INTRODUCTION

The relationship between actors in German construction is under change. Indeed the traditional way how clients and professionals, companies and public authorities form a project coalition to perform construction is still in use, but there is a certain evolution towards a rearrangement of roles, functions and relations. Traditionally the project coalition in Germany is dominated by the demand side. The client is the predominant actor and the architect plays the central role. The construction firm is placed at the end of a line, where nearly all decisions have been made, before it enters the stage. The regulation of the construction process and in particular the regulation of the public tendering favours the trade-oriented, medium, regionally based construction firm. But now there is an evolution, which, step by step, shifts influence towards the supply side, lets other actors take over functions of the architect and reinforces the bigger and more dynamic construction company. So it seems to be worthwhile to look in more detail at the features of the traditional system and to the reasons, nature and direction of the recent change. Therefore - after a few general considerations - the client as the traditional predominant actor and its different types are presented first. Second, because the regulation of the tendering process is important for the relationship between the actors, the Verdingungsordnung für Bauleistungen (VOB) as the most important regulatory document is introduced. In addition, to give an insight into how actors do compete or collaborate on the markets, what I call "the social constitution of construction markets" is explained. Finally the recent development of the project coalition is investigated, starting with a brief examination of the central role of the Architekt and indicating how and by whom his functions are taken over together with other than traditional forms of running construction projects. It then will be evident that the actors, taking over functions of the Architekt as well as starting to play the role of the clients, are the construction firms - in particular, but not only, the big ones. So the final - and open - question is, if the German construction is shifting from a client oriented towards a producer oriented system.