Architecture Merit Badge
Five requirements. Requirement 1 is a tour of your community with a sketch, and research into a historical achievement. Requirement 2 is one discussion of sustainable architecture. Requirement 3 is ONE of three: meet an architect to see a model and drawings, meet one at a construction site, or interview a possible client. Requirement 4 is a scaled floor plan of a room you measure, and 5 is careers.
The plan behind this
What takes arranging
| requirement | what it needs |
|---|---|
| 1(a) | a tour of your community, listing the types of buildings you see, and a sketch of the one you most admire |
| 1(b) | research on a historical architectural achievement; the internet only with your parent or guardian's permission |
| 3 (one of three) | an architect, or a possible client, and for an architect your parent or guardian's and counselor's permission and approval |
| 4 | a room you can measure, such as one where you live or where your troop meets |
Requirement 3: ONE of three
| route | what it asks |
|---|---|
| 3(a) meet an architect | see the scale model of a building and the drawings a builder would use; why the materials were selected; how materials and components are attached |
| 3(b) meet an architect at a construction site | the architect brings the builder's drawings; at the site, why the materials were selected and how they are attached |
| 3(c) interview a possible client | a prospective homeowner or business owner; then write a short program: a list of requirements, the functions of the building and site, how they relate, and the goals |
3(a) and 3(b) both need your parent or guardian's and counselor's permission and approval. For 3(b) the Hub adds that a site visit needs advance planning and permission from a parent or guardian, your counselor, the architect and the construction site manager, and that at the site you follow the site manager's directions and all the safety procedures, including a hard hat, protective eyewear and proper footwear.
Requirement 4: the floor plan
Measure a room and make an accurately scaled drawing of its floor plan, at 1/4 inch = 1 foot, showing walls, doors, closets, windows and any built-in furniture or cabinets. Label it with your name, the date, the room you drew and the scale.
Requirement 2: one discussion
Scouts pledge in the Leave No Trace Seven Principles and the Outdoor Code to "Travel and camp on durable surfaces", "Leave what you find" and "Be conservation-minded". With that in mind, discuss with your counselor: sustainable architecture and three features of green buildings; renewable against recycled building materials and how each is used; architecture's relationship with its surroundings and the community; and reusing whole buildings rather than tearing them down.
What this page is
The Architecture merit badge, drawn so the tour, the meeting or interview and the measured drawing stand out, with requirement 3 drawn as a question. It is not a copy of the requirements: each step is a short label with a link to the official requirements, which are what actually governs and which change from year to year. The free official pamphlet is the fuller guide.
Sources for this page
- Architecture Merit Badge Requirements, Merit Badge Hub, last modified 2025-09-26 · The requirements themselves, and the free official pamphlet linked from them.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 7.0.0.3 · The process every merit badge is earned through, which this page does not repeat.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 7.0.4.3 · Which version of a changed requirement applies to a Scout who has already started.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 4.0.0.1 · Why the requirements are not in the Guide to Advancement and are expected to change annually.
Last checked against its sources on .