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Public sector retreat from diversity initiatives accelerates underrepresentation in architecture

Friday, 24 October 2025 4:03AM UTC

Decades of public sector efforts to promote diversity in architecture have faced setbacks amid policy shifts and privatisation, deepening racial and gender disparities within the profession and highlighting the urgent need for renewed commitment to inclusivity.

Diversity in architecture, once bolstered by public sector initiatives, has taken a regressive turn in recent decades, raising concerns about equality and representation within the profession. During the late 20th century, local authorities and public sector design services were instrumental in fostering environments where women and ethnic minorities could advance in architecture careers. For instance, Haringey’s building design service, a pioneering example of the New Architecture Movement, embraced participatory design by involving tenants and users in shaping their built environment. Remarkably, 30 years ago, this service featured a senior management team comprising 20% women and 20% ethnic minorities, showcasing a commitment to inclusivity at a leadership level. According to John Murray, a former borough architect for Haringey, this progressive stance was largely dismantled as the public sector underwent privatisation, a process endorsed by New Labour, which led to the abolition of council public design services and undermined employment conditions supportive of social change.

This erosion of public sector-led diversity efforts aligns with broader trends in the architectural profession, which continue to grapple with imbalances. Recent data from industry sources reveal that white men constitute about 66% of practising architects, while white women represent roughly 19%, pointing to a significant gender and racial gap. Multiple factors contribute to this disparity, including the high cost of architectural education, limited exposure to diverse role models, and a workplace culture that often remains unwelcoming to minorities. Interviews with women architects highlight ongoing challenges yet also emphasise the role these professionals are playing in reshaping the industry and their communities by advocating for greater inclusion and visibility.

The issue is not unique to architecture; it mirrors diversity struggles in other public sector professions, such as technology, where similar underrepresentation of women and ethnic minorities is evident. For example, a Capgemini report underscores that only one-fifth of public sector IT teams are women, with ethnic minorities comprising an even smaller fraction. Such underrepresentation reinforces systemic inequalities and restricts the development of inclusive design practices, which are crucial for creating accessible digital services, especially for individuals with cognitive impairments.

Experts in the field stress the importance of diversity initiatives that target education and culture within the profession. Natasha Espada, an advocate featured in Architect Magazine, points out that minority groups remain severely underrepresented in the US architectural workforce, with Latinx architects making up just 3%, Black architects 2%, and minority women forming an even smaller cohort. She calls for a stronger pipeline and cultural shifts within architectural education to foster a more inclusive profession. Meanwhile, gender diversity also remains a challenge globally; although nearly half of new registrants with the Architects Registration Board in 2021 were female, women still represent only about 31% of all registered architects, indicating persistent barriers to senior roles.

Moreover, the scarcity of minority architects, especially African American women—numbering fewer than 300 nationally—stems from limited access to early exposure and academic opportunities in design fields. Efforts led by educational pioneers aim to bridge this gap by introducing design thinking and career pathways to students from underrepresented backgrounds, exemplified by initiatives such as those at the Henry Ford Academy in Detroit.

In summary, while the early public sector framework provided a foundation for diversity in architecture, subsequent policy changes have contributed to stagnation or decline in representation. Addressing this will require concerted efforts across education, professional culture, and workplace environments to rebuild the inclusive foundations necessary for a truly representative architectural profession.

📌 Reference Map:

Paragraph 1 – ^[1] (The Guardian), ^[2] (The Guardian)
Paragraph 2 – ^[3] (MHAworks), ^[7] (Grist)
Paragraph 3 – ^[4] (Capgemini)
Paragraph 4 – ^[5] (Architect Magazine), ^[6] (Architecture Social)
Paragraph 5 – ^[7] (Grist), ^[6] (Architecture Social)

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/oct/23/diversity-in-architecture-has-taken-a-backwards-step - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/oct/23/diversity-in-architecture-has-taken-a-backwards-step - An article from The Guardian discusses the decline in diversity within the architecture profession, highlighting the positive opportunities that local authorities and public sector design services provided for women and ethnic minorities up to the 1990s. It mentions Haringey's building design service, which involved tenants and users in the design process and had 20% women and 20% ethnic minorities in its senior management team 30 years ago. The article also notes that the privatisation of the public sector led to the demise of council public design services, affecting conditions that supported social change.
https://www.mhaworks.com/news/women-working-in-architecture/ - An article from MHAworks highlights the lack of diversity in the architecture industry, noting that white men make up 66% of the architecture population, with white women comprising 19%. It discusses factors contributing to this lack of diversity, such as costs of education, lack of exposure to role models, and unwelcoming working environments. The article features interviews with women architects who are shaping the profession and their communities.
https://www.capgemini.com/insights/expert-perspectives/why-the-public-sector-needs-a-more-diverse-tech-workforce/ - An article from Capgemini discusses the need for a more diverse tech workforce in the public sector. It highlights that inclusive design practices can help organizations avoid discrimination in digital services and make them accessible to those with cognitive impairments. The article also addresses the under-representation of women and ethnic minorities in public sector tech teams, noting that only 20% of IT team members are women and 17% are from ethnic minorities.
https://www.architectmagazine.com/practice/natasha-espada-diversity-initiatives-in-architecture-require-initiative_o - An article from Architect Magazine features Natasha Espada discussing the need for diversity initiatives in architecture. She highlights that only 3% of U.S. architects are Latinx, 2% are Black, and an even smaller fraction are minority women. Espada emphasizes the importance of creating a stronger pipeline and changing the culture of architectural education to increase diversity and inclusion in the profession.
https://www.architecturesocial.com/job/architectural-designer-ii-4/ - An article from Architecture Social discusses gender diversity in architecture, noting that women remain underrepresented, especially in senior positions. It mentions that only about 31% of registered architects are female, which is below the roughly 50% female proportion of the general population. The article also highlights that in 2021, nearly half of new architects joining the ARB register were female, suggesting that architecture schools now graduate almost equal numbers of men and women.
https://grist.org/cities/design-o-the-times-empowering-minorities-to-shape-urban-landscapes/ - An article from Grist discusses the lack of diversity in the design field, noting that less than 300 African American women are architects. It attributes this disparity to factors such as exposure and access, with few role models and a lack of access to skill-building and academic development needed for technical fields. The article features Michelle White, principal of the Henry Ford Academy: School for Creative Studies, who aims to give Detroit’s public school students exposure and access to design thinking and professions.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative is fresh, published on 23 October 2025 by The Guardian. No earlier versions or recycled content found. The report is based on a letter to the editor, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified.

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: The direct quote from John Murray, 'Privatisation of the public sector, which was supported by New Labour, saw the demise of all council public design services and, with it, the conditions of employment required to support social change,' appears to be original, with no earlier matches found.

Source reliability

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative originates from The Guardian, a reputable organisation, enhancing its credibility.

Plausability check

Score: 10

Notes: The claims about the decline in diversity within architecture due to privatisation align with known trends and are plausible. The letter's tone and language are consistent with typical correspondence to The Guardian.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is fresh, original, and sourced from a reputable organisation. The claims are plausible and supported by the context of privatisation's impact on diversity in architecture.

Diversity
Architecture
Public sector
Inclusion