> the rise of abstract architectural criticism over the practical building arts.

i.e. "any mason can build a brick house, but an architect will create an ugly box that no mason would ever have built".

Reminds me of a quote attributed to Frank Lloyd Wright: "If the roof doesn't leak, the architect hasn't been creative enough." (and he allegedly said to a client unhappy with the leaks in his roof, "That’s how you can tell it’s a roof.")