The canon of western contemporary architecture has overlooked everyday, 'salaried' architecture - overwhelming as it may have turned out to be in our built environment - praising instead the solo designer and his ground-breaking work.

Since World War I, the social role of the architect (in terms both of his or her place in social hierarchies and of his or her contribution for social betterment) seems to have been primarily tested, and largely consolidated, in 'departmental architecture'. Yet...