14 RIBA
New RIBA president Williamson says architects face ‘myriad challenges’
The new president of the RIBA Chris Williamson used his fi rst day in offi ce to highlight his “key priority” to “focus on how we demonstrate our value” in the face of challenges including AI. Williamson said in a blog post: “We face a myriad of challenges... from the climate emergy to daunting changes in technology and mounting fi nancial pressures.” He added: “These challenges may threaten our profession, but they also present us with great opportunities to lead.” He called the rise of Artifi cial Intelligence a “signifi cant and impactful transformation.” However, he also said that “it provides us with an opportunity to deploy the technology to our benefi t and that of our clients and wider society,” adding that architects had adapted to the potential disruption of BIM and CAD in recent years. The new president stressed the resilience inherent to architects’ role: “Architects don’t shy away from challenges and chage, we rise to meet them.” Williamson said that his key solution for
EDUCATION
Planning approval for Huddersfi eld complex autism school & college
Kirklees Council has secured planning permission for a new, purpose built special school in Almondbury, Huddersfi eld, which will replace the existing Woodley School and College. The new facility will provide 180 places for children and young people aged fi ve to 19 with complex autism, including dedicated post-16 provision.
The school will relocate to a new site on Fernside Avenue in Almondbury. Created to provide a safe, nurturing and inclusive environment for pupils with complex autism, the architects for the new school and college were Frank Shaws Associates. The “thoughtfully designed”
facility will include specialist classrooms, sensory and immersive rooms, indoor and outdoor breakout spaces, a forest school, food technology rooms, a post- 16 cafe and a life skills suite for young adults. These features refl ect best practice guidance from the Autism Education Trust (AET) and were shaped through engagement with students and staff. Planning consultancy Lichfi elds, worked in collaboration with Kirklees Council throughout the process, combining their planning expertise with the council’s local insight and strategic priorities. “Lichfi elds prepared and submitted the planning application
and supported the project team during discussions with planning offi cers and consultees to ensure the design aligned with local priorities and planning requirements,” said the architects. Investment in the new Woodley School and College forms part of Kirklees Council’s wider transformation of SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) provision across the district. The new facility will signifi cantly enhance the quality of education and support available to pupils with complex autism. Construction on the building is expected to begin next year.
NEWS
© Morley Von Sternberg
demonstrating the value of the profession was “creating lifelong learning modules, from AI to conservation,” in order to “empower architects to curate their own career paths and remain at the forefront of innovation.”
He said this would allow architects to
“constantly improve and grow” and would “ensure that we have the right skills and expertise to infl uence government.”
We can “turn these challenges into opportunities” and “shape a more inclusive, future-facing society that works for all of us,” said Williamson. And on the climate crisis, he concluded:
“With the built environment responsible for 37% of global carbon emissions, we must transition from being part of the problem, to leaders in providing the solutions; we must lead the conversation.”
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
ADF SEPTEMBER 2025
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