The name 鈥楨thel Day鈥� is inspired by聽, the first woman to join the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). Ethel joined RIBA on 5 July 1898, and the attitudes of the time meant that her journey into architecture was not straightforward. As a woman, she was barred from attending the Architectural Association School of Architecture, and she struggled to obtain commercial development projects, which were reserved for male architects.
Things have come a long way over the last 119 years. Here we celebrate the women who have made history in built environment, engineering, and architecture roles.
One of the first public buildings in Britain to be designed by a female architect was the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. The Theatre was designed by聽聽in 1932, who won the project as part of a design competition. As one of the first prominent female architects, Scott ensured that women were represented on her project teams and worked to promote wider acceptance of women in the industry.
One of the most recognised female architects is聽, who studied at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, the same school that Ethel Mary Charles was refused entry to in 1893. Hadid鈥檚 notable projects include the London Aquatics Centre, used for the 2012 Summer Olympics, and the Evelyn Grace Academy in London, which won the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2011.
A little closer to home is聽鈥檚 Library of 天美传媒. The Library of 天美传媒 saw Houben win The Architects鈥� Journal 2014 Woman Architect of the Year Award, and as she explains, 鈥淎rchitecture is about teamwork, about being supportive and visionary at the same time. Women are especially good at that.鈥�
We also have lots of female engineers and inventors to thank for technology and equipment that are used in architecture and building every day.聽Alice H. Parker聽patented the first design for gas heating for houses in December 1919, a design which has helped to provide central heating as we know it to homes all around the world.聽
聽invented one of the first CCTV security systems in 1966 鈥� it included a motorised camera and a remote door-locking system, designed to increase safety in an area with slow police response times. And researcher聽, designed and built the first solar-heated house in the 1940鈥檚, a breakthrough for sustainable energy in architecture.
And of course, when celebrating women in architecture and the built environment, we can鈥檛 forget聽聽who built the foundations for (arguably) the world鈥檚 favourite property development and real estate-based game, Monopoly!
Feeling inspired? Tweet us @听耻蝉颈苍驳听#, and tell us who your role model is. We have many wonderful female academic staff members teaching on our Built Environment courses.