These 6 women are making an impact in the field of architecture

Given the complexity of construction, the many stakeholders involved in a single project and multifarious external factors, there is no argument that architecture is a time- and energy- consuming industry. This means that personal and family time often take a backseat. Pushing through gender bias in this formerly male-dominated industry, these six role women motivate with their resolution, stories, and determination to create effective and soulful buildings and spaces.

I-JIN CHEW

Chew, who studied architecture at Cambridge University, admits the industry is not an easy one. “The field of architecture demands a great deal of dedication and a significant amount of time to perfect.” But she thrives in its challenges and enjoys mentoring younger staff members. Chew has also taught architecture in Singapore Polytechnic  – a role she hopes will inspire the next generation of architects to go into practice.

Among her proudest works the International French School (Singapore) or Lycee Francais de Singapour, made with pre-fabricated components to save material that was done prior to joining WATG, and the Crowne Plaza Sanya Haitang Bay in Hainan, China, completed when she was at the firm. Her dream projects include a carbon-neutral hospitality project as well as facility for active senior communities to encourage purposeful living in the later years, reflecting her environment- and user-focused focus.

Being an architect is a life-long endeavour so one must have tenacity. Chew shared: “A very senior architect once told me you’d be lucky if in your lifetime as an architect, you have done five projects that you are proud of. I was appalled at first and thought to myself ‘is that really all?’ But then when you know how long it takes to do a project right, you’d be lucky if you get five! I would like to think that I’m there now after three decades.”

As a child, Parpis Leelaniramol visited many beautiful homes of friends and family, as well as hotels on her frequent travels. “But I never really thought about becoming an architect until high school. Instead of continuing in the family business related to engineering, which I didn’t like at all, I started thinking about what profession I could pursue that would allow me to develop my interests and that I would also enjoy,” shared the co-founder of Bangkok-based Touch Architects.

Leelaniramol founded the firm with her husband Setthakarn Yangderm in 2014. On work-life balance, she finds the profession has not made it easy. “If work is chosen first, personal life must be diminished in importance. Eight years ago, when the company was still very small, I chose to prioritise work, devoting all my time and energy to it without considering family, personal matters or even health.”

The firm now has a robust portfolio of landed houses and commercial projects in Thailand. “I have learnt that what makes a project turn out well does not necessarily require dedicating all my life to work alone. Rather, teamwork is essential. I can still work efficiently or even better than before with good management,” she commented.

What motivates her is how buildings are able “to change a user’s feelings through simple yet highly functional designs, especially in residential works”. Her dream project is a school. “I want to design classrooms conducive to studying, libraries that make students want to read, or facilities such as sports fields or playgrounds that stimulate the imagination. I believe that good architecture encourages a desire to learn and fosters effective learning.”

Together with her husband Massimiliano Fuksas, Italian architect Doriana Fuksas founded Studio Fuksas in 1985. An architecture and art history graduate, she is also the director of Fuksas Design. The firm’s impressive body of work numbers at over 600, including Neom in Saudi Arabia – a 170km-long smart eco-city with zero CO2 emissions targeted to house nine million people. The project is currently being built.

While she works on all scales, Fuksas feels more comfortable with “smaller things”. She elaborated: “I have more fun with things I can control better. But small projects do not always mean they are easier. The project becomes like a jewel; if there is something that does not work, it is more evident so you have to check and control every small piece.”

Fuksas’ contribution to the field has earned her accolades such as titles of Chevalier de l’Ordre de la Legion d’Honneur Francaise in 2020, the Officier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres de la Republique Francaise in 2022, and in March 2023, she was given the honour of Commander of the Order “for Merit of the Italian Republic”. When asked which is her proudest moments, she said: “I like to think that our favourite projects will be the next one. Or our two daughters.”

On being a female architect, she recalled the late-Zaha Hadid, who was also a close friend, observing that her female colleagues were not given the same respect as their male counterparts. Yet, women have their strengths. “I think that women are ‘deeper’ than men in their jobs. Maybe because we are used to paying attention in everyday life; we take care of our jobs the way we do with our families and children,” Fuksas mused. “It has only been 100 years or less that women could work, so that is a recent phenomenon. But we can work, and we must do much more.”

Born in Colombia, Maria Arango founded Armo Design Studio in 2021 with her husband Diego Molina. Prior to that, they worked at Singapore architecture firm ONG&ONG, where they created more than 100 beautiful, landed homes that meld sophistication with sensitive attentiveness to topicality. Both architects studied at the esteemed Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia before working at the studio of renowned architect Giancarlo Mazzanti in Bogota.

“My journey into architecture was marked by a deep-seated interest in design across various scales,” shared Arago. This has seen her working on projects as diverse as a 40km riverside park master plan aside from houses, while indulging in jewellery design as a hobby. She admits that the profession “demands unwavering dedication and passion to meet exacting standards” but finds solace in “focusing our energy on aspects we find most fulfilling.” For Arango, this includes the “dynamic atmosphere of on-site interactions with consultants and contractions to ensure that the design intent is meticulously executed.”

With her husband as a colleague, the line between work and family is blurred. “This manifests in shared experiences, such as family travels enriched by exploring diverse cultures and architecture worldwide. Despite the challenges, both our passion for the field intertwines seamlessly with our personal lives, evident in our fondness for capturing architectural marvels alongside family memories.”

On her greatest achievement, Arango highlights “the ability to push the boundaries of design while maintaining grounded in principles of sustainability and user-centricity”. Using innovative materials and flexible spatial concepts, she wants to continue to redefine the possibilities of architecture, even if it is mainly in the sphere of residential design, to leave “a lasting impact on both our clients and the built environment.”

Australian architect Kerstin Thompson, founder of Kerstin Thompson Architects, was the recipient of the 2023 AIA Gold Medal – the highest honour given out by the Australian Institute of Architects. Since its inception, she was only the fourth woman out of 63 people to receive it. Her mother – “a builder but also a fantastic homemaker” – inspired her architectural journey.

“Architecture is about home, which is anywhere people feel supported by space, in their purpose, whether occasional or everyday,” described Thompson. Thus, she believes in breathing poetry to all scales and types of buildings, from museums and houses to everyday structures such as a toilet block on a remote stretch of the central Victorian highway.

To find balance in life, Thompson sets a strict boundary between home and studio during the standard workweek. “I like to start early; the days tend to be quite long and intense, but I avoid working at night or on weekends,” she commented. On the other hand, she sets “a loose boundary between architecture and life”. Thompson elaborated: “I find architecture can be revealed, inspired by so many things outside of it – everyday life with family, colleagues, and friends, food, travel, reading, art, music, etc.”

Female role models were scarce when she was still an architecture student at the RMIT University in Melbourne. “The upside of this, and key reason for starting my own practice, was to be able to define the way of being an architect that was distinct from existing practices. I wondered how to be heard, as a voice to be reckoned with; how to combine leadership and family? It had a price. Being present in the industry meant being less present at home. No, you can’t have it all,” she admitted.

On bias in the industry, Thompson said: “The gender card is a double-edged sword; it contains built-in assumptions. I am cautious about claims that as a woman architect, I will do certain types of buildings. Nonetheless, I increasingly acknowledge that my own experience as a woman has enabled me to bring different insight to design.”

MVRDV is one of most progressive firms today, challenging the norms of architecture through innovative programming, as well as the conceptually rigorous research into the relationships among cities, building, nature and interior. Nathalie de Vries co-founded the firm with Jacon van Rijs (who is also her husband) and Wilhelmus 'Winy' Maas in 1993 when they were very young architects – a result of having started working while studying at Delft University of Technology.

De Vries wears many hats. She is also a professor of architectural design at her alma mater, and the once-chair of the Royal Institute of Dutch Architects from 2014 to 2018. She also just completed her duties as City Architect of Groningen. “These kinds of positions add an interesting dimension to my work, allowing me to assert the value of architecture in various spheres of society.”

Like many working mothers, de Vries tries hard to maintain a sense of equilibrium. An understanding partner is key, and she is fortunate that her husband is also an architect. When her children were young, both parents switched to a four-day workweek. "Family time is vital as your family can bring some common sense and help to distract you from working non-stop,” de Vries remarked.

The experience has also made her a more understanding boss. Acknowledging that the profession is a time-intensive one “and often comes at the expense of people’s mental and physical health”, the firm ensures their design processes are structured efficiently and prioritises good employment practices. Said de Vries: “We don't believe that working day and night will necessarily lead to better design and would rather have healthy architects rather than burnt-out ones. We hope to be part of the movement that ends the reputation architecture has for being ‘punishing’, as they put it.”