EAA Statement

The EAA condemns the continued presence of racism that exists within society and recognise that many barriers continue to exclude and isolate individuals from the architectural profession.

The EAA can, and must, do more to support under-represented members of the architectural community and pledge to:

• Recognise the challenges facing people of colour within our industry and the place of slavery, oppression and racism in the streets and buildings of our towns and cities.

• Educate ourselves and provide opportunities for others to learn about the ways in which we all can help to create a more accessible, open and inclusive architectural community for the future.

• Support architects, designers, students and community groups in highlighting their experiences and the experiences of others, and provide a platform that advocates for sustained and positive change.

In order to deliver these pledges, the EAA must be more informed about the real and profound impacts of racism within architecture in Scotland. We invite members of the architectural community, if they are willing and comfortable to do so, to share their experiences, in education, the workplace, and / or the community, of individual and / or institutional racism. These responses will form the basis of a report submitted to the RIAS Council and will inform the EAA’s ongoing commitment to addressing racism within the architectural environment. We hope that this will facilitate an honest and open dialogue.

We are concerned, and we are listening.