Seeing the coverage of the Grenfell Inquiry over the last few weeks – the examples of, in witnesses’ own words, “not good practice” – has been dispiriting. Alarm bells should be ringing loudly across the construction industry.

Flora Samuel in her most recent book looks at professionalism, specifically in relation to architects: “The inefficiencies and ineptitudes of some architects reflect badly on the excellent collaborative spatial problem-solving skills of others, the overall result being that this highly skilled and resourceful workforce is being marginalised from the production of our homes and cities.”

The marginalisation of architects within the building industry is commonly decried but there is perhaps a broader picture at play than most of us are currently seeing.

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