Chris Williamson feeling ‘quite sad’ as RIBA president loses architect title

Chris Williamson has said he is feeling “quite sad” about losing his architect title after voluntarily allowing his ARB registration to lapse in a protest against the profession’s regulatory system.

The RIBA president and WW+P co-founder is no longer on the ARB register and could now be prosecuted if he calls himself an architect following his decision last month to relinquish the title.

Williamson told Building Design: “I’m feeling quite sad about it to be honest but that’s probably the cold weather and the reflective time of year”.

But he added: “Not being able to call myself an architect after 40 years in a career I have loved feels weird”.

Williamson is seeking to draw attention to what he has described as the “absurdity” of the current regulatory system, which protects the legally restricted title “architect” but provides no oversight of the competence of those undertaking architectural activities.

The move, announced on 11 December, is intended to launch the institute’s campaign to establish a new regulatory model for UK architects which defines who can carry out reserved activities such as submitting full planning applications.

Williamson said the fact that he is still able to perform the roles of an architect without being on the register is “even weirder” than losing the title and “highlights the fact that safety, ethics and good practice are being jeopardised if the function is not regulated”.

But he admitted that he had already encountered drawbacks to losing the title, including a competition he has been working on over the Christmas break which he will now need to enter in partnership with a registered architect.

“There are downsides already and I’m sure there will be others,” he said, although he believed the overwhelming support he has received since announcing his decision “makes me think it was the right thing to do”.

“It’s been going on too long and something needed to be done,” Williamson said. “I’m in the privileged position of being able to make a stand. Many other architects cannot take the commercial risk of giving up the title”.

He said the ability for a non-architect to enter competitions with registered architects “again highlights the absurdity of regulation of title not function”, adding “we need to ensure that only competent professionals are able to deal with certain matters, for our own protection”.

Williamson said the RIBA will outline a “clear strategy” within the next few weeks for its campaign to abolish the Architects Act, which established the Arb in 1997, and introduce a new regulatory system based on reserved activities.

RIBA has also said it wants to establish a built environment council to oversee the competence requirements of construction industry professional bodies which would assess the competence of individuals, who could then be included as chartered members.

An ARB spokesperson said: “It is a legal requirement that anyone practising under the title ‘architect’ in the UK must be registered with the Architects Registration Board.

”Only by using a registered architect can the public be assured that they are using the services of someone who is suitably qualified and also has engaged in CPD, a key statutory requirement post-Grenfell, and made necessary declarations about their fitness to practise.

“Our focus remains on working collaboratively with government and others within the built environment to explore how the statutory regime could be strengthened further. The government is expected to announce further reforms imminently and we look forward to continuing to work with them.”