ABSTRACT
As a profession and as an academic subject, architecture in the UK has struggled to establish its identity by bridging pairs of juxtaposed ideas which are often in conflict with one another. The opposition of tradition with modernity in design approach, of artistic with scientific endeavour together with hand to eye experiential learning with deductive methodologies have made the subject difficult to define. To engage with these dichotomies educators have sought to produce generalists equally familiar with process and product, balancing the rigour which must be applied to the resolution and delivery of a particular building project with the study of its relevance in a global world. Some would say that the modern architectural profession was founded on the need to bridge such conflicting scenarios. For example, in the early 19th century, a gentleman client, loathe to muddy his boots, needed an architect, not only for his ability (and it invariably was a man) to design buildings but also for his capacity to be at ease both in the gentleman’s parlour when pouring over the design drawings as he was on the building site discussing details of construction with the building foreman.
