RIBA: Architects must lead housebuilding once again

8th September 2017

Architects must reclaim leadership of housebuilding after decades of being sidelined through complex contracts such as the one used for Grenfell Tower, the profession's new leader has warned. Ben Derbyshire, president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, said that without reform, the continued use of "design and build" contracts threatens the robustness of buildings and risks more defects. "This is not a precious issue about aesthetic quality, it is about environmental performance, care and attention to detail,” Mr Derbyshire said.

The Guardian (04/09/2017)