A ticking time-bombSource: ShutterstockIf we do not value the work of architects today, there will be no one left to design tomorrows buildings, wrote Aga Szedzianis in this years most popular Opinion piece after a RIBA study revealed a rapid salary decrease of almost 40 per cent since 1999.The tales of falling salaries came during the same year that an unusually high talent exodus was revealed by a survey by The Pay 100, an activist-led initiative aiming to drive fairer pay for those in the earlier stages of an architecture career. The organisers stated that economic opportunity [is] playing an undeniable role in the exodus.But never fear not every job was miserably low-paid. In June, readers were astonished to see the RIBA promoting a job ad offering a 288,000 salary to a private tutor for an ambitious architecture student. In case youre not shocked enough, the advertisement asked for a candidate who must have been raised in a socially appropriate background and has a stable home life. Huge step forward for equality in the industry, right?AdvertisementLow salaries werent the only downfall the AJ reported on. In November, Richard Waites write-up of the grim findings of ARBs survey into workplace culture echoed what we have highlighted over the years that the industry is often an abusive environment, especially for women and those from ethnic minority backgrounds.More redundanciesProjects by practices who announced redundancies in NovemberAs economic turbulence continued to bite, the AJs most read story of the year revealed that more top UK practices were set to make redundancies, including Woods Bagot and Morris+Company. The news followed the AJs April report of job losses at AJ100 practices Buckley Gray Yeoman, Piercy&Company, Hawkins\Brown and HTA Design.Simon Bayliss, managing partner at HTA Design, told the AJ: Many housing practices have been facing more difficult times over the past couple of years, with the economic conditions presenting significant barriers to development, while government prevarication and regulatory uncertainty have almost certainly done even more damage.November saw this years second most read story telling a similarly dismal tale, revealing new waves of redundancies at Make Architects, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBS) and Fletcher Priest Architects.At the start of the year, stories of firms shutting their doors were widely read, with Sarah Wigglesworth deciding to step away from her award-winning practice after 30 years in February, and Stirling-shortlisted Tony Fretton Architects closing in April after 42 years in business. AJ 40 under 40 practice TDO also went into liquidation, its founders ditching their the financially precarious nature of their current model to start afresh.AdvertisementFollowing stories of closures, redundancies, and economic uncertainty in practice, it came as no surprise that readers were eager to read Aprils piece profiling architects who jumped the fence to client-side careers. Thinking of swapping sides?Shortlists and winners revealedStirling Prize 2024 shortlisted projectsUnsurprisingly, readers flocked in to enjoy reveals of shortlists and competition winners, with the announcements that gained the most traction including the RIBA National Award winners, the architects chosen for infill council housing jobs in Hackney, and the finalists in British Museums contentious revamp contest.Subscribers were quick to click when this years RIBA Stirling Prize finalists were revealed. But, made up of schemes by previous winners Mikhail Riches Architects as well as shortlist debutants Al-Jawad Pike and Clementine Blakemore Architects, the list was deemed by some to be not quite as impressive as last years, including AJ Deputy Architecture Editor Fran Williams, who labelled the list more forgettable and uninspiring than ever in a top-performing Opinion piece.A month after The Elizabeth Line was announced as this years winner, the Stirling Prize entered the news again with the AJs exclusive announcement that the RIBA prizes first ever winner Hodder Associates Centenary Building for the University of Salford was due to be demolished just 29 years after it was built.Buildings and RetroFirstHillside House by Mike Tuck Studio (photography by Luca Piffaretti)It wasnt all doom, gloom and demolition among this years top stories. In line with the AJs RetroFirst campaign, a number of our most widely read built projects prioritised retrofit over demolition and rebuild. Knox Bhavans retrofit of an early Victorian villa in Camberwell was among the most-read Buildings stories, along with Mike Tuck Studios remodelling of a 1930s semi in Walthamstow, which features reused materials such as reclaimed school parquet and recycled plastic.Other top Buildings stories included Tim Grooms 24 million mill-inspired housing in Manchester and a building study of Caruso St Johns St Pancras Campus, which featured in Novembers Planning issue.Thanks for reading the AJ this yearWishing you a merry Christmas and a very happy and prosperous New Year!2024-12-23Katie Lastcomment and share