In its eighth year, the Women in Architecture Awards program, organized by Architectural Record, continues to recognize and champion women in architecture. Each year, an independent jury selects design professionals across five categories: Design Leader, New Generation Leader, Innovator, Activist, and Educator. 

According to Architectural Record, the jury focused on expanding their outlook on prospective winners by going "beyond architectural practice to embrace the landscape and public art." The profession continues to grow, challenge, and reform outdated practices thanks to individuals aiming to break old "industry habits." These five award recipients not only offer their knowledge, technical prowess, and commitment to addressing social challenges but also use architecture as a catalyst for change. 

Design Leader: Annabelle Selldorf

Awarded to an architect with significant built work and influence.

"Selldorf, who runs the 65-person firm Selldorf Architects in New York, is noted for her designs for galleries and cultural institutions, particularly her sensitive approach to reimagining historic structures. She is currently working on a major enhancement to Manhattan’s Frick Collection, and her firm recently won a design competition to lead a team on a suite of projects to upgrade the National Gallery in London."

New Generation Leader: Amanda Williams

Awarded to an architect who is rising in the profession.

"Williams is a Chicago-based visual artist, trained as an architect, whose installation work often probes the impact of race on the urban realm. She was one of ten designers and artists commissioned for last spring’s exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, 'Reconstructions: Architecture and Blackness in America.'"

Innovator: Julie Bargmann

Awarded to an architect who has made a mark in innovative design, materials, or building type.

"Founder of landscape architecture firm D.I.R.T. in Charlottesville, Virginia, Bargmann is widely recognized for her remediation of former industrial sites, including her award-winning project for the Urban Outfitters headquarters in the Philadelphia Navy Yard and Vintondale Reclamation Park, a formerly toxic area in Pennsylvania devastated by acid mine drainage."

Educator/Mentor: Deborah Berke

Awarded to a professional who has helped the advancement of women in the field.

"The first woman to be dean of Yale School of Architecture, Berke has worked to increase diversity among students and faculty, provide more financial aid, and more deeply engage the community around Yale and across the globe. She is also the founder of Deborah Berke Partners in New York."

Activist: Tamarah Begay

Awarded to an architect who has used her skills to design for social change, to affect the public realm, or to perform pro bono work.

"The first woman in the Navajo Nation to become a registered architect, Begay founded the Indigenous Design Studio + Architecture 16 years ago and works with Native American tribes to connect culture, language, and tradition through design and planning. She also teaches at the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of New Mexico."

While the roles and work of women are continuously expanding, each cohort of award recipients and women whose work has yet to be recognized helps reaffirm the need to level the playing field by dismantling the "boys club" trope of the industry. To learn about last year's award recipients, click here. 

This year, the awards ceremony and forum will take place in New York on October 21st.