9 Architects Share What It’s Like Being a Woman in Architecture
For International Women’s Day, female architects around the world reflect on their careers and how the field has changed
Rafael F. Bermejo
March 4, 2021
To celebrate International Women’s Day (March 8), we asked nine female architects around the world the same two questions: How have attitudes toward you as a woman in architecture changed over the course of your career? And, which female architect do you admire and why?
Their answers reflect on their own paths to success and on the brilliant colleagues, mentors and inspirations who paved the way. Although many of our respondents have seen positive changes in the field over the years, they also highlight the many challenges that still remain.
Their answers reflect on their own paths to success and on the brilliant colleagues, mentors and inspirations who paved the way. Although many of our respondents have seen positive changes in the field over the years, they also highlight the many challenges that still remain.
Architects: Eva Nash (left) and Kate Rogan. Rogan provided the answer below.
Studio: Rogan Nash Architects
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
I was always aware that there were some things that seemed to be different, or perhaps more difficult, as a woman. When I was at university, there was a culture in place that supported women — but it was obvious this was not accidental and women before me had all worked hard for this to be the case.
On the first site I went to, they called me the “Lady Architect” and I remember thinking that was odd. I don’t think I ever missed out on an opportunity by being a woman, and it certainly didn’t stop me from going out on my own and starting a company.
Studio: Rogan Nash Architects
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
I was always aware that there were some things that seemed to be different, or perhaps more difficult, as a woman. When I was at university, there was a culture in place that supported women — but it was obvious this was not accidental and women before me had all worked hard for this to be the case.
On the first site I went to, they called me the “Lady Architect” and I remember thinking that was odd. I don’t think I ever missed out on an opportunity by being a woman, and it certainly didn’t stop me from going out on my own and starting a company.
There are still perceptions of a female architect versus a male architect. Perhaps a woman might know more about interiors and care less about skyscrapers. Really, there are just some architects who do one type of architecture and some who do another — being male or female has nothing to do with it. We are just doing our best to be great architects. To me I was always an architect, not a female architect.
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Eileen Gray — she has such an interesting body of work, from furniture to architecture. She has a style which has stood the test of time. Eva and I often visit homes where her furniture is still used. The E-1027 table is just exquisite.
Architect: Tania Udaondo, ARB/RIBA
Studio: EMR Architecture
Location: London
I studied in Madrid, Spain. After I graduated, I decided to move to London because it’s a lively city where things change very quickly, especially in architecture.
At university I was lucky that many of my professors were women who had their own successful and internationally recognized practices. However, I realize that is not the case in every architecture school. Although nowadays more than half of the architecture students in Europe are women, we are not equally represented in the working environment, and there is a lack of leaders and managers in particular.
Studio: EMR Architecture
Location: London
I studied in Madrid, Spain. After I graduated, I decided to move to London because it’s a lively city where things change very quickly, especially in architecture.
At university I was lucky that many of my professors were women who had their own successful and internationally recognized practices. However, I realize that is not the case in every architecture school. Although nowadays more than half of the architecture students in Europe are women, we are not equally represented in the working environment, and there is a lack of leaders and managers in particular.
I feel lucky to have been surrounded by inspiring women, but, as I said, I wish we had more examples of female leaders. I also think the situation is changing and our field is not as much of a male-dominated profession as it was a few years back.
However, I still find that people often turn to the men in the room for technical things and that they trust women a bit more in terms of design and interior design.
However, I still find that people often turn to the men in the room for technical things and that they trust women a bit more in terms of design and interior design.
I admire Kazuyo Sejima. She is a true inspiration for me. I like the minimalist, elegant and clean way she approaches every project, as well as the way she integrates them into the surroundings. I find her approach to architecture beautiful, and I’ve always tried to learn from her and read about her work as much as possible.
Architect: Mathilde Mahler
Studio: Mathilde Mahler Architecte
Location: Paris
I have been in this profession for 20 years, 10 of them on my own. Before starting my company, I worked for various studios, and it was all fine until I had children, because leaving early to pick them up from nursery was viewed negatively. But I do not think this is a problem that concerns only female architects, but many women in France.
Studio: Mathilde Mahler Architecte
Location: Paris
I have been in this profession for 20 years, 10 of them on my own. Before starting my company, I worked for various studios, and it was all fine until I had children, because leaving early to pick them up from nursery was viewed negatively. But I do not think this is a problem that concerns only female architects, but many women in France.
Since I started my company, I have noticed that clients are more likely to hire me for interior design and decorative projects, even though I do both architecture and interior design, and are more inclined to entrust to me the finishing touches of their projects — that is, the decor and fitting out the interior. For me, this comes down to my ability to develop a close relationship with them.
When I was studying architecture, one of my teachers, Odile Decq — who was already well known at the time — made me want to start my own company. She not only took over the business alone after her partner Benoît Cornette’s death, but she also became the director of the École Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris.
Architect: Devi Dutta-Choudhury
Studio: Devi Dutta Architecture
Location: Berkeley, California
I found architecture school at both Tulane and UCLA, even 25 years ago, to be pretty egalitarian places. We had women as deans, professors and critics, so being a woman was not an issue I perceived then. If you worked hard and did interesting things with design, you were generally respected and taken seriously.
It wasn’t until I entered the workforce that I noticed the gaping disparity of women in the field, not just in architecture, but in construction, engineering, city agencies — basically every aspect of the design and construction process was dominated by men.
I gravitated toward design firms run by women, maybe to offset that disparity, or maybe I felt more welcomed by those firms. Whatever the reason, I was fortunate to have women as mentors early in my career. As they say, representation matters. In a field with so many competing voices, each of them (Darlene Jang, Toby Levy and Anne Fougeron) were able to make themselves heard in unique ways, and I’ve carried those voices with me as I shaped my own career.
Studio: Devi Dutta Architecture
Location: Berkeley, California
I found architecture school at both Tulane and UCLA, even 25 years ago, to be pretty egalitarian places. We had women as deans, professors and critics, so being a woman was not an issue I perceived then. If you worked hard and did interesting things with design, you were generally respected and taken seriously.
It wasn’t until I entered the workforce that I noticed the gaping disparity of women in the field, not just in architecture, but in construction, engineering, city agencies — basically every aspect of the design and construction process was dominated by men.
I gravitated toward design firms run by women, maybe to offset that disparity, or maybe I felt more welcomed by those firms. Whatever the reason, I was fortunate to have women as mentors early in my career. As they say, representation matters. In a field with so many competing voices, each of them (Darlene Jang, Toby Levy and Anne Fougeron) were able to make themselves heard in unique ways, and I’ve carried those voices with me as I shaped my own career.
I started working on my own about 12 years ago — I was about to have my third child, I was embarking on my own home renovation and the recession hit. This resulted in a perfect opportunity to focus on contracting my own project. I dove into construction management with a baby on my hip, and Devi Dutta Architecture was born. Then I started helping friends and family on their own small projects, which eventually grew into the full-service firm I have today. I’ve always tried to keep the contacts I’ve made throughout my career, and this helped me grow the firm through collaboration and referrals.
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I have always been fascinated by early modernists. Imagine an era where everything you knew is being rethought, from design to democracy. We learn a lot about Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe and how they shaped the modernist movement in architecture, but there were also women working at the same time with the same rigor, who didn’t receive the same attention.
Eileen Gray was one of those women. She had to carve a path in a field that didn’t even exist for women at the time. We can only find black-and-white pictures of most of her creative efforts, but she worked with shape, color and materials in really interesting ways. She was innovative, and her designs were as groundbreaking as any man working then, if not more.
Eileen Gray was one of those women. She had to carve a path in a field that didn’t even exist for women at the time. We can only find black-and-white pictures of most of her creative efforts, but she worked with shape, color and materials in really interesting ways. She was innovative, and her designs were as groundbreaking as any man working then, if not more.
Architect: Jane Cameron
Studio: Jane Cameron Architects
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Since I graduated from architecture until now, I have found attitudes toward me as a female architect while working in practices to be overall consistently positive. I acknowledge my personal experience is extremely rare in relation to gender equality compared to most female architects, and I feel this is mainly due to a unique set of circumstances, the practices and sectors I have worked in, including their sizes and ratios of females to males, along with transitioning to my own small practice.
Studio: Jane Cameron Architects
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Since I graduated from architecture until now, I have found attitudes toward me as a female architect while working in practices to be overall consistently positive. I acknowledge my personal experience is extremely rare in relation to gender equality compared to most female architects, and I feel this is mainly due to a unique set of circumstances, the practices and sectors I have worked in, including their sizes and ratios of females to males, along with transitioning to my own small practice.
Personally, where I have experienced substantial changes is within the wider community, including the amazing work of Parlour, the research-based advocacy organization.
I have also seen the professional body, the Australian Institute of Architects, moving on from being considered a “boys’ club” when I graduated to now being supportive and inclusive of female architects. This has provided me the opportunity of being an active member through speaking engagements, awards jury, mentoring.
I have also seen the professional body, the Australian Institute of Architects, moving on from being considered a “boys’ club” when I graduated to now being supportive and inclusive of female architects. This has provided me the opportunity of being an active member through speaking engagements, awards jury, mentoring.
I lived and worked in London for seven years, where I had the pleasure of working with the amazing and inspiring Eva Jiřičná, a Czech-born architect based in London. Among other things, she is well known for her signature glass-and-steel staircases, and her contributions to architecture have been recognized with numerous accolades.
My admiration for Eva extends both professionally and personally. Professionally, I appreciate her attention to detail, along with her technical abilities, especially when working with materials. While on a personal level she is extremely warm and approachable and she created a practice that felt like family, with a third of the staff members being between 20 and 32 years old.
My admiration for Eva extends both professionally and personally. Professionally, I appreciate her attention to detail, along with her technical abilities, especially when working with materials. While on a personal level she is extremely warm and approachable and she created a practice that felt like family, with a third of the staff members being between 20 and 32 years old.
Architect: Carme Pinós
Studio: Estudio Carme Pinós
Location: Barcelona, Spain
The attitude toward female architects has changed and will change even more in the future. In architecture, as in all professions, we have to trust in ourselves and the work we do. Of course, it may be tougher for us to get credit than it is for men, but we have to remember that it will cost the next generations less effort.
Studio: Estudio Carme Pinós
Location: Barcelona, Spain
The attitude toward female architects has changed and will change even more in the future. In architecture, as in all professions, we have to trust in ourselves and the work we do. Of course, it may be tougher for us to get credit than it is for men, but we have to remember that it will cost the next generations less effort.
The world needs our perception. We are more flexible, we have more empathy, we know how to listen. Mostly, I believe in an honest and responsible way of working. I do not like to complain or focus on bad anecdotes or situations. My strategy is to ignore them and always move forward. I just want to be respected for my work, and I think I am achieving it.
My favorite architect is Charlotte Perriand. I admire her not only as an architect and designer but as a person as well. I feel a lot of affinity for her attitude in life.
Architects: Alessandra Parolini
Studio: Archimentelab
Location: Monza, Italy
I graduated in architecture in 1988 and worked in a variety of architecture studios before founding my own. Although I like to think that my colleagues respected my work, some builders were biased against me. They thought I couldn’t handle the technical details of the building process well enough.
Studio: Archimentelab
Location: Monza, Italy
I graduated in architecture in 1988 and worked in a variety of architecture studios before founding my own. Although I like to think that my colleagues respected my work, some builders were biased against me. They thought I couldn’t handle the technical details of the building process well enough.
I’ve always worked in small studios, so the only step forward in my career was to start my own firm and be independent. Until I founded my studio, I couldn’t manage and meet the clients the way I wanted. As for the challenges I have encountered, they are probably the same as most working women have: managing a family and trying to develop a career at the same time.
I admire Gae Aulenti. I share with her the idea of the integration of the past and the present in architecture. Her works were always very respectful of what was there before, but without imitating the tradition. I also like Patricia Urquiola and the way she uses color and shapes.
Architect: Yasuko Otsuka
Studio: Noanoa Spatial and Architecture Design Atelier
Location: Tokyo
I started my architectural firm 18 years ago. Since then, I have been working in the fields of architecture, art and education.
It used to be taken for granted that the woman of the house would be the one to do the housework, and I’ve designed homes that way myself. But now things have changed. I am now designing homes that allow my clients to enjoy doing the housework together.
My attitude in home design is to always respect the clients’ lifestyles. Being attentive and kind is important to me, and I think this is why my clients hire me to design their homes.
Studio: Noanoa Spatial and Architecture Design Atelier
Location: Tokyo
I started my architectural firm 18 years ago. Since then, I have been working in the fields of architecture, art and education.
It used to be taken for granted that the woman of the house would be the one to do the housework, and I’ve designed homes that way myself. But now things have changed. I am now designing homes that allow my clients to enjoy doing the housework together.
My attitude in home design is to always respect the clients’ lifestyles. Being attentive and kind is important to me, and I think this is why my clients hire me to design their homes.
I used to have a hard time getting the men at construction sites to listen to my instructions when I was supervising. But at some point, I learned to relax a little and work in my own way. Then I started to be proactive in creating a positive atmosphere at the site. This seemed to brighten up the sites, and I think the quality of the buildings improved too.
One of the female architects I respect is Kazuyo Sejima. She was the first female Japanese architect to be recognized overseas and has created many great works both in Japan and abroad.
Her work is always a glimpse at the future of society thanks to her original view of the world. She is a wonderful architect who combines the strength of architecture with flexibility and transparency.
Her work is always a glimpse at the future of society thanks to her original view of the world. She is a wonderful architect who combines the strength of architecture with flexibility and transparency.
Architects: Eva Petri (foreground) and Birte Raff (right) at their studio with one of their coworkers. Raff provided the answer below.
Studio: Pur Architekten
Location: Munich
As a student I was convinced of professional equality. Later, in the office routine, you quickly notice that younger men tend to be protected and promoted by male bosses. My partner, Eva Petri, and I got rid of that without further ado. We are now our own bosses and do things our own way, which many customers and other professionals we work with do appreciate.
(If you’re also looking to more efficiently manage your business, Houzz Pro project and business management software can help. Houzz Pro keeps all communication, documents and client approvals for each project in one central place that you can refer back to at any time.)
Studio: Pur Architekten
Location: Munich
As a student I was convinced of professional equality. Later, in the office routine, you quickly notice that younger men tend to be protected and promoted by male bosses. My partner, Eva Petri, and I got rid of that without further ado. We are now our own bosses and do things our own way, which many customers and other professionals we work with do appreciate.
(If you’re also looking to more efficiently manage your business, Houzz Pro project and business management software can help. Houzz Pro keeps all communication, documents and client approvals for each project in one central place that you can refer back to at any time.)
We admire Anna Heringer. Actually, she just won the ArchDaily Building of the Year 2021 award for her Bamboo Hostels [project in] China. A big congratulations to her! Her sustainable buildings made of clay and bamboo are fascinating. She integrates craft traditions and sociocultural aspects. All her buildings are of a very high architectural quality. Each one is a true work of art in itself.
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I wish you had talked to Brigitte Shim of Shim and Sutcliffe here in Toronto. Her firm designed Interval House, one of the most stunning houses I've seen.
Is good to try new things and I need to step up my skills
Thank you for highlighting the careers of these talented and persistent women. I don’t consider myself old but when I was at school in England only boys were given the option to study technical drawing. The girls could do needlework. No female architects were envisaged. No male dressmakers? Interesting that men have nevertheless been privileged in fashion design as well as architecture until recent years. Well done every woman who succeeds in the male dominated architectural sphere. We need a female perspective in housing for the masses in the UK to evolve us out of the silly little doll’s house mentality with very few power sockets and small windows.