What is the Difference Between an Architect and a Civil Engineer?

Every time you see a magnificent building, you can't help but to admire the hardwork and graft that has gone to build it. Even though the labourer's input helps to bring these buildings to life, we have to consider how the project came about. Designing and engineering is the heart and soul of any construction work. And this is where architects and civil engineers come in. Both architects and civil engineer are absolutely crucial to all construction projects. While construction companies are eager to proceed with development as fast as possible in order to save time and money, preparation is absolutely key. This is where architects and civil engineers come into the game. Both of these professions really play a pivotal in role designing the structure of the building and assessing the environment and feasibility of the project. But a lot of people tend to get confused between the two professions. And it is easy to see why. Both professions are involved in design and planning. And when I have personally spoken to each of these professions, they always tend to have a gripe at each other too. Whether they're having friendly banter or being serious competitive, who knows. The purpose of this blog post is to tell you the difference between what an architect does and what a civil engineer does.

The Key Difference Between Architects and Civil Engineers

First of all, architects and civil engineers are two completely different professions that are involved in design and planning of a construction project. Architects design the desired building. And they do so whilst taking many factors into consideration and keeping the aesthetic value (visual appeal) and efficiency of design in mind. As for civil engineers, they review the designs produced by the architects and assess any potential risks. Civil engineers look through all the technicalities to make sure the projects runs smoothly into implementation. So to put this quite simply, an architect creates, with design factors, whilst keeping in mind the functionality and aesthetics of the proposed building. A civil engineer, on the other hand, then solves extremely complex problems encountered during the process of bringing the construction project to life. An architect's job is certainly closer to the 'art' side of the spectrum, hence the name. They must be prepared to take many factors into consideration, such as:

• Spacial functionality
• Aesthetics
• Ergonomics of Design (where applicable)
• Artistry

An architect is most definitely considered to be more of a creative as opposed to a civil engineer. However, both contribute hugely during the lead up to a project launch. Civil engineering requires attention in some more complex, but vital parts of the project. They must keep a set of functional factors in mind, such as:

• Structure
• Stability
• Technical Constraints

So to conclude, architects create and design. Whilst civil engineers actually sees how the design is able to come to fruition.

Courses, Qualifications, and Further Education

Both lines of work in forms of architecture and civil engineering are considered to be highly specialist crafts. These career paths require you to complete a university degree. It is a big investment. But the returns are huge. To earn a place at a university, you do need GCSEs and A Levels. However, if you have been unfortunate in not being able to get GCSEs due to whatever reason, then you can complete Functional Skills as well. If this post has inspired you to work in the construction sector, then there are many opportunities out there. You can choose to go down the following career paths:

• Stonemasonry
• Bricklaying
• Carpentry
• Plasterer
• Roofer

In order for you to work on a construction site, you would need a CSCS card. Here at The Learning Station, we can help you get your green CSCS labourer's card within a week. And if you choose to progress into site management or supervision, then you would need complete either Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) or Site Supervision Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS). The Learning Station can also help you with that too. Thanks for reading. If you were to choose between architecture or civil engineering, which profession would you go for? Let us know in the comments section below. Featured image: Pexels