The Homebuilding and Renovating Show in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, is the largest consumer homebuilding show in the south-west. For the tenth year in a row, RIBA Chartered Practices from across the region gave their expert advice to visitors, in free one-to-one 15 minute Ask an Architect consultations across the weekend.
With over 100,000 visitors attending the shows nationally each year, the Homebuilding and Renovating Show is the biggest event of its kind in the UK, with 78% of visitors working on a live project.
Visitors flocked to the Somerset show with plans, dreams and schemes, looking for help in turning their aspirations into reality. Eleven of our Chartered Practices were on hand over the course of the weekend. They guided over 100 visitors through the design, planning and construction process, increasing public awareness of what an architect does, and how working with an architect from RIBA Chartered Practice can add value to projects.
As well as providing a platform where visitors can obtain tailored advice from architects, planners and homebuilding and renovating experts at The Advice Centre, the show runs a Master Class Theatre with talks throughout the day from a range of build, design and planning experts. This year’s show saw self-build experts, RIBA Chartered Practice Allan Corfield Architects, giving architectural and energy efficiency advice to self-builders in seminars across the weekend.
The Homebuilding Show is a great opportunity for local architects from Chartered Practice to meet with members of the public, promote their practice and the profession, and potentially pick up a new project or two.
According to one of the architects who volunteered this year, one of the most enjoyable aspects of taking part in the event was “discussing options with excited clients”.
If you're an architect working in a RIBA Chartered Practice and are interested in taking part in the 2020 event, please contact Vikki Schwalb at vikki.schwalb@riba.org to register your interest.
