Archinect - News

‘Staggering’ discrimination and sexual misconduct levels in the UK architecture profession, ARB study finds

2024-11-20T19:01:00-05:00

The UK’s Architects Registration Board (ARB) has published research finding widespread discrimination and sexual misconduct within the UK architecture profession. The study, resulting from a survey of almost 900 individuals, reveals that architecture professionals experience higher rates of discrimination and sexual misconduct compared to other sectors such as academia and healthcare.

According to the research, over a third of all professionals working in architecture have experienced insults, stereotypes, or jokes relating to protected characteristics. One in four female professionals has experienced unwelcome sexual advances, while a third of professionals would not feel confident raising concerns if they experienced or observed misconduct.

On the specific topic of misconduct in the profession, 41% of respondents have experienced bullying while 33% have experienced discrimination. 10% have experienced sexual misconduct. In addition, 38% have experienced insults, stereotypes, or ...

Vermont's Shelburne Museum formally cut ties with Adjaye Associates over sexual misconduct allegations

2023-07-14T10:27:00-04:00

Adjaye Associates’ involvement with Vermont’s Shelburne Museum has ended as the institution is now looking to distance itself from the firm two months after its embattled founder was announced to lead the design of an important $12.6 million extension project in May.

The move comes amidst a torrent of project cancellations, voluntary withdrawals, and other relinquishing measures that followed accusations of abuse and misconduct on the part of David Adjaye, in addition to further details of a “toxic work environment” at his firm.

“The recent allegations of sexual misconduct leveled against David Adjaye, and his admission of inappropriate behavior, are incompatible with our mission and values, which left the museum with no alternative but to immediately sever ties with the architect and his firm,” the museum’s CEO Thomas Denenberg said in a statement to the media. “We remain committed to moving forward with the project and the many other partners and collaborators who have been invol...

Former students complain of racism and sexism at UCL’s Bartlett School of Architecture

2021-06-02T11:47:00-04:00

21 former students of UCL (University College London) have voiced complaints over alleged sexism and racism at the Bartlett School of Architecture. The complaints, first reported by The Guardian, stretch back over a decade. The ex-students' complaints include inappropriate comments on race and appearance, which they describe as “systemic” within the school.

The stories of the 21 ex-students were compiled into a dossier by former student Eleni Kyriacou and shared with the Guardian, who subsequently spoke to several recent graduates. Stories told by the graduates include one who said staff were “damaging primarily female students.” The graduate, of south Asian descent, claims that a staff member told a fellow student he could not tell that the graduate was “brown” as “she acted and spoke like a white person.”

Previously on Archinect: NOMA leadership echoes the need to 'fight all systems of bias, oppression, and prejudice' following the guilty verdict in the Chauvin trial

Another st...

Is the AIA doing enough to address sexual harassment in architecture?

2019-08-06T14:05:00-04:00

Post-Meier, the AIA has centered its efforts to stop sexual harassment by affirming good behavior in the profession. It’s using positive reinforcement to address sexual harassment and discrimination by saying the best work emerges from firms that embody equitable practices, and using that as the foundation of its strategy to incentivize better behavior.

Curbed's Diana Budds takes a deep dive into the efforts being undertaken within the architecture community to eradicate sexual harassment in the workplace in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

According to the report, although the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has worked to update its Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, the organization has largely avoided taking punitive measures in their efforts to reform the profession's workplace culture. The report brings into question the effectiveness of AIA's current role in addressing delicate and difficult issues like workplace harassment, and whether architectural workers might be better served through the existence of a more official "secondary avenues" for reporting harassment, abuse, and other ethics issues.

The reactive approach, according to Gabrielle Bullock, director of global diversity at Perkins and Will and a member of the AIA’s Equity in Architecture commission, is to be expected. Bullock told Curbed, “The AIA is g...