Contribution of black communities in Building Britain

While their names may not all survive, the contribution of black people to building Britain has been immense. They faced discrimination, poverty and hardship, and they were given little or no recognition for their efforts.

Today it is a different story, as diversity and inclusion has enabled talented people from black, Asian and ethnic minorities to advance in their careers and make a real impact on the construction industry.

Historical Contributions

The 18^th and 19^th centuries saw large numbers of black people in construction. The fact is, however, that most of these workers would have been classified as slaves or forced labour. They were used to build roads, bridges, railways and houses, paid very little and would have lived in extremely poor conditions. Slavery was abolished in Britain in 1833 but black people were still treated badly by employers after this time, facing discrimination wherever they went. Even with the arrival of skilled black workers, employed on projects such as building Big Ben in Westminster and the Crystal Palace in south London, the prospects of black construction workers did not change significantly.

Challenges Faced By Minorities In The Construction Industry

In the second half of the 20^th century, there were still high levels of discrimination against black construction workers. The Windrush generation filled plenty of roles within construction in the UK, ‘helping to rebuild Britain’ after the Second World War, but they were often more poorly paid than their white colleagues, had less job security and found it harder to advance in their careers. Leadership positions were hard to come by, and racial bias was still a factor in recruitment and promotion.

Only in the last 30-40 years has it become easier for black talent to achieve its potential, and it has largely been through the courage and determination of previous generations that has brought about this positive change.

Notable Black Professionals In The Construction Industry

Find out more about the people from black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds making their mark in UK construction today.

Elsie Owusu

Born in Ghana, Elsie Owusu is one of Britain’s best-known and most successful black architects. She is a founding member and was the first chair of the Society of Black Architects, runs her own practice Elsie Owusu Architects, and has been a council member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) since 2014.

Among her most acclaimed projects are the redesigned entrance for Green Park tube station, the complete refurbishment of the UK Supreme Court and the ‘Low energy house’ at Aden Grove, London, in which Owusu collaborated with the artist Sir Peter Blake.

She is committed to the cause of improving diversity in architecture, and in 2017 launched the RIBA +25 initiative, in partnership with the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust. The +25 campaign saw the number of non-white members of the RIBA governing council increase from 1 (Owusu herself) to 12.

Tara Gboladé

It would be hard to think of anyone doing more for diversity in architecture today than Tara Gboladé. She is a leading force in British architecture who won the RIBA Rising Star award in 2018. Her practice, Gbolade Design Studio, has made its reputation with sustainable ‘Passivhaus’ projects, specialising in net-zero and deep retrofit developments that focus on empowering communities.

Gboladé is also active in the Paradigm Network, an organisation which helps to support and promote the work of ethnic minority architects, providing networking opportunities and ensuring that talents like hers achieve their full potential. Gboladé sits on design review panels for a number of councils in London, including Lambeth and Merton, where she advises on planning applications. She is also on the Board of Trustees at the UK Green Building Council and leads on sustainability strategy with a range of client groups.

Audley English

Audley English is the personification of a trailblazer. The son of a first generation Windrush family, when he graduated from the Architectural Association he became the first West Indian-born architect to do so. In 1984 he founded the first black-led architectural practice in the UK, Audley English Associates, and also co-founded the Society of Black Architects. He has a wide range of architectural experience but has always had an interest in sustainability. He was designing energy-saving housing schemes and grass-roof social housing long before it became fashionable, and in recent years has specialised in award-winning sustainable architecture projects. English was made an MBE in the New Year Honours in 2024, recognising his services to architecture and sustainability.

Dr Sunday Popo-Ola

Dr Sunday Popo-Ola is one of the most respected experts in structural engineering in the UK. He is a research and teaching Fellow at Imperial College London and is passionate about inspiring young people to work in engineering. He founded the Creative Futures programme, weekly online workshops encouraging students from underrepresented black, Asian and Ethnic minority backgrounds to consider careers in STEM subjects. Dr Popo-Ola is an authority in the field of fixings and cladding and contributed to the investigation into the Grenfell Fire.

‘When I first started out in academia, public engagement was actually discouraged. But I still wanted to inspire young people from disadvantaged communities to go to university and study STEM subjects, Dr Popo-Ola says. ‘Academia has broadened its measure of success – it’s a bright new era.’

Roni Savage

Chartered engineer Roni Savage is the first black woman to establish an engineering company that serves the British construction industry. She founded Jomas Associates in 2009, which works in partnership with land developers, undertaking site investigations, engineering and environmental surveys.

During her career Roni has worked on many major construction schemes, including the widening of the A406 North Circular road and M25 motorway. She was invited to become a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers in 2019, was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institution of British Architects in 2020 and in 2022 was voted the Most Influential Woman in Construction. She has worked as an advisor to Lord Sugar on the BBC TV show The Apprentice, and is committed to raising the profile of women in engineering.

Roni says that she is ‘passionate about showing young people – girls and boys – that with the right support, they can achieve their dreams. In my sector, we do need more diversity when it comes to gender and I’m happy to be working alongside others who are working towards that long-term aim.’