Remember I'm the Bloody Bottom Feeder

On the RIBA architects' forum, members' feathers have been well and truely ruffled by some comments in Building Design from none other than the Executive* Director of Practice. He writes a regular article in Building Design under the heading 'Ask Us a Question'. In it, some tiny practice asks for advice on competing for work against the unregulated 'plans draw-ers' and the like. Mr Executive suggested getting out of the lowest of the low market, ie small extensions, and going for bigger fish, such as housing association work. Ever tried to get the larger jobs for the big clients? No? Well, the larger publicly funded clients are rarely interested unless you've done it before, or have stupendously huge amounts of insurance (with gasp inducing premiums) and if you have not done it before - no chance, mate. We'll go to the large practice thanks.

Competition for work can be tough, especially for the micro-practice in the modern climate of 'biggest is best' and 'cheapest is best'. Basically, architects have no protection of function, only of title. And what's in a name? No money, certainly, if you are one of those in the 'bottom feeding market' our dear Mr Executive mentioned in the article. There are many, many others out there, with very little training, design acumen, technical knowledge or integrity, who will draw 'plans' of extensions, or whole houses, or entire estates complete with shops and offices, and do it a lot cheaper than an architect can with their mandatory professional indemnity insurance and their specialist seven year training. Cheap as chips, on to the next one, never mind if there's a problem down the line, they don't care because they are not insured, they can't get struck off as they are not on any register, they can close one limited company and set up another tomorrow, disappear completely and sod you, the client.

You would think, wouldn't you, that an institute paid for by its members would attempt to support those same members by promoting them to the world in general? Well... yes, that is exactly what the RIBA does, but some members are more equal than others. Eighty per cent of the membership are tiny little people like Alice here, one of the 'bottom feeders', and serves us right if we have to make a living out of small extensions. Well, Mr Executive, at least we design damn good extensions. How about marketing us as ten notches above the rest?

This has been a real blow to the morale of the small practicioner. The postings fly on RIBAnet, and watching from the sidelines, Alice witnesses Mr Executive wriggling under the prods and pokes and squawks. Referring to the article, he says the views are his own and not necessarily the RIBA's. Then he states his views are unlikely to contradict those of the RIBA. So it does not take a rocket scientist (or even an architect) to work out that his views and the RIBA’s might possibly be one and the same.

Nice to know we’re appreciated and valued by our own institute. I've a good mind to ask for my £200 membership fee back.



*Just what does the word 'executive' mean, anyway? When I hear this word, I think of the film 'Brazil' and those creepy, suited and booted officials with their endless form filling.