diff --git a/packages/angular_devkit/core/src/workspace/workspace-schema.json b/packages/angular_devkit/core/src/workspace/workspace-schema.json
index c63a175095..9fd6926616 100644
--- a/packages/angular_devkit/core/src/workspace/workspace-schema.json
+++ b/packages/angular_devkit/core/src/workspace/workspace-schema.json
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@
       "$ref": "#/definitions/tool",
       "default": {}
     },
+    "targets": {
+      "$ref": "#/definitions/tool",
+      "default": {}
+    },    
     "projects": {
       "type": "object",
       "description": "A map of project names to project options.",
@@ -83,6 +87,10 @@
         "architect": {
           "$ref": "#/definitions/tool",
           "default": {}
+        },
+        "targets": {
+          "$ref": "#/definitions/tool",
+          "default": {}
         }
       },
       "additionalProperties": false,
diff --git a/packages/angular_devkit/core/src/workspace/workspace-schema.ts b/packages/angular_devkit/core/src/workspace/workspace-schema.ts
index 665e96808e..f10dbc18a6 100644
--- a/packages/angular_devkit/core/src/workspace/workspace-schema.ts
+++ b/packages/angular_devkit/core/src/workspace/workspace-schema.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ export interface WorkspaceSchema {
    * Tool options.
    */
   architect?: WorkspaceTool;
+  /**
+   * Tool options.
+   */
+  targets?: WorkspaceTool;
   /**
    * A map of project names to project options.
    */
@@ -74,6 +78,10 @@ export interface WorkspaceProject {
    * Tool options.
    */
   architect?: WorkspaceTool;
+  /**
+   * Tool options.
+   */
+  targets?: WorkspaceTool;
 }
 /**
  * Architect options.
diff --git a/packages/angular_devkit/core/src/workspace/workspace.ts b/packages/angular_devkit/core/src/workspace/workspace.ts
index d8964e6fa5..25885d36a9 100644
--- a/packages/angular_devkit/core/src/workspace/workspace.ts
+++ b/packages/angular_devkit/core/src/workspace/workspace.ts
@@ -129,13 +129,14 @@ export class Workspace {
       throw new ProjectNotFoundException(projectName);
     }
 
-    return {
-      ...workspaceProject,
-      // Return only the project properties, and remove the tools.
-      cli: {},
-      schematics: {},
-      architect: {},
-    };
+    // Return only the project properties, and remove the tools.
+    const workspaceProjectClone = {...workspaceProject};
+    delete workspaceProjectClone['cli'];
+    delete workspaceProjectClone['schematics'];
+    delete workspaceProjectClone['architect'];
+    delete workspaceProjectClone['targets'];
+
+    return workspaceProjectClone;
   }
 
   getDefaultProjectName(): string | null {
@@ -209,8 +210,8 @@ export class Workspace {
     return this._getTool('schematics');
   }
 
-  getArchitect() {
-    return this._getTool('architect');
+  getTargets() {
+    return this._getTool('targets');
   }
 
   getProjectCli(projectName: string) {
@@ -221,14 +222,19 @@ export class Workspace {
     return this._getProjectTool(projectName, 'schematics');
   }
 
-  getProjectArchitect(projectName: string) {
-    return this._getProjectTool(projectName, 'architect');
+  getProjectTargets(projectName: string) {
+    return this._getProjectTool(projectName, 'targets');
   }
 
-  private _getTool(toolName: 'cli' | 'schematics' | 'architect'): WorkspaceTool {
+  private _getTool(toolName: 'cli' | 'schematics' | 'targets'): WorkspaceTool {
     this._assertLoaded();
 
-    const workspaceTool = this._workspace[toolName];
+    let workspaceTool = this._workspace[toolName];
+
+    // Try falling back to 'architect' if 'targets' is not there or is empty.
+    if ((!workspaceTool || Object.keys(workspaceTool).length === 0) && toolName === 'targets') {
+      workspaceTool = this._workspace['architect'];
+    }
 
     if (!workspaceTool) {
       throw new WorkspaceToolNotFoundException(toolName);
@@ -238,7 +244,7 @@ export class Workspace {
   }
 
   private _getProjectTool(
-    projectName: string, toolName: 'cli' | 'schematics' | 'architect',
+    projectName: string, toolName: 'cli' | 'schematics' | 'targets',
   ): WorkspaceTool {
     this._assertLoaded();
 
@@ -248,7 +254,13 @@ export class Workspace {
       throw new ProjectNotFoundException(projectName);
     }
 
-    const projectTool = workspaceProject[toolName];
+    let projectTool = workspaceProject[toolName];
+
+    // Try falling back to 'architect' if 'targets' is not there or is empty.
+    if ((!projectTool || Object.keys(projectTool).length === 0) && toolName === 'targets') {
+      projectTool = workspaceProject['architect'];
+    }
+
 
     if (!projectTool) {
       throw new ProjectToolNotFoundException(toolName);
diff --git a/packages/angular_devkit/core/src/workspace/workspace_spec.ts b/packages/angular_devkit/core/src/workspace/workspace_spec.ts
index 8b69a7ce0a..ae98d2a012 100644
--- a/packages/angular_devkit/core/src/workspace/workspace_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/angular_devkit/core/src/workspace/workspace_spec.ts
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ describe('Workspace', () => {
         },
       },
     },
-    architect: {},
+    targets: {},
     projects: {
       app: {
         root: 'projects/app',
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ describe('Workspace', () => {
             },
           },
         },
-        architect: {
+        targets: {
           build: {
             builder: '@angular-devkit/build-angular:browser',
             transforms: [
@@ -101,13 +101,11 @@ describe('Workspace', () => {
       },
     },
   };
-  const appProject = {
-    ...workspaceJson.projects['app'],
-    // Tools should not be returned when getting a project.
-    cli: {},
-    schematics: {},
-    architect: {},
-  } as {} as WorkspaceProject;
+  // Tools should not be returned when getting a project.
+  const appProject = { ...workspaceJson.projects['app'] };
+  delete appProject['cli'];
+  delete appProject['schematics'];
+  delete appProject['targets'];
 
   it('loads workspace from json', (done) => {
     const workspace = new Workspace(root, host);
@@ -246,10 +244,20 @@ describe('Workspace', () => {
     ).toPromise().then(done, done.fail);
   });
 
-  it('gets workspace architect', (done) => {
+  it('gets workspace targets', (done) => {
     const workspace = new Workspace(root, host);
     workspace.loadWorkspaceFromJson(workspaceJson).pipe(
-      tap((ws) => expect(ws.getArchitect()).toEqual(workspaceJson.architect as WorkspaceTool)),
+      tap((ws) => expect(ws.getTargets()).toEqual(workspaceJson.targets as WorkspaceTool)),
+    ).toPromise().then(done, done.fail);
+  });
+
+  it('gets workspace architect when targets is not there', (done) => {
+    const workspace = new Workspace(root, host);
+    const workspaceJsonClone = { ...workspaceJson };
+    workspaceJsonClone['architect'] = workspaceJsonClone['targets'];
+    delete workspaceJsonClone['targets'];
+    workspace.loadWorkspaceFromJson(workspaceJsonClone).pipe(
+      tap((ws) => expect(ws.getTargets()).toEqual(workspaceJson.targets as WorkspaceTool)),
     ).toPromise().then(done, done.fail);
   });
 
@@ -269,11 +277,26 @@ describe('Workspace', () => {
     ).toPromise().then(done, done.fail);
   });
 
-  it('gets project architect', (done) => {
+  it('gets project targets', (done) => {
     const workspace = new Workspace(root, host);
     workspace.loadWorkspaceFromJson(workspaceJson).pipe(
-      tap((ws) => expect(ws.getProjectArchitect('app'))
-        .toEqual(workspaceJson.projects.app.architect as WorkspaceTool)),
+      tap((ws) => expect(ws.getProjectTargets('app'))
+        .toEqual(workspaceJson.projects.app.targets as WorkspaceTool)),
+    ).toPromise().then(done, done.fail);
+  });
+
+  it('gets project architect when targets is not there', (done) => {
+    const workspace = new Workspace(root, host);
+    const appJsonClone = { ...workspaceJson.projects.app };
+    appJsonClone['architect'] = appJsonClone['targets'];
+    delete appJsonClone['targets'];
+    const simpleWorkspace = {
+      version: 1,
+      projects: { app: appJsonClone },
+    };
+    workspace.loadWorkspaceFromJson(simpleWorkspace).pipe(
+      tap((ws) => expect(ws.getProjectTargets('app'))
+        .toEqual(workspaceJson.projects.app.targets as WorkspaceTool)),
     ).toPromise().then(done, done.fail);
   });