Developing Competencies for Tomorrow’s Architect — the LSA at the ARB’s professionalism and ethical behaviour workshop

Held at the City Centre, the ARB is hosted a workshop on professionalism and ethical behaviours, featuring LSA CEO and Head of School, Neal Shasore, among others.

The workshop dealt with professionalism and ethical behaviours. ARB’s current approach to education and training includes requirements for architects to have an understanding of professional ethics, their obligation to society, and attributes of integrity, impartiality, reliability and courtesy. But as we modernise our approach, should we use our role to help to ensure the profession becomes more inclusive and works well in different community contexts? If so, what behaviours do we need to encourage in architects, and how can we develop an educational outcome and supporting standards to achieve this?

This discussion also considered the architect’s role in the safety and wellbeing of society. In the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster Dame Judith Hackitt called for a culture shift in the construction industry’s attitude towards safety, and the climate emergency is causing the profession to reflect on the impact that architects’ designs have on the environment. As 21st century society changes in an increasingly globalised world, must the ethics that architects practise by also adapt?

Neal was joined by Dr Teri Okoro (Director, TOCA Architects and ARB Board Member); Siu-Pei Choi (Architect, Senior Design Manager at Wates Residential, and member of FAME network) and Hugh Simpson (Chief Executive and Registrar, ARB).