In other words, unpaid overtime is a symptom of a larger problem.To adapt David Cameron’s comment this week about the state of the Eurozone, red warning lights are flashing on the dashboard of British architecture. Have your say
You must sign in to make a comment. Demand for architects’ services collapsed during the recession and hasn’t really recovered, while supply — in simple terms the number of architects in the game — has not fallen to match. This includes governance problems so serious it has appointed an independent lawyer to untangle them; and the latest flaring up of its eight-month-long row over Israeli settlement building.The latter is entirely self-inflicted given that the institute chose to send a delegation into the heart of one of the world’s most intractable conflicts while failing to convince both sides of its evenhandedness.Wherever you stand on RIBA Council’s controversial resolution in March that sparked this row, fact-finding trips to foreign conflict zones are probably best left to the UN. Unfortunately, it’s also understandable in a profession that has responded to the recent recession largely through low fee-bidding and speculative tenders for work. 10 July 2014
RIBA Stirling Prize 2014: Introduction
10 October 2014
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Save AJ is planning to play a small part in that endeavour by introducing a new business section next year designed to help with practical advice on how you and your practice can thrive in 2015.Where is the RIBA?You might have thought our survey would be of interest to the RIBA, but despite AJ sharing the results with the institute more than 24 hours before our deadline, no response had been received as we went to press.Of course 66 Portland Place is in the midst of institutional turmoil. In fact, confronted by the results of AJ’s landmark survey this week, what was most striking about the response of leading figures in the profession was their utter lack of surprise.But just because we see this working culture all around us doesn’t mean that quantifying it and considering it is pointless. The sooner the RIBA can focus on its stated role of promoting British architecture and supporting British architects, the better..
