Based in London, Elsie Owusu OBE runs her own firm (Elsie Owusu Architects), is a national council member at the Royal Institute of British Architects, and is vice chair at the London School of Architecture. But it’s likely that many Archinectors hadn’t heard of Owusu until December of last year, when we reported on claims of institutional racism and sexism she had made against RIBA, alleging that they had rigged an election she was up for in favor of another candidate, who wasn’t an elected council member.
In my correspondence with Owusu to arrange our interview, she analogized the issue this way (paraphrased here): an African-American or minority ethnic female actor (her) being nominated for an Oscar, only to have a white actor who hasn't even made a film "parachuted in" and given an award for Best Supporting Actor.
I wanted to speak with Owusu about her work alongside issues of diversity and exclusion in practice generally, and also at the institutional level of RIBA. We discuss the allegations, but Owusu is quick to point out that these conversations need to happen regardless of any publicized incidents – keeping these discussions going is vital if the profession is ever going to improve.
Listen to One-to-One #9 with Elsie Owusu:
Shownotes:
RIBA president Jane Duncan's Architects for Change initiative
The Stephen Lawrence inquiry (aka "The Macpherson report")
5 Comments
I must say that I appreciated this interview given how candid it was.
But I found her description of privilege to be more valuable and complicated. Implicit in her description of privileges bestowed upon professionals was the notion that not all people have the same opportunity to effect change, the very thing she (and others) are try to do within RIBA. I think I was most intrigued by her description of architecture in Ghana as a spatial/material practice and as part of nation building, a social-political practice.
She claimed that when she stood for the vice-presidency she was told that the president would be backing another candidate, whom she said was not an elected council member, and the decision was made behind closed doors. The successful candidate is not accused of any wrongdoing.
(Quote from the Guardian)
I must say, my privileged eye missed the above, and her more detailed explanation is worth noting. It certainly puts those asinine comments, on the original thread into perspective, and really shows how screwed up our profession is, when we feel it's okay that someone, unelected, gets a position over someone who is elected. When that unelected person is white, and keeps the status quo going, then I think Elsie is right to call people out on the racism.
I'd agree that the candidate was not in the wrong- assuming they were not aware of any improper behavior. Instead, it's those persons who manipulated the system to their benefit who are at fault.
I also found her description of privilege to be illuminating, for me, and also for how we as architects need to think about the public, not just our clients, but people in general. "Forget all this (academia) and design for your people!" as Frei Otto said. "The public" is a messy, complex, ever-changing organism. Gathering a messy, complex group of people all into privileged expert roles should be a goal.
I think our local AIA is going to do a project partnering with some local builders. We - the architects - were laughing about how much easier it would be to just do the event ourselves without including them. But we also admitted that they were likely having the exact same discussion about us. Bringing disparate voices always makes things messier, and often harder!
Messiness is where architects belong. It's that process of identifying shared values that is so important- hence the significance of the discussion about natures and classical versus vernacular.
Our "privilege" as designers comes into play when we know we can engage a situation, see problems, and provide solutions. I guess it's another matter when it comes to discussing these differences internally or with the group of people who see our flaws daily- and the beer list for everybody.
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