Architects in Europe: Models of Professionalisation and Potential Implications for the Planning Profession

Abstract

Data from the Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE) show a very inhomogeneous distribution of architects among European countries, for example, high numbers of architects in Italy and Germany versus low numbers in the UK and France. These discrepancies cannot be explained by differences in the domestic construction markets. This paper reviews models of professionalisation to explain the heterogeneity among European architects and shows potential implications for the planning profession in Europe. We analyse the 2018 ACE data for the five European countries with the strongest labour markets for architects. Our findings led to three main conclusions: Firstly, such models of professionalisation add to an understanding of statistical data on architects in Europe. Secondly, a better understanding of the statistical data requires more than a single theory. Thirdly, as to the planning profession, the standard process model of professionalisation may work well for the UK, but not for the other European countries.