RIBA President: "I'm Concerned!" Why Are Architects Losing Their Influence?

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On 1 January 2026, Chris Williamson took a deliberate and provocative step. He allowed his registration with the Architects Registration Board to lapse, describing the framework as 'absurd'.

In practical terms, the sitting President of the RIBA, a practitioner with more than forty years’ experience and the founder of one of the UK’s most successful practices, can no longer legally call himself an architect.

"Since I was 18 it's all I've ever wanted to do. But to be asked to pay an annual fee (which is increasing each year) to the ARB for the title - when the function isn't regulated seems madness."

This conversation was filmed in the weeks leading up to that announcement. It captures Chris at a moment of conviction, before he went public with a decision that challenges how the UK regulates the built environment.

As a working class kid, Chris was told architecture wasn’t for "the likes of him." Decades later, as RIBA President and co-founder of Weston Williamson + Partners, he's reshaped global cities through transport and infrastructure.

If you are interested in how architecture survives the collision of technological shift, class barriers, commercial pressure, and declining influence - this is for you.

0:00 Intro
1:28 Chris' route into architecture
4:55 Class and the barrier to professional entry
6:37 Founding ⁨@wwparchitects⁩
12:27 Why architects are losing influence
14:31 Specialisim vs generalism
19:14 In defence of competitions
22:38 Partnerships, pressure and asking for help
27:08 AI: can anyone be an architect now?
30:19 Handing over WW+P to the next generation
32:58 What do you want you legacy to be?
36:56 How to fix architecture's influence problem
41:10 What Chris is doing as RIBA President
45:08 Why young architects aren't joining the RIBA
49:17 Protection of function vs title
52:21 What success as RIBA President looks like