Muyiwa Oki

Muyiwa Oki
Born
Lagos, Nigeria
Alma materUniversity of Sheffield
OccupationArchitect
EmployerMace Group
Known forPresident of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)

Muyiwa Oki is a Nigeria-born British architect who, in September 2023, took office as the president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), becoming the first black president and, at 32, its youngest.

Career

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Muyiwa Oki was 11 years old when he moved to London, England.[1] He attended school in south London and went on to study architecture at the University of Sheffield.[2][3] After graduating, he worked for Glenn Howells Architects on Birmingham residential projects, then moved to London to work at Grimshaw Architects,[3] first on the rebuild of London's Euston station to receive the HS2 high-speed railway line,[4] then on the North London Heat and Power project in Edmonton.[3] While at Grimshaw, he founded a multi-ethnic group and allies network.[5]

He is currently employed by construction consultancy Mace Group.[4] He is also an ambassador for the Mayor of London's Design Future London challenge.[6]

RIBA president

Oki's 2022 campaign to become president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)[7] was supported by a Just Transition Lobby[8] movement backed by the Future Architects Front (FAF), the Section of Architectural Workers (SAW),[5] and the institute's Future Architects Steering Group.[9]

RIBA had been accused of institutional racism,[10] of having a "deep, systemic disengagement from the membership", and of lacking transparency.[11] In March 2022, young architects began a campaign to get the next RIBA president to move beyond "empty slogans and self-serving initiatives" and shake up an institute seen as "out of touch" with the wider profession.[12] The campaign included members of FAF, and Oki was named as their preferred candidate on 6 May 2022,[9] declaring "There needs to be a mind-shift in the architecture profession. We need to energise ourselves and create a platform where under-represented members can be heard."[13] Days later, the RIBA announced a restriction on new members participating in the elections (starting on 28 June 2022), a rule change described by the FAF as "an outrageous lack of transparency" and "exclusionary tactics".[14] Nonetheless, in August 2022, Oki was elected to be the next RIBA president from September 2023.[15][6][16]

In October 2022, Oki outlined a three-point agenda, including mandating paid overtime for RIBA chartered practices, introducing quarterly "town halls" to engage RIBA members in key decisions, and prioritising the climate emergency in everything the RIBA does.[3] In the same month, he also supported Eleni Kyriacou, who in 2021 exposed a decades-old culture of bullying at the Bartlett School of Architecture, by wearing one of her garment designs to the Stirling Prize ceremony at the RIBA.[17]

He took office on 1 September 2023, becoming both the youngest and first black president of the RIBA,[5] a body that had previously had only three female presidents and one non-white president (Sunand Prasad).[3] Upon taking office, Oki said he intended to continue to press for more diversity and inclusivity within architecture,[18] saying "a diversity of people" are needed "to solve the big issues of the day",[4] and committed to pressing the UK government to deliver a national retrofit strategy, pledging "to be a steadfast advocate for decarbonising the built environment."[5] He also urged architects to help deliver better UK social housing.[19]

He returned to these themes during his presidency. For example, in December 2023, he said architects could play a 'key role' in reducing carbon emissions;[20] in May 2024, he accused the UK Government of having no strategy to tackle overheating in UK buildings.[21] In February 2024, after the UK Labour Party dropped its £28 billion-a-year green investment pledge, Oki warned that future generations may "pay the price".[22] After the July 2024 general election returned a new Labour Government, Oki called for planning system reforms to put more emphasis on design quality and to avoid isolating communities.[23][24][25] And in November 2024, following Labour's first budget, he called for "ambition and imagination" to solve the UK housing crisis.[26]

In February 2024, the RIBA published Oki's 'Biennial Plan' setting five areas of focus to guide his presidency (employment and wellbeing; reimagining the role of architects; awareness and engagement; ensuring RIBA's sustainable growth; and developing a high-performing organisation).[27][28] In October 2024, half way through his RIBA presidency, Oki talked of a forthcoming rebrand of the RIBA.[29]

References

  1. ^ Lowe, Tom (5 September 2023). "'I don't seek permission, I ask for forgiveness' – Muyiwa Oki on his plans for his RIBA presidency". Building. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  2. ^ Young, Eleanor (1 September 2023). "Muyiwa Oki: Rebel with a cause". RIBA Journal. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e Wainwright, Oliver (12 October 2022). "'Our time has come' – Muyiwa Oki, first black president of RIBA, reveals his shakeup plans". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  4. ^ a b c Moore, Rowan (27 August 2023). "Architect Muyiwa Oki: 'We need a diversity of people to solve the big issues of the day'". The Observer. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d Spocchia, Gino (1 September 2023). "New RIBA president Muyiwa Oki to 'put pressure' on government on retrofit". Architects' Journal. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  6. ^ a b Finney, Alice (2 August 2022). "Muyiwa Oki elected first Black president of the RIBA". Dezeen. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  7. ^ Shtebunaev, S., Edmonds, C., Al-Irhayim, M., Adegoke, Victoria, Oki, M., Whitewood-Neal, J., & Drew, S. (2024). Reclaiming an architectural royal institution: mapping the Just Transition Lobby’s RIBA presidential take-over. City, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/13604813.2024.2336340
  8. ^ Shtebunaev, Simeon. "Why we need wholesale new leadership for a 'just transition' in the built environment". Building Design. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  9. ^ a b Waite, Richard (6 May 2022). "'Architect worker' chosen to challenge for RIBA presidency". Architects' Journal. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  10. ^ Topping, Alexandra (9 August 2018). "New RIBA president elected amid row over silencing of black architect". Guardian. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  11. ^ Johar, Indy (26 August 2021). "The RIBA needs systemic change if presidents' promises are to mean anything". Architects' Journal. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  12. ^ Jessel, Ella (23 March 2022). "Young architects bid to elect 'drama-free' worker as RIBA president". Architects' Journal. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  13. ^ Lowe, Tom (20 June 2022). "Interview | Muyiwa Oki: 'There was this opportunity to actually do the things that I want. And I thought this opportunity might not come again'". Building Design. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  14. ^ Ing, Will (12 May 2022). "RIBA presidential election: rule change blocks new members from voting". Architects' Journal. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  15. ^ Waite, Richard (2 August 2022). "'Architect worker' Muyiwa Oki wins RIBA presidential election". Architects' Journal. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  16. ^ Hickman, Matt (2 August 2022). "Muyiwa Oki elected as the next president of RIBA". Architect's Newspaper. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  17. ^ Crook, Lizzie (7 November 2022). "Eleni Kyriacou captures experience of trauma and Bartlett activism in Time to Rebuild collection". Dezeen. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  18. ^ Fox, Aine (1 September 2023). "More diversity is needed in architecture, says body's first Black president". Independent. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  19. ^ Newman, Cathy (31 August 2023). "Social housing crisis: 'Get architects on board', says RIBA President". Channel Four News. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  20. ^ Pitcher, Greg (19 December 2023). "Architects have 'key role' in reducing emissions, RIBA president says". Architects' Journal. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  21. ^ Highfield, Anna (7 May 2024). "RIBA president says government 'lacks clear plan' to tackle overheating". Architects' Journal. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  22. ^ Hurst, Will (9 February 2024). "RIBA president issues warning on Labour's green U-turn". Architects' Journal. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  23. ^ Gayne, Daniel (31 July 2024). "RIBA calls for 'decrepit' planning system to put more emphasis on design quality as Labour sets out changes". Building Design. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  24. ^ Hall, Rachel (2 August 2024). "Labour's 'grey belt' plans could result in isolated communities, warns leading architect". Guardian. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  25. ^ Oki, Muyiwa (14 August 2024). "Architects' expertise offers a lead for government's housing plans". RIBA Journal. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  26. ^ "Muyiwa Oki: 'Government needs ambition and imagination to solve the housing crisis'". Architects' Journal. 1 November 2024. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  27. ^ "RIBA President Muyiwa Oki's Biennial Plan 2024-2025". RIBA: Architecture.com. 29 February 2024. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  28. ^ Oki, Muyiwa (1 March 2024). "The road to a stronger profession". RIBA Journal. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  29. ^ Spocchia, Gino (7 October 2024). "Muyiwa Oki's half-time interview: 'A new RIBA brand is coming'". Architects' Journal. Retrieved 4 November 2024.