Commonwealth Association of Architects

Constitution

The CAA is formed by Constitution which was first adopted at the general assembly of June 1965. Since then, it has been regularly amended and updated in 1971, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1994, 2000, 2003, February 2016, August 2022 and August 2024.^[12] The Constitution outlines articles on the objectives, membership, assembly, council, finances, committees and by-laws which govern the day-to-day operation of the CAA.

Governance

The strategic direction of the CAA is determined by an elected Council, drawn from member organisations and elected at a General Assembly held on a two-year cycle. The CAA Council is supported by two committees - Education and Practice alongside a part-time Secretariat and a five-member Board of Trustees.^[8] The CAA is a registered charity in the UK.^[13]

Council

The CAA Council has the following members:

• President
• Senior Vice President
• Immediate Past-President
• Honorary Secretary & Treasurer
• Executive Director
• Vice President, Africa
• Vice President, Asia
• Vice President, Caribbean and Americas
• Vice President, Europe
• Vice President, Pacific
• Chair of Education & Validation Committee
• Chair of Practice Committee
• Youth Representative

Research

Published in 2020, the CAA's Survey of the Built Environment Professions in the Commonwealth^[14] identified that Commonwealth Countries are forecast to account for nearly 50% of the projected growth in towns and cities over the next 30 years. The survey also revealed a critical lack of capacity in many of the Commonwealth countries which are urbanising most rapidly and are among the most vulnerable to climate change.

Accreditation of Commonwealth Architecture Schools

One of the principal initiatives of the CAA is to provide guidelines on development of architecture schools, including a validation system for architecture courses. It has focused on ensuring schools of architecture include The Habitat Agenda and principles of environmentally sustainable design to be part of every syllabus for courses validated in the Commonwealth.^[4] The process of accrediting schools was first developed in 1968, when the CAA published a List of Qualifications in Architecture Recommended for Recognition. Since then, it has been regularly reviewed and overhauled, eventually becoming integrated with a Statement of Objectives and Standards of Recognition of Schools and is informally known as 'The Green Book'.^[15] In 2012 the UK's Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) ceased to recognise CAA accreditation of Commonwealth architecture schools, after the CAA refused to grant 'significant' RIBA representation on its accreditation panels to inspect schools first-hand. At the time CAA validated 41 colleges, though only visited 15 of them beforehand.^[16]

Awards Programme

The CAA runs an awards programme held at its general assembly once every two years, with a focus on recognising the work of architects and students that engage with contemporary challenges such as climate change and rapid urbanisation together with associated increases in vulnerability, inequality, and biodiversity loss. The awards celebrate individuals who have made a demonstrable contribution to addressing such issues and contributes to delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).^[17]

The awards programme comprises the following:

• The Lifetime Achievement Award (Robert Matthew Award) - Awarded to an individual or architectural practice in recognition of innovative contributions to the development of architecture in the Commonwealth.^[18]
• The Environmental Impact Award - Recognises work in any sector which can demonstrate achievement of a significant positive environmental impact in areas such as circular economy, energy and carbon, water, ecology and biodiversity and/or connectivity and transport.^[18]
• The Social Impact Award - Recognises work in any sector which can demonstrate having achieved significant positive social impact in areas such as affordability, community development, health and well-being, and social value.^[18]
• The President's Award - Recognises work of a student in Years 4, 5 & 6 which critically and creatively addresses issues associated with social, economic and environmental well-being in the context of the current climate emergency.^[19]
• The Student Award - Recognises the work of a student in Years 1, 2 & 3 which creatively addresses issues associated with social, economic, and environmental well-being in the context of the current climate emergency.^[19]