In the 1600s one did not go out and hire eight design professionals, a general contractor, 12 subcontractors and a slew of consultants to build one’s building. They simply hired a Master Builder, who learned the trade by word of mouth and relied on experience, models, and rules of thumb to determine the sizes of building elements. The Master Builder was responsible for everything – designing the building, dealing with engineering issues, determining the means and methods of construction, and employing all of the workforce necessary to complete the project. The same team worked on every project, learned from prior experience and implemented improvements as they progressed. Buildings were built efficiently, at reasonable costs, and with great levels of quality.

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