Over the past few years we have provided what we hope has been appreciated as an insight into the history, development and application of registration, and the way in which the intentions of parliament in the form of the Architects Act 1997 have been applied and occasionally exceeded.  The editors have described the reasons for some of the perennial tensions that have troubled the profession since the 1930s and have suggested remedies within the statutory framework. 

In the near future a necessary revision of the Act is likely to align it more properly with European law and we suggest, so as to make use of the opportunity, that this is the time to review the usefulness of Part IV – the source of much of the tension and criticism of architecture as an over-protected and over-regulated profession. Our aim is to continue to give access to information which will enable inquirers to gain a true and fair view of the issues. But now, as editors, we have decided to include a note to express a view.

The note, written by a contributor who is not an architect but who has enjoyed a long association with the profession, draws from the earlier reports of Michael Highton and Sir Christopher Ball, touches on the issues of architectural education and title abuse, suggests a repeal of Part IV, and finds that there are other provisions which better provide the protection which the public deserves.  The editors recommend it to those who must already be considering statutory revision.  The link to the note is here.

The handlist entitled "Architect as a working title for one of the sectoral professions of the European Union" ( html version ) ( pdf version ) outlines some salient points about the chronology of the legislation and the European Union dimension.  It is to aid inquirers and policy-makers in connection with some of the less frequently asked questions.

On official statements inconsistent with the legislation enacted by the UK Parliament, see explanatory notes ( pdf version ).

The sequence of the main page titles (left) follows the sequence of the Act.

This website © AARUK 2007-2010: free licence for copyright purposes, subject to acknowledgement, viz: First published on website of AARUK – About Architects Registration in the United Kingdom.

Link to an early RIBA paper entitled "Status of the Architects Registration Board" ("SARB") (May 2003); or here (version c.p7).

Link to the report of the late Mr Michael Highton, approved and adopted by the RIBA Council in 2004; or here (copy of circulated version).

Link to Wikipedia articles on Architects Registration in the UK.

Link to unofficial version of the Architects Act, as amended in June 2008 at  RIBApedia, or saved version.

See here for notes about this website.

Index tree

Architects Act

- An analysis

- "Ambition, Rationalisation ... Solution?"

Architects Registration Board

- Elected members

- Composition of the Board

- 2 Questions

- The "wider Remit"

Registration

- The cost of Registration

- Education

-- An unequal standard across Europe

- Competence to practise

-- Positions of persons already on the Register

-- Proposed amendment to General Rule 20

Professional standards

- PII - Outside the statutory remit

- Discipline and questionable PCC decisions

- Case study

-- Explanatory introduction

-- AARUK's concerns

--- The accused's defences

--- Comment of an independent person

--- Decisions and sentences ( JL and RL )

--- Further comment

Use of title

Links to websites

- ARB Reform Group

-- Intention and supporters

-- Manifesto

- Chartered bodies

- Legislation

OX

(12 July 2010)

(8 July 2010)

(25 June 2010)

(25 June 2010)

(2 June 2010)

(14 May 2010)

(5 May 2010)

(4 May 2010)

(19 April 2010)

(14 April 2010)

(8 April 2010)

(1 February 2010)

(18 December 2009)

(24 November 2009)

(3 August 2009)

(27 July 2009)

(22 July 2009)

(16 July 2009)

(6 July 2009)

(Case Study 3, Part 4)

(23 June 2009)

(26 May 2009)

(16 May 2009)

(6 May 2009)

(28 April 2009)

(27 April 2009)

(22 April 2009)

(10 February 2009) (Case Study 3, Part 2 updated 21 April 2009)

(6 February 2009)

(6 February 2009)

(13 January 2009)

(4 November 2008)

(Expanded to explain consequences,

4 November 2008)

(3 November 2008)

(20 October 2008)

(5 August 2008)

(20 June 2008)

(27 September 2007 - updated 6 June 2008)

(20 September 2007)

(19 September 2007)

(22 August 2007)

(2 June 2007)

(31 May 2007)

Part 2 (9 May 2007)

(2 April 2007)

(28 March 2007)

(6 November 2006)

( 27 June 2006)

( 29 May 2006)

( 30 March 2006)

( 27 March 2006)

( 24 March 2006)

( 17 March 2006)

( 8 March 2006)

( 24 February 2006 )

( 20 February 2006 )

( 19/21 January 2006 )