It's very important for potential clients to check the credentials of their designer.
In Britain the term “Architect” is protected, this means that in order to call yourself an Architect you need to comply with certain standards.
The Architects Registration Board, or ARB, is a body responsible for keeping an updated register of all the Architects in the UK. In order to be registered with the ARB the perspective Architect needs to prove several academic qualifications, usually a Bachelor and a Master, but also that day they took a professional test called RIBA part 3. This is the equivalent to a formal professional qualification test in other European countries.
Many Architects also have Royal Institute of British Architects, or RIBA, credentials; this means that their portfolio of projects and academic qualifications have been carefully checked by a committee appointed by the RIBA. RIBA Chartered Architects also need to prove their insurance levels and commit to several standards set by the RIBA, in particular a specific Code of Professional Conduct.
Architectural practices can also be chartered with the RIBA, this means that the office as a whole has to abide by a number of rules and standards in terms of professionalism. Architects also need to prove that they have a suitable professional indemnity insurance that can cover the value of the projects they carry out and there is a set ratio of architects and designers/assistants.
In the UK, Architects are not the only ones who can produce projects. In theory anyone can submit a planning application or an application to building control. This brings me to the next point: sometimes designer call themselves “Architectural Designers” or any other name that doesn't include the specific term Architect. Although this may sound not very important, it essentially means that the designer does not have any formal qualification as an Architect. They may have other qualifications, but these are not strictly within the field of Architecture. It also means the designer doesn’t have to respond to any specific professional body and doesn’t not have to comply with specific standards. It also means the academic qualifications and professional experience of the designer have not been confirmed by any professional body. In other words, there is no specific standard for anyone that call themselves designers.
It's very important to understand the crucial difference between Architects and any other type of designers. We strongly suggest any potential client to choose practices with a specific chartered qualification from the Royal Institute of British Architects.
We just received our RIBA Chartered Practice certificate for this coming year!
