Ethical implications of architect’s new roles in postmodern times

Krzysztof Bizio

Abstract

The architect’s profession in its separate modern form appeared in Renaissance Italy (circa 1450), in France (circa 1550) and in England (circa 1650 r.). However, since ancient times, the Vitruvian ideal of an architect-scientist has been developed, namely, as a person with two basic characteristics: interdisciplinary knowledge and high moral virtues. According to Vitruvius, it is not possible to become an architect without meeting the moral standards criteria that serve the community in which a person lives and works. The problem of defining what architecture is constitutes a separate issue. In spite of the fact that there are several thousand definitions, there is hardly any unanimity among them, which seems to point to the multidimensional character of architecture itself rather than the necessity and possibility to coin a universal definition.

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