NCARB Project-Planning-Design Exam - Topic 1 Question 2 Discussion

Actual exam question for NCARB's Project-Planning-Design exam

Question #: 2
Topic #: 1

A church congregation has hired an architect to help them determine the feasibility of converting a retail strip mall space into a new church. The space is 30' wide and 125' long and is in an interior location with tenants on both long sides. The client has requested the following:

Natural light into the central gathering space

Nursery space for young children

Church office space

Adequate restrooms

Visually appealing landscaping

Which of the following should the architect consider to help determine if the project can move forward? Check the three that apply.

AAnalyze the existing building exits to determine their adequacy for the new use classification.

BCheck the existing roof structure to determine potential locations for skylights.

CInvestigate the existing water and sewer services to determine their adequacy for the new use classification.

DConduct a demographic survey to determine the number of children to be served by the nursery.

EConduct a demographic survey of church membership to determine the capacity of the new restrooms.

FEngage a landscaping consultant to determine visually appealing landscaping options.

Show Suggested Answer

Suggested Answer: A, B, C

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

When converting a retail strip mall to a church, the architect must verify that the existing building infrastructure supports the new occupancy:

(A) Exits and egress must be adequate per fire and life safety codes for assembly occupancy.

(B) Roof structure must be evaluated for installing skylights to bring natural light into central spaces.

Demographic surveys (D, E) inform program design but do not determine feasibility.

Landscaping consultants (F) are part of later design phases, not initial feasibility.

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by Kaycee at Oct 02, 2025, 04:26 PM

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Olga

2 months ago

Analyzing exits is crucial for safety!

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Brett

2 months ago

Wait, how are they going to fit all that in a strip mall?

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Ailene

3 months ago

A demographic survey for the nursery? Seems unnecessary.

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Victor

3 months ago

Engaging a landscaping consultant sounds like a smart move!

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Loreta

3 months ago

Definitely need to check the existing roof for skylights!

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Lea

3 months ago

Engaging a landscaping consultant sounds like a good idea for visually appealing landscaping, but I wonder if that should be prioritized over structural concerns like the roof for skylights.

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Arthur

4 months ago

I practiced a similar question where we had to assess existing utilities. Checking the water and sewer services seems crucial for the new use classification, so I would go with option C.

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Lenna

4 months ago

I'm a bit unsure about the demographic surveys. I feel like knowing the number of children for the nursery is important, but wouldn't the restroom capacity also depend on the overall church membership?

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Erick

4 months ago

I remember we discussed the importance of analyzing existing building exits for safety and compliance, so I think option A is definitely one to consider.

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Freeman

4 months ago

This is a tricky one. There are a lot of different elements to consider, and I'm not sure which ones are the most important. I guess I'd start by looking at the building exits and the utilities, since those seem like they could be potential dealbreakers. But I'm not totally sure how to prioritize the other requirements. Guess I'll have to think it through carefully.

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Antonio

4 months ago

Okay, I think I've got a handle on this. The architect needs to analyze the existing building to see if it can accommodate the client's needs for natural light, nursery space, office space, and adequate restrooms. The landscaping is also important, so they'll need to bring in an expert for that. I feel pretty confident I can tackle this question.

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Hyman

4 months ago

Hmm, I'm a little unsure about this one. There are a lot of different factors to consider, and I'm not sure which ones are the most important. I guess I'd start by looking at the building exits and the utilities, since those seem pretty critical.

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Shannan

5 months ago

This looks like a pretty straightforward question about evaluating the feasibility of converting a retail space into a church. I think the key is to focus on the client's specific requirements and check the existing building conditions that would impact those.

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