The Royal Institute
of British Architects (RIBA) has published its annual summary of business
trends in architecture and construction sectors.
The RIBA’s annual
Business Benchmarking report tracks UK architects’ turnover and salaries, and
identifies global growth areas for the export of UK architecture expertise.
Drawn from data
provided by RIBA’s Chartered Practices, the Business Benchmarking Survey has
been conducted since 2012, providing a record of trends over time.
This year’s report
shows a resilient architectural profession directly contributing £3.6bn to the
UK economy and flourishing overseas. Key trends revealed
in the 2019 RIBA Business Benchmarking report include:
- Revenues are up by 13% in the
last 12 months and have cumulatively more than doubled since 2012.
- The overall value of
international (non-UK) work has increased since 2018 by 22% to £625m.
- Three years after the UK’s
referendum on leaving the EU, the value of revenue from work in the EU is
now the highest it has ever been, growing by 73% since 2015. The EU is the
most important source of international work for small and medium-sized
architecture practices.
- Three out of every four
pounds earned from outside the UK goes to larger practices (100+ staff).
- Asia is the most valuable
source of work outside of the UK for Chartered Practices overall,
accounting for 28%, and is the fastest growing source of international
revenue, growing from £77 million to £177 million worth of work since
2015.
- Work from projects in the
Middle East has risen to £131 million, from £104 million last year.
Since the survey in
2012, the number of RIBA Chartered Practices has increased from approximately
3,000 to 3,600 and revenue has more than doubled to £3.6bn (from £1.6bn).
RIBA CEO, Alan
Vallance, said: “The 2019 RIBA Business Benchmarking report illustrates
unabated demand for UK architects internationally. Significant increases in
work in Asia, the Middle East and Europe clearly indicate the value of British
expertise and the importance of further developing relationships in these
growing markets. For practices relying solely on UK income, political
uncertainty is a continuing worry. Whoever forms the next government must set
out a comprehensive vision that enables the architecture profession to continue
to thrive in the EU and beyond.
"As a global
professional body, the RIBA sets standards and drives excellence in
architecture all over the world. We assist architects, wherever they live or
work, and are expanding our international network to be able to provide even
more tailored support in important markets, including China and the Middle
East.”
The Executive
Summary of the 2019 RIBA Business Benchmarking report is available at: https://www.architecture.com/business-benchmarking
