Civil Engineer vs. Architect

A civil engineer is a professional who manages and supervises the building of public infrastructure, while an architect is someone who designs buildings and some other structural projects.

A civil engineer designs and performs maintenance on public infrastructure such as public and private buildings, airports, water systems, and roads. They assess the feasibility of a given project by evaluating design practicality and collaborating with structural engineers.

They also may review government regulations regarding a certain project or site and ensure project sites meet specific codes and law requirements.

An architect designs and directs the build of a home, public or commercial building or structure, by taking both physical and practical space into account, along with a focus on aesthetics. They are responsible for how the building will look from the inside as well as outside. Keeping track of project details, budget, deadlines, and progress are also part of an architect's job.

Here are the key differences between a civil engineer and a structural engineer:

• Civil engineers conceptualize and maintain infrastructure projects such as public and private buildings, water systems, airports and roads

• Structural engineers analyze, design, and sometimes participate in the building of structures such as homes, commercial office spaces, and public buildings

• Civil engineers manage the construction site of a project and make sure everything is safe and up to code and other legal requirements

• Architects work on the planning phase of a building, drawing up and directing the implementation of blueprints

• Civil engineers work on projects like road construction or road renewal, bridges, water treatment centers, railways, utility construction, dams, reservoirs, as well as many other projects

• Architects primarily work on buildings