Architecture needs to change:

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We believe architecture as a profession has serious flaws — and we’re not afraid to challenge them.
 

1. Let’s make architecture welcoming, approachable, and meaningful

The RIBA logo shows two heraldic lions flanking a classical column, topped by a disembodied hand holding a pair of compasses.

Does that look friendly or welcoming to you?

To us, it symbolises tradition, hierarchy, authority — and colonialism.
It represents status, not what architects do every day.

Even my daughter said:

“It’s boring and unfriendly — and that’s not what a lion looks like.”

Let’s move away from distant symbols of power.
Let’s stand for something more human.
Let’s make architecture welcoming, approachable, and meaningful.

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2. Culture, Fairness, and Representation

Many feel that RIBA prioritises reputation and business over fairness.
The ARB and RIBA must implement meaningful changes to better protect ordinary architects and their qualifications.

Small practices and lesser-known members are often left without meaningful support or representation — a reality I’ve experienced myself. RIBA has deeply disappointed me.

A toxic culture still persists in many parts of the industry:
● Unfair treatment
● Staff exploitation
● Poor mental health
● A lingering “star-architect” culture

These aren’t rare isolated problems. I’ve seen and experienced them myself.

 

3. Education Must Catch Up With Reality

Architectural education has big gaps — and I’ve felt them firsthand.

Many graduates leave university without the practical skills they need.
They often begin as cheap labour, only learning about essential topics like planning, building regulations, or collaboration on the job.

At university, only big, glamorous projects — like museums, airports, or visitor centres — were considered “good enough.”
Yet in my small practice, 80% of our work is residential extensions and retrofits.

Many student projects are impressive on the surface but disconnected from real-world demands.
They often ignore basic requirements like safety, cost, and technical feasibility — the result is Design-Wash.

It’s like asking me to design a floating research platform at sea —
without knowing anything about hydrodynamics, shipbuilding, or how scientific research even works at sea.
(And yes — that really was my Diploma Project.)

 

A Simple Idea: Town-Based Student Studios

What if universities had an office in town?

Students could act as ambassadors for design and ideas.
Locals could walk in, ask for help, and students — supported by professionals — could work on real projects, together.

They’d learn how to communicate, collaborate, about finance and run a practice.
And if the work succeeds, students should be fairly paid.

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1. Be more critical

Architects have lost much of their influence as ambassadors for people and good design.
We just have to look around at most new construction: generic, profit-driven, and often disconnected from human needs.Too often, architects stay silent — even when they know something is wrong.
We accept poor housing conditions, lifeless public spaces, and buildings that are expensive to run, hard to use, and ugly to live with.

​If architects don’t stand up for quality, sustainability, dignity, and real usefulness — who will?