A former London borough architect argues that diversity in architecture has significantly deteriorated since the privatization of public sector design services. The decline represents a major setback for women and ethnic minorities who once found opportunities to advance in local government architecture departments.
John Murray, former Haringey borough architect, pointed to the 1990s as a period when local authorities and public sector design services actively supported the professional growth of underrepresented groups in architecture. His comments came in response to a recent report highlighting ongoing sexism that continues to drive women away from the architectural profession.
Murray cited Haringey's building design service as a prime example of successful diversity initiatives from three decades ago. The department, which embraced concepts from the New Architecture Movement, aimed to democratize public architecture by involving tenants and building users directly in the design process. This progressive approach created an environment where diversity could flourish at the highest levels of management.
The statistics from Haringey's design service demonstrate remarkable diversity achievements for that era. Among the senior management team, 20 positions were held by women and 20 by ethnic minorities. These numbers represented substantial representation that would be considered impressive even by today's standards.
The privatization wave that swept through the public sector, which received support from the New Labour government, fundamentally changed this landscape. Murray argues that this shift led to the complete elimination of council-run public design services across the country. With the disappearance of these public sector roles came the loss of employment conditions that had been essential for supporting meaningful social change in the architectural profession.
The former architect's observations suggest that the current challenges facing diversity in architecture are not merely due to cultural attitudes, but also stem from structural changes in how architectural services are organized and delivered in Britain.
