Civil Engineer vs. Architect

By Jaxson

Main Difference

The main difference between Civil Engineer and Architect is that the Civil Engineer is a engineer specialising in design, construction and maintenance of the built environment and Architect is a person trained to plan and design buildings, and oversee their construction

  • Civil Engineer

    A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.

    Civil engineering is one of the oldest engineering disciplines because it deals with constructed environment including planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures, and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.The term “civil engineer” was established by John Smeaton in 1750 to contrast engineers working on civil projects with the military engineers, who worked on armaments and defenses. Over time, various sub-disciplines of civil engineering have become recognized and much of military engineering has been absorbed by civil engineering. Other engineering practices became recognized as independent engineering disciplines, including chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering.

    In some places, a civil engineer may perform land surveying; in others, surveying is limited to construction surveying, unless an additional qualification is obtained.

  • Architect

    An architect is a person who plans, designs and reviews the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that have human occupancy or use as their principal purpose. Etymologically, architect derives from the Latin architectus, which derives from the Greek (arkhi-, chief + tekton, builder), i.e., chief builder.Professionally, an architect’s decisions affect public safety, and thus an architect must undergo specialized training consisting of advanced education and a practicum (or internship) for practical experience to earn a license to practice architecture. Practical, technical, and academic requirements for becoming an architect vary by jurisdiction.

Wikipedia
  • Architect (noun)

    A professional who designs buildings or other structures, or who prepares plans and superintends construction.

    “Plato made the causes of things to be matter, ideas, and an efficient architect.”

  • Architect (noun)

    A person who plans, devises or contrives the achievement of a desired result.

    “Peisistratus was the first architect of the Iliad and the Odyssey.”

  • Architect (noun)

    A title given to architects. Usually capitalized or abbreviated as Arch./Ar. before the person’s name.

  • Architect (verb)

    To design, plan, or orchestrate.

    “He architected the military coup against the government.”

Wiktionary

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