Award-winning building designer, Christopher Peter Clout of Chris Clout Design, has been convicted of posing as an architect.
The Board of Architects Queensland took Clout to court in June due to allegations that his website and book repeatedly used the term “architect” instead of “building designer”. He was also accused of offering architectural services despite not being a registered architect.
Clout argued against this in court, stating that he did not intend to mislead anyone and had never claimed to be an architect.
Clout and his company have since been found guilty of ‘holding out’ as an architect and architectural company between June 7, 2017 and February 28, 2018.
He has been ordered to pay $50,000 worth of fines and legal costs.
According to the Chris Clout Design website, the company has won over 80 awards, including nine awards in 2018 from the Building Designers Association of Queensland. Many of the company's designs have also been said to sell for millions of dollars.
