Al-Imam Al-Shafi'i. Image Courtesy of Megawra - Built Environment Collective
Cairo, often called the "City of a Thousand Minarets," boasts one of the richest cultural and architectural tapestries in the world. Its heritage reflects centuries of diverse influences from Pharaonic monuments to Islamic and Mamluk architecture. However, preserving this legacy is an ongoing challenge in the face of urban pressures, climate change, and socio-economic dynamics. Heritage conservation in Cairo is not just about safeguarding these structures; it's about integrating them into the lives of local communities, ensuring they remain dynamic and accessible spaces.
At the forefront of this mission is Dr. May al-Ibrashy, an architect and conservationist whose innovative and community-driven approach has redefined how heritage is preserved. As the founder of Megawra–Built Environment Collective, she has worked tirelessly in neighborhoods like Al-Khalifa, Al-Hattaba, and Sayyida Zeinab to restore historic monuments while creating vibrant public spaces. Her work bridges the gap between architectural preservation and urban regeneration, ensuring that these historic districts serve both as cultural landmarks and as living, functional spaces for their residents.
Although there is more of a balance between women and men in architecture today, the landscape was quite different a few decades ago. Pioneering women architects have been resistant in a profession dominated by men, and have faced skepticism in challenging contexts, such as construction sites itself. Zaha Hadid commented on the difficulty of inclusion in what she called the "boys club", listing the difficulties in coming to agreements or creating partnerships. Lina Bo Bardi, in turn, used her strong personality to overcome the sexism of her time. Even though these difficulties, women have always found a way to stand out and bring priceless contributions to the profession.
On countless occasions architecture has remembered famous architects and their material discoveries through time, but what about recognizing women's contributions to the discipline? Discussing their pioneering material explorations is key to understanding their role in projects. With an analysis of the work of the well-known architects Lina Bo Bardi, Norma Merrick Sklarek and Zaha Hadid –which introduced innovative techniques and material trends– the following discussion brings to light how women's ideas have influenced the development of architecture. Identifying their approaches on how to managing structures and materials helps to understand the personality of their work and how to implement similar strategies in the future.
Lydia Kallipoliti is a recognized architect, author, and educator whose pioneering research has transformed the way architecture engages with the pressing challenges of sustainability, technology, and environmental politics. As an Associate Professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP), Kallipoliti's approach to architectural education encourages students to confront critical issues such as waste, reuse, and closed-loop systems. Her pedagogical philosophy empowers students to see design not only as an aesthetic or functional pursuit but as a powerful tool for addressing global ecological crises, urging them to think systemically and creatively about the future of the built environment.
In addition to her role in academia, Kallipoliti has authored influential works such as The Architecture of Closed Worlds and Histories of Ecological Design: an Unfinished Cyclopedia, which delve deeply into the relationship between architecture and environmental politics. Her research and writings have sparked discourse on methods for architects to reconsider traditional design paradigms and embrace sustainability as a core tenet of architectural practice.
On January 21, 1958, three women sat down as contestants for an episode of the popular television show "To Tell the Truth", a quiz game in which a panel tries to guess which of the three contestants is who they say they are by asking them a series of questions. The announcer reveals the true identity of the person is a registered architect, has so far designed a Hilton hotel, and is a married mother of four. Each of the women, dressed formally in pencil skirts and blouses, introduces themselves as Natalie De Blois. As the panelists reveal their lack of knowledge about architecture, only firing off questions about Frank Lloyd Wright, one asks "What is the name of the building that was torn down to build Union Carbide?" The real Natalie De Blois, at the time a senior designer at SOM, firmly answers, "Hotel Margery."
Architecture is one of the oldest recorded professions, dating back to ancient eras when builders designed historic huts and constructed some of the great wonders of the world. When we think about women who have been known as trailblazers of the industry, it's astonishing that we often talk about women who we may interact with in the workplace day to day, or who our mentors may have learned from. Natalie De Blois was a modern-day pioneer of women in the design workforce, and although her legacy began only seventy years ago, it has significantly changed the way that women can participate in the profession today.
Liverpool Waterfront, location of the Maritime Museum & International Slavery Museum, Liverpool by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, drone image 2024. Image Courtesy of National Museums Liverpool
The redevelopment of the International Slavery Museum (ISM) and Maritime Museum in Liverpool, UK, achieved planning approval in Autumn 2024. On this occasion, ArchDaily's editor Mohieldin Gamal had the opportunity to engage in a conversation with Kossy Nnachetta, partner at Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, the office in charge of the redevelopment. She discusses her architectural journey, key considerations of her practice, and the challenges and opportunities of designing the Maritime and International Slavery Museum, a joint project that had to address several sensitive and historically important issues. Kossy draws on her human-centered and community-driven design approach, describing how this development builds upon Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios' extensive portfolio of cultural projects, adaptive reuse, and historical restorations.
In the mid-twentieth century, a set of South Asian countries collectively experienced a catharsis from colonizers' rule. The period that followed sparked an era of ideas and philosophies for a new future. During this time, architects were pivotal in creating modernist structures that defined the countries' post-colonial, post-partition and post-imperial identities. South Asian architects used design as an expression of hopeful societal visions, most of which have been actualized. With this success in nation-building, there has been a lack of accreditation for women architects in shaping South Asian histories.
Women have played a pivotal role in the evolution of landscape architecture, overcoming the constraints of a male-dominated profession to introduce groundbreaking ideas and fresh perspectives. From early pioneers to contemporary leaders, their work has reshaped how we interact with public and private spaces, intertwining aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability in innovative ways.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, female landscape architects carved out their place in the profession, emphasizing harmony between built structures and natural landscapes. Their projects showcased a deep commitment to community and ecological balance, setting the stage for an inclusive and thoughtful approach to design that continues to inspire the field today.
Honduran architect Angela Stassano is contributing to Central America's architectural landscape with her applied research regarding bioclimatic designs. Based in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, her projects draw from local heritage techniques to address the needs of hot, humid tropical environments. Stassano has developed her expertise through over 30 years of hands-on research, culminating in a bioclimatic architecture guide that outlines her methods for construction in this region. One of her most notable projects, Las Casitas, is a residential complex that embodies this research. The project includes multiple energy-efficient tropical houses that harness the local climate, resulting in low energy and operational costs.
"One of the first hits I got when I was googling about female architecture was a high-rise building in Australia, whose architects said that they had been inspired by Beyoncé's curves when they built it," exclaimed the Dutch architect Afaina de Jong in her last talk for TEDxAmsterdamWomen in 2021. "I mean, really? Her body? Beyoncé? Of course, she is amazing, but to translate her body literally in a building… Is that female architecture?", she continued indignantly.
De Jong is the founder of AFARAI studio, where she works with an interdisciplinary methodology combining theory and research with design. She considers her studio as "a feminist practice that encourages change on social and spatial issues and that accommodates differences," so Afaina is likely familiar with the concept of 'intersectionality'.
"We think we are diverse, and we think we have equality, but is that really the case?"
Highlighting the stories of female architecture shaping the built environment, the documentary "Women in Architecture", by Boris Noir returns for a second chapter. Initiated by Sky-Frame, in collaboration with ArchDaily, this installment of the docu-series delves into the stories of Dorte Mandrup and Tosin Oshinowo, drawing a parallelism between both of their lives and focusing on their distinct paths and challenges. Stay tuned for the online screening on November 12th at 7:30 am EST, 12:30 pm CET on ArchDaily.
Standing out among the array of cultural programs, the opera and theater typology is often understood as encompassing the luxurious and elitist spirit of a bourgeois society focused on entertainment. Across the Soviet Union, this represented the opposite of the principles to be promoted. However, despite the opposition of the political class, the program remained widely popular. As the historical structures, symbols of the previous regime could no longer be promoted, the search began for a new image of the Opera House, one aligned with Socialist ideals and the concept of "art belonging to the masses."
This is the case of Soviet Lithuania, which, in the 1940s, began the process of developing a new Opera and Ballet Theater in Vilnius to replace the theatre in Pohulianka. The process resulted in an unusual commission, as young architect Elena Nijolė Bučiūtė won the 1960s competition for architectural design, turning the initial socialist realist proposals into a welcoming and expressive design, blending elements of early and late modernism. This also represents a surprising accomplishment for a young architect who was a woman and not a member of the Communist Party. Open House Vilnius featured the project in its program for several editions.
The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) released the 2024 edition of its “NCARB By The Numbers” report, an annual survey of the state of licensure in the United States. The numbers offer an overview of the architectural profession, showing the demographics of candidates pursuing architecture licensure. While the advancements in gender equity and racial diversity have been gradual, they highlight a positive trend supported by initiatives to make licensure more accessible to a diverse demographic, in hopes of promoting a more representative architectural community.
Alero Olympio (1959-2005) was an architect and builder known for an intimately ecological approach to architecture. Born in Ghana, she divided her practice between Ghana and Scotland. She focused on work that prioritized people and was sincerely committed to social and environmental sustainability, prioritizing using locally sourced materials.
Her work legacy includes physical buildings like the Kokrobitey Institute, her advocacy for earthen constructions, research on sustainable forestry products, and so much more. However, a gap exists in the institutionalized archives of her work, leading to the current ongoing efforts to build a comprehensive archive of her contributions. The 2024 Womxn in Design and Architecture (WDA) annual conference organized by Princeton University School of Architecture made a significant contribution. It featured exhibitions, seminars, and panel discussions that reflected on Alero Olympio's legacy and examined the architectural insights her work continues to offer.
Black Females in Architecture (BFA) is a social enterprise supporting a membership of more than 450 Black women in built environment professions worldwide. Founded by architects Neba Sere, Selasi Setufe, and Akua Danso, the group advocates for diversity, race and gender equity across all sectors of the built environment, including architecture, urbanism, landscape, engineering, design, and construction.
We are happy to premiere their short film "A Voice for the 450 Plus" to a global audience for the first time since it was shown at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale. The film is a celebration of the ongoing contributions of Black women in the built environment fields, showing the world how they contribute to shaping the future of our cities.
Rendering of Dia Beacon’s south landscape. Image Courtesy of Studio Zewde, 2024
Dia Art Foundation announced a major landscape project to reimagine the land at Dia Beacon, New York. Commissioned landscape architect Sara Zewde of Studio Zewde aims to go beyond the simple arrangement of attractive plants and integrate ideas of ecology, culture, and people into the design. Taking over the museum’s 32-acre campus, the project will create an expanded outdoor park, free to access for visitors and locals alike, complete with native meadows, sculptural landforms, and winding pathways. The project, which has been recently extended to also include the museum’s eight back acres, is expected to open to the public in 2025.
This curated collection unfolds the narratives of some of the most compelling architectural projects by women from the Global South. From the unique streets of Dubai to the rural landscapes of Niger, each project serves as a testament to the power of architecture to transcend gender boundaries and create meaningful designs that connect people and their surroundings.
