The history of architecture or any similar field, in general, was not a place that acknowledged women in the past. But this is different from the fact that no women worked in these professions. There were always women present as collaborators who provided immense talent to the creations. Sadly, they were never given equal opportunities and recognition as men in the same field. And organisations like Chicago Women in Architecture paved the way for creating awareness and the prominent role of women in architecture. This new initiative began introducing a new era in the architecture and design field.
The Beginning
The Chicago Women in Architecture is a not-for-profit volunteer organisation based in Chicago. The organisation was first formed in the year of 1974. The organisation’s history began with an unexpected call from Gertrude Lempp Kerbis, an architect-planner from Chicago. Kerbis sent a handwritten invitation saying, “Come and meet other female architects about the coalition,” with the date and time for the meeting. It was exclusively sent to the women in the Chicago architecture community. And that’s the way the Chicago Women in Architecture was formed and still runs successfully as a supporting interface for women in architecture and related fields.
After accepting the invitation, on the morning of January 12, 1974, the women met in the office of Kerbis, which was situated at 664 North Michigan Avenue. Thus, begins the journey of the organisation Chicago Women in Architecture. Eight women later became the founders of this organisation – Gertrude Lempp Kerbis, Carol Ross Barney, Cynthia Weese, Nancy Abshire, Gunduz Dagdelen, Natalie de Blois, Laura Fisher, and Jane M Jacobsen. Their primary mission was to form a team and support each other against the absence of recognition, acceptance, respect, and importance felt by women architects of that time.
The Mission of the Organization
An organisation such as Chicago Women in Architecture is prominent and essential for the welfare of women in architecture, even in the 21st century. The organisation’s founders felt the need for such a group to improve the conditions of women in architecture in the olden times. Whether in the past or present, inequality faced by women, especially in professions like architecture, is still a concern. The organisation was a way to work against the prejudices faced by the women, such as lack of recognition for their contribution, lack of equal pay, lack of access to large-scale projects, and other professional support, along with gender differences.
Chicago Women in Architecture aims to improve and exceed the status of women in architecture and related fields by acting as a forum. Their main objective is to bring more female enthusiasts to the world of architecture and to start a career in the field. Further, to increase the visibility of female architects through their works and contributions and to connect with other networks and organisations for job and career opportunities. All the concerns and issues faced by women architects are considered and improved yearly through educational, professional, and social events. They also act as a supportive interface to their partners, like the Art and Design Society of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Contributions and Initiatives
The Chicago Women in Architecture includes members from not only architecture backgrounds but also planners, designers, engineers, landscape architects, students, educators, and other professionals. The organisation provides various annual awards and scholarships to create more opportunities for women in architecture to develop careers.
The common scholarship given to students in their final year of undergraduate study is the Gertrude Lempp Kerbis Scholarship. The Chicago Women in Architecture honours their principal founder by providing this scholarship and making it possible for one exceptional student to gain an education every year. This scholarship is open every fall, where excellent design projects can be submitted, which the board members and other professionals in the field would judge. The winner is awarded $3000, and $2000 is given to honourable mention scholarships.
Another scholarship the organisation provides is the Roula Alakiotou Scholarship. This is given in honour of a member of the same name who was the recipient of the Chicago Women in Architecture Foundation (CWAF) Lifetime Achievement Award. The winner will be awarded a $5000 award, a one-year membership in CWA, and two tickets to the CWA Spring Brunch Event. Apart from these, the organisation also conducts and holds events to support other endeavours in the architecture field.
The Future of Chicago Architecture
In conclusion, the future of Chicago’s architectural scene heavily involves female architects. Chicago is a city bustling with new buildings and a developing architecture centre. Even though there are great and talented female architects in the history of Chicago, the names heard are often almost all men. With the introduction of organisations like Chicago Women in Architecture, this is slowly changing. The architecture profession consists of female students at the same rate as male students. Chicago Women in Architecture currently has 202 active members and has been around for the past 46 years. The female population still faces many things in any career that should be changed over time. But compared to the past, there is enormous progress and improvement. Hopefully, this will continue to be in the future.
References
- Anon, (n.d.). Chicago Women in Architecture – A not-for-profit, volunteer organization that exists as a forum for women in Architecture and related professions. [online] Available at: https://cwarch.org/ [Accessed 4 Dec. 2022].
- Rockett, D. (2020). In the world of Chicago architecture and design, the future is female. [online] Chicago Tribune. Available at: https://www.chicagotribune.com/real-estate/ct-re-chicago-female-architects-roundtable-20200320-20200324-gbrews77sfa5vmnvuyegjitgca-story.html [Accessed 4 Dec. 2022].
