016 REPORTER
PROFILE Muyiwa Oki
At the end of his two-year stint as RIBA president, Muyiwa Oki shares insights into his journey, the challenges faced, and the progress made
WORDS BY EMILY MARTIN
IN A PIVOTAL moment for the architectural community, Muyiwa Oki made history as the first black, and youngest, president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) when he began the role in September 2023. An architect at construction consultancy
Mace Group, Oki has a distinguished career that includes significant contributions to large-scale infrastructure projects such as HS2 Euston and the North London Heat and Power Project. His tenure at Grimshaw Architects saw him founding and chairing the Multi-Ethnic Group and Allies network, where he championed cultural change for colleagues globally. As he concludes his two-year RIBA term,
Oki reflects on a presidency marked by a commitment to inclusivity, innovation and social mobility within the profession. In conversation with FX Editor Emily Martin, Oki shares insights into his journey, the challenges faced, and the progress made during his time at the helm of RIBA.
Describe the moment/day/week you found out you had become RIBA’s next president? It was a Thursday morning, and I was having a breakfast burrito. The RIBA governance team made the announcement online, and it was slightly later than scheduled. They shared the screen, and my name was highlighted! I didn’t expect it.
What did (does?) the appointment mean to you? It means so much. I love my profession and this institution, so it was a huge honour to be elected its president. I have always thought of architecture and
architects as servants of their communities. It’s vital that we design spaces that enhance people’s lives and bring positive benefits to the wider community. RIBA has an important part to play in making sure this happens, and as its president, I feel I have been able to advance that cause too.
How have the past two years been and have you achieved what you had hoped? The past two years have been a whirlwind; it’s gone so fast! I set out to open up the profession – to bring more people in who represent more of society, and I’m happy to have laid the foundations through projects such as the Workplace Conditions and Wellbeing survey, which helped paint a picture among people working in RIBA-registered practices. It highlighted the disparities in pay and conditions that exist, especially for early-career architects and people with caring responsibilities, which only serve to make the profession more closed. I also think it’s vitally important for
architecture to embrace new technology, which is why I’ve supported and advocated for two major studies into the use of AI among our membership. Although they were only a year apart, the surge in AI use and the positive change in attitudes towards AI between 2024 and 2025 gave me real hope that the creativity and inquisitive nature among architects is alive and thriving!
Can you speak about the architects (or people working in architecture) who are ‘disenfranchised and underrepresented’? Can you provide an overview on what has been happening? Well, I think this goes back to the findings I mentioned in the Workplace Conditions and Wellbeing report, where you have a whole cohort of people who end up being penalised financially or perhaps getting overlooked for promotion because of their personal circumstances. It can lead to a situation where only the people who can afford it enter the profession,
Left Oki received an honorary doctorate from Lancashire University in July
Top and right As an architect at construction consultancy Mace Group, Oki has made contributions to large-scale infrastructure projects such as the North London Heat and Power Project
PHOTO: CREATIVE STUDIOS LANCASTER UNIVERSITY
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