The Virtues of an Architect

and the Architect’s Credo

Copyright © 2020 De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. All rights reserved.

 Virtues of an Architect
By Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

May the architect be high minded

Not arrogant, but faithful
Just and easy to deal with

Without avarice
Not let his mind be occupied
In receiving gifts
But let him preserve his good name
With dignity

(Warren & Morgan, 1914; UAP

Committee on Professional Practice
and Ethics, 1979)

"Vitruvius, Loggia del Consiglio, Piazza

dei Signori, Verona" by Dimitris Graffin
Copyright © 2020 De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. All rights reserved.
is marked with CC BY 2.0.
 High-Minded

“Morally lofty, resulting from high

principles (1550s)”
(Definition and Etymology of High-
Minded, n.d.)

Copyright © 2020 De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. All rights reserved.

 Avarice

● “Inordinate desire of gaining and

possessing wealth (c. 1300)”
● “In Middle English also of
immoderate desire for knowledge,
glory, power, etc.; it ‘has become
limited, except in figurative uses, so
as to express only a sordid and
mastering desire to get wealth’”
(Definition and etymology of Avarice,
n.d.)

Copyright © 2020 De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. All rights reserved.

 The Architect’s Credo

● “A compendium of principles,
beliefs and values that architects
are expected to adhere to and in
conduct of their personal and
professional dealings”
● To be recited “with vigor, passion
and hope” “during special or
important occasions, e.g. mass
oath taking, IAPOA’s affair and
Board’s events”
(Professional Regulatory Board of
Architecture, 2018)

Copyright © 2020 De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. All rights reserved.

 Architect’s Credo
Accountability – I shall work with this
general objective that I am accountable to
GOD, to mother earth, to my country, to my
fellowmen, to myself.
Norm of Conduct – I shall uphold the ideals
and follow the norms and ethical conduct of
this profession.
Professional Excellence – I shall pursue
moral and professional excellence to the
most utmost level of integrity through
industrious dedication and meaningful
application to my work that merits a
reputation for quality of services worthy of
fair remuneration.
Ethical Relationship – I shall pledge myself
to the highest standard of professionalism in
relation to clients, colleagues, industry
partners, and society.
Copyright © 2020 De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. All rights reserved.
Sharing – I shall dedicate myself to the
pursuit of creative endeavor towards the
goal of enlightened Art and Science,
generously sharing it.
Respect – I shall respect the rights and
works of my colleagues in the profession and
confine my comments to the constructive
intents.
Legacy – I shall endeavor to do my duty in
the protection of our common environment
and the preservation of architectural
heritage for the sake of the present and
future generations.
So help me God.
(Professional Regulatory Board of
Architecture, 2018)
 Credo

● “kerd-dhe- ‘to believe,’ literally ‘to

put one's heart’”
● “General sense of ‘formula or
statement of belief’ is from 1580s”
(Definition and etymology of Credo,
n.d.)

Copyright © 2020 De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. All rights reserved.

 Accountable

● “Answerable,"
● Literally "liable to be called to
account“
(Definition and etymology of
Accountable, n.d.)

Copyright © 2020 De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. All rights reserved.

 Ethical

“Pertaining to morality, c. 1600“

(Definition and etymology of Ethical,
n.d.)

Copyright © 2020 De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. All rights reserved.

 Excellence

“‘Superiority, greatness, distinction’ in

anything, mid-14c.” (Definition and
etymology of Excellence, n.d.)

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 Endeavor

“’Pains taken to attain an object,’

literally ‘in duty,’ early 15c.” (Definition
and Etymology of Endeavor, n.d.)

Copyright © 2020 De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. All rights reserved.

 Constructive

“Sense of ‘having the quality of

constructing’ is from 1841, especially
‘contributing helpfully.’” (Definition
and etymology of Constructive, n.d.)

Copyright © 2020 De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. All rights reserved.

 References

Definition and etymology of accountable. (n.d.). Etymonline.Com. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from
https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=accountable
Definition and etymology of avarice. (n.d.). Etymonline.Com. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from
https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=avarice
Definition and etymology of constructive. (n.d.). Etymonline. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from
https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=constructive
Definition and etymology of Credo. (n.d.). Etymonline. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from
https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=credo
Definition and etymology of endeavor. (n.d.). Etymonline. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from
https://www.etymonline.com/word/endeavor#etymonline_v_46801
Definition and etymology of Ethical. (n.d.). Etymonline.Com. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from
https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=ethical+conduct
Definition and etymology of Excellence. (n.d.). Etymonline.Com. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from
https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=excellence
Definition and etymology of high-minded. (n.d.). Etymonline. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from
https://www.etymonline.com/word/high-minded

Copyright © 2020 De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. All rights reserved.

 References

Professional Regulatory Board of Architecture. (2018). Adoption and Promulgation of the Architect’s
Credo: Vol. Series of 2018 (Resolution No. 5 ed.). Professional Regulatory Commission.
UAP Committee on Professional Practice and Ethics. (1979). Architect’s National Code. The United
Architects of the Philippines, Inc.
Warren, H. L., & Morgan, M. H. (1914). Vitruvius, the Ten Books on Architecture (Translation).
Cambridge Harvard University Press.

Copyright © 2020 De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. All rights reserved.