Men are said to be the ones who conquer all fields, while ignored are the contributions of women in every field. Now and back then women changed and are leading the world in multiple unimaginable ways. Architecture is moving at a fast pace at a high rate with developing and moving times and the women of the world are rocking the world of architecture. The world should recognize them for who they are, their colossal contribution to the world’s Architecture.
Here are 5 women architects and their work that you should know
Anupama Kundoo a well-known Indian Architect was born in Pune in the year 1967. She studies in the renowned college, Sir J. J. College of Architecture, University of Bombay in Mumbai. She was awarded with her architectural degree in the year 1968.
Ar. Anupama Kundoo is an environment conscious architect who designs buildings in a way which helps minimise the harmful effects on the environment. She achieves that by using raw and waste material and makes use of locally available unskilled labour helping increase job opportunities for the locals. Many of Anupama Kundoos designs revolve around energy and water efficient infrastructure. Ar. says that her designs provide purpose, refuge and social engagement for all its stakeholders. Her designs alter simple basic materials with utmost technology and care which converts those into buildings and structures that are useful and purposeful to the society. Her group and her works at creating more from the minimum and they aim at exceeding the expectations of the others and their own.
This project is a contemporary design and is internationally a solution to the socio-economic need. As one can perceive it is and environment friendly design and has low impact on the nature surrounding it. This project has been brought to life with the help of unskilled labour. Optimum use of space has been a key factor while designing this structure. She uses mud bricks over factory made bricks to help the environment and uses the local skilled potters for the making of the vaulted terracotta roofs
Ar. Maya Lin is a Chinese – American, Architect and was born in 1959 in Athens, Ohio. She came from a cultivated and artistic family with her father being a Dean of Fine Arts at Ohio University and her mother, a Professor of Literature at the Ohio University. She studied and graduated from Yale University in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in architecture and sculpture. She has maintained a balance between art and architecture during her career and has always leaned towards creating site specific and contextual works on a large scale such as artworks and architectural installations.
Maya Lins architectural style involves harmonious fusion of modernist and minimalist principles, imbued with a profound appreciation for nature and its resources. Her designs frequently integrate natural features such as light and water and prioritize the seamless incorporation of structures within their surrounding environment. She critically engages with the sites and locations of her places and is very conscious about the environment around while her designs create a close bonding between landscape and the built environment. She moved to create sustainable design solutions in all her works
Situated in the heart of New York’s Chinatown, was designed by Lin to showcase the rich history of Chinese Americans, spanning from the 1800s to the present. As a tribute to the enduring spirit of immigrants and the legacy they leave behind, Lin intentionally left the inner courtyard of the museum untouched, preserving its rawness and serving as a poignant reminder of the immigrant experience.
Ar. Zaha Hadid was an Iraqi- British Architect who was born in the year 1950 and was known for her radical deconstructivist designs. She travelled to London in the year 1972 to study architecture at the Architectural association and began her own practice in the year 1980 She gained international recognition with her competition-winning entry for a leisure and recreational centre, The Peak in Hong Kong in the year 1983. She was Known as an architect who consistently pushed the boundaries of architecture and urban design and intensified existing urban landscapes while encompassing all fields of design. Ar. Zaha Hadid died in the year 2016.
Ar. Zaha Hadid’s style was a futuristic style and most of her designs had a distinctive character of curving facades. She used modern materials such as steel and concrete for her structures having sharp angles. Ar. Zaha Hadid’s designs were unique in comparison to other structures and were striking to the human eye. She introduced to her audience the new modern architecture style which is reflected in her architectural structures. Ar. Zaha Hadid always follows her mantra and stays true to it “Form follows function” which can be clearly seen in all her designs that have versatile forms with functionality. She is one architect that takes strong or per se strongest materials in the world and uses them in a way to appear soft, curvy and firm at the same time.
Ar. Zaha Hadid was the first woman who was awarded the Prtizker Architecture Prize.
The Vitra Fire station emerges as a linear structure with layered walls which represents the principle of movement. The structure holds shapes as its design such as mixing of polygons, triangular shapes and so on. The structure is made up of exposed concrete walls and a pitch roof. Overall the structure is dynamic in nature and is one of her very famous designs as it is an aesthetic but simple building having interstitial spaces in between.
Ar. Neri Oxman was born in the year 1976 and is an American Israeli Architect and designer. She is famous for her work of art architecture that combines design, computer, engineering and biology. She spent time growing up in her parents’ architecture studio which led her to pursue architecture. She studied Architecture at Israel Institute of Technology and finished her degree at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. She graduated from there in the year 2004. Ar. Neri Oxman began Ph.D. studies in architectural design in the year 2005 at the Massachusetts Institute of Techno
Ar. Neri Oxmans work emphasises on environmental design which she thought was the need of the hour. She was the architect that coined the phrase “material ecology “which merely meant placing materials in context. She believed in making her designs vibrant with coloured and textured surfaces for facades with stylist features. She used composite materials or her structures. She usually had a play with scale, colour texture shape which varied over an object. Architect mainly took inspiration from nature and the biological world which reflects in her designs. Her projects were a complete synergy between human and nature.
This installation is an exploration of nature’s design space and resembles the natural elements in the built surrounding.
Ar. Brinda Somaya was born on 28th June, 1949 and is an Indian Architect and urban conservationist. After enrolling in the science program at the Cathedral & John Connon School, she went on to receive a distinguished American Field Service International Scholarship in 1966, which allowed her to pursue her studies in the United States. She later came back to India, to complete her degree in Bachelor of Architecture from Sir J.J. School of Architecture in Mumbai. In 1971, she completed her degree in Architecture and decided to further her education. She started her firm Somaya and Kalappa Consultants (SNK) in 1978 in Mumbai, India.
Brinda Somaya’s architectural style can be described as a fusion of traditional and modern components. Her design is fueled by extensive research and always keeps in mind the site and cultural contexts. She plays with solids and voids in her designs to make them more compelling. She incorporates traditional Indian architectural elements like courtyards, verandas, and jalis (perforated screens) into her designs, along with inspiration from the regional architectural styles of India. What sets Somaya apart is her innovative use of materials and focus on sustainable design. Her buildings often incorporate eco-friendly features such as natural ventilation, rainwater harvesting, and passive solar design. As a result, Somaya’s structures not only look beautiful but are also environmentally conscious.
Ar. Brinda Somaya’s interest in art, history and aesthetics is clearly reflected in this project. The structure is an environment-friendly design and is surrounded by lush green nature in all directions. Multiple courtyards are present in this place and the structure uses bricks. Natural ventilation is one striking factor and the design minimises the use of artificial lighting. A sense of playfulness is achieved in this design which is what makes it so special to its users.
