Featured articles
Despite dividing opinion since its 1955 completion, Stalin's gift to Poland, the PKiN, is still Warsaw's most recognisible landmark.
Graduate Engineer Brittany Harris asks, what makes a great place to work?
Why disputes occur and how they can be avoided.
Energy efficiency for the National Trust
Understand each building and its needs before exploring technical solutions and hiring consultants.
‘Device to Root Out Evil’ - an upside-down, New England-style church built with its steeple in the ground.
The Grenfell Tower fire highlights the need for a holistic approach to fire safety engineering.
Will Brexit shake construction?
Opinion is divided on whether Brexit will undermine mega construction projects in the UK.
Still relevant, and still not fully implemented. Read about the background to, and recommendations of 'Constructing the Team'.
How to deal with retrofit risks
BRE Wales director Colin King considers how to improve the performance of historic buildings.
China’s $900 billion New Silk Road. What you need to know.
What to consider when choosing a heating solution for glass façade buildings.
Despite some reticence, construction is on the cusp of a revolution.
Giving professional advice to friends
We all get asked for advice, the question is how should you deal with it?
Energy performance challenges in Germany and the UK are similar, but policy approaches are significantly different.
We spoke to the writer Will Self about the contemporary built environment, 'morally bad buildings' in light of Grenfell Tower, his favourite building, and more...
What are profits and overheads and how are they applied.
Conservation as positive action
A study of Chester in the 1960s led to a pioneering programme of conservation.
What is novation and how does it affect construction contracts?
Castle Hill won the 2016 Award for Excellence in Architectural Technology. But how did it achieve such success?
Innovative concepts, analyses and technologies for sustainable water management.
Quality management is vital to the success of an organisation. But what is a quality management system?
Knowing how moisture moves is essential to preventing damp after retrofitting works.
What is Blockchain and how could it potentially transform the construction industry?
China - buildings of the future
Read about China’s clean, green buildings of the future.
An introductory article to temporary works for construction.
News
Affordable housing and viability SPG
Mayor Sadiq Khan publishes new guidance aimed at fast-tracking affordable housing projects through planning.
An estimated 90% of our time is spent inside, so could urban allotments be the answer to increasing health and wellbeing?
CITB revolutionises training for next generation of plant operators.
RIBA responds to Grenfell Tower Inquiry terms of reference.
Calling female A-level talent – the industry needs you.
Virtual reality set to spread across construction sites.
Five towns and cities shortlisted for UK City of Culture 2021.
Construction Manager, 15 August
We need to focus on quality not regulations.
BSRIA report suggests smart connected HVAC is revolutionising the US and could do the same elsewhere.
Costain has announced it will extend counselling and emotional support to its supply chain.
The project is finally cancelled, following withdrawal of support by the Mayor.
83% of FM professionals believe BIM will support the delivery of facilities management.
Tata Steel pensions deal paves the way to merger.
Four London residential towers to be emptied after Arup safety report
Lords Select Committee on citizenship and civic engagement launches Call for Evidence.
Results of the 4th and 5th set of tests have been published - and finally, something has passed.
The likely impact of Brexit on the UK labour market and construction projects.
Scottish Construction Now, 8 August
Scottish construction innovation factory set to open.
IHBC welcome Historic England Report: The Application of BIM within a Heritage Science Context.
Ahead of tunnelling in 2018, the main focus of work has been at the three main drive sites.
You’re under cyber attack – and you might not even know it.
The Construction Index, 9 August
Construction begins on a 365m-tall telecoms tower in Istanbul.
Developers registered 40,000 new homes to be built during the second quarter of 2017.
BSRIA Soft Landings Conference 2017
Soft Landings is the golden thread that runs through the design and delivery process.
Have your say in the Landscape Institute education and practice review.
Australia implements a fire safety plan following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
The third round of testing has been completed at BRE, and again the system tested has failed.
The Construction Index, 8 August
Work begins on the world's second largest hydropower station.
BRE introduce SABRE Registered Assessors and SABRE Registered Professionals.
UandI secure £70 million of forward-funding to develop Circus Street in Brighton.
Government announce independent review to ensure energy is affordable.
£4.5 million allocated to London boroughs to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Dubai's Marina Torch, fifth tallest residential building in the world, catches fire for second time.
CIC is seeking to appoint a project team for 'After Grenfell' activities.
What will the surveyor of the future look like?
Architectural Technology Awards
Designing Buildings Wiki is media partner for CIAT's Architectural Technology Awards 2017. Have you booked your tickets?
The first houses have been fitted with Tesla's innovative solar roof panels.
There could be liabilities under the 'duty to warn' principle for Grenfell, according to construction lawyer.
World's longest suspended footbridge opens in Switzerland.
Construction material price index increased by 4.7% in June 2017.
Six pins and half a dozen needles
British artist unveils surreal new installation - a giant 'rip' in a building facade.
About
Designing Buildings Wiki is the only industry-wide, cross-discipline forum for finding and sharing information.
Anyone can create articles about subjects they know and anyone can find articles about subjects they don’t.
In depth
[edit] Architects
The term 'architect' has been used for many centuries, but the architect as a recognised profession is a relatively modern concept dating back to the mid 16th century, from the French architecte and Italian architetto (originating from the Greek arkhitekton, where arkhi means 'chief' and tekton 'builder'). The term and what it represents has evolved through history to its current form in which architects are seen as highly-qualified and educated professionals.
[edit] Regulation of architects
Although buildings in the UK are commonly designed by people who are not architects, the term ‘architect’ itself is protected by the Architects Act 1997 which established the Architects Registration Board (ARB). Only qualified individuals that are registered with the ARB can offer their services as architects. Section 20 of the Architects Act states that 'A person shall not practise or carry on business under any name style or title containing the word “architect” unless he is a person registered under this Act'.
The ARB has responsibility for:
- Recognising qualifications.
- Maintaining a list of registered architects and ensuring that people not on the list do not offer their services as an architect.
- Monitoring standards and investigating complaints.
ARB issues a code of conduct for architects and can take action against those falling short of the code’s standards.
Architects can also become chartered members of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), but this is voluntary and is not necessary to practice as an architect.
[edit] Training
The most common route into the profession is through university study, broken down into 3 parts:
- Part 1 – Honours degree in architecture, followed by 1 year out in practice under the guidance of an architect and monitored and recorded in line with RIBA requirements.
- Part 2 - Masters, Diploma or BArch (depending on the individual school) taught in university for 2 to 3 years, followed by a further monitored and recorded year in practice.
- Part 3 - the RIBA final exam.
The RIBA Examination in Architecture for Office-based Candidates is an alternative route to qualification for Part 1 and Part 2 for people working full-time under the supervision of an architect. Applicants must have a minimum of three years’ experience in architectural practice to join the examination at Part 1; or 3 years post-Part 1 experience to join the Part 2 stage (as well as holding Part 1).
Recently, there is concern that architectural training has become relatively expensive as universities can charge fees of up to £9,000 a year. Training to become an architect takes at least seven years, with four or five of these at university. Adding in necessary living expenses on top of university fees, it is thought that the total cost of training to become an architect could be as much as £100,000. This may result in architecture becoming the preserve of students whose parents are able to support them through their training. Whilst the number of applications for places at schools of architecture remains high, increasingly this is from students outside the EU, with applications from UK and EU students decreasing.
[edit] Statutory responsibilities
According to the ARB's Architect's code: Standards of Conduct and Practice, an architect is expected to:
- Be honest and act with integrity.
- Be competent.
- Promote their services honestly and responsibly.
- Manage their business competently.
- Consider the wider impact of their work.
- Carry out their work faithfully and conscientiously.
- Be trustworthy and look after their clients’ money properly.
- Have appropriate insurance arrangements.
- Maintain the reputation of architects.
- Deal with disputes or complaints appropriately.
- Co-operate with regulatory requirements and investigations.
- Have respect for others.