Chris Williamson’s manifesto for a reformed RIBA

Chris Williamson explains why RIBA’s advocacy and support are more vital now than ever and unveils his manifesto for his pitch for the Presidency.

Chris Williamson at a workshop at Weston Williamson.

I’m standing for President because I’m concerned that unless the RIBA changes, it won’t survive for another generation. Many young architects no longer appreciate the Institute’s relevance, despite its advocacy, community and support being more vital now than ever.

We need to ensure that the profession is well represented to lead on sustainability, and sets the highest standards for design, education and diversity. Influence is key. As a membership organisation, the RIBA’s income is linked to its ability to gain members or new income streams. With reform, we can attract additional revenue to lower annual membership, whilst regaining influence within the profession, industry, with politicians and establishing a more global, outward-facing community.

CHRIS WILLIAMSON’S MANIFESTO

ENSURE FINANCIAL VIABILITY
First, RIBA needs to balance the books and demonstrate value. I propose a comprehensive spending review to ensure all expenditure achieves specific, deliverable benefits for members.

GROW RIBA’S INFLUENCE
Second, I’d update the 2021 RIBA Masterplan. It is thoughtful and thorough, but needs to include focused, accountable actions with more rigorous timescales. The emphasis should be on sustainability, as well as the reputation and remuneration of the profession. My own career has largely been built on getting people out of their cars and onto well designed public transport. Climate change is every architect’s biggest challenge – the RIBA needs to take a greater lead in project delivery and political advocacy, but can only do that if its reputation and influence grow.

MAKE MEMBERSHIP COUNT
I believe RIBA will thrive when it is seen as a prestigious qualification rather than a members’ club, so my third focus would be learning. I would overhaul CPD to make it meaningful and enriching – to demonstrate to politicians, clients and wider industry that being a RIBA member means being the best in the world. That it is a competitive advantage. The modules would support social mobility and promote greater diversity in the profession by offering relevant, accessible routes to architecture, with affordable training for new roles. Our lifelong CPD should also be tailored to the individual – a one-size-fits-all approach is outdated. By upskilling – subsidising architects to acquire knowledge – we could help to bring down the cost of Professional Indemnity Insurance by achieving higher standards and negotiating better rates. I have already held productive talks with leading brokers. High quality lifelong learning would also allow us to work towards regulation of function; the public would be best served by regulating who can make planning and building regulations applications for most projects.

START CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE THE INDUSTRY’S ECHO CHAMBERS
The RIBA Awards are prestigious and rigorously assessed but, in my view, should be far higher profile – we need to work to ensure that the Stirling Prize is televised, for example, especially now Channel 4 has dropped House of the Year coverage. We need to put the RIBA at the heart architectural discourse by better communication – establishing stronger contacts, utilising our revered members and our Honorary Fellows, who are keen to be more involved.

SUPPORT SMALL PRACTICES AND REGIONAL CHAPTERS
There are many ways we can start to restore our influence. I would work to ensure that architects in each region are paired with their local MPs and media outlets to maintain contact and lobby for important architectural and environmental issues. The RIBA needs to speak for smaller practices through greater collaboration with other industry bodies. And we need to support the regional chapters that do such dedicated work; the architects involved in their communities, listening, understanding concerns and influencing change. I will fight for funding for the regions and encourage members to get involved in local initiatives and set their own agenda.

GIVE YOUNG PRACTICES A CHANCE
How do we support early career architects? As well as training in business skills, the Institute should work harder to establish itself as the leading administrator of architectural competitions to ensure they are well run. Minimise free work, yet give young architects a chance to break through – encourage the best ideas, not the most built projects.

CREATE VALUE FROM RIBA’S RESOURCES, NOT BY SELLING THE FAMILY SILVER
To achieve any of this, we need a position of financial strength. Selling any of the drawings collection would be unacceptable under the terms of most bequests and would significantly damage the RIBA’s reputation. What we can leverage, however, is our knowledge. As RIBA International Vice President, I held many meetings with representatives from Institutes around the world and the overwhelming majority wanted greater collaboration. We are pushing at an open door to help develop a global community, grow our membership and we have the world’s best academic partners to help.

The RIBA has amazing cultural capital; assets such as our library, our unique collections and a great knowledge base with enthusiastic members and honorary fellows. Drawing on these resources wisely will help restore our relevance. I’d bring back the RIBA conference, which used to be an annual highlight – as a showcase event coinciding with the Stirling Prize or Royal Gold Medal, not a place to market but to learn, discuss, to address the real issues of the day: climate change, equality, homelessness and the lack of decent affordable housing.

BUILD CONSENSUS ON THE FUTURE OF 66 PORTLAND PLACE
66 Portland Place is a fantastic building, but estimates for the work needed to improve its energy efficiency and accessibility are around £80million. We have a long lease on peppercorn terms personal to the RIBA, so it can’t be sold – the net present value of 900+ years rent free is around a billion pounds. The renovation is a considerable investment, and with the long lease makes sense financially – but only if we make the building work for everyone for outreach. We cannot embark on such an ambitious project without first regaining relevance and ensuring the project works for all regions and chapters, at home and abroad.

What I love about our profession is the passion that we all have for our individual interests within architecture. My whole professional life has been based on teamwork, and I will draw on the ideas, hopes and aspirations of all RIBA Members to bring about necessary change. I am honoured and grateful to those architects that have supported my nomination so far, including Lord Foster, Prof. Ian Ritchie, Joanna Van Heyningen OBE, Dr. Ken Shuttleworth, and other Stirling Prize winners, such as Alex Ely and Amanda Levete, as well as small practitioners who trust me to help the regions, like Mandy Sexton, or who trust me to help the international chapters, like Mark Harris, or who trust me to help students, such as Gavin Orton.

SHOUT ABOUT THE VALUE OF WHAT WE DO
The RIBA will be 200 years old in ten years’ time, and we should look forward with great confidence. Ours is an exciting, vital profession – we can contribute much more to the creation of a happier, healthier, more inclusive and peaceful society. After reforms, I would propose an advertising campaign to help to shift the public’s perception of our profession.

So please vote when polling opens on 17^th June. Whether you vote for me or someone else, we need to show to our profession, to the industry, clients, politicians, and everyone everywhere that we care about the future of the RIBA, architecture and the environment. Your vote is important.

https://www.chriswilliamsonriba.com