I think this is exactly why many of us find the architecture, or "civil engineering", metaphor so appealing. Architecture is neither pure art nor pure science.

I think this is exactly why many of us find the architecture, or "civil engineering", metaphor so appealing. Architecture is neither pure art nor pure science. It's a delicate balance of form and function, beauty and practicality. In fact, I think the article only manages to make the architecture metaphor appear more fitting. Even when you're building a bridge, you never really "put in the last rivet and make the last weld." Read about any historic bridge and you'll quickly learn that the life of a bridge can be as dynamic as any novel. London bridge was redesigned and rebuilt (refactored?) on several occasions since Roman times. The Brooklyn Bridge was conceived by a man, continued by his son, and completed by his daughter-in-law.