UK Architects Declare expresses "sincere apology for not speaking out sooner" on destruction in Gaza

The steering group of the UK chapter of climate network Architects Declare has released a statement regarding the destruction and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The statement, which was released this morning by UK Architects Declare jointly with Australian Architects Declare, does not mention Israel or war, but states the group's concern for the loss of life and infrastructure in Gaza.

UK Architects Declare opened the statement by apologising for not speaking on the matter sooner.

"There is a point at which silence is unconscionable"

"We begin with a sincere apology for not speaking out sooner," said UK Architects Declare in the statement.

"We recognise that the situation in Gaza is part of a long and historical conflict, one that many have been cautious to address publicly because of its deeply divisive nature."

"However, there is a point at which silence is unconscionable," it continued. "We believe that point has been reached with the deliberate starvation of children and the scale of human suffering now unfolding."

In the statement, UK Architects Declare called for the architecture community to support humanitarian efforts in Palestine, write to local members of parliament to demand action, and to amplify the voices of affected professional organisations, including Architects for Gaza, the Palestine Regeneration Team and the Gaza Global University.

The group stated that its dedication to environmental justice extends to the crisis in Gaza.

"As architects, we are committed to addressing the interconnected crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and social injustice," said UK Architects Declare. "We cannot remain silent in the face of the ongoing, deliberate destruction of life, land, and cultural infrastructure in Gaza."

"As a network committed to climate and biodiversity action, we recognise that our responsibility extends beyond national borders."

"We stand in solidarity with civilians and practitioners who have lost homes, studios, schools, and entire neighbourhoods," it continued.

"We affirm the dignity of all life and call for the protection of civilians, adherence to international humanitarian law, and urgent steps toward a lasting ceasefire, and the return of all hostages and displaced civilians to their lands in peace and security."

According to the latest figures from Gaza's health ministry, over 62,000 Palestinians have died in Israel's most recent military campaign, launched in response to Hamas's 7 October attacks.

The UN World Food Programme stated Gaza "faces the grave risk of famine", with an estimated 39 per cent of the population going days without eating.

The widespread destruction in Gaza has resulted in over 90 per cent of homes destroyed or damaged by Israeli forces, according to the United Nations' Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

A recent study in the journal Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability calculated that clearing the rubble from destroyed and damaged buildings caused by Israel's bombardment of Gaza could result in over 90,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

"Prolonged conflicts accelerate environmental degradation, disrupt climate resilience, and destroy vital infrastructure, compounding the vulnerability of people and ecosystems," said UK Architects Declare.

"In Gaza, this destruction has reached an unprecedented scale, with tens of thousands of buildings reduced to rubble and essential infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and water systems, obliterated."

Read the full statement from UK Architects Declare below:

The Steering Group of UK Architects Declare issues the following statement in tandem with Australian Architects Declare.

We begin with a sincere apology for not speaking out sooner. We recognise that the situation in Gaza is part of a long and historical conflict, one that many have been cautious to address publicly because of its deeply divisive nature. However, there is a point at which silence is unconscionable. We believe that point has been reached with the deliberate starvation of children and the scale of human suffering now unfolding.

As architects, we are committed to addressing the interconnected crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and social injustice. We cannot remain silent in the face of the ongoing, deliberate destruction of life, land, and cultural infrastructure in Gaza.

Prolonged conflicts accelerate environmental degradation, disrupt climate resilience, and destroy vital infrastructure, compounding the vulnerability of people and ecosystems. Global research shows such crises cause deforestation, toxic pollution, destruction of water systems, and the loss of buildings and cultural heritage that take generations to create and decades to restore. In Gaza, this destruction has reached an unprecedented scale, with tens of thousands of buildings reduced to rubble and essential infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and water systems, obliterated. The environmental toll is severe: soil pollution, sewage failures, and groundwater contamination are compounded by untreated sewage released daily into the Mediterranean. Farms and tree cover have been decimated, disrupting local ecology and food systems. The humanitarian impact is equally grave, with famine conditions emerging, child malnutrition soaring, disease outbreaks spreading, and aid efforts obstructed by restricted access and fractured delivery systems.

We join others in the built environment professions, including the Architects Climate Action Network (ACAN), the International Union of Architects (UIA) calls for ceasefire, and signatories of the Architects for Gaza campaign, in recognising that the scale of loss in Gaza constitutes not only a humanitarian crisis but also an ecological and cultural catastrophe. The deliberate targeting of urban infrastructure and the mass displacement of people undermine the very foundations of just and regenerative futures.

As a network committed to climate and biodiversity action, we recognise that our responsibility extends beyond national borders. We stand in solidarity with civilians and practitioners who have lost homes, studios, schools, and entire neighbourhoods. We affirm the dignity of all life and call for the protection of civilians, adherence to international humanitarian law, and urgent steps toward a lasting ceasefire, and the return of all hostages and displaced civilians to their lands in peace and security.

As a steering group, we do not claim to speak for all signatory practices, but in line with our 12th declaration point we are calling on architects to ‘Support those who are working for climate justice and strive to ensure equity and an improved quality of life for all’. We therefore encourage our community to:

• Support humanitarian organisations working on the ground in Palestine, such as Medical Aid for Palestinians and the Palestinian Red Crescent.
• Amplify voices of affected professionals and dedicated networks, including Architects for Gaza, the Palestine Regeneration Team and the Gaza Global University.
• Contact your MP and demand action, e.g. through UNA-UK Gaza crisis: Write to your MP.
• Advocate for peace, environmental justice, and reparative rebuilding rooted in ecological and cultural restoration.
• Be cognizant of the work we do as architects in many countries, not just in the UK, and the unintended local impacts of this. There are many conflicts and humanitarian and ecological crises around the world and the ongoing destruction in Gaza should bring home to us all the need for justice in all we do.

We encourage dialogue within the built environment sector around appropriate practical and advocacy responses to the crisis in Gaza. The UK AD Steering Group welcomes opportunities for such dialogue.

Architecture is a profession of care. Let us not look away.

The UK Architects Declare Steering Group: Alasdair Ben Dixon, Anna Pamphilon, Anna Woodeson, Carrie Behar, Chloe van Grieken, Craig Robertson, Deepthi Ravi, Julia Barfield, Kevin Logan, Laura Baron, Mandy Franz, Tom Gibson, Tom Greenall, Zoe Watson

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