ABSTRACT
Only 13 per cent of architects in the UK are women. Statistical evidence indicates that the number of female students studying architecture has increased to 37 per cent, but the percentage of women practising has not increased at the expected level. In other words, women are leaving the profession after qualifying.
Research into why women leave architecture revealed some matters of grave concern, which have implications for all the construction professions. Issues such as low pay, poor conditions, macho office culture, sidelining and direct sexism not only have a direct impact on women, but create a working environment that may fail to attract the necessary level and range of people to cover the current skills shortage. This leads to questions about the degree to which the professions are insular, whether the skills of women and minority groups are being overlooked to the detriment of the professions and whether this affects the quality of outputs.
The arguments that women are not fit to be architects through lack of spatial understanding or other shortcomings are identified, discussed and countered. The reasons why the construction professions have been slow to act to rectify the under-representation of women are explored. Strategic recommendations for change are aimed at the professional bodies as well as practitioners to facilitate ways of making the construction professions more attractive to women and create a built environment that meets the needs of the diverse population.
