Mahnaz Afkhami, founder and president of women’s learning partnership for right development and peace, stated that “Women’s empowerment is intertwined with respect for human rights”
With International Women’s Day being celebrated every year, women all over the world are rethinking their place in society. The new millennium is all about trying new thoughts, ideas, empathy, and empowerment.
Just like any other profession, Architecture around the 50s was always treated as a male-dominant profession. Even today, the construction industry has an odd figure of imbalance in the ratio of men and women. Although, this decade has seen a major uprising in the construction industry as a new stream of empowered women are hustling and are getting inequity with the men in the building industry. Women have penetrated successfully in the architectural profession and are breaking varied stereotypes through their expression of design thinking and art execution.
The stalwart designers like Zaha Hadid have amused the entire era with her timeless designs that have provoked ravishing results in the construction industry. Thinking beyond the 360 degrees, her structures have brought in a new uproar of parametric design which is said to be her core idea. Fusing the fluidity of art in a robust system like the construction industry, feminist architects like Zaha Hadid have exemplified women empowerment and have left the world awestruck. Other female designers like Jeanne Gang, Kazuyo Sejima, Shelly McNamara, Yvonne Farrell, and many more have been a part of successful design stories and have climbed equally with the ‘men in the construction industry’.
Although we are focused on the star architects, let’s turn back to developing and underdeveloped countries where this gender imbalance is still evident, crystal clear. These stalwart women have started uproar of breaking the stereotype but we still have got a long way to go.
To make sure that gender equality and empowerment are a global phenomenon, several organizations have been operating to ensure it. Here is the list of 12 organizations that work for empowering the ‘Women in architecture’:
Let’s have a look at organization who empowers the “Woman in Architecture”
01. Architexx:
It is a non-profit organization that is focused on Gender Equality in the architectural and construction sector. They ensure it by looking into at the right from the educational to the professional perspective. An important aspect would be that it is focused on all women-identified, non-binary, gender non-conforming, etc. that encourages women from different strata and mindsets to communalize and build together.
The founder and Nina Freedman are both successful advocates of women empowerment. They aspire to have an open dialogue within the organization that allows change initiation and growth amongst the community as a whole out their official website to know more: ARCHITEXX
02. Warch(ee) Design:
Warch(ee) is a Beirut-based organization, also it is a platform that helps both, women and men to establish themselves in the construction industry. It also envisions in providing opportunities globally. Anastasia Elrouss, the founder, aims to create an all-inclusive world. Within the construction field, she has the vision to include women’s inclusivity in site construction and the site world as well rather than just having the generic desk jobs. aims to create an all-inclusive world. Within the construction field, she has the vision to include women’s inclusivity in site construction and the site world as well rather than just having the generic desk jobs.
The organization also aims in providing traditional jobs in the construction field and also, it establishes partnerships and collaborations with different collaterals. Its core intention is to induce self-sufficiency and self-worth amongst a global audience. Check out their official website here: Warch(ee)`
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03. Women in Design (Denver):
Being the only women’s organization in Denver, ‘Women in Design’ is for the women in the construction industry. The organization was founded in 2005 by Martha Bennett, Cheryl Bicknell, and Peggy Kinsey who have a common goal to have a self-supporting community including female professionals through varied social as well as community service. Even the professional activities are vision by them to be run by women solely..
Women in design Denver drew around 50 women from varied strata of engineering, architecture, and interior design in their first public gathering. Now they have reached the mark of 500 women that come from diverse parts of the society with intriguing experiences. Know more by checking out their official website: Women in Design (Denver)
04. Built by Women:
The organization Built by women, aims to celebrate women’s contribution in the field of the built environment. It is curated and created by Willis Architecture Foundation. It provides an insight into some of the strongest feminist architect role models for aspiring architects to take inspiration from. role models for aspiring architects to take inspiration from.
Also, it comes up with an entire stretch across Los Angeles that showcased buildings designed or built by women architects. Their core goal remains to increase the impact of women in architecture and construction industry through a conscious approach. Check out their official website to know more: Built by Women
05. Association for Women in Architecture and Design:
Founded in 1990, Association for Women in Architecture and Design is the oldest organization that is focused on empowering women in the architecture and construction industry. It was founded at a time when women needed to help and support each other in the fields of construction and design.
The core intention was to provide educational programming, mentorship, and career opportunities for women in the field. Check out their official website to know more about them: Association for Women in Architecture and Design
06. Organization of Women Architects:
The Organization of Women Architect or OWA was founded in 1972 by only twelve women from California. Eventually, the network resource and support group has now grown to over 300 members from varied disciplines like interior design, planners, landscape architects, artists, lighting designers, photographers, etc. The organization is run by volunteers and staff members who are committed to the goal of empowering women in the fields of architecture. Students, as well as volunteers, are also welcome to join the organization. Check out their official website to know more: Organization of Women Architects
07. Pioneering Women of American Architecture:
Supported by Willis Architecture Foundations, the Pioneering Women of American Architecture is a collective team of fifty women who have made a substantial contribution to the skyline of American Architecture. Being an old foundation, it intends to honor all the women who were a part of making a breakthrough in the early years to inspire an entire generation of women architects. Check out their official website to know more: Pioneering Women of American Architecture
08. Parlor:
It is a research-based organization that intends to promote gender equality in architecture as well as advocacy programs. It also intends to empower women to generate healthy debate and discussion while strengthening networks and communities in the Australian architectural domain. They envision celebrating women in the profession by providing them equal opportunity. ‘Equity and Diversity in the Australian Architecture Profession: Women, Work and Leadership’ was a research project that was funded by the council. The research was headed by the stalwarts Naomi Stead with Justine Clark, Karen Burns, Amanda Roan, and several others. Check out their official website to know more: Parlor
09. Chicago Women in Architecture:
The organization’s core intention involves supporting and joining together to fight the stereotypical thought process against women in architecture. Founded by 8 Women, the organization intends to address lack of recognition, access to public projects, pay equity, sensitivity towards gender differences, etc. The organization has seen a major uproar since 1974. Being a non-profit, volunteer-led organization the Chicago Women in Architecture visions to support young and rising women throughout their career paths. Check out their official website to know more: Chicago Women in Architecture
10. Women in Architecture:
It is a sub-organization of the American Institute of Architects or AIA which is exclusively dedicated to empowering women. It plays an essential role in maintaining as well as protecting the increasing number of Women in Architecture and their principles. and their principles.
Their mission is to increase the visibility of women in the industry of design as well as construction. One of their intentions is to allow opportunities and exposure to women in architecture to give them access to achieve their fullest potential through varied interactive activities. Check out their official website to know more: Women in Architecture.
Regardless of gender, there are some things that all architects have in common, check this article to read more: 7 Myths vs. Truths of an Architect’s Life!
11. 400 Forward:
It intends to uplift women and give them the tools that they might need to access the issues created by an unjust built environment in the inner-city communities. They intend to provide support to the next 400 women architects with a core focus on the African American girls through mentorship, financial assistance, and exposure.
They provide several scholarships, services, study materials, licensing exams for African American women in architecture. Check out their official website to know more: Atlas of the Future.
12. MMW- Mulher, Mujer, Woman:
It is an online platform which is dedicated to architectural representations to spread women-produced works in the professional fields. Carol Vasques and Debora Bonatti, two Brazilian Architects were the eye behind creating this platform for emerging design thinkers.
Check out their official website to know more: MMW- Mulher, Mujer, Woman
Summing up
The new age has seen the rise of empowered women in architecture who are headstrong towards their ideas, visions and creativity. Through these organizations, equal opportunities, equal pay and equal exposure are increasing day by day. But the true women empowerment would only be then when we won’t require any NGO or organization to make sure that Women are empowered!
Apart from these organizations, there are some benefits that government of India gives to women, Read more here:
Good News for Women Home buyers in Mumbai and Pune!
Hope you like reading this article and you may also like to read our other articles written on Architecture practice:
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Author Bio
Saili Sawantt – She is an Architect and Interior Designer by profession. Writing is what she treats as her passion. She has worked as an Architectural Writer, Editor, and Journalist for various design as well as digital portals, both national and international. Formerly she has also worked with Godrej Properties Limited (GPL) Design Studio, Mumbai, due to her keen interested in learning about Sustainability and Green buildings. Apart from this, she runs her blog ‘The Reader’s Express’ and is a practicing Architect & Interior Designer.