ARB announces strategy to “raise standards” in architecture

The Architects Registration Board has set out a five-year strategy intended to address safety, competence and culture in the UK‘s architecture industry.

According to the Architects Registration Board (ARB), the strategy is focused on “improving safety, strengthening professional competence and improving workplace culture among architects in the UK”.

It said this builds on reforms it has introduced over the last five years and sets out examples where it has “an opportunity to make further positive change”.

ARB hopes to improve accountability

By 2030, ARB said it hopes to improve accountability and increase public confidence in architects by evaluating the impact of its continuing professional development (CPD) scheme, addressing discrimination and sexual misconduct in the sector, and improving the process of dealing with those who do not meet required standards.

It comes as RIBA president Chris Williamson terminated his registration with ARB to highlight the “absurdity of the current regulatory framework” of ARB, which only regulates the protected title “architect” and the competence of those on its register.

ARB’s plan also includes addressing unresolved problems raised in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry phase two report, supporting economic growth in the architecture profession and preparing professionals for the future needs of the built environment.

“Architecture directly affects people’s safety and quality of life,” said ARB chair Alan Kershaw.

“Our job is to make sure that architects are competent, accountable and work in the public interest.”

“This strategy sets out how we will raise standards”

“This strategy sets out how we will raise standards, strengthen education and continuing professional development, and press on with our programme to modernise the way in which architects are regulated,” Kershaw continued.

“We recognise that the profession has been subject to substantial change and continuing challenge, and the new strategy sets out how we will support the profession and enable learning providers to continue to innovate in the interests of trainees and architects of the future.”

The ARB also hopes that its education reform, due to take effect in 2027, will improve competence in the profession. It will involve scrapping the traditional three-part architecture qualification structure for an alternative framework that aims to be more flexible.

The top photo by Daniel McCullough via Unsplash.