People · Podcast guest
Jay Morton
Why Architects Have Zero Power in the UK Right Now
Jay Morton, director at Bell Phillips Architects, on why UK architects lack influence. Hear her Architecture Social podcast episode and CPD.
- Current role
- Director
- Practice
- Bell Phillips Architects
- Location
- London, UK
Conversation
The thinking behind the work.
Episode 0256 · Architecture Social
Why Architects Have Zero Power in the UK Right Now
Stephen Drew speaks with Jay Morton about why architects have so little power in the UK built environment, what RIBA needs to change, and how the profession can build a stronger public and commercial voice.
Explore episode moments
Use the timestamps below to find each moment in the full episode.
Selected work
Selected work.
Westminster, London, United Kingdom
Church Street
A Westminster regeneration scheme delivering mixed-tenure homes, public realm and community uses around a low-energy residential neighbourhood.
Explore the project ↗Westminster, London, United Kingdom · 2023
Cosway Street
A completed Westminster residential scheme beside the Grade II* listed Christ Church, arranged around a communal garden.
Explore the project ↗Southwark, London, United Kingdom · 2021
The Tree House
A low-embodied-carbon public pavilion in Elephant Park organised around an existing London plane tree.
Explore the project ↗Other public work
Gasholder Park ↗
The Grade II listed Gasholder No. 8 was reused as a public park at King's Cross.
Marklake Court ↗
A community-led affordable housing scheme on a former Southwark garage site.
About
The story so far.
The person behind the work.
Jay Morton is a director at Bell Phillips Architects, a London practice known for housing, masterplanning, regeneration and public realm. She works on large-scale housing and regeneration projects and is a longstanding advocate for better housing and a stronger architecture profession.
A housing campaigner who engages regularly with policymakers, the media and professional forums, she stood as a candidate in the 2026 RIBA presidential election. She joined Stephen Drew on the Architecture Social podcast to discuss why architects have lost influence in the UK and what could change.
Watch or listen to the full conversation in the Architecture Social CPD: Why UK Architects Lack Influence: Fees, Policy and Reform.
The practice
Bell Phillips Architects
Bell Phillips architects was established in 2004 after Tim Bell and Hari Phillips won an international design competition to carry out a major regeneration project in East London. From this first £8 million project the practice has grown and diversified with a portfolio that currently includes a wide range of…
Architecture practice · Greater London
Expertise
What I bring.
- Current role
- Director
- Practice
- Bell Phillips Architects
- Location
- London, UK
- On the podcast
- 1 episode · 2026
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