Finding an architect

A building project, large or small, can be a daunting experience and using an architect could save you time and money. This leaflet explains the range of services available to assist with your selection of the right RIBA Chartered Practice

Royal Institute of British Architects

Contents

02 Why do I need an architect? 05 How do I find the right architect? Why use an RIBA Chartered Practice? What should I look for? 06 Four routes to finding the right architect Free nomination service Online directory of RIBA Chartered Practices Paper-based directories of RIBA Chartered Practices Architectural competitions service 10 Further information

Selfridges, Birmingham, Future Systems. Michael Betts/View

Why do I need an architect?

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It is a good question. You want to build something; why not just tell a builder what you have in mind and leave them to get on with it? Hopefully, your builder will be excellent at building. But only an architect will interpret your ideas creatively and manage the project professionally, providing you with value for money, peace of mind and, most importantly, an exceptional end result. Value for money Architects are professional problemsolvers. Their experience and insights can help stretch your budget and add value to your property. They might suggest new ways of utilising space and light, widen the palette of materials, finishes or fittings, find a builder at the right price, and propose design solutions that will reduce your bills when the building is up and running. At a fraction of the total cost of your project, an architects fees will prove a sound investment.

Peace of mind You think the builders will be doing all the hard work? A mountain of paperwork awaits anyone undertaking a building project. But an architect can help make a molehill of it. When you hire an architect, you have someone on your side who knows the construction industrys working methods and standards and can guide you through all the relevant legislation, regulations and contractual arrangements. They will have the recognised educational qualifications and have reached the level of experience necessary to be registered with the Architects Registration Board* and thereby legally qualify for the title of architect The earlier they are brought in, . the more they can help get the project moving, too, with site studies, securing planning approvals and working out financing. Imagination An architect can lift your project out of the ordinary, and turn a functional structure into one that can give pleasure for decades. Whether its a modern extension, a period restoration or a new HQ, there will be architects whose inspiration and ideas will help to realise and even exceed your own ambitions. *
The Architects Registration Board (ARB) is the independent registration body for architects in the UK. For more information, visit www.arb.org.uk.

Chiswick Park, London W4, Richard Rogers Partnership. Grant Smith/View

How do I find the right architect?

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All building projects are one-offs. Every site, every client, every brief is different. There is no single solution to your project, and there is a galaxy of gifted architects able to offer their own approach to the project. So how do you find the right one? The first step is to narrow your focus and assemble a shortlist from the RIBA register of Chartered Practices. Why use an RIBA Chartered Practice? The RIBA Register of Chartered Practices was set up to clarify the status of each architectural practice, its expertise and the services it offers. To register, a practice must meet the following criteria: _ At least one partner or director must be a Chartered Architect (a member of the RIBA) _ A proportion of its registered architects must be Chartered Architects _ A Professional Indemnity Insurance appropriate to the scale and type of work undertaken is in place _ The practice operates an appropriate quality management system and health and safety policy _ Management procedures are in place to ensure architects working in the practice comply with the RIBAs Continuing Professional Development (CPD) obligations and adhere to the RIBA Code of Conduct.

What should I look for? Before you start putting together your shortlist, consider the demands of the project you are undertaking and ask yourself a few questions. Think about the size of firm you would like to work with and any specific experience or specialisation you would like it to have. Should the practice be based locally or within a certain range of your project? Is there a specific approach or philosophy of design (eg. modernist, neo-classical, green) it should follow? Once you have a firm idea about the kind of practice you would like to work with, you are ready to find the right architect for your job.

La Concha, Guernsey, mooarc. Karl Taylor

Four routes to finding the right architect

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The RIBA offers four different services aimed at helping you find the architect you need. Choose the route that you feel is most appropriate to the scale of your project. _ Free nomination service _ Online directory of RIBA Chartered Practices _ Paper-based directories of RIBA Chartered Practices _ Architectural competitions service

Free nomination service Provide the RIBA with details of your project whatever the scope and scale and we will come back with a ready-made shortlist of registered architectural practices equipped to help, drawn from our national database of over 4000 firms. Your list will give details of a number of firms, all with the skills and experience to meet your needs, and is sent with a free RIBA guide with advice about how to select, appoint and work with your architect. A list of regional RIBA offices to email or call about the service is included at the back of this leaflet. Online directory of RIBA Chartered Practices Our directory of over 4000 RIBA practices can also be searched, online, as often as you like. Go to www.architecture.com/useanarchitect and enter one or more search terms: project size, practice location, service required and sectors of expertise. Or use the advanced search and a wider range of criteria to hone your options still further. While you are online, you might like to submit details of your project to our free referral service and receive a tailored shortlist of nominated practices that fit the bill.

City Inn Hotel, Westminster, London SW1, Bennetts Associates. Peter Cook/View

Four routes to finding the right architect

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Paper-based directories of RIBA Chartered Practices We publish a number of annual directories and reviews featuring details and selected projects of RIBA Chartered Practices. The national directory of practices catalogues firms by town and area; new sector-specific reviews, published in association with national client organisations, list practices according to their experience, as follows: _ Houses & Housing (in association with The Housing Corporation) _ Education (in association with the Department of Education & Skills) _ Industrial & Commercial (in association with the CBI) _ Sport & Leisure (in association with Sport England) _ Conservation (in association with English Heritage) _ Health (in association with the Department of Health) _ Government & Public (in association with CABE) _ Interiors (in association with Grand Designs) _ Retail RIBA directories are available from public libraries nationwide. Call RIBA Client Services on 020 7307 3700 for more information on availability.

Architectural competitions service You may wish to select your architect, design or design team by competition. The RIBA Competitions Office can help you devise a competitive process tailored to your project and, if required, manage the process for you, right through to a final decision. Either call the RIBA Competitions Office on 01 234 1335 or email them at 13 [email protected]. You can also find out more about competitions and view successful projects by visiting www.architecture.com/competitions

Newhailes House, Musselburgh, LDN Architects. National Trust for Scotland

Further information

Free nomination service To use the RIBAs free nomination service, either visit www.architecture.com/useanarchitect, or contact one of the RIBA Regional Offices: RIBA Headquarters and London [email protected] 020 7307 3700 RIBA East [email protected] 01223 566 285 RIBA East Midlands [email protected] 01522 837 480 RIBA North East [email protected] 01 237 8480 13 RIBA North West [email protected] 0151 703 0107 RIBA South [email protected] 01 969 8051 18 RIBA South East [email protected] 01892 515878 RIBA South West [email protected] 0844 800 2767 RIBA Wessex [email protected] 01225 874700 RIBA West Midlands [email protected] 0121 233 2321 RIBA Yorkshire [email protected] 01 237 8480 13 Scotland (RIAS) [email protected] 0131 229 7545 Northern Ireland (RSUA) [email protected] 028 9032 3760 Wales (RSAW) [email protected] 029 2087 4753 RIBA Bookshop All the latest books, guides and documentation on architecture and construction - everything to help you select an architect and run a successful project - are available for order at www.ribabookshops.com

Front cover: City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester, ARUP Associates. Dennis Gilbert/View

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