Professional standards

摘要

Recent events ('RIBA president vows to investigate complaints against RMJM', AJ 23.05.13) have shown how the intense 'free-for-all' climate of bidding and tendering can undermine the interests of employed architects everywhere. Securing and maintaining decent employment conditions are made all the harder for responsible offices when the competition 'underbids' work. Of a group of 35 Part 3 students I once met, only three had employment contracts. The rest were 'winging it'. Fair and responsible offices face great challenges in this respect. The RIBA has an important role to play as well, both in terms of offering guidance to employment and setting rules relating to standards: with basic minimal heads of terms for employment contracts, for example.