architect-skills

Comprehensive accessibility and universal design expertise covering ADA/ABA Accessibility Standards, universal design principles (Ron Mace's 7 principles), inclusive environment design, accessible route requirements, dimensional standards for wheelchair access, ramps, stairs, elevators, sanitary facilities, sensory accessibility (visual and hearing impairment), neurodiversity-informed design, aging in place, and international code comparison across ADA (US), Equality Act/BS 8300 (UK), DIN 18040 (Germany), AS 1428 (Australia), and NBC (India).

Acoustic design for buildings: sound insulation between spaces (airborne and impact), room acoustics and reverberation control, environmental noise intrusion, noise and vibration from building services, and acoustic design strategies for residential, commercial, educational, healthcare, performance, and worship building types.

Seven Python-based architectural calculators for common design computations: area and density calculations (GFA, NGA, unit count, population, parking), thermal U-value analysis for multi-layer constructions, daylight factor estimation using BRE methodology, egress compliance checking (occupant load, exit width, travel distance), structural gravity load and tributary area calculations, annual energy demand estimation via degree-day method, and construction cost estimation by building type, quality, and region.

Auto-activated foundation layer for the Architect Skills plugin providing practitioner-grade reference across 50+ architects and theorists (Vitruvius through Kere), 100+ quantitative rules of thumb sourced from IBC, ASHRAE 90.1, ADA/ABA, NFPA 101, BS EN 1991-1995, Neufert Architects' Data, and Architectural Graphic Standards. Covers all major building typologies (residential, commercial, institutional, industrial, special), design quality frameworks (RIBA Plan of Work 2020, AIA Framework for Design Excellence, CABE Building for Life 12), sustainability rating systems (LEED BD+C v4.1, BREEAM New Construction 2024, Passive House Classic/Plus/Premium, WELL v2, Living Building Challenge 4.0, Fitwel), fire and life safety codes (NFPA 101, IBC Ch. 7-10, BS 9999, Approved Document B), accessibility standards (ADA 2010, BS 8300, EN 17210, DDA), acoustic performance (ASTM E90 STC, ASTM E492 IIC, BB93, DIN 4109), structural systems, envelope performance, daylighting metrics, and an anti-pattern catalog of common design failures. Routes to 17 specialized downstream skills based on user query context.

Comprehensive building code expertise covering IBC (International Building Code) occupancy classification, construction types I through V, height and area limitations, means of egress design, fire separation and protection requirements, plumbing fixture calculations, and international code comparison across IBC, Building Regulations (England & Wales), Eurocodes, NCC (Australia), and NBC (Canada). Provides specific code references, dimensional requirements, fire resistance ratings, and calculation methods for architectural compliance.

Building envelope design: wall systems (masonry, timber, steel, CLT, curtain wall, rainscreen, precast, SIPs, ICF), glazing systems (single to triple, low-e coatings, gas fills, framing types), roofing (flat, pitched, green, membrane), thermal performance (U-value, R-value, SHGC, air permeability), moisture management (vapor barriers, condensation risk, Glaser method), air barriers, cladding, and thermal bridge prevention.

Develop architectural programs, space needs analyses, adjacency matrices, area schedules, and project briefs. Use when the user asks about programming a building, sizing spaces, determining area requirements, creating adjacency diagrams, building a space program, developing a brief, calculating net-to-gross ratios, analyzing space standards, comparing area benchmarks, constructing stacking diagrams, or validating a program against site capacity and budget. Also use when the user needs area tables for residential, office, healthcare, education, hospitality, retail, or cultural building types, or when checking compliance with NDSS, Neufert, NHS HBN, BB103, or ASHRAE standards.

Comprehensive building services knowledge for architects covering HVAC system selection and spatial impact, plumbing and drainage design, electrical systems and power distribution, vertical transportation (elevators and escalators), fire protection systems (sprinklers, detection, smoke control), and MEP coordination strategies including ceiling void allocation, riser sizing, plant room planning, and BIM integration.

Building sustainability frameworks and certification systems: LEED BD+C v4.1, BREEAM New Construction, Passive House (PHI/PHIUS), WELL Building Standard v2, DGNB, Living Building Challenge, Net Zero Carbon strategies, whole-life carbon assessment, embodied carbon reduction, operational energy targets, circular economy in architecture, and design for disassembly.

Identify and apply building typologies for residential, commercial, institutional, hospitality, industrial, cultural, and mixed-use buildings. Use when the user asks about building types, plan configurations, floor plate design, core arrangements, net-to-gross ratios, structural grids, floor-to-floor heights, unit mix, parking strategies, or exemplar buildings. Also use when comparing typological options, selecting an appropriate building form for a site, evaluating plan depth and daylight, or analyzing how a typology affects density, efficiency, and user experience. Covers detached houses through supertall towers, hospitals through hotels, museums through mixed-use podium-tower developments.

Parti development, massing studies, spatial organization strategies, design concept generation, and concept-to-form translation methodologies

Comprehensive construction documentation skill covering architectural drawing sets, sheet organization and numbering, drawing standards (line weights, text, hatching, dimensions), BIM Level of Development (LOD) requirements, specification writing using CSI MasterFormat, schedule production (door, window, finish, fixture), and construction administration workflows including RFI processing, submittal review, change orders, site observations, punch lists, and warranty period management.

Natural daylighting strategies, solar geometry, glare control, artificial lighting integration, and visual comfort for architectural design

Architectural movements, design philosophy, critical theory, precedent analysis, and compositional principles for informed design reasoning

Comprehensive fire and life safety design expertise covering fire strategy development, compartmentation and fire barrier design, means of egress design including travel distances and stair sizing, fire resistance ratings and structural fire protection methods, smoke control systems (natural and mechanical), active fire protection systems (sprinklers, detection, alarm, emergency lighting), fire door specifications, and fire strategy coordination between architect and fire engineer.

Architectural material properties, durability, sustainability, specification, detailing, life-cycle assessment, and material palettes for building design

Spatial planning for buildings: floor plan layout and archetypes, circulation design (corridors, stairs, elevators, escalators), core design and vertical service distribution, vertical stacking strategy, net-to-gross optimization, space efficiency metrics, wayfinding, and spatial legibility.

Comprehensive structural systems knowledge for architects covering structural typology selection, grid design and spacing, lateral stability systems, foundation types, span-to-depth ratio tables, load path narratives, and architect-engineer coordination strategies. Provides decision frameworks for selecting structural systems based on span, height, program, cost, construction speed, and sustainability targets.