RIBA President Calls for Step Change in Gender Parity at Conference

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TIME for change was the call at a conference organised by the University of Huddersfield’s School of Art, Design and Architecture.

The conference, entitled Women in Architecture, highlighted the difficulties facing women succeeding in architecture and called for equality to be acknowledged and actively encouraged across all areas of the industry.

Delegates were welcomed to the University by Huddersfield’s Head of Architecture and 3D Design, Professor Patricia Tzortopoulos Fazenda, who set the scene highlighting the stark figures that show that the number of women working in architecture was in decline and that generally, one in five wouldn’t recommend it as a career.

The morning keynote was delivered by Huddersfield professor Dilanthi Amaratunga, who is Director of the University’s Global Disaster Resilience Centre.  Today she is Professor of Disaster Risk Management and though not an architect she was worked with architects and the construction industry for nearly 30 years.

Professor Amaratunga used her own career to offer a comprehensive series of tips on how she had learned to manage her career. 

The inspirational list – “never promise what you can’t deliver, make connections, be patient and be prepared for setbacks” – though perhaps obvious in themselves collectively enthralled and inspired the audience.