Stephen has been elected RIBA Vice-President Nations + Regions (Membership)
He said,
“Since becoming a Council Member some two years ago, and more recently as VP, I have come to realise, quite genuinely, that we have an institute that all other professional bodies are envious of. In times such as these we need to recognise the challenges that our profession and the construction industry faces. We need to promote the fact that good design (and I’m not talking simply about aesthetics, but sensitive, functional and cost effective buildings) adds value; commercially, socially and environmentally…that our client’s needs are paramount. That’s what I seek to achieve in practice and that’s what we as architect’s are uniquely good at…we need to be pivotal within the industry. The RIBA’s role is to promote this. I believe the work it now undertakes in promoting architecture and architects is extraordinary.
Of course it could be better. For me, the primary theme is one of communication. The Institute could do better in making its embedded knowledge and research more accessible, it could do better in facilitating a better forum for a wider community of architects, and it could do better in listening to member’s wishes.”