Women in Architecture

By Debra Eilering

A 2009 AIA
survey showed that women make up about a quarter of the architecture
profession, but over 30 percent of that quarter are unlicensed. In the world of
"starchitects," the numbers shrink significantly — only 2 women have
ever received the Pritzker Prize in its 31-year history: Zaha Hadid in 2004 and
Kazuyo Sejima, who shared the prize with her male partner Ryue Nishizawa in
2010.
So, to give female architects a long overdue shout-out,
here's a starter list of 10 that deserve recognition. Add your favorites in the
comments below.
1.
Zaha Hadid: This British-Iraqi
architect is probably the most famous female working in her field today. She's
known for using complex technologies to create fluid, curvilinear forms.
Well-known projects include the MAXXI: National Museum of 21st Century Art in
Rome, BMW Central Building in Leipzig, and Phaeno Science Center in Wolfsburg.
2.
Kazuyo Sejima: This year's Pritzker
Prize winner, Kazuyo Sejima, is one half of Japanese firm Sanaa
Architecture. She creates subtle, minimal buildings with a strong focus on
museums and educational centers.
3.
Eileen Gray: Irish architect and
designer Eileen Gray was a key contributor to the modernist movement. Her adjustable-height
side table is an icon of 1920s design, and her later career produced a
small but beautiful collection of homes. She was overshadowed by Le Corbusier
and her male counterparts during her career, but she re-emerged in the 1970s
when Domus magazine published a retrospective of her career and Aram put some
of her best furniture designs back into production.
4.
Maya
Lin: Best
known as the designer of the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial in Washington, DC, Maya
Lin is an American architect and artist whose work is minimal, but engages the
user (or viewer) in quiet ways. For instance, the names of fallen soldiers are
inscribed on the DC memorial in small type, so that viewers are encouraged to
get up close and experience the monument in an intimate, personal way.
5.
Jeanne
Gang:
This Chicago-based architect has produced a number of critically acclaimed
small projects (many of which Apartment Therapy has profiled)
but it's her recent green skyscraper, Aqua,
that's earned her international attention.
6.
Michelle
Kaufmann:
This California-based green prefab home designer started out working for Frank
Gehry, then set out on her own. Unfortunately, she closed up shop last year,
but maintains an active
site where you can read her blog posts and commentaries. You can see a tour
of her own home here,
and the Smart Home she designed for the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry here.
7.
Rocio
Romero:
This Missouri-based designer is well known for her minimalist prefab homes,
which arrive flat-packed and can go up in a few months' time. Apartment Therapy
toured one of her LVL homes — see the photos here.
8.
Zoka
Zola:
This Chicago-based architect owns her own firm and has created a number of
award-winning homes, including a zero-energy
house. Apartment Therapy toured
her personal home and studio way back in 2006.
9.
Winka
Dubbeldam:
She's the principal of New York-based Archi-Tectonics,
where she's been designing commercial and residential projects since 1994.
Dubbeldam is well-known for her contemporary loft renovations, and her work has
been exhibited at MOMA and the Venice Biennale.
10.
Yen Ha and
Michi Yanagishita:
Yen and Michi are the principals behind Front Studio, one of the only
Asian-women owned architectural partnerships in New York City. Fun fact — Michi
served as a judge

for Apartment Therapy's Small Cool Home Contest in 2008.
Source:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/architecture/10-talented-women-architects-126069