The world of architecture and gender disparity

Catriona Tanner is Design Director at Tinto Architecture and mentor through the Scott Sutherland School mentorship programme for first year students.’ For RGView during Women's History Month and in the lead up to International Women's Day, she's written about the gender disparity in her sector...

Macro and micro, patent and also latent and passive aggressive. I think many professional women become inured to the daily chipping away, questioning if you are good enough, in a male dominated industry. I really don’t need that - it’s already part of my inner monologue! 

I have not suffered any major harassment or abuse thankfully but it’s the small things…

Addressing the man in the room first, not knowing their seniority, the daily exchanges, the (very common) bone-crushing handshake at a site meeting, and the “I’m in charge round here young lady” which are all still prevalent in our industry, but do they affect men as much as women? Possibly.

As a female Architect of over 27 years’ experience, working across the UK and the Middle East in both cities and rural communities, in practices large and (very) small, gender disparity has for me taken on many forms.

Across the early years, despite the cache of an enviable role at Foster and Partners there were both subtle and significant nuances to working life as a female architect. As the sole site architect for a prestigious project at the age of 25, site managers and workers struggled to take instruction from me. Generally stemming from the belief that a young female cannot possibly understand the technical aspects of construction. This was the single most consistent niggle, but with the firm’s high profile and often being the only architect on site, they had no choice but to accept it and over time, my confidence built and there was an acceptance that I actually did know the building inside out!

Internal office struggles with other male (usually older) architects have also been prevalent. Underhand behaviours to undermine my position or skills led to some heated exchanges but calling it out and facing up to them led to some challenging confrontations but with really supportive (male, Directors) solutions were reached. Although, things remained awkward.

Working in the Middle East was probably the most challenging of environments. With cultural differences in the office and outside. Clients would often directly address my less experienced male colleague first. There was no question at all whether I would be in attendance as the site architect on a major project - not a chance!

Latterly, returning to the UK to work in a small practice then setting up on my own, there have been two challenges. The first. getting male builders to listen to you. On so many occasions, and only exacerbated by being a sole practitioner, they built what they wanted to and not what you asked, despite the extensive drawings and specifications. Although, to be fair, whilst I do think this is a general issue, it’s definitely more frequently experienced as a woman.

A more recent project put me in a position on site with three contractors (I use term loosely here!) and as a woman I firmly believe I was bullied and disrespected in a way no male architect would be. They took advantage of my position and said things I am pretty sure they would not have said to a man.

Lastly, a reflective observation regarding the challenges I faced trying to get new projects. A significant number of projects are engaged by men with money. Whilst I had some really good opportunities, I felt somewhat pigeon-holed into designing smaller scale domestic projects: extensions and renovations. The most desired projects of small practices – designing one-off homes, largely eluded me. I had been told more than once that people didn’t think I could do a ‘big house’ despite my experience as the lead architect on two million square foot office and mixed-use buildings. My feeling was that I was neither male nor grey haired enough to win these.

However, I would now say one key thing that changed. Clients. The majority of my clients, it turned out are professional women, like me. So, instead of worrying about not appealing to the middle-aged rich men, I didn’t. I got good female clients. Who I understood and who felt they too were understood.

As they say, ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’. So, I have a bit of a tough skin these days to match my grey hairs and a different confidence that perhaps for women only comes with age.