Alan Jones is the 78th President of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The first RIBA president to come from Northern Ireland, Alan brings with him a commitment to championing social mobility, a call to embrace change and a vision of working together to achieve progress.
A chartered architect, director of his own architecture practice based in County Antrim and a Professor of Architecture (Practice and Education) at Queen’s University Belfast, Alan has come a long way from his beginnings in Londonderry/Derry to the presidency of the RIBA. In this film, he takes us back to where his journey began.
Alan says: "I am excited to officially begin my term as the next President of the RIBA, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Ben Derbyshire and past presidents, who I have huge respect for.
The RIBA is a fantastic organisation with great resources, particularly its staff who I am keen to support more than ever. As individuals and as an institution, we need to come together to make the most of our assets and address the pertinent issues we are facing in the profession.
As I step into the role I look forward to working with our members and staff, while continuing to champion opportunities for all."
Alan's built work is cited in design guides, has received various awards and commendations, and been published across the world. He was joint head of Architecture at Queen’s (2008-16) and has co-edited the book Defining Contemporary Professionalism for Architects in Practice & Education with Rob Hyde. On the RIBA Council and Board, Alan has championed opportunity for all and a closer and mutually supportive relationship between education and practice.
You can learn more about Alan in his RIBA Journal interview.
With thanks to Aidan Monaghan for Alan's portrait photographs.
