In Aotearoa, the term 'architect' can only be used by registered professionals.
At Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA), we’re often asked whether a particular person is, or isn’t, an architect.
Sometimes it’s not clear whether a person offering architectural services is, in fact, an architect.
So, to clear things up: the term 'architect' has a specific, legal definition:
By law, a person may call themselves an architect only if they are ‘registered’ as such by the New Zealand Registered Architects Board (NZRAB).
You can find out whether a person is an architect by going to the NZRAB website and checking the list of all New Zealand registered architects.
The NZRAB is a statutory body that sets and supervises professional standards. It determines whether graduates, architects who have been trained and who might be registered overseas, and people with other relevant qualifications and experience, are entitled to call themselves ‘architects’ in New Zealand.
If the NZRAB decides a person meets the criteria for registration, that person may legally call themselves an architect. If the NZRAB decides a person does not meet the criteria for registration, that person may not legally call themselves an architect.
Many unregistered architectural practitioners call themselves an 'architectural designer' instead. These people can provide many of the same services as an architect but they are not required to meet the same standards of professional rigour as a registered architect.
You can find out whether a person is an architect by going to the NZRAB website and checking the list of all New Zealand registered architects.
Please note: Te Kāhui Whaihanga (NZIA) and the NZRAB are different entities. Te Kāhui Whaihanga is an organisation representing New Zealand architects (and architecture students and graduates). The NZRAB is the statutory body charged with upholding professional standards.
