Royal Institute of British Architects facts for kids

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Royal Institute of British Architects

Abbreviation	RIBA
Formation	1834; 191 years ago (1834)
Type	Professional membership body
Legal status	Chartered body corporate and registered charity
Purpose	The objectives of the RIBA, as set out in its Charter, are advancement of architecture and promotion of acquiring of knowledge of the arts and sciences connected therewith.
Headquarters	66 Portland Place, London, W1
Region served	Predominantly UK with increasing global membership
Membership	29,203 chartered architects (2020)
Chief Executive	Valerie Vaughan-Dick
President	Muyiwa Oki
Main organ	RIBA Board & RIBA Council
Staff	309 (2019)

RIBA Headquarters

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a group for architects. It mainly helps architects in the United Kingdom, but also around the world. RIBA was started in 1834 to help architecture grow and improve.

RIBA has its main office in London at 66 Portland Place. It also has many smaller offices in other areas. The RIBA Library, also started in 1834, is one of the biggest architecture libraries in the world. It is the largest in Europe. RIBA has also helped set up rules for architects in the UK.

The institute gives out some of the oldest awards for architecture. These include the RIBA President's Medals Students Award, the Royal Gold Medal, and the Stirling Prize. RIBA also runs contests for new building designs.

For a long time, RIBA was mostly for men. Women were first allowed to join in 1898. The first female president was chosen in 2009.

What is RIBA?

The Royal Institute of British Architects, or RIBA, is a professional group. It supports architects and helps them learn and grow. RIBA works to make architecture better for everyone.

RIBA's Main Goals

RIBA's main goals are set out in its Royal Charter. This is a special document that gives RIBA its powers. The goals are:

To make architecture better.
To help people learn about the arts and sciences related to building.

RIBA helps architects by providing training and setting standards. It also offers resources like its huge library.

RIBA's Story: A Look Back

RIBA started in London in 1834. It was first called the "Institute of British Architects in London." Many famous architects helped create it. Thomas de Grey, 2nd Earl de Grey was its first president for 25 years.

Becoming "Royal"

In 1837, King William IV gave the institute a special "Royal Charter." This made it the "Royal Institute of British Architects in London." In 1892, it dropped "in London" from its name.

In 1934, RIBA moved to its current home at 66 Portland Place. King George V and Queen Mary opened the new building.

The RIBA Motto

RIBA has a special medal and a Latin motto. The motto is Usui civium, decori urbium. This means "for the use of the people, for the glory of the city." It shows that architecture should serve people and make cities beautiful.

Learning About Architecture

RIBA and its members have played a big part in how architects learn in the UK. They helped create groups like the Architects' Registration Council of the United Kingdom (ARCUK). This group makes sure architects are properly trained and registered.

RIBA still checks architecture courses today. They make sure schools teach students what they need to know. This helps students become good architects. RIBA also checks courses outside the UK.

In 2019, RIBA started the "RIBA Future Architects" program. This is an online place and network for students and new graduates. It helps them as they move from studying to working as architects.

How RIBA is Organized

RIBA is run by the RIBA Council. This group has 60 members. Most of them are experienced architects. They are chosen by other RIBA members.

RIBA has about 44,000 members. Architects who are "chartered members" can use "RIBA" after their name. This shows they are officially recognized.

Different Types of Members

RIBA: A chartered member. This is the main type of membership.
FRIBA: A Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects. This was a special title given in the past.
PRIBA: The President of the institute.

RIBA's Offices Around the UK and World

RIBA has 12 offices in different parts of the United Kingdom. Each office works with local architect groups.

RIBA East – Great Shelford
RIBA East Midlands – Nottingham
RIBA London – London
RIBA North East – Newcastle
RIBA North West – Liverpool
RIBA South / South East – Reading
RIBA South West / Wessex – Bristol
RIBA West Midlands – Birmingham
RIBA Yorkshire – Leeds
RIAS – Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, Edinburgh
RSAW – Royal Society of Architects in Wales, Cardiff
RSUA – Royal Society of Ulster Architects, Belfast

RIBA also has international offices. These are in London, Shanghai, and Sharjah (United Arab Emirates). There are four main groups for members outside the UK:

RIBA Americas
RIBA Asia and Australasia
RIBA Europe
RIBA Middle East and Africa

RIBA's Main Building

Architectural Aspiration, by Edward Bainbridge, above the main entrance, RIBA, 66 Portland Place, London

RIBA's main building is at 66 Portland Place in London. It has been there since 1934. This building is very special and is protected as a Grade II* listed building. It was designed by architect George Grey Wornum. You can see sculptures by Edward Bainbridge Copnall and James Woodford on it.

The building is open to the public. Inside, you can find a library, a bookshop, a café, and places for exhibitions and talks. RIBA also rents out rooms for events.

In 2021, RIBA decided to sell another building it owned nearby. This was because more staff were working from home after the COVID-19 pandemic. RIBA is now planning a big update for its 66 Portland Place building.

The British Architectural Library

Reading Room, British Architectural Library, RIBA, 66 Portland Place, London

The British Architectural Library, also called the RIBA Library, started in 1834. Members gave books and items to begin the collection. Now, it has over four million items. It is one of the biggest architectural libraries in the world.

Some items from the library are shown at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London. The library's collections include:

Archives: Personal papers, letters, and notes from architects.
Audiovisual materials: Recordings of talks given at RIBA.
Books: 150,000 books, with the oldest from 1478.
Drawings: 1 million drawings, mostly by British architects. It has the world's largest collection of drawings by Andrea Palladio.
Models: Small models of buildings by architects like Denys Lasdun.
Periodicals: 2,000 different architecture magazines and journals.
Photographs: 1.5 million photos, including old pictures from the 19th century.

The library stayed open even during World War II. It even kept safe the papers of architect Adolf Loos during the war.

The library has two public locations. One is the Reading Room at 66 Portland Place. The other is at the V&A Museum. The Reading Room has its original 1934 design. The library is free to visit. It also offers programs for students and families.

RIBA and the V&A Museum

V&A + RIBA Architecture Gallery, Room 128, Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Since 2004, RIBA and the V&A have worked together. They want to help people understand and enjoy architecture more.

They created the Architecture Gallery at the V&A. This was the first permanent gallery in the UK just for architecture. It shows items from both RIBA and V&A collections.

In 2022, RIBA announced that this partnership will end in 2027. The items will go back to RIBA's collections. Some will be shown at the updated 66 Portland Place building.

RIBA Awards: Celebrating Great Architecture

RIBA gives out many awards to celebrate great architecture.

The President's Medals started in 1836. They are the oldest awards from RIBA. They might even be the oldest architecture awards in the world.

Other important awards include:

The Stirling Prize: For the best new building of the year.
The Royal Gold Medal: Honors an architect's whole career. It started in 1848.
The Stephen Lawrence Prize: For smaller building projects.
The RIBA House of the Year award: For the best house design.

RIBA also gives out regional awards in different parts of the UK.

RIBA Competitions: Designing the Future

RIBA Competitions is a special part of RIBA. It organizes contests for architectural and other design projects.

When someone wants a new building, they might hold a design competition. Architects submit their ideas. A group of experts then chooses the best design. This helps make sure the best ideas are used for new buildings.

The RIBA Plan of Work

The RIBA Plan of Work is a guide for building projects. It helps manage the design and building process step-by-step. It was first created in 1963.

The newest version is the RIBA Plan of Work 2020. It has eight stages, from 0 to 7. This plan is very important in the UK building industry.

Becoming an Architect

RIBA helps schools teach architecture. It checks and approves courses at over 50 schools in the UK. It also approves courses in other countries.

To become a chartered architect, it takes at least seven years.

Part I: Usually a three-year university degree.
Year Out: At least one year of work experience in an architect's office.
Part II: Usually a two-year postgraduate diploma or master's degree.
Another Year Out: Another year of work experience.
RIBA Part III: Professional exams.

After passing these, a student can become a chartered architect.

RIBA Presidents

RIBA Presidents are chosen by RIBA members. They serve for two years and lead the RIBA Council. The first president was chosen in 1835. In 2009, Ruth Reed became the first female president.

The current RIBA president is Muyiwa Oki. He started his term in September 2023.

1835–1859 Thomas Philip Earl de Grey
1860–1861 Charles Robert Cockerell
1861–1863 William Tite
1863–1865 Thomas Leverton Donaldson
1865–1867 Alexander James Beresford-Hope
1867–1870 William Tite
1870–1873 Thomas Henry Wyatt
1873–1876 George Gilbert Scott
1876–1879 Charles Barry, Jr.
1879–1881 John Whichcord Jr.
1881–1881 George Edmund Street
1882–1884 Horace Jones
1884–1886 Ewan Christian
1886–1887 Edward I'Anson
1888–1890 Alfred Waterhouse
1891–1894 John Macvicar Anderson
1894–1896 Francis Penrose
1896–1899 George Aitchison
1899–1902 William Emerson
1902–1904 Aston Webb
1904–1906 John Belcher
1906–1908 Thomas Edward Collcutt
1908–1910 Ernest George
1910–1912 Leonard Stokes
1912–1914 Reginald Blomfield
1914–1917 Ernest Newton
1917–1919 Henry Thomas Hare
1919–1921 John William Simpson
1922–1923 Paul Waterhouse
1923–1925 John Alfred Gotch
1925–1927 Edward Guy Dawber
1927–1929 Walter Tapper
1929–1931 Banister Flight Fletcher
1931–1933 Raymond Unwin
1933–1935 Giles Gilbert Scott
1935–1937 Percy Thomas
1937–1939 Harry Stuart Goodhart-Rendel
1939–1940 Edwin Stanley Hall
1940–1943 William Henry Ansell
1943–1946 Sir Percy Thomas
1946–1948 Lancelot Keay
1948–1950 Michael Waterhouse
1950–1952 Andrew Graham Henderson
1952–1954 Howard Robertson
1954–1956 Charles Herbert Aslin
1956–1958 Kenneth Cross
1958–1960 Basil Spence
1960–1962 William Holford
1962–1964 Robert Hogg Matthew
1964–1965 Donald Evelyn Edward Gibson
1965–1967 Lionel Gordon Baliol Brett
1967–1969 Hugh Wilson
1969–1971 Peter Faulkner Shepheard
1971–1973 Alex Gordon
1973–1975 Fred Pooley
1975–1977 Eric Lyons
1977–1979 Gordon Graham
1979–1981 John Brian Jefferson
1981–1983 Owen Luder
1983–1985 Michael Manser
1985–1987 Larry Rolland
1987–1989 Rod Hackney
1989–1991 Maxwell Hutchinson
1991–1993 Richard MacCormac
1993–1995 Frank Duffy
1995–1997 Owen Luder
1997–1999 David Rock
1999–2001 Marco Goldschmied
2001–2003 Paul Hyett
2003–2005 George Ferguson
2005–2007 Jack Pringle
2007–2009 Sunand Prasad
2009–2011 Ruth Reed
2011–2013 Angela Brady
2013–2015 Stephen Hodder
2015–2017 Jane Duncan
2017–2019 Ben Derbyshire
2019–2021 Alan Jones
2021–2023 Simon Allford
2023–2025 Muyiwa Oki

RIBA Chief Executives

The person in charge of RIBA's daily operations used to be called the "secretary." Now, this role is called the "chief executive."

1871–1878 Charles Eastlake
1878–1896 William H. White
1897–1907 William John Locke
1908–1943 Sir Ian MacAlister
1945–1959 Cyril Douglas Spragg
1959–1968 Gordon Randolph Ricketts
1968–1987 Patrick Harrison
1987–1994 Bill Rodgers
1994–2000 Alexander Reid
2000–2009 Richard Hastilow
2009–2016 Harry Rich
2016–2022 Alan Vallance
2023–present Valerie Vaughan-Dick

Images for kids

RIBA plaque on Whitla Hall, Queen's University Belfast