Portfolio and design questions

Select five to eight projects showing range (different scales, building types, stages from concept to delivery), progression, and genuine authorship. For each project: the brief, your design concept, how it responded to brief and site, what you would do differently, planning or technical challenges. "Tell me about a project where the design changed significantly from concept to delivery." Tests realistic practice experience. Show professional adaptability: impact assessment, cost implications, communication with the team, maintenance of design quality.

Technical and professional questions

"What experience do you have with planning applications?" Policy hierarchy (NPPF, Local Plans, neighbourhood plans), pre-application consultation, design and access statements, conditions and discharge, planning appeals. Listed buildings: Listed Building Consent, heritage impact assessments, working with conservation officers. "How do you approach writing a specification?" Not administrative — it is design: choosing materials and performance standards that align with design intent, buildability, cost, lifecycle maintenance, sustainability. Familiarity with NBS is expected for mid-career and senior roles.

Sustainability and future of practice

"How do you integrate sustainable design from the start?" Passive design first (orientation, massing, natural ventilation), structural efficiency (embodied carbon — reuse and retrofit before new build), operational energy (fabric first before systems, building physics modelling from Stage 1), material selection (GWP ratings, responsibly sourced, durability), waste minimisation (design for manufacture). Reference RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge. Show familiarity with Passivhaus, BREEAM, NABERS, or WELL as relevant to the role.

ARB and RIBA competency questions

For Part 3 and recently qualified architects, interviewers map to ARB Criteria: design and technical ability, project management, legal framework (building regulations, planning, JCT contracts), professional ethics (PI insurance, CDM responsibilities), client and stakeholder management. "Describe a difficult client relationship." Show diplomacy, clear scope communication, managing change and cost implications professionally, and maintaining design quality under commercial pressure.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between RIBA Part 1, 2, and 3?
Part 1 is the undergraduate degree. Part 2 is the postgraduate diploma or Masters (MArch). Together they provide the academic foundation for ARB registration. Part 3 is the professional qualification: minimum two years post-Part 2 practical experience, a case study examination, and a professional interview. Passing Part 3 and registering with ARB makes you a licensed Architect in the UK.
Do you need RIBA chartered membership as well as ARB registration?
ARB registration is the legal requirement to use the title "Architect." RIBA chartered membership (RIBA) is a professional membership with additional CPD requirements and access to RIBA resources. Both are expected for senior positions and public sector work, but ARB registration is the strict legal requirement.