Danish architect Dorte Mandrup's takedown of the term "female architect" has sparked a strong reaction from American women in the profession on both sides of the argument.
Mandrup's Opinion piece for Dezeen earlier this year, and ongoing discussions about women's prominence in the industry, prompted the architects ? and one engineer ? to respond with their thoughts on the subject.
Their comments, pulled together by New York agency CC Sullivan, vary from total agreement with the Danish architect, to counter views that the situation for them in the US is very different from hers.
"Perhaps if you're an architect in Scandinavia where women are much more recognised, it is demeaning and patronising to be separated out," said Perkins+Will principal Joan Blumenfeld, who is also is a member of the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation ? a non-profit organisation that aims to highlight women's contributions to architecture. "But in the environment we face in the United States, unless we make a strong effort to recognise women, unfortunately they go unnoticed."
Mandrup's rhetoric that the promotion of "female architects" should stop was spurred by a rise in worthy lists and exhibitions aiming to celebrate and highlight women in architecture and design, including several simultaneous shows in New York.
Recent surveys have shown that the gender pay gap is widening among UK architects, and that US women feel they are still underrepresented in the ...