The Society of British & International Interior Design (SBID) has announced that it has resigned from the European Council of Interior Architects (ECIA), having been a member for the past 11 years. In 2009 SBID became the first British representative member of the ECIA – an independent volunteer umbrella organisation representing the national interior design trade associations from 16 of Europe’s 28 member countries with an aim to improve the profession’s education under European Law.
However, after it was decided in 2016 that the UK was to leave the European Union, SBID applied to the British Government to bring interior design under Government control. In 2020 it received qualifying Government support.
After resigning from the ECIA, SBID says that it now intends to focus on education criteria under the laws governed by the UK to create formal governance of design practice, and that it will continue to engage independently around the world with each partner country that meets its high standards.
Vanessa Brady, founder and CEO of SBID, pictured, said: “I remember presenting the case between training and practice on behalf of the UK to the ECIA Assembly in Helsinki, which led to the inaugural UK membership in 2009. At that time there wasn’t any collaboration between universities and industry. I’m grateful to past Presidents of ECIA in our founding years for their transparency, encouragement and support of both UK and SBID in our endeavour to change the UK landscape between practice and training. A decade on, SBID has created a strong link between universities and design practice. It inspired course leaders to unite in 2009 by providing the business case and registration content of Interior Educators, a charity led by university course leaders."
She added: "We are now focussing on industry and member challenges created by COVID-19. SBID has been working closely with the UK Government throughout the crisis, drawing on first-hand experience in both practice and business to strengthen the UK economy and the reputation the UK holds as a world leader of design and creativity. We wish the ECIA success in these challenging times as it digresses into new directions, partnerships and locations.”
