ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the differences between ‘architecture’ and, for lack of a better word, plumbing. Architecture originated in the building of towns and cities and everyone understands this meaning of the word, so it makes sense to me, to begin by examining the meaning of ‘architecture’ in this more traditional context. Architecture is a set of rules and conventions by which we create buildings that serve the purposes which they are intended for. An office building will look different from a residential home for instance. One of the key functions of architecture as a product developed by the architect is to provide a framework and design within which complexity can be managed successfully. Small, isolated, individual projects do need architecture, because their level of complexity is limited and the chief designer can manage the overall design. The whole idea behind architecture in buildings has been adapted to areas other than the building of towns and cities.
