Title: Intersectional feminism in architectural pedagogy: how can we increase race and gender diversity in architectural education?

Author: Jessica Raynsford

Year: 2021

Abstract: With the commercial benefits of diversity becoming increasingly acknowledged, statistics show that architecture in the UK is still a predominantly white, male profession. As a young, queer woman in practice the author has become disillusioned with mere diversity statements with no action. 

The traditions of architectural education have changed little in the last century (aside from the crippling increase of tuition fees). Financial barriers combined with time spent in education is a key reason why architecture is a predominantly white profession and why often women and people of colour are forced to drop out before they can qualify. University fees increasing provides a bleak interpretation of universities’ priorities. However, the emergence of alternative routes which sit outside the traditional pedagogy is21 an intriguing development that could offer a solution.

This paper dives deeper into the institutional attitudes towards diversity, identifying the existing barriers to the profession to those currently in the minority and attempts to unearth the underlying roots of these barriers with the hope that as an industry we can begin to dismantle them. With increased diversity, the built environment will have the tools it needs to create impactful, positive change in relation to the imminent and serious problems that the world currently faces that the currently homogenised patriarchal praxis of built environment currently facilitates.

It will be available to download soon.