Milan 2016: product design students at Swiss university ÉCAL have collaborated with technology brand Punkt to make basic household electronics, such as a radio and a power plug, more intuitive (+ slideshow). (more…)
Milan 2016: Dutch designer Hella Jongerius has arranged pieces of Vitra furniture by shade to create a rainbow-hued installation displaying the brand’s colour and material library (+ slideshow). (more…)
The movement towards gender equality in the architecture profession has been gaining attention for some time now, led in large part by surveys of the profession such as the AIA’s recent diversity study or of course the annual Women in Architecture survey by The Architectural Review and The Architects’ Journal. However, recently the debate around gender has taken on a different form; in a response to the AR’s most recent survey published in RIBA Journal, for example, the curator of Turncoats and founder of the practices Interrobang and Studio Weave Maria Smith argues that it is time to move on to a more nuanced depiction of the problem. “I’d like to see a radical change in how this discussion is framed,” she says. “We must move away from generic indignation and start to properly interrogate why both men and women practice architecture the way they do.”
In light of this slow movement towards action in place of indignation, on International Women’s Day last month we asked our readers what exactly should be done to eliminate gender inequality in the field of architecture. The question provoked a broad and at times incredibly heated discussion – read on to find out what our readers had to say on the topic.
What Should We Be Doing To Eliminate Gender Inequality in Architecture?//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js
First off – and it’s a shame that this is even necessary – at ArchDaily we feel that we have to address some of the less productive comments left on our post. Some responses were aggressive, including those angrily proclaiming that gender inequality doesn’t exist or one reader that suggested we must have been “taking stupid pills” to suggest that it does; others were simple-minded jokes, such as readers claiming that we can solve gender disparity with “more buildings that look like tits” or by “allowing only women to design kitchens and laundry rooms.”
If you’re looking for evidence that gender disparity in architecture exists, and that it is a big problem, consider this: usually at ArchDaily we rarely censor comments, especially on our Facebook posts. But when we posted this question to Facebook we initially received almost nothing but sarcastic or angry comments like those mentioned above. We eventually took the difficult decision to start removing comments that we feared could put people off from joining the conversation. It was only after we did this that more thoughtful commenters began to emerge – in other words, it was only when those who are not concerned about issues of gender equality were silenced that those who are concerned could even have a conversation on the topic.
It may therefore be worthwhile to bear in mind the following comment:
According to me, an architect that has no vision of social justice is no architect. He or she is just somebody who found something to make a living. Reading some comments here, even though they are just “jokes”, makes me feel quite discouraged. – Beuneudique Zimmor via Facebook
One of the first problems identified by some of our readers was that of social perception from outside the profession. As many people identified, architecture is often seen as a “man’s profession,” and everybody from clients to contractors can make practicing architecture frustrating for women.
In India, it’s not the profession of Architecture that discriminates; but it’s the social and family role that forces architect women to stay away from practicing in the field and make other choices for career. So only the change in socio-cultural values will have more women architects practicing the profession. – Kavita Pradhan via Facebook
I think everything starts at childhood! Abolish the stereotype of architecture being a man’s job, and highlight great female architects so they can be role models for the newer generation. – Shane AlHarbi via Facebook
Inevitably, a large part of the conversation revolved around the topic of having a family, with fair rules for both maternity and paternity leave being identified as a critical obstacle to equality.
You do suffer for being a woman and your career takes a hit when you decide to become a mother. As far as I’m aware there are many men in my office proud dads who want to have a child as much as a woman. Except, they don’t have to carry the baby do they? Trust me, many women would happily let the guys do it if that were possible. – Lynne Howat via Facebook
As a young married woman in architecture in the US, I have had no problem with my career initially. I have been recognized and taken seriously based on my merits and achievements. However, there are certainly barriers looking towards the future. Firstly, the fact that the largest corporate firms offer no maternity leave policy other than what is mandated by the government is discouraging. At similarly high profile companies in other industries, paid maternity leave is standard. Secondly, the sentiment among many of the older women (and men) in the field that have been successful is that you must forgo family to have a career. While my male coworkers looking to start families are now being taken more seriously at work, it is often holding female coworkers back. Finally, while I am respected from outside the profession (where women having families is not a negative), internally I find I have a steeper hill to climb than females in other industries. I, personally, am willing to fight the good fight as my mother had to do in finance in the 80s. – archilady
When asking for a pay increase I was posed the question: “You don’t plan to get pregnant anytime soon then?” Regardless of what financial support the government is willing or able to provide questions like that are a testament to the prevalence of gender inequality in the architecture workplace. I said no (sucked it up) and got the increase. Soul destroying? Yes. – Georgia Lawrence via Facebook
A man can just as easily quit his job to spend more time with the child. But society and employers don’t always see it that way – and that’s the sexist part. When we had our daughter, my employer was great and worked with me to shift my schedule earlier. My husband’s job was awful. When he told them he had to be at daycare by 6 one day, they said “why can’t your wife do it?” Same thing with working weekends. In our family we split childcare equally, but both of us are fighting against that lingering stereotype that it’s my job and mine alone. – Elizabeth Uncles Benzur via Facebook
Having had time off, be it 12 months to say 10 years to raise a family, there is no corporate or government assistance for reintroduction into the workplace, thus the woman is are more likely to take a pay cut for the actual experience they have in order to get back into the workforce. This is stifling and very often demoralising especially now they’re are more people the money has to support… These are real issues that affect the choices of women from when they sit their first ever job interview. It is a circumstance that for most men they never have to think about, ever. – Renee Kerrie Crumpet via Facebook
But beyond the challenge of raising a family, readers identified a whole host of places where gender equality could be promoted by fixing other problems – from problems with the profession itself to problems with architecture schools and even high schools.
Respect the work, regardless of the source. Stop giving jobs to people because they are networked. The profession needs to become merit-based again instead of connection based. This breaks down the barrier for women, as well as promoting new talent of all sexes, races and countries. – Joe Tanner via Facebook
The disparity we see between men and women in architecture cannot be discussed without addressing a larger issue: our profession is one that does not value its own regardless of gender, race, etc. We have somehow become content with incredibly low pay across the board, poor or no healthcare coverage, long hours, hard and sometimes free work with little reward. Women who want to have children and are not respected or valued enough by their workplace are likely to leave for something that they perceive as being more rewarding (and are probably right). This is why we are seeing a drop in the number of women in the industry. – jf
Academia needs to step up and be more forthright about the barriers that kept women from practicing architecture for so long, and the continuing sexism that prevented female architects from being taken seriously (particularly in the 20th century). One of my biggest disappointments in my educational experience is the fact that this was not once acknowledged in a whole year of history courses. Furthermore, our options for case studies almost never include works by female architects… Addressing this in academia is one way to make sure that everyone in the next generation of architects entering the field understands this reality, because there is an appalling lack of awareness at the moment. – McKenzie Baird via Facebook
You need to start younger, with earlier schools. As adults these things are obvious, but, as kids, we only know what we see & hear around us. – Melanie Stone Perry via Facebook
With all of that said, however, some readers wanted to emphasize that we’ve already made fantastic strides in terms of improving gender equality, and it certainly seems like we will continue to do so.
As a female architect things have improved since I started out with regards to sexism. Site huts used to display numerous pictures of naked ladies, some sites didn’t even have female toilets, I had my boss spank me on the derriere and got told once that I had got the job because I scored higher out of ten on looks, compared to the other woman. These days it’s a lot better. Modern professional men tend to be so much more respectful. It’s just the dinosaurs at the top that are still an issue but gradually they are all retiring. – Lynne Howat via Facebook
Women are encouraged to study architecture but in the professional field they are not seen as competent as men. I mean clients don’t seem to prefer women. Though this view is changing with the world. Women are getting chances more than the past. Let’s hope for the best. – Shihab Mohammad Shibly via Facebook
This project had as its starting point a project of urban archeology. We find a property in total decay, formerly called Garden Amazonas Hotel, we quickly googled it and saw a couple of photos of its heyday where we were primarily drawn to the central courtyard as an oasis within the city, and the seventies decoration, artificial grass and the clothes of those who were photographed sunbathing by the pool. There was nothing left of that hotel other than the typical structure of a motel with exterior corridors overlooking the courtyard as well as countless layers of coatings, aggregates, steps, and ceilings. Today the hotel has 36 rooms, each with a special touch.
The facade, which we decided to keep intact, was probably remodeled in the eighties, wanting to impose an air of modernity to the building they covered it with an enclosure finished in glass mirror. Colonia Cuauhtemoc, which today is a very culturally active area, shared the same process of deterioration for several years when the periphery competed with the central city. The decision of what to keep and what to remove was a playful and gradual discovery process.
We even decided to prevent access on the facade and build a new one on the side, in the neighboring parking lot to change the narrative of circulation and cause a surprise making visitors come in directly to this central courtyard that we had idealized in the photographs. In the process, in addition to removing and showing the different layers, we also decided to provide some powerful elements that could give cohesion and unity to the project. The concrete structure of the existing building can be seen in every common area and hotel room.
The central courtyard becomes the busiest public space, the restaurant, which is designed under the same criteria of the hotel. The shop / gallery and library spaces are integrated with each other, they break the boundaries between them and create the feeling of no limits defining them independently; the library has a cozy enclosure through the atmosphere and furniture.
The lattice of black concrete blocks is connected with these objectives of spatial relations, but also provides privacy and enriches the journey to the rooms. These have a living condition inside that depends on the guest, some even have private roof terraces to sunbathe and enjoy the vertical urban landscape of Mexico City.
The interiors are done in collaboration with a team of Mexican designers who took care of every detail of the spaces, from concrete furniture with inlaid custom wood and lighting fixtures, even the bathroom fixtures, producing each piece according to each room. Contemporary art interventions cover some walls of the rooms giving a touch of color and creating a unique spatial experience.
BRANDING
For us it was important to take care of every single detail that makes the hotel experience, this is why in conjunction with a specialist we developed the graphics and branding, so that the same conceptual architecture guidelines could be reflected in them.
From the architect. This project provides sheltered housing for frail, elderly residents with a variety of disabilities. The building comprises individual studio apartments, communal areas and medical consultation rooms for residents and out-patients.
To understand the project one must understand the history of the site at 232 Rue de Charenton in south-eastern Paris, along the side of which runs a passage that can be found on city plans as far back as 1789, at which time it led to cultivated fields. Fraught with real-estate related tension due to the complex planning laws in Paris and the Bercy neighbourhood, the project took seven years to see the light of day. The site is surrounded by high buildings that cast their shadows, and cramped by a house on the corner whose owner refuses to sell. Nonetheless, the orientation is interesting and planning laws are moving in the right direction. To the north, on the Rue de Charenton, we were able to build to six storeys, to the south, at the heart of the block, up to three storeys.
As with all historical urban environments, planning regulations left no flexibility in terms of defining the height, width and length of the building. The resulting volume faithfully transcribes the layers of restrictions: the minimal access from the Rue de Charenton, extending back into the block where it is calm and protected, gives a position between street and garden with, above all, a large part of it in full sun at the height of summer.
Shaped like a bayonet, the site engaged us in an interesting architectural exercise. The urban restrictions combined with the requirements of the brief led us to consider the most efficient means of squeezing in the allocated 2,150 sq m. Following the planning laws, the resulting volume slips like a living thing in between the existing buildings – our pragmatic approach aimed to use every inch of available space.
On the Rue de Charenton, the generous height allowances and the shape of the site led us to design volumes of surprising proportions, which fold along the roofline. On the Ruelle de la Planchette, the upper part of the aligning facade folds in, scrupulously following the volumes permitted.
The smooth external skin faces onto the city. Generously proportioned windows, almost square, provide maximum light and transparency in all the internal spaces, a luxury in Paris. The day-rooms are arranged around two patios; their proportions were reconsidered in order to meet standards, as well as requirements for natural lighting. All the day-rooms are naturally lit, as are the circulation spaces.
The height of the neighbouring buildings gives them plunging views over the site. With this in mind, every detail of the building was carefully studied to ensure that they fitted in and were pleasant to look at. In both the design and its realisation, we opted for a building that is sober and adaptable, conceived in terms of real-life usage over the long term. We took into account the possibility of future extension in the event of acquiring the corner house. In considering the ensemble of issues with regards to health and thermal and acoustic comfort, we gave great importance to user needs.
The first consideration regarded contact with the outside world. The quality of the envelope and exterior openings is essential in ensuring the quality of a building. Large windows create a relationship between the internal spaces and the city and neighbourhood. The second consideration concerned opportunities for interaction within the building. We strove for transparency at the heart of the site, for the quality of the communal and circulation spaces, which are designed as largely glazed walkways providing opportunities for residents to see, meet and interact with one another. These circulation spaces are a determining factor in the quality of life in shared accommodation. The third consideration took into account the layout of the different functions. The building houses several different functions, as well as the private living units – communal areas, easily accessible spaces for activity and leisure, and work areas for the staff.
Finally, if the question of energy is fundamental, so, obviously, are questions of well-being, comfort and health.
The relationship between the occupants and the city was one of our foremost concerns. On the ground floor on Rue de Charenton is the entrance hall, on the Ruelle de la Planchette is a service entrance, and between these two entrances, along the Ruelle de la Planchette, administrative offices, family reception areas, and part of the paramedical unit are located. Designing the circulation in bayonet formation enabled us to place large spaces at the heart of the block and small offices along the side street. At the centre, directly visible from the entrance hall, is the multi-use room and the two large activity and reading rooms.
Large, central glazed areas, including the main patio, which is itself an ‘outdoor room’, help to maintain transparency throughout the ground floor. At the semi-basement level are the service areas, for maintenance, laundry and staff, lit by daylight. In the central zone, three large activity rooms are organised around the central patio, from which they receive natural daylight. We identified the areas where residents would spend the most time, such as the activity rooms and circulation spaces, in order to prioritise natural light. Areas that are used only occasionally, such as physio and psychomotor therapy rooms, are daylit from the sub-basement level.
Repeating the same configuration of circulation space for each floor of the building, we created an efficient means of arranging the various areas. We distributed the 26 housing units on the upper floors, feeling that ground-floor bedrooms would not be agreeable. The patios are places for contemplation, like Japanese patios. They are the points towards which views from the communal living areas are directed. Circulation ceases to be a ‘corridor’, instead becoming a ‘route’. One passes from one point in the building to another looking outside.
The architecture seeks a duality in the choice and use of materials. On the city side, a neutral skin, discrete and timeless, is achieved using an external facing in high-resistance concrete, grey in colour, dressing the edifice for urban life. On the patio side, larch-wood cladding, which requires no maintenance, provides a welcoming appearance for the residents.
In an interview with the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), Bjarke Ingels reflects on the design of skyscrapers, noting how “sculpture is fine, but if its arbitrary it’s not as interesting.” Architects, Ingels argues, have the problem of “skilled incompetence:” the notion that they “already know the answer before [they’ve] even heard the question.” This prevents them “from questioning the question, or having the question rephrased, or elaborating on the question, or even listening for the question – because [they] already know the answer.”
While discussing some of his current projects in New York City, including Two World Trade Center, Ingels declared:
It’s always about trying to find increasingly refine the parameters by which you design high rise. Having recently been throw into the mix in [New York City’s] Downtown, it’s no longer a single floor plate repeated but more like a series of buildings within the building.
Via CTBUH
See the latest from our recruitment site Dezeen Jobs, including positions with the Serpentine Galleries, Aesop and O’Donnell + Tuomey, whose current projects include a refurbishment of Budapest’s Central European University (pictured). This is also the last chance to apply for roles with Heatherwick Studio, Ström Architects, PK Arkitektar and more… (more…)
Villa Ljung is a private residence designed by Johan Sundberg in 2013. It is located in Ljungvägen, Höllviken, Sweden. Villa Ljung by Johan Sundberg: “The building is situated a stone’s throw from the sea in southern Höllviken in the south of Sweden. The area is rich with tall pine trees, and this plot is no exception. The project comprises three buildings: a residence for the client, a garage, and a..
