ABSTRACT
In his insightful study 'Architecture Depends', Jeremy Till notes that professions rely on codes of conduct to demonstrate their special ethical commitment. Construction professions at their formation modelled themselves on the three old professions: the Clergy, Medicine and Law. The creation of a manifest ethical space with restricted entry was essential to the self-definition of these professions and instrumental in their success in enshrining their separateness from the laity. To help regain trust, and to give real substance to the prioritisation of public interest, the single most effective ethical principle for a professional must be a commitment to full awareness of the consequences of his or her actions, decisions and behaviours. It is not that the architect needs to adhere to a higher ethic than anyone else, but that his or her job carries a wider and greater responsibility.
