At Coffey Architects we always keep an eye on our industry to see how it is moving forward and changing. This approach helps us to stay at the forefront. It also means we can continue to create some of the best residential architecture London can offer. Whether it is a change in philosophy, a focus on new materials, or any other kind of change, we are ready to adapt to it.
ARB data
The latest data from the Architects Registration Board shows how difficult the last year has been for professionals. According to the figures, on 1st January 2021 there were 42,340 registered architects. This was a decrease of 207 over the previous year. It means that 2020 was the first year since 2012 that there was a drop in the number of architects.
The figures show that fewer people joined ARB in 2020 than in 2019 – 1,832 versus 2,368. Much of this drop came because less people in the EU were joining. If you look at the number of architects who took the EU route to register, it fell from 961 in 2019 to 477 in 2020. At the same time, slightly fewer people took the UK route, falling from 1,407 to 1,355.
The COVID pandemic is one of the main reasons for the drop in registrations. With travel restrictions and lockdowns it has been much harder for people to travel for work. As a result it makes sense professionals from the EU would hold off on registering to work in the UK. On top of this, there have undoubtedly been issues with institutions issuing awards. Therefore fewer first time architects will have been in a position to register.
Attempts to make the industry more inclusive
The ARB report also provided data about registered architects and urged more of them to supply their personal details. Their goal is to use the data to make the industry more inclusive, boosting diversity and equality. The current data shows that:
79.4% of architects are men – a 0.6% decrease since 2020
82.5% are white
79% are heterosexual
The ARB knows that they need to do more to make the profession representative of society. That is why they are asking more architects to submit their details. It will give them a better idea of the makeup of the professional so they can make interventions to improve it.
Talk to us about residential architecture in London
We are very proud to be part of the architecture industry and always celebrate diversity, inclusiveness, and equality. A combination of cultures, backgrounds philosophies and outlooks can help to create some of the most stunning buildings. That is exactly what we want to do.
So, if you have a project in mind, let us help. We always look to create wonderful buildings, whether it is some of the most stunning residential architecture London can offer or a public property elsewhere in the UK or overseas. Contact us today or browse our website to learn more.