Festival Women in Architecture: Future of the architecture becomes female!

Festival Women in Architecture: Future of the architecture becomes female!

From June 19 to 29, 2025, the “Women in Architecture” (WIA) festival takes place at the Technical University of Berlin. The aim of this first nationwide festivals for the visualization of women in architecture, interior design, urban and open space planning as well as construction and engineering construction is to increase the visibility of women in architectural-related professions and to promote discourse on planning practice. Like rbb24 reported, curated Anapama Kundoo, professor at the TU Berlin, an exhibition with ten outstanding female architectural workers.

The exhibition shows videos in which the architect's architecture issues speak. Among other things, Jeanne Gang, a well-known American architect who gained awareness with the St. Regis Tower, will be given the opportunity to speak about her design methods. The festival was initiated in Berlin in 2021 by the architect Network Nails to raise awareness of the necessary changes in planning practice, and is now organized throughout the Federal Republic, which is leading by the Berliner and Federal Chamber of Architects.

discussion and challenges in architecture

The current Situation in the architecture industry remains challenging. According to surveys by the Federal Chamber of Architect, 70% of management positions in the architecture of men are occupied by men, although more women are studying architecture than men. Mary Dellenbaugh-Losses points out that full-time positions are often the only option in offices, which makes it difficult to reconcile family and work. These challenges are an expression of a past in which cities were mainly planned by a male, white, employable type of human beings. As a result, there is a lack of various perspectives in the planning that are crucial for the needs of a whole society.

Another item on the program is the exhibition "Is your city built for you?", Which will examine Berlin places with regard to its inclusion. In addition, the WIA illuminates the professional role of women in architecture through a variety of projects. The Berlinische Galerie will also show portraits of GDR architectures who were significantly involved in the establishment of East Berlin. The collective loom of the Berlin University of Technology organizes lectures and an exhibition entitled "Design for women".

an inclusive approach to building culture

The festival also deals with the important topic of accessibility in architecture. Accessibility aims to make buildings and public spaces accessible to people with physical or sensory restrictions and to reduce barriers. The discussion about diversity in society is promoted by considering different cultural backgrounds, gender, age, sexual orientation and disability. In the past, institutions were often designed without taking into account the needs of people with disabilities, which severely restricted access. Many people, especially in a wheelchair, had difficulties with stairs, since ramps or elevators were often missing.

When planning barrier -free buildings, cultural diversity and the specific requirements of different communities should also be taken into account. The integration of diversity into architecture means to respect and involve cultural identities and forms of expression. This requires the adaptation of the interior design to different needs in order to create an inclusive and just society in which everyone can participate in an equal footing.

Anapama Kundoo also plans a new platform for the visibility of women in architecture, whereby the videos of the exhibition are to be made available online. Interested parties can read about the entire program and other events during the festival on the website wia-festival.de