Research Network, Conference, Wikithon Event, Exhibition

Women’s contribution to the development of the built environment profession has been an evolving subject matter, but most publications have discussed it only in their respective disciplines. This research projects aims to broaden the discussion and bring a comparative, multidisciplinary approach, that allows the examination of not just individuals, but also networks of professionals stretching across disciplinary boundaries.

The multidisciplinary conference 'How Women Build?' will bring a new, more detailed understanding of the recent history of the professionals of architecture, landscape architecture, planning, interior design and engineering, and rather than focusing on individual designers, it will celebrate the female contribution in its many formats. Furthermore, in contrast with previous publications and conferences, that focussed either on the historic or the contemporary context, this event will create an umbrella bringing together historians and researchers from all areas of the built environment with practitioners who have played or are playing key roles in the official bodies of the built environment professions.

As part of the project Helen and Luca are investigating the history of educating women in architecture and landscape architecture in Manchester during the last 100 years, to examine how the city and the University (and its predecessors) have shaped the future careers of individual students, as well as the built environment professions.

Image credits: Fortepan / adományozó: UVATERV / képszám: 98927

Project Details

Author(s)

Helen Aston, Luca Csepely-Knorr

Project Start Date

2019

Budget

£ 3400

Funder

Women's History Network; Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art

Research Outputs

Journal Articles

Aston, H., Crompton, E., Renshaw, S., Timmins, K., 2020. 'PRAXXIS: Always Personal, Always Political, Always Pedagogical', Journal of Architectural Education, 74 (2), pp. 280-287.

Conference Papers

Csepely-Knorr, L., 2019. 'Female landscape architects and the independent Landscape Institute', Professional Women: the public, the private, and the political, LSE Library, 6/9/2019 - 7/9/2019.

Project Staff