On 30 May 2019, the Architects Declare initiative was launched by UK architects, and last month, New Zealand architects followed suit with their own declaration. An Architects Declare movement has also been adopted in Australia, Norway and Italy. 

In New Zealand, Wanganui architect Duncan Sinclair and Queenstown architect Sian Taylor launched architectsdeclare.nz by adapting the original UK declaration slightly; UK organisers were fully supportive of New Zealand joining this now global movement.

The declaration takes the form of an open letter and states, “The twin crises of climate breakdown and biodiversity loss are the most serious issue of our time. Buildings and construction play a major part, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of energy-related carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions whilst also having a significant impact on our natural habitats. 

It goes on to say, “Together with our clients, we will need to commission and design buildings, cities and infrastructures as indivisible components of a larger, constantly regenerating and self-sustaining system.” The declaration subsequently outlines 11 goals that signatories will aim to uphold in response to these global issues. 

Organiser Sian Taylor, founding director of Team Green Architects said in a post on the company’s blog, “I sat in a conference discussing the fact that there are only 11 years left to prevent the catastrophic effects of climate change, with only 30 of us in a room talking about it. It seemed like such an enormous challenge, so I decided it was time to take some action.”

She combined forces with Duncan Sinclair of Black Pine Architects to create the New Zealand Architects Declare initiative, which garnered 28 founding signatories including all 10 of the living NZIA Gold Medallists.

A month after the website was launched, the initiative now has 73 signatures, and as the organisers say, “We hope that every NZ architectural practice will join us in making this commitment.” 

Find out more and sign the declaration at architectsdeclare.nz.