- Unmarked Rules VII and VIII
- All papers
- Surrender after examination
Common Traps
Average vs floor
Average must reach 70% ≠ Every subject must reach 50%
Days vs areas
Two examination days ≠ Three weighted areas
Master's credit vs waiver
Master's credits one year ≠ Experience requirement still remains
Official fact vs estimate
PRC program is authoritative ≠ Review-site estimates are unofficial
Degree vs license
Degree supports eligibility ≠ Registration authorizes practice
Calculator allowed vs unlimited
One approved non-programmable calculator ≠ Programmable calculators prohibited
NBCP copy vs notes
Unmarked Rules VII and VIII ≠ Marked copies are confiscated
Last Minute
- 1.Identity: Philippines PRC architect licensure
- 2.Two days; three weighted areas
- 3.Area I: five hours, 30%
- 4.Area II: five hours, 30%
- 5.Area III: ten hours, 40%
- 6.Pass: 70% weighted average
- 7.Floor: every subject at least 50%
- 8.Eligibility: recognized BS Architecture
- 9.Experience: two diversified years
- 10.Architecture master's credits one year
- 11.Use official syllabi scope
- 12.Bring one approved calculator
- 13.Design-day NBCP copy stays unmarked
- 14.Surrender all examination papers
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