Assignment Overview

This assignment asks you to begin to put together a basic Code Review document for your studio project. A Code Review is an extremely helpful exercise for architects developing a building project for construction as it requires the design team to methodically review their design work in respect to all relevant aspects of the building code.

Preparation of a Code Review document helps the design team make certain that all aspects of the project comply with the building code, but can also reveal opportunities and benefits to the design that are available through the code. While not a mandatory part of a project submittal for construction permitting from local authorities, it is an extraordinarily helpful document for those who will be reviewing your work for permits.

By providing a clear, step-by-step walk through of the code sections relevant to your project….and explaining how your project meets those code requirements…..you will substantially reduce the burden of review work by code officials and create an improved and more cooperative dialog with those who will be approving your work for construction.

Through your work to develop this comprehensive Code Review you will also pre-emptively describe how your project meets or exceeds code requirements which can be a very convincing method in the face the inevitable gray areas of interpretation of the code relative to your work. A well-prepared, well-written Code Review document is an invaluable part of an architect’s project design work.

Assignment Goals

As noted above, this Assignment is to give you some basic experience in developing a Code Review document. If you have produced these during your internships then it can be a helpful review…or present a different format with which to approach the task.

Typically, a Code Review document is very comprehensive, working through each section of the relevant building code, step by step, section by section. Our intent here is not to produce such an overall document but to concentrate on a few areas of concern for our studio work which will give you a good experience with relating your own work to specific code sections.

Your Code Review will be limited to these topics:

1. General Project Description for permitting review.

2. Review of project Occupancy Group(s), Construction Type(s) and Allowable Building Height and Area, Occupancy Separations and required setbacks.

3. A demonstration that your project meets relevant Egress requirements.

4. A review of your project in terms of the Fair Housing Act’s requirements for accessible units.

Use the course Slack Channel to ask question or seek guidance as needed.