RIBA to offer local design review
Ruth Reed
Architects will work for free on panels for local authorities
The RIBA has outlined plans that would see architects providing free design review services for local authorities.
Former RIBA president Ruth Reed presented the proposals at last week’s council meeting, where she said local authorities would be expected to provide the resources to set up and run the panel, but that individuals would not necessarily be paid.
“This offer we made recognises that there isn’t much money on the table,” she said, adding that many RIBA members “believe in the benefit of design review”.
Under the proposals architects would get CPD training to sit on design review panels, with higher levels of training available for those wishing to chair panels.
But the move goes against Design Council Cabe’s plans to charge local authorities, including London boroughs, for design review and RIBA councillors questioned the provision of a free service.
“The RIBA has to be transparent on the issue of money,” said one council member. “Design Council Cabe are talking about charging for design review. If others are charging, are we mugs?”
Reed came under fire for potentially going into commercial competition with existing design review panels, who she admitted she hasn’t consulted.
“This is an existing RIBA provision that we’re increasing the provision of, we don’t need to ask them,” said Reed.
The RIBA council voted overwhelmingly for the plans to be developed, with one member voting against and one abstaining.
“This is not the final decisions, it’s a means of going forward,” said RIBA president Angela Brady.
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Readers' comments (24)
There are free panels already in existence and working perfectly well thank you. We should widen the expertise to include other disciplines in the mix, not sure how the RIBA would run that and would the RIBA panels preclude ARB registered architects who are not part of the RIBA? That would be a waste of talent.
Architects should be on review panels because they are passionate about their environment and want to improve it and keep it at a high level, it is not about money. If you can't donate a few afternoons a year then do you really care enough?
Editor's comments
The RIBA council did discuss having non-architects on the panels. As the story says, these are just proposals and will be developed further by the RIBA.
I'm lost for words. On the one hand RIBA is condemning architects for not paying interns and on the other offering free services to criticise themselves. The profession is not made up of gentlemen and ladies of means but ordinary people trying to earn a living. Michael Cummings
I wholly agree, Michael. Having commented positively yesterday on the stand that RIBA is taking regarding junior staff working for free, this borders on the ludicrous. As others have commented on numerous previous occasions, free work is work with no value.
Architects already do enough work for free - design competitions requiring schemes practically to stage C, client variations for no extra fees, etc etc....
The problem is that architects in RP would be asked to review not their colleagues' work (they might, I guess) but developers' proposal. And who pays the piper ....
If money is an issue, will we ever see architects challenging a developer's brief?
Local Councillors are not paid large fees for their time, so I think a nominal fee structure is what is appropriate here and this should be seen in terms of the contribution Architects can make to the wider community rather than as a source of income.
As an architect I do not get free food in the supermarket, free fuel for the Jag, or free clothes for the back. Consequently, I cannot and will not work for free.
Just as Local Planning Authorities charge for pre-application advice, architects must charge Local Authorities for their time spent on design review panels. Pay peanuts (or nothing); get monkeys! The RIBA being the monkeys in this case. Get real!
Munter I suppose you do not volunteer then? Charity and civic good are not on the agenda?
I do not believe this is a proposal for a full time job, it is likely a couple hours a week or less.
We spend loads of free time to generate work for our own needs perhaps this is actually a better place to put some time.
problem is, councils will expect it as part of the package for schools projects and anything they are working on. and when it comes to working on LA jobs, they are already squeezing everything from the architect. So not only will you be working for pretty much nothing, your spare time to do the work or win other work will now be taken up doing freebees.
i do volunteer work, on weekends when i have free time!