Could a RIBA President Actually Change Architecture? Jay Morton Makes her Case

Jay Morton, Director at Bell Phillips Architects and candidate for the next RIBA President, returns to Urban Forecast for a wide-ranging conversation with Oli and Jon about what it will take to restore architecture's influence in public life. From banging on the doors of government ministers to championing city architects under every regional mayor, Jay makes a compelling case for why the profession needs to be louder, more unified and far more politically savvy. They get into the thorny questions too: AI and the risk of a lost generation of young talent, the broken economics of architectural education, protection of function, and whether the RIBA is truly serving its members or just the idea of architecture. If you care about where the profession is heading, this one's essential listening. KEY TAKEAWAYS Architecture's influence in public life has quietly eroded, and Jay believes the RIBA presidency has been underused as a platform to reverse that. The RIBA needs to serve architects, not just architecture. Without a thriving collective, the profession cannot increase its voice or demonstrate its value. Protection of function is fundamental. Until the architect's role is clearly defined and protected, progress on fees, recognition and public trust will remain limited. AI is an opportunity, but the profession must act now to ensure junior architects still gain the experience needed to lead in the future. Architectural education is too long, too expensive and is quietly locking working-class talent out of the profession. City architects appointed under every regional mayor could deliver the consistent built environment expertise that outlasts political cycles. Procurement culture remains broken. Too many public bodies still award work to the cheapest price, and practices need to challenge that more vocally. The RIBA has 38,000 members and should be empowering them to advocate collectively, not just relying on the president to carry the whole profession's voice. BEST MOMENTS "You need to be loud and you need to insist to be heard." "Without our collective, we can't increase our voice and demonstrate our value." "If our business model cannot sustain paying people the living wage, then we need to look at our business model." "We're not putting our young people out of their comfort zone enough." VALUABLE RESOURCES https://www.ackroydlowrie.com EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT Russell Curtis: Can Architecture Regain its Influence    • Can Architecture Regain Its Influence? Rus...   Steve Watts: The Real Cost of Building London’s Skyline    • Steve Watts: The Real Cost of Building Lon...   ABOUT THE HOSTS Jon Ackroyd and Oliver Lowrie, the visionary hosts of Urban Forecast, bring their expertise from leading their innovative practice, Ackroyd Lowrie. Known for pushing the boundaries in urban design, Jon and Oliver use their podcast to delve into the future of cities, sharing insights from their work on projects that emphasise sustainability, community, and transformative architecture. Through Urban Forecast, they engage listeners with discussions on how architecture and design shape urban living, aiming to inspire new ways of thinking about the spaces around us. CONNECT & CONTACT Instagram   / cpcsrjldrev   LinkedIn   / urban-forecast-podcast   Email: [email protected]