The structural engineer: Finding the philosophy of the profession

What is a structural engineer? There are legal definitions of the term and ethical descriptions of engineers. In practice, engineering often moves beyond ensuring the minimum requirements that protect public welfare. The practice of engineering has different meanings for individual engineers. The role of the engineer can vary from practitioner to practitioner as can their relationship to architecture. This paper will consider the definition of the profession by three noted structural engineers: Sir Ove N Arup, Peter Rice, and Cecil Balmond. Each of whom has been recognized by both engineering and architectural institutions for having made significant contributions to structural engineering. The sources that will be examined will include the subjects' own writings and speeches, comments on their work by others, and built projects that reflect their engineering identity. The ideas of Arup, Rice, and Balmond will be used to develop a richer, more diverse depiction of an engineer.