This is a slightly amended version of a piece performed on 5th March 2020 at ‘The Feminist School of Architecture Teach Out’ at Foodhall, Sheffield by MatriArch (Alice Grant and Rosa Turner Wood).
The Perils of Tradition Transcript
R: The first thing we thought about this event, is why is there not a question mark on the end of the title.
A: Does the lived experience of students and staff match with the academia that is happening within the school?
R: Is it a feminist school of architecture?
A: Probably not.
R: Yet.
A: So where do we start?
R: Let’s begin with the pub after reviews.
A: Did you see that tutor drinking with students?
R: Yeah, he said he’d put me in touch with that Clerkenwell practice. Yeah yknow? His friend from undergraduate, they used to be drinking buddies.
A: But what if you don’t drink?
R: What if you can’t drink?
A: What if you have to work the next day?
R: Don’t worry, just less opportunities really.
A: But Architecture school is about making connections!
R: But should these connections be made over alcohol?
A: Where the loudest voices get heard?
R: But we benefit from this!
A: Yeah that true.
R: Aren’t you working on his house over summer?
A: Yeah, but only because he asked.
R: So shall we tell them what matri arch is?
A: we are a student led feminist collective
R: who facilitate discussions on education and practice
A: with the aim to share more female and non-binary voices.
R: So why does matri arch exist?
A: Because a tutor at my undergraduate once asked me where is Kate, she has a tutorial? Is she on her period or something?
R: Because when working with a feminist agenda I don’t want people to look sheepish and pass me on to a female tutor
A: Because my tutor said my model was sooooo cute.
R: But it was cute!
A: Yeahn that’s true it was really cute
Because tutors are mentioning my learning difficulty in their feedback as though I will never be on a level playing field.
R: Because we want floor 14 feminism to meet floor 16 feminism
A: Because we want better representation.
R: Because we are bored of the perils of tradition.
A: So how do we deal with these perils of tradition?
R: Can we please just stop inviting the same old guest reviewers to the school just because they’re Sheffield Alumni?
A: Do they hold our school’s feminist values?
R: Let’s stop accepting money for the catalogue from practices that exploit their parts 1.
A: can we at least try to do better to guide our students towards practices that treat staff with respect.
R: Pay them living wage.
A: Make them go home at 5.30.
R: But isn’t it a rite of passage to suffer through architecture school? I mean, my old practice bought be dinner and an uber if I stayed till 11pm, that’s not too bad right?
A: Rosa, you’re scared of confrontation, and you never want to move back to London. Don’t romanticise the suffering, and apologising for shitty directors.
R: While we’re at it Let’s stop making architecture for architects.
A: Though It might look good on Instagram
R: No one cares about the shadow gap if there is not an accessible toilet.
A: Or the women’s line wraps round the block.
R: Or there isn’t baby changing facility in the men’s toilets.
A: If you’re practice doesn’t accommodate equal maternity and paternity leave,
R: Is it really feminist?
A: If you’re practice expects unpaid overtime, is it really feminist?
R: If your architecture school cultivates competition and anxiety, is it really feminist?
A: and isn’t this why these UCU strikes are important
R: We need better representation in the university
because we should value quality of education above anything else.
A: That’s why the strike is important.
R: Because some people don’t have the ability to strike right now
A: and that is why the strike is important
R: Sheffield School of architecture is striving to make change, and that is great.
A: But what if they don’t get it right?
R: That’s ok, as long as they learn from it.
A: As long as they stay open to criticism and try again.
R: And we say this all with love
A: Because I have never felt more relentlessly supported by educators
R: Because at Sheffield mental health is prioritised over your knowledge of Revit.
A: Because the school has supported us.
– despite all of our criticisms.