Markitect
Because I had my ear to the ground with so many organisations and institutions, I had become aware of the Graven Hill self-build development scheme, which is near Oxford. Led by Cherwell District Council, Graven Hill is a large housing development formed of individual plots for self-building, with fixed infrastructure provided by the Graven Hill Village Development Company. The development has subsequently featured on Grand Designs; The Street. I made contact with the Graven Hill Village Development Company in 2017, and was invited to produce some ‘off the shelf’ designs for prefabrication to be licenced by customers of the development.
I produced a few designs, branding them with my site nickname ‘Home by Markitect‘. The designs were developed in partnership with prefabrication firm Beattie Passive, who I had made contact with through the AECB. The houses were to be built using thermally-broken timber frame panels, infilled on-site with a mixture of polystyrene balls and glue, to make a monolithic airtight envelope.
I showed drawings, that used the Markitect branding, to a panel of architects in connection with the North Street project. Whether there’s any connection or not, I received communication from the Architect’s Registration Board shortly after, essentially accusing me of impersonating an architect.
They wrote: “We consider the way in which the title has been modified does not significantly alter the meaning and impression of profession that is given by the name ‘Markitect’. Although we note that your website content aims to correctly represent yourself as an Architectural Technologist and member of CIAT, we can anticipate misunderstanding and misrepresentation, be it intentional or otherwise, if the brand name continues to be used”.
I was ordered to cease and desist with threat of prosecution, which CIAT upheld. I took advice, and abandoned the name, and the notion of being involved at Graven Hill, including my partnership with Beattie Passive.