The Architects’ Journal Architecture News & Buildings
Click here to take the survey
The online questionnaire, which covers both life in practice and experiences during architectural edcuation, comes three years after the AJ’s last investigation into the issues.
The 2020 survey, which was completed by more than 1,300 UK-based architects, technologists and students, revealed that respondents believed racism within the profession was becoming more common. The percentage of those from an ethnically diverse background who thought racism was ‘widespread’ in the architecture profession had increased markedly, up from 23 per cent from the first survey in 2018 to a third of respondents in 2020.
The proportion was even higher among black respondents, with 43 per cent of this group saying racism was ‘widely prevalent’, compared with 30 per cent five years ago.
The AJ is now repeating the survey, this time looking more closely at all career stages, to see whether attitudes have shifted.
Sonia Watson, chief executive of project partner Blueprint for All – the national educational charity committed to social inclusion – said that many practices were ‘listening and taking clear action aimed at making the profession more inclusive’ and that there was more ‘understanding and determination to affect change than there has ever been’.
However, she added: ‘But to achieve meaningful change we need to understand what works and track the impact of the measures taken. So it will be more vital than ever this year to conduct the race and diversity survey.’
The AJ survey is open to everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity, and will ask you questions about, your background, your experiences in the industry and your response to various statements.
The results will be published in April.
Click here to take the survey
A call to take part: Sonia Watson, chief executive of Blueprint For All
The three years since our last survey of race and diversity in architecture have been an extraordinary time for those us working in social equality and inclusion. The murder of George Floyd in May 2020 by a white police officer in the USA propelled the Black Lives Matter movement on to the global news agenda, putting racism at the heart of the discussion in almost all spheres, and not least British architecture.
The Covid-19 pandemic simultaneously showed that even a global crisis does not impact on all of us equally, with people of ethnically diverse heritage frequently worst-impacted in terms of staying in education and jobs, as well as being more likely to be working in jobs exposed to the virus.
From these tragic circumstances has come raised awareness and I’ve been heartened greatly by the conversations within architecture over the past three years. I know many practices are listening and taking clear action aimed at making the profession more inclusive. There is more understanding and determination to affect change than there has ever been.
But to achieve meaningful change we need to understand what works and track the impact of the measures taken. So it will be more vital than ever this year to conduct the race and diversity survey. I am grateful to all those who take part and we are so pleased to be partnering with the AJ on this once again.