ABSTRACT
‘To design’ is a verb that is as commonly used by engineers, as it is by architects in the context of building design. However, they have a nuanced different understanding of what the verb entails. This text does not aim to solve the question in the title. Both perceptions are valid and exist, each is dominant in their specific professional and academic fields. This text investigates the foundation of these varying uses of the verb. In doing so, the question what ‘to design’ entails, becomes a window to reflect upon the conceptual foundations of structural engineering and architecture. This paper is based on a state-of-the-art survey of literature in different academic fields. I argue that the difference of both perceptions lies in a normative connotation.
