Zadrugarstvo je u arhitekturi kao bitna stručna inicijativa nakon Drugoga svjetskog rata bilo jamac profesionalne autonomije prakticirajućih arhitekata. Ukazujući na pravu problematiku rada i poslovanja unutar arhitektonske profesije, Zadruga je otvorila mogućnost nalaženja prostora slobode zbog kojih su dosezi rada prve zadruge u podruèju arhitekture na prostorima Federativne Narodne Republike Jugoslavije djelovali izuzetno emancipacijski za struku. Ovim se radom prvi put razotkriva osnivanje i djelovanje Zadruge Arhitekt koje se bitni učinci prikazuju u širemu društvenom i političkom kontekstu poslijeratne arhitektonske profesije. Cooperative movement in architecture was an important professional initiative launched after WW II in order to assure professional autonomy of practising architects. By addressing the real issues of working and doing business in architectural profession, the Architect paved the way for architects to achieve greater freedom. It thus played a crucial role as a catalyst for much needed independence of architectural profession in the former Yugoslavia. This article for the first time reveals the establishment and activities of the cooperative Architect whose effects are assessed in a wider social and political context of post-war architectural profession.