Practice Examination now known as the Part III, the part of the RIBA examination system mostly under fire from overseas students. While it is contrary to the ideals of the Com- monwealth Association (CAA), it might still be necessary to require ar- chitects to sit at least part of a pro- fessional practice examination in each country in which they wish to prac- tice.
One of the great advantages of membership of this association to local societies of architects is that they will have the backing of a very large organization when they set about carrying out some of the policies laid down for the profession.
For instance, it has already been accepted by the CAA that in all countries of the Commonwealth the title architect should be restricted by law to those having certain recognis- ed qualifications. It has also recom- mended that any system of registration in the countries of the association should be exercised by the national society and not by a government organization, board or committee.
On the other hand, it has not thought it feasible to recommend that the function of the architect should be similarly protected since the world tends to react against arrangements which exhibit monopolistic tendencies. (Hong Kong is one of the few coun- tries in the Commonwealth where to
some extent the function of the architect in the guise of the so-called authorised architect is protected).
Thus the proposal which I under- stand that the Hong Kong Society of Architects is making for the passing of an Architects Ordinance has the full backing of the Commonwealth Association of Architects; it is also thus encouraged to redouble its efforts to effect this.
Any registration ordinance should provide for the continuation of all those practising as architects at the time of the introduction of the or- dinance, so that no one at that time who is practising as an architect will lose his livelihood. At the same time it should be recognised that there is nothing to stop other professions from instigating their own means of protecting their names.
Maintaining Status
One of the facts which I think the formation of the Commonwealth Association of Architects has stressed is that the architect in one country is not working in isolation but has at his back the whole Commonwealth force of architects who are thinking and practising in much the same way as himself.
This also means that a person far out in the desert, as it were, on his own has just as much responsibility for maintaining the status of the
architect and for carrying out his role as an architect as any of his fellows in the developed countries. In other words, in broad professional terms there is no difference between the architect operating in Hong Kong and the architect operating in Lon- don, Kampala, Chandigarh or else- where.
Unless all architects within the scope of the CAA regard themselves as architects of the Commonwealth, then the association is a waste of time and the whole concept of being able to operate as a profession on a Commonwealth basis is made a nonsense of. This is not a matter of reciprocity that is, if you recognise me I will recognise you but a matter of common policy, common endeavour and common aims and objectives.
The articles of the Association of the Commonwealth Association of Architects state:
to
The purpose of the Association is promote cooperation between member societies
in countries which share the use of the English language and subscribe to the con- cepts of architectural practice and professional ethics of the Royal In- stitute of British Architects with the object of ensuring the maximum con- tribution by architects to the well- being of society and the creation of a satisfactory physical environment.
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Far East Architect & Builder July, 1967
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