Between Isolation and Innovation: Navigating Brexit’s Impact on the UK’s Design Industry

The 13th A+Awards invites firms to submit a range of timely new categories, emphasizing architecture that balances local innovation with global vision. Your projects deserve the spotlight, so start your submission today!

In 2016, Brexit was sold to the people of the United Kingdom as a chance to ‘take back control;’ however, for the UK’s design industry, it feels more like the brakes have been slammed on a speeding train. Once a central hub of global creativity that was connected to European collaborators, British design now finds itself caught in a web of tariffs, red tape and cultural isolation. The question is: can a nation so dependent on the free flow of ideas and materials thrive when its lifelines to the continent have been severed?

The architecture and design industries in the UK are worth over £36 billion annually and employ nearly 580,000 people. They have, for centuries, been seen as a crown jewel of British creativity. Pre-Brexit, the sector thrived in a European ecosystem where materials, talent and ideas flowed freely across borders. Yet, since January 2021, the industry has faced a series of challenges that have left it diminished in influence and capability.

Perth Museum by Mecanoo, Perth, United Kingdom | Photo by  Greg Holmes Photography

One of the biggest issues is materials. Being an island, Britain imports a significant percentage of its construction materials — up to 60% in some sectors. With the introduction of Brexit, tariffs were introduced, customs delays became standard and regulatory divergence is found around every corner. Each of these issues has driven up costs across the industry. A report from the Construction Leadership Council in late 2023 noted that imported timber now costs an average of 25% more than it did before Brexit, largely due to added bureaucracy at borders. Italian marble suppliers, once reliable partners to British designers, now report delays of up to six weeks, forcing firms to adjust timelines and increase budgets.

It isn’t just materials that are in short supply. Talent, once abundant thanks to the ease of hiring EU professionals, is now a pressing concern for design firms. Before Brexit, roughly 30% of architects working in London were from the EU. By 2022, the Architects Registration Board reported a 42% decline in EU architects registering to work in the UK, leaving firms scrambling to fill vacancies. Even large practices with iconic names report projects being slowed by recruitment challenges.

355 – 359 Strand by White Red, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom.

The architectural profession suffers particularly from what has been referred to as a “Brexit brain drain.” Experienced designers who would once have flocked to London are now choosing Berlin, Copenhagen or Amsterdam, where their skills are equally in demand but the administrative hurdles are far fewer. The UK government’s introduction of a points-based immigration system has been criticized for failing to address the specific needs of creative industries, with many questioning, “Who’s going to take a job in London when Paris is an hours train ride away?”

These issues ripple outward, impacting not just firms but the UK’s cultural and economic standing on the world stage. British design was once a key presence at international events like Salone del Mobile in Milan and Maison et Objet in Paris. Since Brexit, attendance has plummeted — not for lack of interest, but because of logistical barriers. For example, transporting exhibition materials now involves navigating customs declarations, ATA Carnets, and duties, turning participation into an expensive endeavor for many smaller studios and suppliers.

Meanwhile, major European events that were once fertile ground for collaborations now feel emptier without the UK’s contributions. Milan Design Week 2023 saw a 40% drop in British exhibitors compared to 2018, and conversations at the event reflected a growing perception that British design, while still respected, is increasingly insular.

Closer to home, efforts to counteract this decline have had mixed results. Clerkenwell Design Week, an annual fixture in London, has gained traction as a platform for showcasing British talent. Yet, as some exhibitors have pointed out, “It’s preaching to the choir — what we need is to be out in the world, not just talking to each other.”

Chelsea Waterfront by Farrells, London, United Kingdom | Visual by Farrells.

In contrast, pro-Brexit voices often highlight this time as an opportunity for reinvention. The argument goes that severing ties with Europe forces the UK to innovate and look inward in the hope of bringing about a renaissance of British craftsmanship and skill. There are some glimmers of hope. A renewed interest in local materials — such as Cumbrian slate and Cornish granite is sought to reduce project timescales, and advocates also point to the potential for stronger ties with non-European markets, including the Gulf States and Asia, where British design is held in high regard.

But these gains come with caveats. Local materials, while aesthetically valuable and climate-conscious, cannot always meet the volume and diversity needs of larger projects. While new markets are promising, the environmental impact of sourcing further away is huge and doesn’t compensate for the ease and scale of doing business within the EU. Critics argue that what some see as “opportunities” are, in reality, costly adaptations to a self-imposed problem.

Throughout it all, the question of cultural isolation looms large. Design, by its nature, thrives on collaboration and exchange. British architecture has historically benefited from its role as a bridge between the traditions of Europe and the experimental ethos of America. Brexit threatens to sever that connection, leaving British design caught between two worlds but fully embraced by neither.

Centre for Design and Innovation, St Paul’s Girls’ School by Jestico + Whiles | Visual by Jestico + Whiles.

Yet, the UK’s design industry is nothing if not resilient. Firms are finding creative ways to adapt, whether by exploring new supply chains, embracing digital collaboration tools, or doubling down on the uniqueness of British design heritage. But these adaptations are reactive, not proactive, and they underscore the broader reality: Brexit has fundamentally changed the rules of the game and, so far, not for the better.

So, where does the industry go from here? Can British design emerge from the ashes and rediscover its place in a world that thrives on interconnectivity, or will it settle into a diminished role on the global stage? The answer may depend not just on the ingenuity and talent of the designers themselves but on whether the UK government is willing to recognize and address the unique needs of an industry that has always punched above its weight.

Whatever the future holds, one thing is certain: the path forward will require the same mix of creativity, pragmatism and sheer stubbornness that has always defined English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh design.

The 13th A+Awards invites firms to submit a range of timely new categories, emphasizing architecture that balances local innovation with global vision. Your projects deserve the spotlight, so start your submission today!

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