Interview questions
Architect Interview Questions
17 architect interview questions on design process, detailing, clients, codes and delivery, with what to look for. For both sides.
What's here
17 Architect interview questions, grouped into 4 areas: design process and portfolio, technical knowledge, clients, planning and construction and situational and career questions. Each one comes with why it is worth asking and what a strong answer contains, so the same question can be scored the same way by different interviewers.
- Ask candidates to walk through one portfolio project in depth rather than skimming many.
- Probe personal contribution on team projects; portfolios often show work by many people.
- Include a technical detailing question appropriate to the level; junior candidates should still show curiosity about how things are built.
Cohesyve finds, contacts and tests Architect candidates on the real work, then ranks them for these interviews. Ten candidates free, no card.
Preparing for this interview yourself? Practise it free →An architect designs buildings and spaces and guides them from brief to completion: understanding the client's needs, developing concepts, producing technical drawings, coordinating consultants, meeting building regulations and codes, and overseeing construction. In the US architects are licensed by each state, and in the UK only people on the Architects Registration Board (ARB) register may call themselves architects. These questions test design thinking, technical competence and project delivery. Interviewers can use the 'what to look for' notes as a scoring guide; candidates can use them to prepare.
Design Process and Portfolio
How the candidate thinks about design, shown through their own work.
- 1
Walk me through a project in your portfolio from brief to completion.
Why ask it
The portfolio is the centre of most architecture interviews.What to look for
Clear story: the brief and constraints, site analysis, concept, how the design developed, what they personally contributed, technical challenges and the outcome. Honesty about what was theirs and what was the team's. - 2
How do you respond to a client brief that is vague or contradictory?
Why ask it
Briefing is where many projects go wrong.What to look for
Workshops and questions to understand needs, testing options with sketches or precedents, documenting agreed requirements, and revisiting the brief as the design develops. - 3
How do you balance design ambition with budget?
Why ask it
Projects that run over budget can be cancelled or value-engineered badly.What to look for
Early cost input from a quantity surveyor or cost consultant, design choices that put money where it matters, testing options, and clear communication with the client about trade-offs. - 4
How do you approach sustainability in your designs?
Why ask it
Environmental performance is now central to architectural practice.What to look for
Passive design (orientation, daylight, ventilation, insulation), material choices, energy and carbon considerations from early stages, and awareness of the regulations and standards where they practise.
Before the Architect interviews, see who can do the work
Cohesyve finds and contacts Architect candidates from your job description and tests each one on an AI job simulation of the role, so these questions go to a ranked shortlist. Ten candidates free, no card.
Technical Knowledge
Whether the candidate can turn a design into buildable, compliant information.
- 5
How do you make sure your designs comply with building codes or regulations?
Why ask it
Compliance failures are costly and can be dangerous.What to look for
Checking the relevant codes or building regulations early, consulting the authority or approved inspector where needed, coordinating with fire and structural engineers, and checking drawings before submission. - 6
Describe a detail you designed that solved a difficult technical problem.
Why ask it
Detailing shows practical building knowledge.What to look for
Clear explanation of the problem (weatherproofing, thermal bridging, junction between materials), how they researched it, worked with suppliers or engineers, and how it performed. - 7
Which design and BIM software do you use, and how do you manage shared models with consultants?
Why ask it
Coordinated digital models are standard on many projects.What to look for
Named tools (for example Revit, ArchiCAD or AutoCAD), an understanding of model coordination, clash detection and file standards, and how they resolved conflicts between disciplines. - 8
How do you coordinate with structural, mechanical and electrical engineers?
Why ask it
Most problems on site come from poorly coordinated information.What to look for
Early involvement, regular design team meetings, shared models or drawings, tracking of open issues, and resolving conflicts before drawings are issued.
Clients, Planning and Construction
Architects must manage clients, approvals and contractors as well as design.
- 9
How do you present design options to a client who struggles to read drawings?
Why ask it
Client communication drives approvals.What to look for
Using 3D views, models, precedents and plain language, focusing on how the space will feel and work, and confirming decisions in writing. - 10
Tell me about a planning or permitting application that was challenging. What did you do?
Why ask it
Approvals can make or break a project.What to look for
Pre-application engagement with the planning or permitting authority, understanding local policy, responding to objections, and adapting the design while protecting the client's goals. - 11
How do you handle a contractor who proposes substituting a specified material?
Why ask it
Substitutions affect quality, compliance and liability.What to look for
Reviewing performance, compliance and appearance against the specification, consulting engineers as needed, getting client approval, and documenting the decision. Not approving without evidence. - 12
What do you look for on a site visit?
Why ask it
Construction-stage oversight protects the design and the client.What to look for
Work matches drawings and specification, quality of key details, health and safety observations, progress against programme, and clear written records and instructions. - 13
How do you manage design changes requested late in construction?
Why ask it
Late changes drive cost and delay.What to look for
Assessing impact on cost, programme and compliance, advising the client clearly, issuing formal instructions, and updating drawings and records.
Situational and Career Questions
Professional judgement, teamwork and the candidate's path.
- 14
You find an error in drawings that have already been issued for construction. What do you do?
Why ask it
Tests integrity and professional responsibility.What to look for
Telling the project lead immediately, assessing impact, issuing a revised drawing with clear revision notes, informing the contractor, and checking for similar errors. - 15
How do you manage your time across several projects at different stages?
Why ask it
Most architects juggle projects.What to look for
Planning around deadlines and stages, clear communication with project leads about capacity, and protecting time for focused design work. - 16
Where are you in your path to registration or licensure, and what support would you want?
Why ask it
Practices often support candidates through the steps to registration or licensure.What to look for
A clear sense of their stage (for example AXP and ARE in the US, or the ARB route in the UK) and a realistic plan. For registered architects, interest in mentoring others. - 17
Why do you want to work at this practice?
Why ask it
Fit with a practice's design approach matters.What to look for
Specific reference to the practice's projects, sectors or values, and how the candidate's experience and interests connect.
Running the interview well
- 1Ask candidates to walk through one portfolio project in depth rather than skimming many.
- 2Probe personal contribution on team projects; portfolios often show work by many people.
- 3Include a technical detailing question appropriate to the level; junior candidates should still show curiosity about how things are built.
- 4Check registration or licensure status where the title or role requires it, before using the title 'architect' in an offer.
- 5Ask how they handle cost and client pressure, not only design ideas.
- 6Consider a short sketch or redline exercise for design-focused roles, kept brief and paid if it is substantial.
- 7Be clear about the sectors, project stages and software the role involves.
Common questions
What questions are asked in an architect interview?
Expect a portfolio walk-through plus questions on your design process, balancing design with budget, sustainability, building codes or regulations, BIM and software, coordinating consultants, client presentations, planning applications and site work.
How should I present my portfolio in an architecture interview?
Choose a few strong projects, tell each one as a story from brief to outcome, explain what you personally did, and include technical drawings as well as images. Be ready to go deep on one project.
How do you become a licensed architect in the US?
NCARB describes three steps: education (usually a NAAB-accredited degree), experience through the Architectural Experience Program (AXP), and passing the Architect Registration Examination (ARE). Each state sets its own rules, so check your state licensing board.
Can I call myself an architect in the UK without registering?
No. The Architects Registration Board regulates use of the title 'architect' in the UK, and someone who is not on the ARB Register is not an architect.
What software skills do architect interviews test?
It depends on the practice. Many ask about BIM and CAD tools such as Revit, ArchiCAD or AutoCAD, plus visualisation software. Practices often care more about how you coordinate models with others than about any single tool.
What should I ask at the end of an architect interview?
Ask what stages of projects you would work on, how teams are structured, how the practice supports progress towards registration or licensure, and which software and standards it uses.
Save these questions for the Architect candidates who can do the work
Cohesyve takes your Architect job description, finds candidates, reaches out to them and runs an AI job simulation of the real work, then returns a ranked shortlist.
1,500+
assessments completed
50%
faster time-to-hire
5 min
from JD to assessment
No credit card · 10 free candidates · Plans sized to your hiring volume
Preparing for an Architect interview yourself? Practise on an AI job simulation of the role. 3 free tests, no card.
From the blog