Women in architecture and design still face pervasive sexism, including limited access to career-advancing opportunities and inadequate mentorship. While there has been progress in recent years, much work remains to create a more equitable and accessible environment for female professionals in these fields.
Recent studies have shown that there is a significant gender imbalance in contemporary architecture and design, with fewer women than men participating in the field. To achieve greater gender equity, strategies must be implemented to actively promote equal access to the field and its resources.
While it is essential that women get an equal opportunity to learn and participate, they continue to face gender-based inequalities like earning lower salaries than their male counterparts and struggling to break through the glass ceiling.
Pervasive sexism is also a significant barrier for women, plus they have less access to career-advancing opportunities, and inadequate career guidance/mentorship. They may also encounter subtle barriers to artistic expressions. Though there has been a lot of progress in recent years, a lot still needs to be done to create a more equitable environment for female architects and designers.
Advanced technology and automation have had a significant impact on women’s capabilities in architecture and design. With a decreased need for manual labour, women are now assigned more detailed and complex tasks, allowing them to showcase their technical skills and creativity. Although there was an initial lack of confidence, women have adapted to the rapidly changing environment and leveraged technology to further their success in the industry. This has helped to close the gender gap, facilitating participation by more women and promoting diversity in project design and creativity through sharing of ideas and opinions.
For women considering pursuing a career in architecture and design, investing in quality education, and earning a degree from a reputed institution, will give them the knowledge and skill to meet the challenges in this highly competitive field. It is essential to remember that a degree is not limiting; rather, it opens up opportunities to explore various specializations and develop a unique career path.
Achieving gender equality in the workplace and society requires collaboration between the government and companies. The government should employ legislation to ensure that policies are gender-inclusive and which uncover and address gender discrepancies. Companies must assess the gender implications of their own policies, understand the underlying dynamics that are causing imbalances, and foster a culture of gender inclusion to provide equal opportunities for women to grow and succeed.
Architect Mr. Reza Kabul: ARK Reza Kabul Architects
Architecture, as a subject, is always in an ever-evolving cusp of transformation. All factors affecting the built form, such as climate, global trends and technology are in a constant push to adaptation and change, thus influencing the
Ar. Himanshu Patel: 6thdesign studio
As an architect deeply rooted in the ethos of sustainable architecture, I believe that Indian architecture is indeed in a transformative phase, and this transformation is deeply intertwined with our commitment to environmental
Ar. Shruti Dimri, Ar. Madhav Raman, Ar. Vaibhav Dimri: Anagram Architects
In today’s context, the idea of modernity in architecture has shifted towards addressing the pressing needs of society. This includes a strong focus on technology, artificial intelligence (AI), energy efficiency, and the well-being of
Ar. Akshara Verma & Ar. Dinesh Verma: Ace Group Architects
India’s unique advantage lies in its ability to blend modern methodologies with traditional craftsmanship, thus fostering a distinct architectural identity. The convergence of these elements serves as a catalyst for innovation within
Ar. Akshay Selukar: Akshay Selukar
The future of architecture will be driven by innovation and a commitment to creating built environments that are environmentally sustainable, technologically advanced, and responsive to the needs of society
Architect Lalichan Zacharias: Lalichan Zacharias atelier
Yes, Indian architecture is in a transformation phase. Modernisation, Globalization and exposure to International Designs have influenced the Indian architecture to a great extent. Architecture is becoming more and more technology
Ar. (Dr). Harish Tripathi & Jyoti Tripathi: ARHATA
The architecture of any country is deeply rooted in the culture, psyche, economy, and politics, and India’s situation is no different. In addition to this, the advent of new technologies has a profound effect on the thought
Ar. Amey Dahanukar: ARA Designs
In modern India, architects have extensive travel experience, while earlier, travel exposure to different parts of the world used to be somewhat difficult. However, everything is now accessible due to many travel options, and each
Ar. Archana Van Gils: AVG Architects
Being a part of this endlessly mutable field for almost more than a decade, I can attest to the remarkable evolution of the profession in response to global trends and technological advancements, while also adapting to the needs of
Architect Mr. Arpan Johari: AW Design
India has a rich history of building design trends that have cross influenced across borders and have slowly transformed over the centuries. In fact, the transformative phase in Indian Architecture has always been ongoing. Sometimes it