The most recent RIBA President’s Debate proposed the motion Robots Are Tomorrow’s Architects. Invited speakers argued both sides of a 21st century debate about the future of architecture, posing questions regarding advances in technology which have long been recognised as a threat to manual labour. But now skilled jobs, including those in architecture, are at risk. Can we adapt to this new digital age or will we face the rise of the robots?
Chaired by Professor Flora Samuel, Chair of the RIBA Research and Innovation Group.
For the motion was Dale Sinclair, RIBA’s Ambassador for Collaboration and Technical, a Director of AECOM and CIC Board member; and Alastair Parvin, Co-founder at WikiHouse Foundation.
Against the motion was Edmund Fowles, Feilden Fowles and Gillian Lambert, AOC Architecture, who advocated the value traditional methods of design and the in-depth thought processes that architects contribute to every project.