RIBA president Chris Williamson to give up architect title
The president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Chris Williamson, has revealed that he will not be renewing his registration with the Architects Registration Board in 2026.
Williamson's plans to terminate his registration with the Architects Registration Board (ARB) mean that next year, he will no longer be included on the UK's register of architects.
While he will be able to continue providing architectural services, Williamson won't be able to call himself an architect, like designers John Pawson and Asif Khan.
Williamson labels ARB framework "absurd"
The president's decision to terminate his registration aligns with an upcoming campaign by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) calling for a new regulatory model for UK architects.
According to Williamsom, the aim is to draw attention to the "absurdity of the current regulatory framework" of ARB, which only regulates the protected title "architect" and the competence of those on its register.
It does not oversee the competence and professionalism of unregistered providers of architectural services.
"We all know that regulating the title 'architect' alone does far too little to protect the public we serve, with no guarantee of quality or safety across our built environment," said Williamson.
"This is not a decision I have taken lightly, but I feel it's essential to draw attention to the absurdity of the current regulatory framework – and advocate for change," he explained.
"Delivering quality and safety relies on maintaining the highest standards of professional competence, not simply the job titles of those responsible."
Williamson, the co-founder of Weston Williamson + Partners, began his two-year term as president on 1 September 2025, succeeding architect Muyiwa Oki.
The president revealed his plans to terminate his ARB registration yesterday in a letter to the institute.
While Williamson will no longer be able to call himself an architect, he retains his status as a RIBA Chartered Member and his three RIBA qualifications.
RIBA wants to introduce Built Environment Council
His upcoming RIBA campaign will propose three steps to reform architects' regulation. This will include repealing the Architects Act – a UK law that sets the framework for the regulation of the title architect, under which ARB is the regulator.
It will also call for new legislation outlining reserved activities, such as submitting full planning applications, building control applications and final compliance certificates, and who can execute them.
The third step will call for the introduction of a Built Environment Council to oversee the competence of individuals and companies working in the construction industry.
"Establishing a Built Environment Council to oversee the competence requirements of construction industry professional bodies who would assess the competence of individuals, who would then be included as chartered members, with the ability to undertake the reserved functions named above," RIBA explained.
The campaign's launch date is yet to be announced.
Wiliamson was selected as RIBA president in 2024. Prior to this, he held several roles within the RIBA, including the vice president international from 2017 to 2019.
In 2024, he hit the headlines after defending his studio's work on the controversial Neom mega project in Saudi Arabia.
In a statement written for UK publication Architects' Journal, the president said "it is not a decision I take lightly".
"We all form our own beliefs, our own version of truth and that should be respected," he told the Architects' Journal.
"I've read all The Guardian and other critical articles and I've also spoken to many people more directly involved and formed an opinion, which is always of course open to change if there is new information."
The photo is by Morley von Sternberg.
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