{"id":813124,"date":"2026-10-25T05:14:28","date_gmt":"2026-10-25T05:14:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/813124\/"},"modified":"2026-10-25T05:14:28","modified_gmt":"2026-10-25T05:14:28","slug":"weve-earned-0-is-londons-architecture-framework-failing-small-practices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/813124\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018We\u2019ve earned \u00a30\u2019: Is London\u2019s architecture framework failing small practices?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2018We have, to date, invoiced \u00a30 in fees from the A+U framework,\u2019 says Tim O\u2019Callaghan, co-founder of Nimtim Architects<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It has been nearly four years since 65 architects and design practices were handed a spot on London\u2019s Architecture + Urbanism (A+U) framework<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But despite the early fanfare, several have reported that being a part of this ready-to-use roster of talent has resulted in a dismal amount of work. Some are questioning whether it\u2019s even worth the hassle of applying to rejoin the framework when it expires in four months\u2019 time at the end of February.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The AJ has heard criticisms that the framework has failed to increase the diversity of who wins what. Small teams and minority-run firms say they\u2019ve received a pitiful proportion of fees, despite being championed as beneficiaries of the set-up.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Of course everyone loses out when there isn\u2019t enough work to go around \u2013 the value of jobs commissioned so far through the framework is a third of that of its predecessor (\u00a341\u00a0million compared with \u00a315 million). But have small practices borne the brunt of this decline?<\/p>\n

Launched in 2023<\/a> as the successor to the Architecture Design and Urbanism Panel 2 (ADUP2), the A+U framework was created by the Greater London Authority (GLA) with the dual aim of opening up public-sector access to industry expertise and widening opportunities in terms of practice sizes and backgrounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018My studio is one of those named at the top of the table, but receiving a fraction of one per cent of contract fees tells its own story\u2019<\/p>\n

Upon its inception, deputy mayor for planning Jules Pipe said<\/a> that it was \u2018crucial that those involved in the transformation of London are representative of all who live here\u2019, and that he and the mayor were \u2018pleased to see such a diverse range of practitioners\u2019 signed up.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The ambitions for the next iteration will, no doubt, be similar. But the AJ has already heard that a number of practices do not intend to\u00a0reapply, including Office Sian, which operated as part of a consortium led by Karakusevic Carson Architects.<\/p>\n

In a candid social media post<\/a>, the practice\u2019s founding director, Gurmeet Sian, revealed that despite this consortium routinely topping the tables in terms of total fees won, his practice had invoiced less than 0.12 per cent of the group\u2019s\u00a0earnings.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Of the \u00a32.1 million of work the consortium has won over the last three or so years, only around \u00a32,500 has reached Office Sian. Writing on LinkedIn, Sian said: \u2018My studio is one of those named at the top of the table, but receiving a fraction of one per cent of contract fees tells its own story. So after seeing this lop-sided distribution of fees year on year, Office Sian have taken the difficult decision to resign from this framework.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

He said the GLA\u2019s efforts were \u2018genuine\u2019, but despite 57 per cent of studios on the framework being diverse-led, headline figures were failing to translate into fees.<\/p>\n

\u2018Though the premise was to include practices like ours, the actual project opportunities weren\u2019t geared the same way\u2019<\/p>\n

The founders of Nimtim, though not part of a consortium, feel the same. \u2018Much was made of the opportunities for smaller and diverse-led practices that the framework would provide,\u2019 O\u2019Callaghan tells the AJ. \u2018However, the reality is that it has not turned into actual billable work for many of us.\u2019<\/p>\n

He also highlights the \u2018significant\u2019 time and resources needed for the two-stage application and subsequent bids within each lot. O\u2019Callaghan says that while the application to get on the framework is assessed on design quality, the individual tenders over the years have been decided based on \u2018experience, track record and\/or personnel\u2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This has made it \u2018extremely difficult\u2019 for smaller and emerging studios to win work when pitted against larger, more established practices operating on the same lot. Nimtim made it on to Lot 3, for landscape, green infrastructure and public realm, and Lot 7, for small sites housing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He says there have only been four or five opportunities presented to architects in Lot 7 \u2013 a lot that O\u2019Callaghan claims was supposed to function like a \u2018taxi rank system\u2019 where everyone would get an opportunity in turn. \u2018That has not been the case,\u2019 he adds.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nimtim remains \u2018on the fence\u2019 about reapplying, though O\u2019Callaghan said it was \u2018unlikely\u2019 after three years on the framework. Similarly, Chlo\u00eb Leen, director at PUP Architects, says her team is hesitant to bid for another place, having only had four invitations to tender, and submitted proposals for just one project, over the last three\u00a0years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

PUP Architects made it on to Lot 6 for commercial, workspace and industrial schemes, where it competed with the likes of Stirling Prize winner Haworth Tompkins and a consortium containing Studio Egret West and Bell Philips.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018Though the premise of the framework was to promote the inclusion of practices like ours, the actual project opportunities weren\u2019t geared the same way\u2019, says Leen. \u2018Knowing our lot competitors, we had to weigh up the likelihood of winning the job versus the resources of putting the bid together, which for a small practice is proportionally\u00a0onerous.\u2019<\/p>\n

Leen describes the selection process as \u2018very rigorous and labour intensive\u2019, spanning \u2018many months\u2019 and proving a \u2018huge drain on resources\u2019. She wants to review the GLA\u2019s proposed changes before deciding whether to reapply.<\/p>\n

McCloy + Muchemwa, a practice within the Studio Egret West-led consortium, also failed to win any fee-paying work from the framework. It says it has not yet been invited to join any rebidding consortiums, while co-founder Steve McCloy adds that they\u2019d be unlikely to win a place on their own.<\/p>\n

In a statement to the AJ, the GLA confirmed that the updated framework would include \u2018several significant changes\u2019 following feedback from participating practices.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A spokesperson said: \u2018We are committed to developing a framework that evolves where necessary so that practices of all sizes can help shape London\u2019s urban environment.\u2019<\/p>\n

By the end of its run, ADUP2 had seen six practices take on more than \u00a32 million worth of work, with double that number winning more than \u00a31 million.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In comparison, the A+U framework can boast only one member, the consortium led by Karakusevic Carson, as having broken the \u00a32 million mark, and only five topping \u00a31 million.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While Karakusevic Carson declined to comment on the distribution of work and fees within its consortium, founding partner Paul Karakusevic did tell the AJ: \u2018As a practice we support design competitions, frameworks and collaboration, but recognise that the current financial conditions for London public sector clients are making it harder for everyone.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

The GLA says that, as of July, more than half (54 per cent) of projects using the framework were awarded to diverse-led suppliers, defined as a \u2018supplier that has 50 per cent or more of its leadership who identify with being female, Black, Asian, minority ethnic, disabled and\/or as members of the LGBTQIA+ community\u2019. It also says 46 per cent of projects using the framework have been given to small suppliers, with 27 per cent awarded to micro suppliers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The GLA has tried to achieve something equitable in what is a challenging time for the profession, but the well-intentioned flagship framework appears to be falling short in this ambition.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As Sian says<\/a>: \u2018To be clear: we are not victims here. [But] things must change.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A total of 55 places on the framework \u2013 representing 57 per cent of appointments across all ten lots \u2013 were awarded to \u2018diverse-led\u2019 enterprises<\/p>\n

Who\u2019s won what? Top five earners as of July 2026<\/p>\n

Karakusevic Carson Architects with K Bava Architects, Office Sian, Pedder & Scampton, Sarha Hersi and Saya Hakamata \u00a32.13 million
\nHawkins\\Brown \u00a31.25 million
\nWe Made That \u00a0\u00a31.15 million
\nArchio \u00a31.12 million
\nEast architecture, landscape, urban design \u00a31.04 million<\/p>\n

2018 predictions: Will the profession continue to be marginalised?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u2018We have, to date, invoiced \u00a30 in fees from the A+U framework,\u2019 says Tim O\u2019Callaghan, co-founder of Nimtim…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":813125,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[6225,6485,6486,1120,96,212783,140876,266831,266832,266833,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-813124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-framework-agreements","tag-mayor-of-london","tag-mccloy-muchemwa","tag-office-sian","tag-pup-architects","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/813124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=813124"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/813124\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/813125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=813124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=813124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=813124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}