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When Melvalean McLemore earned her license to practice architecture in 2016, she was only the 16th Black woman in Texas to do so.
McLemore became the first Black woman president of the American Institute of Architects Houston chapter late last year [...]. While being first is exciting, McLemore said it was a bittersweet feeling.
“It’s a little bit sad to hear that someone is the first of anything in 2023, 2024,” McLemore said.
— Bisnow
Bisnow recently interviewed Melvalean McLemore, AIA Houston President, Moody Nolan Texas studio design leader, and a 2024 AIA Young Architects Award recipient; discussing her path to architecture and the lack of Black women in architecture. "There are still less than three dozen Black female... View full entry
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) celebrated a significant organizational milestone with the inauguration of Kimberly Dowdell as its AIA National President for 2024. The AIA's 100th president overall is also the first-ever Black woman to head the post, following in the wake of... View full entry
Maya Matabwa, a first-year M.Arch student from the University of Illinois Chicago's College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts, is the recipient of the second Hartshorn and Plunkard Fellowship. The program officially launched in 2022 by awarding its first fellow, M.Arch... View full entry
When reading through architectural media, it's easy for larger architecture firms or "prominent" names to rule headlines. However, many design practitioners and groups are making impactful changes in the industry and their communities beyond the media clout. This is the case for architectural... View full entry
31-year-old, London-based architect Selasi Setufe has been awarded a Member of the Orders of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to diversity in architecture in the Queen’s 2022 New Year’s Honors. Setufe is currently a Senior Architect and Innovative Sites Program Manager at... View full entry
RIDING THE VORTEX has today been announced as the 2022 recipient of the AIA’s Whitney M. Young Jr. Award honoring the group’s commitment to challenging social issues. The 50th edition of the award went to the 14-year-old breakout group that was formed after the 2007 AIA conference in San... View full entry
Lakisha Woods, CAE has been named as the 15th Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer of the American Institute of Architects. Woods is currently the President and CEO of the National Institute of Building Sciences as well as the Secretary and Treasurer of the U.S. Green Building Council... View full entry
London-based architect, filmmaker, and educator Sarah Akigbogun is bringing to light the stories of female architects of color, a demographic that has lacked adequate representation and acknowledgment. Akigbogun is the founding director at transdisciplinary practice Studio Aki, Vice Chair of... View full entry
London-based architect, filmmaker, and educator Sarah Akigbogun is bringing to light the stories of female architects of color, a demographic that has lacked adequate representation and acknowledgment. Akigbogun is the founding director at transdisciplinary practice Studio Aki, Vice Chair of... View full entry
The push for increasing the number of Black licensed architects has been an ongoing effort. Organizations like NOMA and individuals like Norma Merrick Sklarek, Paul Williams, Zena Howard, Phillip Freelon, Gabrielle Bullock, Curtis Moody, and many others have paved the... View full entry
Dedicated professionals and leaders within the industry have been hard at work, pushing to raise awareness for underrepresented architects while making progressive changes within the industry. Pascale Sablan is no exception. As a senior associate for the New York-based firm S9 Architecture, her... View full entry
As Black and minority voices continue to impact the industry's progress towards equity and inclusivity, one woman is sparking opportunities for Black and Brown voices and opinions to be heard. Architectural designer Melissa Daniel is the creator and host of the growing podcast series Architecture... View full entry
Mobilizing the architecture industry to provide opportunities for women, specifically for Black and minority women, has been an ongoing effort in recent years. Not only that, but the discussions over the state of racial and social injustice in field, the continued mistreatment of Black communities... View full entry
For August, Archinect has explored a variety of topics relating to the changing landscape of the city of Detroit, including new initiatives in design and public policy, academics, and architectural practice. As we near the end of the month, our focus turns to the architects... View full entry
There are little more than 400 African American female architects in a profession of over 110,000. Although an improvement over the roughly 90 that existed when I entered the profession, the current numbers continue to reflect the obvious dearth of women like me. [...] My primary advice to young people is to seek mentorship as early as possible. Take advantage of many architects like myself who are willing to expose you to our studios, our staff, our work, and our own experiences. — Forbes
If you're unaware of her name, you know of her work. Zena Howard's contributions to the architecture profession are rooted in design strategy and advocacy. With over 25 years of experience, the seasoned architect has worked on several notable projects. As Principal and Managing Director of... View full entry
