I’m pleased to share my final note of the year on behalf of the RIBA Board.
In 2023, the RIBA Board’s focus has been on ensuring RIBA supports our architectural mission and delivers an efficient and relevant service for all our members, clients, and customers. In 2024, we intend to build on firm foundations, increasing our impact, influence, and reach.
We had some exciting new changes this year. We were joined by our 80th President, Muyiwa Oki, and our new CEO, Dr Valerie Vaughan-Dick. On the property front, we sold our premises at 76 Portland Place and began a fantastic new partnership with Tate Liverpool at RIBA North.
We bolstered our Policy and Public Affairs team and ramped up our influencing work. From successfully lobbying the government and adopting an 18-metre height threshold for second staircases in new residential buildings, to commissioning research on financing models for social housing – we focused on the issues that matter most in architecture to our profession and society, and called for transformative change.
We also continued to lobby for a National Retrofit Strategy and mandatory Post Occupancy Evaluation in publicly-funded buildings through campaigns, consultation responses, and directly to the House of Commons’ Environmental Audit Committee.
We shared our messages on global stages, including at COP28 where our delegation championed the role of policy levers like whole life carbon regulation and the importance of collaboration across the sector.
Following the establishment of the new building control system, we also launched our own RIBA Principal Designer register.
Internationally, we worked hard to strengthen relationships between members, chapters, international offices, and other institutes while building strategic partnerships.
We curated a major exhibition on Contemporary China, and made important connections in Saudi Arabia – a key UK trading partner – which led to signing an agreement with the KSA Architecture and Design Commission.
We also renewed our longstanding Memorandum of Understanding with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and met with the Ruler of Sharjah, where we operate under licence. Additionally, we relaunched our International Prize and validated 51 architecture courses around the world.
We continued to lay the foundations for the House of Architecture – our major transformation programme. From bringing together our world-class collections and developing a virtual programme that will expand our digital reach and accessibility on a global scale to the essential modernisation of our London landmark building, we have been making steady progress. We hope to share our concept designs for 66 Portland Place in the spring.
In the autumn, our partnership between RIBA and Tate Liverpool at RIBA North successfully restarted RIBA’s exhibition programme in the north of England, and we have also had an exhibition at the Farrell Centre in Newcastle.
These exhibitions - alongside our current exhibition in London, Wide Angle View - have been increasing visitor numbers to RIBA’s world-class collections at 66 Portland Place. Thanks also to the success of the Stirling Prize event in Manchester, 2023 will be RIBA’s best year for visitor numbers to its public architecture programme and collections since 2019.
Of course, this summary reflects only a fraction of the work that has taken place across the organisation this year, drawing on the expertise of many volunteer members, experts, and our brilliant staff team – all with the ambition of promoting the work of our members and the importance of architecture.
I'm pleased to say that we are heading into 2024 with ambition and in great shape for the future.
I hope you found this update useful. As ever, I welcome any direct feedback by emailing the personal assistant to the Chair of Board and President, Jennifer Goldsmith.
I look forward to providing another update next spring, and I wish you all a restful break and a happy and prosperous new year.
Best wishes,
Jack Pringle
