Today marks a historic turning point for the UK and European Union - the UK has voted to quit the EU. What lays ahead no one is really sure; Cameron has already resigned this morning and discussions for a second Scottish referendum have begun. 

The majority within the architecture industry have strongly and vocally supported the Remain campaign celebrating the integral role the EU has played in inspiring and funding creative projects, free movement and the benefits of an internal single market. Most importantly community; a community based on respect and support that derived from the desolate situation after World War Two that at its core believed in humanity.

The referendum has revealed some alarming results about the state of the UK, a very clearly divided country. However the decision has been made and we must now face up to these consequences, we must now address what kind of a nation we want to be.

We asked top architects for their reactions to the result and how they think it will affect the future of the industry and their professional practice. 

We at Grimshaw are disappointed with the result of the referendum. However we and all other UK practices will carry on doing what we do best; delivering exemplary architecture to the world. Creativity is an architect’s currency and we believe that London will remain a global capital for architectural practice and education.

We have enjoyed many longstanding collaborations with colleagues throughout Europe, and despite the outcome we look forward to continuing this rewarding exchange. Grimshaw is an agile, diverse business with a global dimension, and despite any changes that may happen we are in a strong position to react positively.

Mark Middleton, Managing Partner – London office, Grimshaws

The political, economic and social fallout of the Referendum result will no doubt have serious repercussions across the construction sector. We have been very disappointed by the tone and focus of some of the debate prior to the vote.

As a relatively new and small practice (five years into this now), our focus will be on steadying the ship to try and ensure continued success and growth. It is still too early to tell if any projects will be put on hold or even cancelled, we shall see on that front.

Our work has included dipping into foreign markets in the past. A lack of cohesion with the rest of the EU might mean more difficulty with UK Architects gaining work within the EU. However a weakened Sterling against the Euro and other foreign currencies might make UK Architects fees more attractive to clients in the EU and the wider International marketplace. This however is not something to be cheered, as a weakened Sterling has other, more dire economic consequences.

The creative industries within the UK are amongst some of the very best in the world, so we now have to work together and with great imagination to lift ourselves through what will be a very difficult period.

Abe Mohsin, Director, Mohsin Cooper Limited

“A momentous and I feel sad day for the UK. In the light of this result and in the face of the threat to the whole economy, the creative industries can pick themselves up and respond with imagination, entrepreneurship and creativity - in stark contrast to an entire political class who have utterly failed to make a compelling argument for remaining in Europe. This is a protest vote against the ongoing backdrop of a divided London centric British society.”

Carl Turner, Carl Turner Architects

“There are lots of good things happening in the built environment with infrastructure coming together, government departments working together, and governments finally setting the right environment for long term planning.

All the progress we have made will now be put on hold and the government’s attention will be diverted while we try and work out how to deal with Brexit.

It will all take time, projects like Heathrow, whatever your opinion, will be paused.

Moving forward we have to realise the importance of our investments and keep them going.”

Rob Naybour, Partner, Weston Williamson + Partners

"What a nightmare. The lack of proper debate in the referendum has been alarming. It has generated the worst in some people and the best in very few. We elect Members of Parliament to represent our interests and expect them to act with foresight and intelligence. A vote in the House of Commons would have been significantly in favour of remain so why did we even expose ourselves to this process?  We have been hijacked by a negative, short-sighted Little Englander mentality. No doubt this result will have an impact on immigration figures because a lot of people will want to leave the country."

Roger Hawkins, Founder, Hawkins\Brown

“We’ve woken up to the prospect of changes to OJEU procurement processes that on some level may make us feel relieved, but as Architects who care about the way our built environment can reflect and shape society, I am devastated.

The language of the past few months builds an image of walled cities, divisions and borders that is depressing on so many levels.

The delusional ‘taking our country back’ slogan has done precisely that – taken us back in time to a nostalgic post war period of bunting and street parties, conveniently forgetting the economic hardship that led the EU to be established in the first place.

Apart from the copious amounts of increasingly isolationist and incendiary rhetoric that has sown huge divisions up and down the country and the uncertainty created by the sudden drop in the pound’s value, this debate has real personal implications for many architects working in Britain. Many of us are EU citizens or are married to EU citizens or have offices full of valued EU citizens and the future is uncertain for all of us.

There are also some real lessons. The whole referendum debate was characterised by vested interests, misinformation, prejudice and fear. It’s a lesson for architects as much as anyone else, that unless we get better at communicating what we do and articulating the value of good architecture and public space, our voices will become irrelevant. Already estate agents, advertisers, speculators and developers, largely control what defines good housing, the value of land and ownership of public space.

We have to find ways of taking back that conversation, opening it up so that it is transparent, informative and innovative and stop expending so much energy on self-referential conversations. Promoting our image within the architectural community is of limited value. We have to acknowledge that as a profession, we often speak a language that is elitist and profligate. This referendum has taught all sides, that we can’t assume that truth will prevail. The lies spoken loudest have won, so as a profession we need to find ways of whispering, shouting, writing, drawing, building our ideas so that they inspire imagination, quality and practical ingenuity and lead a debate that puts power back into the hands of people that feel disenfranchised.

We need to avoid an elitist critique of the referendum discourse and seize an opportunity to be seen as people who can listen, respond and shape an innovative debate about the future of our country.”

Katy Marks, Director, Citizens Design Bureau

"Today is a very dark day for Britain. Our country’s history is one of internationalism and engagement with the wider world, and our society today is far richer for the waves of immigration that have happened from the Romans onwards. That we have now chosen to turn our backs on that, to look inwards and become more isolated, is a tragedy. That the vote was won largely by older generations voting to leave, when the younger generations who will be most affected wanted to stay, should outrage us all. For our profession—and especially for small, young practices like ours—this result is a disaster."

IF_DO Architecture & Design

“It remains to be seen how this will impact upon us as Architects, but there will inevitably be a knock-on effect from the economic uncertainty. I expect there will be tough times ahead in the industry, as investor confidence in the UK market diminishes. From a social and cultural perspective, it is also a very sad day for the profession which is an inherently outward-looking one. I think many UK architects take a lot of inspiration from our European counterparts, and feel a shared sense of values. However we are also a resilient and positive bunch and we will always have hope.”

Jenny Fitzgerald, Associate Director, Aros Architects

“It's very unclear how this will affect us at the moment. Especially living in Scotland where it may be some time before the full implications are known. A significant portion of our work in the UK is for clients based in other EU countries and it's quite possible that the decision may affect their desire to invest here. We are proud to employ a diverse team, which includes talented individuals from across Europe. These individuals bring a lot to our practice, not least because they can give us different perspectives and expose us to new ways of thinking. It would be a great shame to see any restriction in the opportunities for people to travel and work in this way, both to and from the UK.”

Gunnar Groves-Raines, Director, Gras