International Women’s Day has its origins in the women’s rights movements of the late 19^th and early 20th centuries. An annual celebration to commemorate, reflect upon, platform and share stories of women’s achievements and their continued fight for equality in all areas of life. For architects, today provides an opportunity to consider the changing role of women in the profession.

The architecture industry was a male bastion for most of the 20th century; there was no conception of “women in architecture”, and women in the field were a marginalised group often discriminated against, excluded and dismissed. For most of the profession’s history, architects were masterminds of city planning, sky-scraper technicians, and creators of classical beauty proportions; the image was of a white, middle-class male professional who was knowledgeable and authoritative.

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