The continued concerns about Brexit are creating issues for architectural firms in the UK. These issues are highlighted in a survey by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The findings show that over a third of architects had projects cancelled last year because of the political situation.

Uncertain times

The main reason for the cancellations is the continuing uncertainty about what the relationship between the UK and EU will be. There is a lack of clarity and concerns that any barriers put in place could restrict an architect’s ability to expand internationally.

As well as cancelled projects there are worries about the impact changes will have on how qualifications are viewed. Currently the credentials of architects from the UK and EU are mutually recognised. This could change though. If it does it could cause big problems for the 8,000 architects from Europe working in Britain.

Not surprisingly a huge 60% of EU architects working in the UK claim they are considering leaving. This is up from 40% in 2016. It could be a real threat to the architecture industry. If they all leave it would be a loss of a huge amount of talented people.

RIBA calls for clarity

Following the survey RIBA believes the UK Government needs to be aware of the contribution that architects make to the UK economy. They would like assurances that the industry will be treated like the sciences, allowing openness and supporting creativity.

At Coffey Architects we can understand the concerns in our industry. It is a tough situation and won’t become much clearer until a formal plan is in place. We hope any changes don’t negatively impact the talented designers in the UK.

If you have any questions for recognised architects London has no better team to call than us. Please feel free to get in touch to discuss a project with us. We work in every sector and always find creative solutions for the client.