All hail the groundbreaking women in architecture
International Women's Day is upon us and publisher Hatje Cantz prepares to launch a new book – Women in Architecture – celebrating just that: the amazing female architects of past, present and future
German publisher Hatje Cantz's latest book follows up on the much-needed current debate about the role of women in architecture. Coming at a critical time, with reports of women being especially hard hit by the pandemic making headlines, and just in time for the 2021 International Women's Day, Women in Architecture highlights the amazing female architects of past, present and future.
The new title reaches far and wide across the globe and picks 36 internationally acclaimed women who have made their mark in the world of architecture. Names include Odile Decq, Elke Delugan-Meissl, Manuelle Gautrand, Annette Gigon, Itsuko Hasegawa, Anna Heringer, Anupama Kundoo, Lu Wenyu, Dorte Mandrup, Farshid Moussavi, Carme Pinós, Kazuyo Sejima, Annabelle Selldorf and Nathalie de Vries.
Far from being a ‘simple' listing of the achievements, awards and projects of this incredible bunch, the book delves deep into the history of the role women have played in the architecture scene. Essays from the book's author, German historian, curator and lecturer Ursula Schwitalla, as well as contributors including Odile Decq and Beatriz Colomina, explore the past and architecture's painful lack of female representation.
The book names women that have been active in architecture and building since the Middle Ages – such as Katherine Briçonnet (1494-1526), key to the design of the Château de Chenenceau, and Plautilla Bricci (1616–1705), the first professional female architect recorded in Rome. It covers the Industrial Revolution and extends through the 20th century, with more well-known examples, such as the women of the Bauhaus.
The historical essays and texts dedicated to prominent representatives of the past, such as Zaha Hadid and Eileen Gray, are followed by a rich portfolio show of each of the 36 living architects included in the book. Spanning continents and building typologies, this book is not about a single aesthetic style or even a specific overall conceptual approach; rather, it pays tribute to the undoubtable rich variety, powerful achievements and enormous potential the women in architecture have to offer.
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
The new dawn of Japanese whisky
Japanese whisky has long been the pinnacle of sophistication for connoisseurs. Our spirits writer Neil Ridley looks at this year’s best releases, and a new breed of distillers bringing innovation into the mix
By Neil Ridley Published
-
Tour a new Sardinian hotel hidden among sand dunes
Hotel Le Dune Piscinas is a cosy five-star boutique resort surrounded by the untamed natural beauty of Sardinia’s Costa Verde
By Ifeoluwa Adedeji Published
-
Looking forward to Tate Modern’s 25th anniversary party
From 9-12 May 2025, Tate Modern, one of London’s most adored art museums, will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a lively weekend of festivities
By Smilian Cibic Published
-
'Tropicality' explored in Indonesian architect Andra Matin’s first monograph
'Tropicality' is a key theme in a new book on Indonesian architect Andra Matin, whose work blends landscape, architecture and living
By Harriet Thorpe Published
-
‘A Time ⋅ A Place’ is a lovingly compiled photographic portrait of cars and architecture
‘A Time ⋅ A Place’ is a celebration of the European Car of the Year and changing perceptions of modern design, pairing the best buildings of the age with their automotive contemporaries
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Álvaro Siza’s new monograph through the lens of Duccio Malagamba is impactful and immersive
Álvaro Siza and photographer Duccio Malagamba collaborate on a new monograph by Phaidon; ‘Before / After: Álvaro Siza Duccio Malagamba’ celebrates the Portuguese architect's work
By Michael Webb Published
-
Marcio Kogan’s Studio MK27 celebrated in this new monograph from Rizzoli
‘The Architecture of Studio MK27. Lights, camera, action’ is a richly illustrated journey through the evolution of this famed Brazilian architecture studio
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
‘Interior sculptor’ Christophe Gevers’ oeuvre is celebrated in new book
‘Christophe Gevers’ is a sleek monograph dedicated to the Belgian's life work as an interior architect, designer, sculptor and inventor, with unseen photography by Jean-Pierre Gabriel
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Flick through ‘Brutal Wales’, a book celebrating concrete architecture
‘Brutal Wales’ book zooms into a selection of concrete Welsh architecture treasures through the lens of photographer Simon Phipps
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Architecture books to inspire shelf love
Here at Wallpaper*, we’ve got architecture books piling up; among them, these are the photographic tomes, architects’ monographs and limited editions that we couldn’t resist
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Pioneering modernist Henry Kulka's life and career tracked in limited-edition monograph
Czech-New Zealand architect Henry Kulka, a man who spread modernist ideals half way around the world, is celebrated in Giles Reid and Mary Gaudin’s richly illustrated monograph
By Jonathan Bell Published