Case 11: Searching for an architect should mean finding an architect

RSUA is committed to ensuring that when a member of the public searches for an architect in Northern Ireland, search engines direct them to qualified architects rather than to individuals or businesses that may claim to be architects but are not.

Our aim is to protect the public and maintain the good reputation of architects.

You can read more about this work here.

Case 11 – Arc Design NI

In September 2025, RSUA raised its concerns with the Architects Registration Board (ARB) that Randalstown-based firm Arc Design NI was misusing the title “architect”.

Following ARB intervention, the following changes were made with the welcome cooperation of the business:

1. Previously, the business claimed to be an “Architect in Randalstown” on a webpage of the same name. This is no longer the case.
2. Previously, the metadata behind this webpage revealed three repetitions of this phrase. It also concealed three instances of the sentence “If you are looking for an architect … we would love to hear from you”.¹ This is no longer the case.
3. Previously, metadata on all other webpages on the business’ website included three uses of the phrase “Northern Ireland Architect”. This is no longer the case.
4. Previously, the business’ Managing Director referred to himself as an “architect” in a testimonial for another building company. This is no longer the case.

Screenshots – Before and After

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

For example, on the homepage:

After:

Before:

After:

Ongoing Work – Role for Members

RSUA has seven other cases live with ARB currently. We will report on these in due course.

If you become aware of any instances of title misuse, please contact Curtis Large, RSUA Policy and Public Affairs Officer, at curtis@rsua.org.uk

1. Metadata keywords are tags in a webpage’s code that help search engines understand its topic. Adding the word “architect” could allow a business to appear higher in search results when people search for that term. ↩︎