The architectural profession has traditionally been male-dominated, but there has been a notable shift in recent years. Women now represent nearly 50% of new architects under the age of 35 in France, with more women entering architectural schools and securing registrations at the Order of Architects. However, women still face challenges, including difficulty balancing family life with the demanding hours of the profession and fewer women in leadership roles.
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Notable women in architecture have emerged over the years, such as Marion Mahony Griffin, who worked alongside Frank Lloyd Wright, and Jeanne Besson-Surugue, the first French woman to graduate from the École des Beaux-Arts. Despite historical underrepresentation, these women have paved the way for future generations.
Currently, women make up 70% of first-year architecture students in France, but the gender balance tends to even out in later stages, such as during the HMONP (qualification to work as a lead architect). Women are more likely to choose other career paths within architecture, such as project management or journalism, which can offer more work-life balance.
Christine Leconte, director of the École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Paris Belleville, highlighted that while the proportion of female students has risen, the number of women in leadership positions remains low. She advocates for greater support for women wishing to start their own agencies and believes more women should be encouraged to pursue entrepreneurial roles within the profession.
Leconte stresses that 'an architect is an architect, regardless of gender' and calls for more support and visibility for women in the field to further progress gender equality.
Source: www.batiweb.com