RIBA complains to prime minister over procurement
Witney Corn Exchange design competition sparks outcry as Ian Ritchie resigns over conditions
The RIBA has complained to prime minister David Cameron that a design competition in his constituency was exploiting architects.
A letter was sent by RIBA president Angela Brady to Cameron and Oxfordshire District Council, following the resignation of shortlisted architect Ian Ritchie from an Ojeu competition to overhaul the Corn Exchange in Witney.
The design competition was advertised in March, seeking an architect or designer to revamp the grade II-listed building. More than 80 expressions of interest were received.
Shortlisted architects were then asked to submit three design concepts — one for a repair of the existing building, a remodel and a total rebuild — to RIBA stage C working to a budget of up to £1.5 million, as well as a 7,500- word report.
Brady complained that the council had not specified a clear brief and budget before commission, and suggested fees and expenses for architects should have been allocated.
Ritchie, who was shortlisted along with five other practices for the project and wrote to Cameron and his own MP Jim Fitzpatrick, said: “We do not think that the delivery expectations contained in the [invitation to tender] ITT are either fair or realistic.”
But other participating architects have blamed the project manager associated with the scheme — Oxfordshire-based Treloar Property and Construction Consultants — for giving wrong advice to Witney Town Council, which admitted that it had never handled a design competition of this size.
One practice said: “The wider issue [with PQQs] is that project managers are selling their services these days on their ability to get the design team to do a lot for nothing, while they take all the money.
“We told them what they were asking for is outrageous and that no architect would provide it without pay.”
Residents are now being consulted on two proposals by Foster Wilson and Levitt Bernstein for the Corn Exchange and a winner will be selected later this summer.
Claire Swan, deputy town clerk at Witney Town Council, said: “We’re trying to be as fair as possible and take everything into account.”
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Readers' comments (6)
One practice said: “The wider issue [with PQQs] is that project managers are selling their services these days on their ability to get the design team to do a lot for nothing, while they take all the money."
this can't be repeated enough before people realise what is going on..... imagine what it will be like when all these low cost schools are farmed out to contractors. I still wonder how this could be beneficial for the architecture community
John I agree 100%. Collectively Architects need to stand up against the parasitic activities of people with little relevant training.
“The wider issue [with PQQs] is that project managers are selling their services these days on their ability to get the design team to do a lot for nothing, while they take all the money."
The quote says it all, and I would argue the clients are 100% on board and generally in full knowledge of the project managers approach.
In other words many clients are turning a blind eye to exploitive competitions, convinced they can get away with it by project managers that offer very little indeed.
Talking of "the parasitic activities of people with little relevant training" how about abolishing employment agencies - some are creaming off 20% !
"The RIBA has complained to prime minister David Cameron that a design competition in his constituency was exploiting architects"
"no architect would provide it without pay"
At the same time RIBA are looking to set up Design Review Panels where the architect will provide input for no fee.
Please RIBA, don't be hypocritical, either you want you're members to get paid or you don't. Pick one and stick to it.
“The wider issue [with PQQs] is that project managers are selling their services these days on their ability to get the design team to do a lot for nothing, while they take all the money."
I do agree with above comments and yes the position of the project manager has had an effect on the revenue of architecture offices. Indeed project management is traditionally the work of the architect but has been separated to supervise the efficiency of design services for the client.
The worst of this is indeed that some project managers are really undereducated in building design. A usual argument is that building has become much more complicated. Well, I guess does it really have to be complicated ? Are we not turning away from the super-double-glazing-steel culture. In these days where money ( is said ) to be rare, architects can use their abilities and education to design structures that respond to the demand of the market. But lets also face the other side. There are also some quite bad architects out there !!!!
The quality of Architects is not the issue of the Article, but I would argue general quality in Architecture has gone up rather than decline.
In my practice I would rather take profit sharing based on the increased value added with my Architecture than fees; strangely however no client has ever taken me up on the offer.