Women in Architecture

Women in Architecture (WiA)

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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: SPOTLIGHT SERIES

AIA Austin Women in Architecture aspires to Spotlight female and nonbinary creatives and their work in the architecture, engineering, design, and construction industries within the Austin community to promote, validate, and illuminate women at all levels of their careers.

We want to hear from you! Nominate a shining professional in the industry who you appreciate, has mentored you, and/or inspires you. All female and nonbinary individuals in the Austin architecture, engineering, design, and construction community are eligible for nomination. As always, advocating for oneself is highly encouraged.

Once nominated, nominees will be contacted for further information. Anonymous nominations are accepted.

Please contact Jennifer Woods, Spotlight Series sub-committee chair, with any questions – jennlee7@gmail.com

Link to the nomination survey here.

WiA Scholarship

2023 Scholarship:

The Austin Foundation for Architecture and the AIA Austin Women in Architecture committee are excited to announce their second annual scholarship awarded to a minority female identifying student attending the University of Texas School of Architecture. The scholarship was a direct result of the Call to Action subcommittee, formed by WiA Austin in 2021, whose goal is to identify and remove barriers for minority women in architecture. After an intense review process of all the applications, the AFA and WiA Austin awarded scholarships to three incredible students, Alexandra Matute-Blanco, Jordan Smith and Juliet Chui. Please enjoy the videos linked below of each student describing what it means for her to be one of this year's scholarship recipients.

In addition to the scholarship, WiA has paired each student with a mentor from the Austin architecture community. We would also like to take a moment to recognize our three mentors, Stephanie Lemmo, Sophia Razzaque and Mikel Bennett. Thank you to all of the scholarship donors including Alterstudio, Artisan Hardwood Floors, ATX Architects, BGK Architects, Den Property Group, Donna Carter Advised Fund, Faye + Walker, Gustavo Bernal & Alexandra Chaves, Jeanne Schultz Design Group, Julien Brown, LA-N-D, Makayla Ponce, Martinez Moore Engineering, McKinney York Architects, Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, MMD Architecture, Nicole Blair, Page, Randy Davis, Storybuilt, Restructure Studio, Rogers O'Brien Construction, Ruben Martinez & Thoughtbarn. Thank you also to Nichole Wiedemann for being a great resource at UTSOA and for assisting us with setting up this scholarship.

2022 Scholarship:

In 2022, the Austin Foundation for Architecture and the AIA Austin Women in Architecture committee established their first annual scholarship awarded to a minority female identifying student attending the University of Texas School of Architecture. The scholarship was a direct result of the Call to Action subcommittee, formed by WiA Austin in 2021, whose goal is to identify and remove barriers for minority women in architecture. After an intense review process of all the applications, the AFA and WiA Austin awarded scholarships to two incredible students, Temi Osanyintolu and Narsis Holmes. Please enjoy these videos of Temi Osanyintolu and Narsis Holmes describing what it means for them to be one of this year's scholarship recipients.

In addition to the scholarship, WiA has paired each student with a mentor from the Austin architecture community. We would also like to take a moment to recognize our two mentors, Donna Carter and Nkiru Gelles. Thank you to all of this years donors including Donna Carter, Mckinney York Architects, MMD Architects, Gus Bernal, Restructure Studio, Page, Ruben Martinez, Martinez Moore Engineers, Artisan Hardwood Floors, Faye and Walker, ATX Architects, BGK Architects, Nicole Blair, Rogers-O'Brien, Alterstudio, Thoughtbarn, Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, Storybuilt, Randy Davis, Julien Brown, Makayla Ponce, Den Properties, Jeanne Schultz Design Studio, and Lemmo Architecture and Design. Thank you also to Nichole Wiedemann for being a great resource at UTSOA and for assisting us with setting up this scholarship.

The Women in Architecture Committee invites you to watch the following films and recorded events produced by the committee. Click on the images to watch.

'Profiles' 2023 Interview Series
Committee Chair - Carina Coel, AIA
Committee Chair-Elect - Ashton Brooks
Sub-committee Chair - Alexandra Chaves, Assoc. AIA
Video Production and Editing: Gus Bernal https://www.gusbernal.com/

The first interview with Sophia Razzaque, AIA NOMA, IIDA, LEED AP - Associate - Lake | Flato Architects.

The second interview with Gabriella Bermea, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP - Associate | Design Architect - VLK | ARCHITECTS

The third interview with Nkiru Gelles, AIA - Associate Low Design Office | Lead Designer - Milk + Honey

'Profiles' 2022 Interview Series

YouTube playlist of the complete series of interviews and the compilation video for the 2022 'Profiles' Interview Series .
Produced byCommittee Chair - Stephanie Lemmo, Assoc. AIA
Committee Chair-Elect - Carina Coel, AIA
Sub-committee Chair - Alexandra Chaves, Assoc. AIA
Video Production and Editing: Gus Bernal https://www.gusbernal.com/

2021 'Profiles' Interview Series

YouTube playlist of the complete series of interviews and the compilation video for the 2021 'Profiles' Interview Series .
Produced by
2021 Committee Chair - Nkiru Gelles, Assoc. AIA
2022 Committee Chair - Stephanie Lemmo, Assoc. AIA
Sub-committee Chair - Alexandra Chaves, Assoc. AIA
Video Production and Editing: Gus Bernal https://www.gusbernal.com/

Guide to Austin Architecture Bike Tour: Groundbreaking Women

AIA Austin’s Women in Architecture (WiA) Committee coordinated the Guide to Austin Architecture’s Groundbreaking Women Spring Bike Tour, which took place March 26th 2022 and featured 5 of 12 sites from the Guide to Austin Architecture Groundbreaking Women website.

The Guide to Austin Architecture’s Groundbreaking Women Spring Bike Tour featured presentations by Emily Little, FAIA for Hotel Saint Cecilia; Heather McKinney, FAIA for McGarrah Jessee; Kelly Henson and Lisa Biel, AIA for the Seaholm Power Plant Redevelopment; Maija Kreishman, AIA for La Condesa; and Sophia Razzaque, AIA for Hotel Magdalena.
Event Coordination was put together by: Stephanie Lemmo, Assoc. AIA, Courtney Mallen, Assoc. AIA, Bud Franck, and Julia Brown
Volunteers for the Event include: Kathleen Deaver, Alexandra Chaves, Adelle York, and Toni Thomasson
Video Production and Editing by: Gus Bernal www.gusbernal.com

Women in Architecture 2021 Site Tours

YouTube playlist of all four AIA Austin WIA Virtual Site Tours. Featured projects include Bear Creek Elementary, Hotel Magdalena, 1111 W 6th St, and ABIA Expansion.

WiA Special Events and Films

2023 Motherhood Panel - Movement in the Workplace: Are you in the Right Place for your Right Now?
Recorded on May 18, 2023
Featuring Claire Walpole, AIA, of Habitat for Humanity; Jacqueline Dudley, AIA, of The Beck Group; Elena Cutshall of Gensler; Carina Coel, AIA, of Restructure Studio; and Jennifer Woods, AIA, of Page.

Diversity by Design - Design Excellence Conference Recording August 18th 2021
Of the 1,166 AIA Austin members, only 14 are black and of those only two are women. There is a clear lack of equity and diversity in our community although we believe that design is for everyone. "As makers of place and transforming of environments that really means engaging all communities and not just the select" Maija Kreishman, Managing Partner Michael Hsu Office of Architecture. The AIA Austin Women in Architecture committee created the "Profiles" interview series to ask firm leaders in Austin and across Texas why diversity matters and what are firms doing to address it through their firm culture? WIA will present the full compilation of interviews, followed by a live panel discussion with the firm leaders featured in the film. We will discuss what action firms can take to make more equitable work environments and how we can begin to design for a more equitable city by approaching diversity as best practice. "Design has the power to inform more equitable, resilient, sustainable, and relevant built environments for the increasingly multicultural population of our nation" Rosa Sheng.

What to Expect When You Are an Expecting Architect
A casual and informative discussion with our panel of super archi-moms and special guests about becoming our own best advocates in the workplace as parents and caretakers, as well as what our industry can do to retain some of its best talent: MOMS.

Parenthood Panel: What to Expect When You're an Expecting Architect: The Pandemic Years
The parenthood panel on May 12, 2022 focused on coming back from Parental leave, how companies handle this transition, and how we are all collectively adapting to the new work environment that was shaped by the global health crisis. Watch the recording of this panel of parent architects and hear about their experiences! View the panel questions and survey results that formed those questions here.

Advocacy Conversations
A discussion among architects, urban designers, activists, and community leaders advocating for positive growth, healthy communities, and bottom-up revitalization of historically disinvested neighborhoods in Austin, sharing design and urban planning strategies for applying an equity lens to the built environment.
This series provides a framework for advocacy conversations with key influencers and decision makers, raising awareness of injustice, and strengthening efforts to reduce inequity in the development of our city.

WiA short film, A Violet Horizon
Featuring Jennifer Russo Cumberbatch
Produced by Stephanie Lemmo, Nkiru Gelles, Jes Deaver, and AIA Austin
Videography and Editing by Gustavo Bernal
Written by Jes Deaver and Jennifer Russo Cumberbatch

WiA was honored to be part of Austin Design Week 2020. Amidst the urban architecture of downtown Austin, we hosted a drive-in screening of Precise Poetry, a film about one of the 20th century’s most original and influential woman architects, Lina Bo Bardi, introduced by UT School of Architecture Professor Fernando Luiz Lara.

Connect with WiA: We invite you to learn more about the work of Women in Architecture and encourage you to become involved. Join our email list.

Mission:

To promote, validate, and illuminate the role of women within the architectural field through fostering community, fellowship, education, and outreach.

Meetings:

WiA Austin meets on the third Friday of every month at 8:30am.View the calendar here.

2023 Chair: Carina Coel, AIA

2023 Chair-Elect: Ashton Brooks

AIA Austin Staff Liaison: Julia Brown

Thank you to our 2023 committee sponsors: