An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight/supervision of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings, that have as their principal purpose human occupancy or use. Etymologically, architect derives from the Latin architectus, itself derived from the Greek arkhitekton (arkhi-, chief + tekton, builder), i.e. chief builder.

Professionally, an architect's decisions affect public safety, and thus an architect must undergo specialized training consisting of advanced education and a practicum (or internship) for practical experience to earn a license to practice architecture. The practical, technical, and academic requirements for becoming an architect vary by jurisdiction (see below).

The terms architect and architecture are also used in the disciplines of landscape architecture, naval architecture and often information technology (for example a software architect). In most of the world's jurisdictions, the professional and commercial uses of the terms "architect" and "landscape architect" are legally protected.

The following is a list of famous architects — well-known individuals with a large body of published work or notable structures.

Several architects occur in worldwide mythology, including Daedalus, builder of the Labyrinth, in Greek myth. In the Bible, Nimrod is considered the creator of the Tower of Babel, and King Solomon built Solomon's Temple with the assistance of the architect Hiram. In Hinduism, the palaces of the gods were built by the architect and artisan Vivasvat. Moreover, Indian epic Mahabharata cites amazing work by architect 'Maya.'

Architects also occur in modern fiction. Examples include Howard Roark, protagonist in Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, Bloody Stupid Johnson, a parody of Capability Brown who appears in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels, and Slartibartfast, designer of planets in Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Several films have included central characters who are architects, including Henry Fonda's character "Juror 8" (Davis) in 12 Angry Men (1957), Tom Hanks' character in Sleepless in Seattle (1993), David Strathairn's character in The River Wild (1994), Michael J. Fox's character in The Frighteners (1996), John Cassavetes' character in Tempest (1982), and Michael Keaton's character in White Noise (2005), among many examples. In television, Mike Brady, father of The Brady Bunch, is an architect, as is Wilbur Post, owner of Mister Ed, and Ted Mosby, from How I Met Your Mother. Architect Halvard Solness is the protagonist of Henrick Ibsen's 1892 play The Master Builder.