In Conversation: Stephen Drew Discusses Joining the Riba Council
As of September 1st , our head of talent, Stephen Drew has been elected to sit on the RIBA Council in the Associate Seat. We asked him about the new role, why RIBA is important and where he’s hoping to make a difference…
Ackroyd Lowrie: Congratulations on being elected Steve, what made you apply?
Stephen Drew: Well first and foremost, RIBA set the standard for our industry; it’s globally recognised and I think it’s important for the architecture community to have this resource. However as much as I admire the organisation, I didn’t always feel it was accessible, especially when I was studying as an architectural assistant. There’s a whole generation of talented, aspiring architects that I feel are unacknowledged, overlooked or even misunderstood, and I wanted to be a voice for these people. I’m not afraid to challenge the status quo and have difficult conversations if it’ll bring about long-term benefit.
AL: So what does the role involve?
SD: I don’t officially start until September so I can’t say I entirely know what to expect but the Council meet once a quarter and is responsible for collecting insight from across the profession to produce guidance and future benchmarking. As the Associate Seat, it’s my role to raise awareness of the issues faced by junior members of the profession and lead discussion on how RIBA can address these together with feeding back information about training, opportunities to get involved with local chapters, and help growing your network. I’m also acutely aware RIBA’s been the subject of some heavy criticism lately but for me, the best reason to incite positive change is to get involved.
AL: What are some of the key topics you’re looking to raise?
SD: So, architecture is a great profession, and it’s an exciting time to be in the industry but my work with the Architecture Social has revealed a lot of room for improvement. There’s a couple of really important stress points that need pushing, namely the prolific ongoing unpaid overtime agenda and the gender pay gap. RIBA’s made some fantastic efforts on both of these, especially with the Future Architects Front, but more is needed, ideally in the way of new policy or enforcement.
There’s also then wider discussions about studio culture and wellbeing, new patterns of remote working, acceleration of digitally available content, etc that all need to be brought to the forefront – plenty to talk about!
AL: What about students considering a career in architecture, can RIBA help them any better?
SD: Yes, definitely and that’s another important conversation. The fees to study architecture are significant so we need to ensure potential students/future generations are engaged earlier. Some of the feedback I’m getting is that dedicated programmes for those at every stage of their training would be welcomed. Similarly, more widely available internships are essential.
AL: Finally, can RIBA better strengthen inclusivity across the industry?
SD: There’s a perception that RIBA is a very London-centric organisation, and while it has regional committees, I think we can always work harder at better representing the whole of the UK. I’m a strong believer in engaging the widest mix of people from all different backgrounds as this not only yields the best results but also provides opportunities for people who might not otherwise have considered the profession.
As proud champions and mentors of future architects, the entire Ackroyd Lowrie team congratulates Stephen on winning this election and has every confidence he will make a difference for the next generation.
