ARCHITECT, Architectus, a person skilled in architecture, or the art of buildings; who makes plans and designs of edifices, conducts the work, and directs the masons and other artificers employed therein. See ARCHITECTURE, PLAN, DESIGN, etc. The word is derived from the Greek ἀρχι-, chief, and τέκτων, workman, g.d. the principal workman.
The most celebrated architects are Vitruvius, Palladio,Scamozzi, Serlio, Vignola, Barbaro, Cataneo, Alberti,Viola, Bullant, and De Lorme. Vitruvius enumerates twelve qualities requisite to an architect; that he be docile and ingenious; literate; skilled in designing; in geometry; optics, arithmetic; history; philosophy; music; medicine; law, and astrology. See BUILDING, etc.
