The 'invisible crisis' of architects in the Trento Glorieux ; La « crise invisible » des architectes dans les Trente Glorieuses

Abstract

The crisis in the profession of architect is often explained by the impact of the two oil shocks on the building sector. Several years of growth have forced to change this diagnosis. Despite the recent record of the building, architects still say that they are practising a "damaged profession", which can no longer be a sign of an economic crisis. The two competing assumptions, economic crisis vs. crisis of legitimacy, are tested in the prosperous period of the Trento Glorieux. All the signs of the current crisis are already present in the testimonies of architects of those years, describing the negative consequences of market penetration of consultancy firms and demands for independence from an increasing number of players. ; French architects professional crisis is often said to result from the impact of two oil crises on the building trade. Several years of prosperity force to change this diagnosis. In spite of recent building records, French architects still claim to exercise a "disaster profession" that can be no more a sign of economic crisis. The two rival hypotheses, economic crisis vs. crisis of legitimacy, are tested during the 'Trente Glorieuses' prosperous period. Architects' testimonies of these years present all the warning signs of the current crisis. They describe the harmful consequences of design offices' breaking into the market, and the independence claims of a growing number of actors. ; The crisis in the profession of architect is often explained by the impact of the two oil shocks on the building sector. Several years of growth have forced to change this diagnosis. Despite the recent record of the building, architects still say that they are practising a "damaged profession", which can no longer be a sign of an economic crisis. The two competing assumptions, economic crisis vs. crisis of legitimacy, are tested in the prosperous period of the Trento Glorieux. All the signs of the current crisis are already present in the testimonies of architects of those years, describing the negative ...