There is an enormous amount of material available that addresses women, gender, feminism and architecture in diverse ways.
We start with links to some of the more recent material available online and will build this list over time. We welcome suggestions of links to add, and will also prepare a bibliography of printed sources at a later date.
Bibliographies & sources
Bibliography – Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation
A detailed bibliography organised thematically from the Beverley Willis Foundation.List of Literature
Good up-to-date bibliography on feminism and architecture from Fatale.The International Archive of Women in Architecture (IAWA)
Established in 1985, the IAWA is a joint program of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies and the University Libraries at Virginia Tech. It documents the history of women's contributions to the built environment by collecting, preserving, storing, and making available to researchers the professional papers of women architects, landscape architects, designers, architectural historians and critics, and urban planners, and the records of women's architectural organizations.Women and Architecture: Selected bibliography and guide to sources
A substantial bibliography and list of sources, which doesn't seem to have been updated much recently.
Campaigns & initiatives
30% pledge
Jeremy Till's 30% pledge to "only accept invitations to events/series/books that have at least 30% female representation". Includes excellent links to the Feminist Philosophers Gendered Conference Campaign.AJ: Women in Architecture
The special issue of the Architects Journal on Women and Architecture.Infographic on Women in Architecture
Women in Architecture Awards
Coverage of new AJ Women in Architecture Awards, including video interviews with AJ editor Christine Murray, Richard Rogers, Doreen Lawrence and others.Women into Building
One house. Many trades. All women. No, it’s not a bad reality tv show. It’s the Buildmore Women in Construction Showcase project. This project delivered a small home designed, constructed and supplied predominantly by women, with only a couple of exceptions.Women transforming cities
Member-based Canadian organization that aims to transform cities to be more equitable, inclusive and democratic for all by "engaging women and girls in municipal decision-making, policy making, urban planning and budgeting."
Experiences of practice
Gender Equality in Architecture - Panel Discussion
A video of an engaging panel discussion on Gender Equality in Architecture at Roca Gallery, London, on International Women's Day 2012. Chaired by Sarah Ichioka, Director of the Architecture Foundation, with panellists Kathryn Firth, Chair of Design, Olympic Park Legacy Company; Daisy Froud, Founding Partner AOC; Pernilla Ohrstedt, Founding Partner, Pernilla + Asif; Joanna van Heyningen, Founder, van Heyningen and Haward Architects; Elsie Owusu, Pertner, Feilden and Mawson. A shorter version of the same discussion is also available.Going Places: The Career Progression of Women in Architecture
The result of a comprehensive 2005 survey of women in Australian architecture, by Paula Whitman including a set of recommendations.Practice and Gender in Architecture: A survey of New Zealand Architecture Graduates 1987–2008
A 2010 report by Professor Errol Haarhoff looking at the progression of New Zealand women architecture graduates into practice.Short films to encourage women into architecture
A series of six short films by Naomi Stead and Sam Scotting aimed at encouraging young women to enter the architecture and construction professions. The films interview a range of architects, project managers, cost planners, academics and students. Naomi discusses the process of making these in 'Just Don’t Mention Feminism', in the publications section of Parlour.
Feminism & architecture
Fatale
A group of architects, based at the School of Architecture, KTH, Sweden, pursuing research and education within, and through, feminist architecture theory and practice.Feminism as Architecture
Video of talk by Katja Grillner, from the seminar Stocktaking Part 2 -- "Critical Positions", in September 2010,Feminist Practices
A video of the first of three panel discussions at the Van Alen Institute, New York, relating to the exhibition Feminist Practices, which "explores the relationship between feminist methodologies and various approaches to design". The first panel was Lori Brown and contributors Ronit Eisenbach, Meta Brunzema, Margarita McGrath, and Kyna Leski, on the evolving definition of feminism in the 21st century.Feminist Practices: Design Research
The second panel discussion in the Van Alen Institute’s Feminist Practices series, this one on design research. Panellists are Lori Brown with Van Alen director Olympia Kazi, principal of Studio Sumo Yolande Daniels, and designer Catherine Seavitt.Feminist Practices: Pedagogy
The Van Alen Institute's third Feminist Practices panel discussion, on architectural pedagogy. Panellists are Lori Brown, Dagmar Richter, Chair of Pratt Institute Undergraduate Architecture Department; Despina Stratigakos, Professor at University of Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning; and Peggy Deamer, Professor at Yale University School of Architecture.
History
AIA Diversity History Then+Now+Next
An interactive, 'crowd-sourced' timeline of diversity in American architecture from the American Institute of Architects.Architecture as a Profession (1912)
Newspaper article 'by a Woman Architect' from The Queenslander, 1912.Australia's early women architects
Essay by Bronwyn Hannah from Fabrications, vol 12, no 1.Designing comfortable homes: women in little known occupations
Essay by Julie WIllis on early-twentieth-century women architects. From Fabrications, August 1999.International Archive of Women in Architecture
Established in 1985, the archive documents the history of women's involvement in architecture. It focuses primarily on collecting the papers of those who practiced at a time when there were few women in the field (before the 1950's).The International Archive of Women in Architecture (IAWA)
Established in 1985, the IAWA is a joint program of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies and the University Libraries at Virginia Tech. It documents the history of women's contributions to the built environment by collecting, preserving, storing, and making available to researchers the professional papers of women architects, landscape architects, designers, architectural historians and critics, and urban planners, and the records of women's architectural organizations.Towards a More Egalitarian Profession, 1991 (PDF)
The findings of the 1991 Royal Australian Institute of Architects Committee on the State of Women in Architecture. The report identifies three areas for action: careers advice, education and practice and includes policy recommendations to the Institute.Women in the AIA
Part of the American Institute of Architects Historical Directory of American Architects.Women in the Architectural Profession (1986) PDF
Report by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects to the Human Rights Commission. Based on three surveys – one sent to all Australian architects, one to students and one to women architects – the report includes a discussion of policy implications, a bibliography and the survey itself. (Note: blank pages have been deleted from the PDF)
Leaving architecture
The Female Brain Drain in Architecture
A collection of facts and figures on women leaving architecture from the American Institute of Architects.Why Do Women Leave Architecture? (PDF)
This paper was the result of an investigation into gender imbalance in the architectural profession in the UK in 2003. Like Australia, despite rising numbers of women studying and graduating from architecture, there are lower rates of registered and actively practicing women. The project used a blend of survey and interview work to examine the low retention rates for women in architecture and made a series of recommendations.Why Do Women Leave Architecture? RIBA response (PDF)
The RIBA response to the report Why do Women Leave Architecture?
Organizations
Architecture + Women. NZ
A current database and network of women in architecture associated with New Zealand. In addition to the online register of women, the site includes a survey and details of the 1993 exhibition Constructive Agenda. Plans are underway for a new exhibition in 2013.Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation
A research and educational not-for-profit organisation dedicated to advancing knowledge about the contributions of women to the American built environment. The site includes a substantial bibliography, an open-source database, the Dynamic National Archive, and much more. The Foundation also produced the film "A Girl is A Fellow Here – 100 Women Architects in the Studio of Frank Lloyd Wright" (2009).Fatale
A group of architects, based at the School of Architecture, KTH, Sweden, pursuing research and education within, and through, feminist architecture theory and practice.Organization of Women Architects and Design Professionals
The OWA is an active support network in the San Francisco Bay Area for the many women involved in architecture, building engineering, planning, landscape architecture, interior and graphic design, and related environmental design fields.Women in Architecture Fund
The WIA (Women in Architecture) fund supports women to become professionals and leaders in American architecture. The fund has published two volumes of 'To Become an Architect (a guide, mostly for women)'Women transforming cities
Member-based Canadian organization that aims to transform cities to be more equitable, inclusive and democratic for all by "engaging women and girls in municipal decision-making, policy making, urban planning and budgeting."Women's Architectural League Foundation
Established in 1958 by a group of women "all related to architects", the WALF promotes awareness and appreciation of Chicago's architecture through tours, scholarships and other events.
