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Value of an Architect

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Chaired by Jane Larmour, RSUA established this group in December 2018. The remit of this group is to:

  • Articulate the value that a chartered architect brings to a project for a client and for wider society. This will build on work already undertaken by other bodies.
  • Consider the distinction between the value provided by a chartered architect and the value provided by an architectural technologist or unqualified designer
  • Differentiate between the value proposition for smaller domestic projects and large commercial/public sector clients

Value of Architect Chair, Jane Larmour jane@alwarchitects.com

Membership and contact details
NameOrganisationEmail Address
Jane LarmourArigho Larmour Wheeler Architects jane@alwarchitects.com
Murray Bell Bell Architects Ltdmurray@bell-architects.com
Nicola WaddingtonWaddington-McClure Architectsnicola@waddington-mcclure.co.uk
Joan McCoyWhite Inkjoan@whiteink.co.uk
Find out more

Read some of the updates and relevant news articles relating to the Value of an Architect Subgroup here

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Value of an Architect update 24 February 2021

Value of an Architect sub-group report

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03/03/2021

The Value of an Architect sub-group, chaired by Jane Larmour, met on 24 February to discuss a number of issues such as developing the dedicated section of the website. An indicative completion date of Easter was agreed.

The group also discussed the partnership between RSUA and the Irish News, where architects contribute articles which help the general public understand what architects do and the benefit they can provide to projects large and small. If you are interested in providing an article (4-500 words supported by two or three strong project images) then please contact emmet@rsua.org.uk.

ask an architect: studio sixty3

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Rural based practice providing tailored architectural services through collaboration with our clients to realise their architectural ambitions whilst delivering quality and value through design.

Right to Have an Architect-Led Design Team is Upheld in Court

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01/08/23

Earlier this year, a ruling in the High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland confirmed that a public sector client is permitted to run a procurement process in which the role of lead consultant is reserved solely for architects.

The ruling arose from a Judicial Review taken by the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT) against the Education Authority for Northern Ireland (EANI). CIAT argued that EANI’s decision to exclude Chartered Architectural Technologists from acting as lead consultant for a range of lower-value construction services contracts was unlawful and irrational.

Mr Justice Humphreys dismissed the judicial review stating, “Both on the evidence and as a matter of legal principle, I am satisfied that the respondent was entitled to impose the requirement that only architects could act as lead consultants.”

The opportunity for appeal has now passed.

Click on the links to read the full judgement and/or the write up in the Irish Legal News.

Significance

It is RSUA’s view that this case was of significance to architecture across the UK as the court’s decision would have persuasive force in England, Wales and Scotland.

As a charity which strives to uphold standards of architecture, RSUA’s view is that one of the simplest and most effective steps a client can take to uphold architectural standards is to insist that an architect leads the design team.

We commend EANI for robustly defending its position and for its insistence that an architect leads the design team.

RSUA, in support of EANI, was granted leave to participate in the Judicial Review as a Notice Party. We engaged Cleaver Fulton Rankin solicitors and barrister Philip McEvoy to represent the organisation. Donal MacRandal, who was RSUA President when the legal process began, submitted two affidavits to emphasise the distinctions between architects and architectural technologists.

Due to the potential UK-wide significance of this case, RIBA contributed to RSUA’s legal costs.

Outcome for EANI

As a result of the Judicial Review being dismissed EANI has continued to procure architect-led design teams for its construction services contracts below the EU Threshold using a Dynamic Shortlisting System. Projects include minor works, school enhancements and youth capital schemes.

There are currently 26 architects on the Dynamic Shortlist. This is open for applications on an ongoing basis. For full details visit e-tendersni.

If you have any questions about the case, please contact info@rsua.org.uk

Architecture students deserve proper degrees from QUB

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27/6/23

The architects of Northern Ireland have today called on Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) to urgently resolve the dispute that is preventing architecture students from getting a proper degree this summer.

Architecture students who are due to graduate from QUB on 4 July 2023 have been informed that they will graduate without a degree title or classification. This situation has arisen due to the ongoing national University and College Union’s (UCU’s) Marking and Assessment Boycott (MAB) taking place across all UK universities.

The Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) has written to Ian Greer, Vice-Chancellor at QUB, asking when marking will resume, when full results will be published and whether the students will be offered the opportunity to attend a ‘proper’ graduation ceremony as well as or instead of the ‘degree without classification’ ceremony on 4 July 2023.

Ciarán Fox, RSUA Director said, “Many of these students have had their whole experience of QUB disrupted by the industrial dispute on top of having to endure the difficulties of learning through the Covid-19 years. Just when the celebrations are about to begin, to then have their full degree award held back, is a painful blow.”

“As employers, architects place value on the degree classification as part of the shortlisting and selection process when recruiting. The absence of degree classifications could diminish QUB students’ job opportunities.”

“To minimise this risk, RSUA has written to its 870 chartered members calling on those architects who are recruiting for graduates to avoid discounting students from the shortlisting process due to the absence of a degree classification. Practices have been encouraged to widen the pool of candidates who are invited to interview this year.”

“For those QUB graduates already in employment, RSUA is calling on employers to treat the unclassified degrees from QUB as fully valid, particularly if pay grades are connected to the level of qualification held by staff.”

“However, we are particularly concerned for those students who are seeking work outside Northern Ireland or the UK, where there will be little to no understanding of the dispute that has led to the award of these ‘ghost degrees’.”

Architects Renew Commitment to Fair Pay for Part 1 Graduates

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Over the past six years, RSUA has sought to tackle the issue of fair pay for Part 1 graduates following some reports of unattractive and at times exploitative terms and conditions.

79 practices have now signed up to the RSUA Commitments to Fair Pay for Part 1 Graduates. The headline commitment is to pay a minimum of the Real Living Wage as set by the Living Wage Foundation.

On 22nd September 2022 it was announced that the recommended UK Real Living Wage will increase from £9.90 an hour to £10.90 an hour and that employers should implement this increase no later than 14th May 2023. Click here to read the updated RSUA Commitments to Fair Pay for Part 1 Graduates.

The following is a list of the 79 organisations currently championing fair pay for part 1 graduates:

AECOMHLM ArchitectsOstick +Williams
Alan Jones ArchitectsHMD ArchitectsPaul McAlister Architects
Alan Patterson DesignHPA ArchitecturePaul McGarvey Architect
Alastair Coey ArchitectsHutcheson Irvine PartnershipPeter Drummond Architects
Allan Curran Architects LtdIain Stewart ArchitectPhilip Parker Architects
Architects Knox & MarkwellInvisible ArchitecturePHP Architects
ARdMackel ArchitectsJohn Kirkpatrick ArchitectR.Robinson and Sons
Arigho Larmour Wheeler ArchitectsKennedy Fitzgerald ArchitectsRachel Bevan Architects
ASI Architects LtdKevin Cartin Architects LtdRapport Architects
BCL ArchitectureLike ArchitectsRaymond Goodwin Architects
Bell ArchitectsManor ArchitectsRobert Bleakney Architects
Blamphin + AssociatesMcAdam DesignRobinson McIlwaine
Christopher McCauley ArchitectMcCann Moore ArchitectsRolston Architects
Construction & Procurement Delivery (CPD)McCreanor & Co. ArchitectsRonan Downey Chartered Architect
David Wilson ArchitectMcGarry Moon ArchitectsRPP Architects Limited
Doherty ArchitectsMcGirr ArchitectsSamuel Stevenson & Sons
D-on ArchitectsMcGonigle McGrathShane Birney Architects
Feilden Clegg Bradley StudiosMcGurk ArchitectsStudio Idir
FM Corr and AssociatesMcLean & ForteStudio Rogers
Glen Massey ArchitectsMHA ArchitectsThe Boyd Partnership
GM Design Associates LtdMicah T Jones ArchitectTODD Architects
Gregory ArchitectsMichael Whitley ArchitectsTÓG Architecture
Hackett ArchitectsMilligan Reside Larkin ArchitectsTracey Architects
Hall Black DouglasMMAS ArchitectsWDR & RT Taggart
Hall McKnightMullarkey Pedersen ArchitectsWhite Ink
Hamilton ArchitectsNewline ArchitectsWhittaker and Watt Architects
Here Architects  

Uncommit or Recommit

These commitments are only of any value if they are honoured by all organisations that sign up to them. If you are a Fair Pay organisation, please ensure that you are meeting the commitments. Whilst the commitments are made voluntarily, having publicly made them, any breach of the commitments could be considered a breach of Standard 1 of the ARB Architects Code of Conduct. If you are aware of a Fair Pay employer failing to honour the commitments, please report this directly and confidentially via ciaran@rsua.org.uk.

Commit for first time

If your organisation is not currently listed above but you support the commitments, please contact Jude Faloonn by emailing jude@rsua.org.uk. This set of commitments applies equally to private sector and public sector employers.

Could social value points decide public tender outcomes?

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Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 01/21 mandates that from 1 June 2022 tenders for projects funded by the Government of Northern Ireland must allocate a minimum of 10 per cent of the total award criteria to social value.  This minimum weighting will apply to architect’s services contracts at or above the threshold set out in the Public Contracts Regulations.

How an architects’ practice scores in the social value assessment could be a determining factor in winning or losing a project.

To help RSUA members understand how social value will be assessed at tender stage we have arranged a seminar with the Strategic Investment Board (SIB) who is leading on the implementation of this policy. The session will consist of a short presentation by SIB followed by a Q&A session.

In advance of attending the seminar we recommend viewing the pre-recorded overview video for Services Suppliers at Buy Social NI. The presentation at the seminar won’t be a re-run of the content in the video.

If you have any questions please email courtney@rsua.org.uk in advance, but it will be more likely that SIB will be able to provide answers on the day.

This seminar will not cover assessment of social value at prequalification stage, which at least one public sector client appears to be pursuing. RSUA will be engaging with that client separately.

Attend: The event will be held online via Zoom. To attend, please register below. The deadline for registration is Thursday 30 June 2022. You will be emailed a link to the meeting after registering.

If any registration issues are experienced, or if you have any questions, please email Courtney.

Social value in procurement debated at RSUA

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07/06/2022

The procurement committee of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) has been recording member queries regarding the emphasis on social value within public procurement in Northern Ireland.

Committee members expressed concern regarding the uncertainty around how social value will be measured at the pre-qualification tender stage. RSUA will be taking steps to seek clarity on the recent changes in collaboration with the Strategic Investment Board with a view to holding a joint information session in the near future.

Also at the meeting it was confirmed that RIBA, in collaboration with RSUA, has been successful in a joint-bid to administer the design competition for the new Belfast Stories project.

The committee also sought the views on recent procurements from major public clients to assess pro’s and con’s and suggest future improvements.

The RSUA procurement committee is in the process of producing a paper on assessing quality in public procurement. The committee hopes to have this to the wider membership for review within the near future.

Ireland’s new national policy on architecture launched

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18/05/2022

The Irish government has launched a new policy national policy document on architecture.

Entitled Places for People, the document outlines “ways to promote and embed quality in architecture and the built and natural environment over the coming years in Ireland” with the aim of “boosting public engagement with architecture and empower the architectural profession, especially within the public service.”

In addition the policy highlights the creation of national design quality criteria as a priority action. Described as a set of objective tests for assessing the quality of all phases of built-environment projects: design, procurement, construction, management, use, conservation, re-purposing, and disassembly, the document suggest that the assessment values should be based on the current European high quality design criteria and reflect the principles of a circular economy.

The policy was launched by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien TD and was developed in conjunction with the The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) via a consultation process which began in December 2019.

Ciarán Fox, Director of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) has called upon the Department for Communities to follow suit and develop a similar policy paper “Northern Ireland badly needs an updated and improved document of this kind if architecture is going to properly serve the people over the next decade. The RSUA will continue the lobby for this action when the Executive once again becomes officially active.”

Read the full policy document below on gov.ie.

VIEW POLICY DOCUMENT