The lack of diversity in the profession can be changed by enlightened clients prepared to rethink procurement.

Peter George certainly had a captive audience at the RIBA Awards ceremony (‘Major client hands out “tough love” to “broken” architecture profession’, AJ 16.05.23). I wonder how much Ealing Borough Council’s director of economy and sustainability realises how he, and others in his position, play a key role in advancing EDI through a rethink to the procurement process. If we get procurement right, we can change the makeup of who designs our cities, improve fees, and consequently address salary imbalance.

Meridian Water has yielded several creative collaborations (largely thanks to Peter, in his previous role at Enfield Council). Recent frameworks launched by BeFirst, Hackney, etc. have similar aspirations pairing large practices with micro-enterprises from underrepresented communities. A good intention, but it perpetuates a presumption that large practices represent security, and micro-SMEs represents risk. At this pace it will take a lifetime of speeches by Peter to change the face of who designs what. 

This is important because to attract students from the global majority who desire a role in our profession, they (as well as all of us) need to see built examples from practices also from the global majority.

Our practice and its work at HomeGrown Plus have been looking at how a consortium of micro-SMEs from the global majority can deliver on projects of scale and build tangible skills. Using daab’s large project experience we want to create an environment of knowledge sharing with the next generation. To do this we need people like Peter George.

Having delivered projects of size when I was in large practice, I know it begins with team structure. The ability deliver on large projects is not unique to practices of size, and I would argue that invaluable knowledge gained through built experience is perhaps best retained within the structure of a small practice. 

So how can procurement play a greater role in EDI? Well, it must rethink its image of the micro-SME and rebalance the notion of risk, experience, and the ability to deliver.

Rethink the Micro-SME

The way of practicing our profession is changing, and micro-SMEs are making a difference. The perception that micro-SMEs equates to start-up and inexperience, is wrong. We only have to look at Annette Fisher/Teri Okoro’s Unionne, Gbolade Design Studio and Studio Givanni for instance to see mature experienced practitioners working in their own micro-SME structure. Micro-SMEs are agile, able, absorb knowledge and retain experience. They are found in all shapes, colours, age and gender. They are at ease integrating seamlessly into large practices or operating independently. 

Risk

Micro-enterprises are unduly penalised by safeguards in procurement which create a false sense of security. Turnover requirements and irrationally high levels of PI insurance demands should not be a deciding factor if a consortium of SMEs pose a risk. Risk should be considered in term of the consortium’s joint capacities, talents, and its members’ performance record.

Experience

A consortium of SMEs brings a mix of credible experiences corresponding to the needs of a project. Professional experience built or unbuilt, or obtained through previous practices, etc. are difficult to analyse during a procurement process, but can be the most reflective strength of a micro-SME. The bid evaluation process must change to acknowledge these issues.

Ability to Deliver

A well composed consortium of micro-SMEs can deliver all relevant RIBA stages. As more and more micro-SMEs are being established by practitioners who have spent years in large practices delivering the very same building type they are now bidding on as a consortium of micro-SMEs, the disconnect between size and delivery capability must be dispelled.

Some will query if this sort of collaboration isn’t already happening (it isn’t), others will zoom in on the details of liability, legal entity, etc. We need to resist measuring change with the same yard stick that prevents change. To truly change the face of the profession we need to improve procurement.

We look forward to Peter’s next speech.

An abridged version of this article is published in AJ print June 2023