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In her lecture, entitled “Diverse City: How Equitable Design and Development will Shape Urban Futures,” Dowdell drew on her experiences growing up in Detroit and her work in real estate development. — The Harvard Crimson
Earlier this year, architect, Detroit native, and current National Organization of Minority Architects president Kimberly N. Dowdell presented a lecture discussing the importance of equity in design and development. With her multi-disciplinary background in real estate development... View full entry
Co-Arc International Architects director Catharine Atkins and architect Malika Walele are the leading women behind the 55-story building on Maude Street, which was designed by Co-Arc’s emeritus partner, Francois Pienaar. — TimesLIVE
In Sandton, Johannesburg stands the Leonardo, Africa's tallest building. Designed by the team of Co-Arc International Architects, the building stands at 55-stories tall and is set to be completed this year. Besides the record-breaking height of the building, there's another aspect to this... View full entry
Emily Helen Butterfield, born August 4, 1884, was the first licensed woman architect in Michigan. Butterfield grew up in Detroit with a love of watercolor painting, and eventually studied architecture at Syracuse University, where she was a founding member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority... View full entry
Architectural Digest recently covered the story of three indigenous women currently enrolled in three different architecture programs at Yale University's School of Architecture. Charelle Brown, Anjelica Gallegos, and Summer Sutton have made history at Yale. Not only are all three women... View full entry
The lives and work of England's first practicing women architects are being highlighted in a new update to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography in Britain (DNB), the country's standard reference of notable figures from British history. Crafted by Dr. Elizabeth Darling, reader in... View full entry
People often ask me if that’s the reason women don’t go into architecture or leave architecture, but I don’t think so. I don’t think there’s one single reason. I think for decades it has been a combination of lots of little reasons - being the only woman in the room, not being respected on construction sites, and add into that working hours, balanced with wanting to be a parent, all those things together have discouraged women. But I do see it changing. — Forbes
In 2019, the rise of female leadership and representation in architectural academia has become more apparent then ever. In practice and academia, women have risen to position themselves amongst a male-dominated profession. Yale has Deborah Berke, Cornell has Meejin Yoon, Columbia has Amale... View full entry
New York's Pratt Institute has announced Dr. Harriet Harriss as the new School of Architecture Dean. Dr. Harriss currently leads the Post-Graduate Research Program in Architecture and Interior Design at the Royal College of Art in London. Before working at the Royal College, Dr. Harriss led the... View full entry
What's in a facade? For those outside the architecture and design profession, the function, importance, and commonality facades play in the built environment might not be so clear. But the exterior wall, or "face" of a building, in fact, plays a crucial role in conveying a building's structural... View full entry
These setbacks toughened her demeanour. [...] Her toughness soon gave her a reputation for being a “difficult woman”. Following an intense period of building in the 1950s, De Silva’s contracts dried up, while [Geoffrey] Bawa’s rocketed. Ismeth Raheem, an architect who worked closely with Bawa in the early years, recalls De Silva telling him on several occasions: “I was dismissed because I am a woman. I was never taken seriously for my work.” — The Guardian
While Minnette de Silva's influence can be seen in the more progressive architecture in Colombo in her native Sri Lanka, “her contribution to architecture has been only belatedly – and sometimes begrudgingly – acknowledged,” writes Shiromi Pinto in The Guardian. Throughout her career... View full entry
“Yeah,” she says “the first woman director, I know, I know. But if we keep talking about it, this will never become natural [...] Gilabert is visible and audible in a way that previous directors of this chaotic little architecture school with an outsized global influence have not generally been. Mostly quiet men, they have managed the school through a repeat loop of terminal-looking financial, academic and intellectual crises, yet it has somehow survived. — Financial Times
After taking on the position as the new director of the Architectural Association in London back in March 2018 the exuberant and relentless architect, educator, and director recently shared her plans in an interview with the Financial Times. Traditionally the AA School has been rooted in... View full entry
“For us, [Vriesendorp] has always been a central figure in the production of architectural ideas and discourse,” says Eva Franch i Gilabert, the director of the AA. Between 1982 and 1992, Vriesendorp taught at the AA. In 2015, the school hosted her 70th birthday. “She is a seminal voice of the institution,” Franch says. “She is all about opening up people’s imagination, regardless of age, disciplinary labels or expertise.” — The Guardian
When accepting the Ada Louise Huxtable Prize that recognizes women who have made significant contributions to architecture, the 2018 winner Madelon Vriesendorp shared of having to defend her legacy. Like many women in the profession, the artist and co-founder of OMA has been written out of the... View full entry
Three years ago on March 31st, the world lost the great Dame Zaha Hadid. Identifiably one of the most revered architects of her time, Hadid's legacy continuously lives on through art, architecture, and fashion. Known for her larger than life personality, piercing leadership, and continuous... View full entry
Urban planners play critical roles in creating and developing the success and feasibility of the built environment. From pioneers like Octavia Hill and Norma Sklarek to women like Amanda Burden and Maya Lin, their work and contributions have shaped cities of our past, present, and future... View full entry
The loss of this charming pavilion would be a double blow for Philadelphia history. Not only is Columbus Square’s little stone tower a fine example of mid-century modern design, it is also one of a handful of surviving buildings by Elizabeth Hirsh Fleisher, the first woman in Philadelphia to receive a license to practice architecture. — Inga Saffron, philly.com
The crown-roofed cylindrical pavilion designed by Elizabeth Hirsh Fleisher in 1960 is a landmark in South Philadelphia's Columbus Square. Now, the building is slated for demolition as part of a renovation of the park. “Because this is women’s history month, it’s also worth pointing out... View full entry
“My journey with this institution began when I was seven years old when my mother started teaching at Howard,” [Edwards] says. “I am proud to know that some of the projects I worked on either as a student or as staff have shaped the campus.” — Howard University
Appointed in 2016, Hazel Ruth Edwards is the first woman to chair Howard University's Department of Architecture in the College of Engineering and Architecture, ever since architecture education began at the school in 1911. She is also a third-generation graduate of Howard, where she received her... View full entry
