Women in Architecture | The game-changers in present-day Architectural practices

Art must be unbiased – it should be able to speak on its own even in the artists’ absence. Architecture is art, more specifically – sculptures that are inhabitable. When we talk of inhabitable sculptures, ideally there must not be any division based on the sculptor’s gender. Although statistics try to completely dismantle the issue, therefor sure is a gender gap in both pay and status.
Let’s just admit – women understand spaces better, be it to talk, wait, think or relax. As long as there have been cities, women have been involved in the construction of structures, rethinking spaces and designing the neighbourhoods we live in. Full Integration seems completely within reach at this stage where – the count of female enrollments in architectural courses has started to dominate the formerly-major males’. Though, when students surpass this academic period and head towards industry, their treatment as Architecture Barbie still remains.

A female architect drafting a site plan.

As far as researches go, among the 100 biggest architecture practices in the world – only 3 were headed by women. But that’s passed – there’s a drastic transformation in scope for females in creative fields from high art to movies, why would architecture lack behind – interest and output of women in the field are starting to boom.

Alice Constance Austin showing a model of a house to Llano del Rio colonists, May 1, 1917. (Yale Collection of Western Americana, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library)

“The efforts of women are making architecture a better atmosphere for women as they are in politics, art, and beyond,” said Scott Brown. Although this phrase doesn’t encompass the need of women to themselves withdraw from the notion and feeling of minority towards a more dominative approach, it surely suggests one to do so.

Women are natural risk-takers and born leaders – from home to home-building companies, these instincts help them build a positive force out of the risks they take. To create better cities, this world surely requires the realization that embracing women is the only way out of monotony in paychecks and status in architecture. Encouraging our generation towards a more bridged system will help break down barriers – from the classroom to the boardroom.

There are more women than men in higher education including architecture, but the lack of projection of the same in on-field practice creates this sheer view of the future which follows the current purview. Women are designing cities, sadly but clearly – not at exclusive roles. This gap in societal development within practised architecture, results in a deviation from utopian visions. It’s not a surprise to know that the majority of individuals in the practice are males. But, as always – the minority’s power itself is in introducing unique gestures, designs, decisions, revolutions and in this case – Architecture.