The “Architect-Civil” Working Paradigm

The work of Architects and Civil Engineers overlap each other, although they may seem different in many aspects, job responsibilities, and tasks. The work of the civil engineer should follow the design of the architect without creating structural situations that force the later to do changes in design. The goal of the research is to explore the relationship between the architect and the civil engineer from the early beginning of history till recent and today’s modern era, through classifying the history of construction into three phases: The “Architect-Civil” Working Paradigm of: the “Old World”, “Ancient Civilizations”, and the “Modern 20th-21st Century”. Moreover, the research introduces (5) severe case studies of the “Architect-Civil” working paradigm outflows, revealing negative impacts on the final and resulted constructions due to the disturbed relationship between both disciplines. Investigated case studies are of structures built in some areas in Egypt that exist outside major cities, where the role of municipalities and building inspection is very weak and building regulations and codes were violated. The research concludes that: During the “Old World” phase; the relationship between the architect and the civil engineer cannot be traced, and a common working paradigm has not been born yet as the “Architect”, the “Civil Engineer”, and even the “Contractor” did not exist by that time, they were simple domestic buildings, and simple religious or public places that were built directly by their owners, or a group of simple builders. While at the age of “Ancient Civilizations”; the “Architect-Civil” relationship started to shape, and emerged only after humanity entered this phase of significant structures, where both tasks were carried by a single talented person called the “Builder”. In the “Modern 20th-21st Century” and the revolution of architecture theories, innovative architectural design concepts, the need to build more complex and large scale public facilities, and the progress in construction technologies and building materials, - created the necessity to set complex job responsibilities for each of the architect and the civil engineer separately. The “Architect-Civil” working paradigm has become clear and well defined. The two tasks of the ancient “Builder” cannot be carried by one person anymore, and the two tasks became two different disciplines; having no other options but to work together as a team in order to finish their complex assignments.

Keywords:Architect and civil; Construction paradigm; Civil engineering; Teamwork paradigm; Architectural engineering