Under Pressure
Essay published in New Architects 5, 2026
Printed, 300 × 210mm
A short essay commissioned by the Architecture Foundation for New Architects 5 which is published every five years showcasing the work of emerging architectural practitioners.
I noticed a recurrent theme that practitioners nowadays are often juggling multiple skillsets and positions. Instead of relying solely on income via project work, many turn to research, writing and teaching to support their practice not only economically, but creatively as well. The working relationship between academia and practice is of course, nothing new. In the UK, it can be traced back at least to the 1963 Robbins Report, which called for a meritocratic university system to make higher education accessible to a broader section of society (although many remained to be excluded). As universities expanded, so did the need for teaching staff. By the 1970s, many emerging architects were dividing their time between studio and school.
Even within practice and project work, such groups are questioning the professional structure and day-to-day running of the profession. Outreach activities and community-led workshops are integrated into practice operations, demolition is paralleled with construction and building projects are treated as 1.1 experiments for more sustainable building.
Book designed by Studio Christopher Victor