ABSTRACT
Working for the ‘public interest’ is the particular condition of the RIBA’s Royal Charter and its claim to professional status, but it is difficult to balance this with client demands and the need to make a living. This takes very considerable professional judgment developed through years of practice. Knowledge, ethics and professional judgment are the three pillars of professionalism. Architects make ‘boundary objects’, drawings, models, artefacts and events at a wide range of scales that are used as the basis of democratic cross-disciplinary negotiations and the making of new knowledge. These are exactly the skills needed to address complex spatial challenges such as rapid urbanisation, healthy lifestyles and smart cities. Raising awareness of the importance of ethics is currently at the forefront of the RIBA’s agenda – it is really important that architects assert the role of ethics in their activities if their judgment is to be respected and utilised.
