Projektant či stavitel? Proměny profesně-sociálních kategorií ve stavebním odvětví 19. století na příkladu generace architekta Josefa Schulze

The ideological construct of a ‚divide‘ between ‚formal‘ architects and ‚practical‘ engineers stems from a common definition of their professional roles and is deeply rooted in the historiography of nineteenth-century architecture and the discourse on the development of modern architecture. However, numerous recent studies have challenged this assumption through examples of the division of labour in the construction process and collaboration between groups on complex projects. The members of these two professions - architects and builders - were so different in their training and scope of competence that competition or professional conflict between them was rare. The real antagonism between architects and builders arose not from ideological differences but from social and economic factors. The boom in utilitarian and industrial architecture favoured builders, offering them greater employment opportunities and better prospects for relatively rapid social advancement through building entrepreneurship. Josef Schulz faced a similar dilemma, shaped by economic and social factors, at the beginning of his career upon completing his studies at the Vienna Academy, when he had to choose between becoming a financially secure builder or a designer with an uncertain future. This study examines the primary professional and social categories in construction – architect, engineer, and builder – as defined in contemporary theoretical works on architecture, dictionaries, building codes, and trade regulations, tracing their evolving meanings and competencies within the art historical, legal, and public discourse of the 19th century.