Royal Institute of British Architects
The
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a
professional body for
architects in the
United Kingdom.
Originally named the
Institute of British Architects in London, it was formed in
1834 by several prominent architects, including
Philip Hardwick,
Thomas Allom,
William Donthorne and
Thomas Leverton Donaldson. It was awarded a
Royal Charter in
1837, becoming the
Royal Institute of British Architects in London, eventually dropping the reference to London in
1892.
The RIBA is a member organisation, with 30,000 members. Chartered Members are entitled to append the letters RIBA after their name; Student Members are not permitted to do so.
RIBA is based at 66
Portland Place, a
Grade II listed 1930s building designed by architect
George Grey Wornum; the Institute also maintains a dozen regional offices around the United Kingdom. Parts of the London building are open to the public. It has a large architectural bookshop, a café, galleries for exhibitions, and lecture theatres. Rooms are hired out for events.
The RIBA Library, otherwise known as the British Architectural Library, is one of the leading libraries in its field in the world. In addition to its holdings of books and journals it has very extensive collections of photographs, drawings and manuscripts, including many architectural drawings by leading British and international architects such as
Andrea Palladio,
Frank Lloyd Wright,
Le Corbusier,
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and
Sir Christopher Wren. There are also portraits and architectural models.
The Institute has created a partnership with the
Victoria & Albert Museum called
Architecture for All to promote public understanding of architecture. In 2004 the two institutions created a new Architecture Gallery at the V&A. In addition RIBA's archives have moved to new facilites in the Henry Cole Wing at the V&A, which also houses study rooms where members of the public may view items from the RIBA and V&A architectural collections under the supervision of curatorial staff, and an education room.
RIBA also stages temporary public exhibitions at its building in Portland Place and elsewhere[
1].
RIBA runs many awards including the
Stirling Prize for the best new building of the year, the
Royal Gold Medal (first awarded in 1848), which honours a distinguished body of work, and the
Stephen Lawrence Prize for projects with a construction budget of less than £500,000.
*
RSUA*
RIAS*
Architects Index - National Register of UK Architectural Practices
*
RIBA*
List of all Royal Gold Medallists (PDF)*
Architecture for All*
Architecture section of the V&A's site, including the V&A+RIBA Architecture Partnership
