Women in Architecture and Construction – Knauf x Dezeen
Last night Knauf Clerkenwell welcomed guests to a Knauf x Dezeen: Women in Architecture and Construction event.
Discussing the issues facing women in the architectural and construction industries were Helen Taylor, Senior Associate, Woods Bagot, Aaliyah Lawal, Committee Member, Black Females in Architecture and Bryony Spottiswoode, Project Architect, Hopkins Architects.
The night saw the panel discuss and debate the important issues facing women in the industry, take questions from the audience and investigate the larger challenges with the architectural profession, not just the barriers caused by gender imbalance.
Diversity in the industry was one of the key talking points of the night.
‘I don’t think anyone in any practice would ever disagree that the best team and result is going to come out of a diverse group. We are an extremely diverse set of humans using these buildings and unless there are many types of people that are coming and putting their ideas on the table the results are always going to be way too humongous.’ - Helen Taylor
A lot of debate also came about when discussing where barriers to the industry originate. The panel cited Harriet Harriss, Dean of Pratt Institute School of Architecture and her research into the lack of female written texts in university reading lists.
‘Starting in education could really help change people’s views. Instead of just diversity in the year group, we need more women and people of different backgrounds represented as figures who have shaped the field of architecture.’ - Aaliyah Lawal.
When asked what practices can do to change the current imbalances Bryony Spottiswoode stated: ‘Recognising that it is not normal that you do not have equal representation of women or people of other ethnic backgrounds at a high level is the number one step in moving this issue on.’
To watch last Thursday’s talk at Knauf Clerkenwell please click here: https://www.dezeen.com/2019/11/14/knauf-talk-women-in-architecture-livestream-video/
