There are some 700 architects in the USA with professional links to the UK. Over 400 of these are members of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Typically our members have trained at UK recognized schools of architecture. Many are US citizens, while others have become citizens, and we live in all the 50 US States. RIBA-USA was founded to respond to our special professional interests and provides an important link between RIBA in London and the bustle of professional life in the US. Over 100 RIBAs live along the US West Coast, so with RIBA support, the California Chapter was founded in 1995 and ran a successful events program at UCLA, the Pacific Design Center and The J Paul Getty Center.

In 1997, we launched RIBA-USA itself and conducted a national survey. The survey revealed us to be an impetuous but mature body of professionals, most of whom have at least 10 years post registration experience. Since that survey, and the subsequent launch of our website members became increasingly in touch with one another and we now have a Board, with representation from each Chapter and a growing caucus of new Chapters. In 1997, following our first national mailing, the New York Chapter was founded and has enabled us to provide an imaginative forum to advance the interests of members, British Trade organizations and firms. May 8th 2003 marks the date of a famous launch for our New England Chapter, followed shortly after by another in Chicago to serve the needs of the "North Central" Region of the USA, otherwise affectionately known as the Mid-West.

We work closely with AIA, and have a lot in common with the AIA UK Chapter, whose establishment in 1994 first inspired us to start up in Los Angeles. We are working hard in the background of ongoing negotiations to revive mutual recognition on licensing between the US and EU and we announced the signing of a new bilateral commitment between NCARB and the EU in November 2005. To be effective in our position on this and other professional issues we need to involve members everywhere in the US. Check out our plan for US representation and other interesting statistics on our national survey page.

RIBA-USA assists its Chapters provide and share services to RIBA members in the USA. Since 1998 RIBA membership in the US has grown by 10% and we look forward to a further upsurge and the seeding of more US Chapters, each with its unique geographical identity, in the coming months and years. All RIBA members are automatically members of RIBA-USA, and others may join by special arrangement. Please contact webmaster@riba-usa.org for further details. Our mission is to make diversity the hallmark of our inclusive professional community, toward our ultimate goal of mobilizing excellence.

Indeed it is only through the contribution of individual RIBA members from diverse backgrounds that we continue to hold a place at the cutting edge of the world's architectural profession. We have a great future ahead of us, particularly we who are privileged to be able to enjoy the partnership and synergy of professional life that is particular to the USA.

On September 9th 2005, the RIBA-USA Board adopted Presiding Chair-elect, Derek Bradford  as Presiding Chair of RIBA-USA. This letter was drafted by Tim Clark, founding President of RIBA-USA, founding Chair of the California Chapter and Immediate Past Presiding Chair.

Please visit the Gibbs site by clicking on the image below to see the competitions entries for the RIBA-USA Building a Sustainable World