Creation is an inspiring endeavor. This is especially true when one creates objects of a size that only a few people can. Cathedrals or skyscrapers, bridges or aqueducts, highways or dams are not only fascinating due to their size but also because they greatly affect the lives of all people in their proximity and beyond – for decades or even centuries. Construction is a true act of  creation.

The  growing demands for a “better” built environment – even if the meaning of “better” is hard to define in this context –  requires increasing levels of diverse knowledge. As time progresses, it is getting harder to live up to the ever growing expectations:  trains begin to compete with the speed of airplanes, buildings are expected to produce rather than consume energy, and in the not-so-distant future we will build in outer space, most likely with advanced robotics and 3-D printers.