4 October2022Editor NoteCelebrating Women Architects Who Reshaped the Industry Before the 1930s Indian women architects were like unicorns, non-existent! But then in 1936 Perin Jamshedji Mistri sashayed into the industry and changed the course of history for women in architecture. A graduate from Mumbai's Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy School of Art, Mistri went on to have an illustrious career spanning 50 years and she played a key role in designing several structures of repute. But she also paved the way for several other women architects who went on to not only join the industry but also did spectacular work. However, architecture has always been considered a man's world. Even the icon Zaha Hadid said that the industry is a man's world and women find it extremely difficult to reach the pinnacles of success. Let alone the top, till a few years ago the representation of women the field of architecture was abysmal. In 1958, merely one percent of registered architects globally were women. By 1988 that range had risen to four percent and the number grew to 13.5 percent by 1999. However, this is the time when the tides turned for women in architecture. As noted by AIAs 2006 survey of design companies, the share of women in leadership roles in the profession of architecture has continuing to grow since the late 1990s. According to the Council of Architecture, till a few years ago India had 58,646 registered female architects making their share close to 44 percent in the industry. This number is considerably higher when compared to other nations such as U.S, Australia and UK. However, it is disheartening to note that only 20 percent of these registered women architects end up becoming practicing architects. The number falls drastically low when we look at the top leadership roles. A study found that women partners make-up 0.72 percent across top architecture firms in India. This is shocking since the number of women in entry level roles in the industry is much higher as well as female students pursuing architecture degrees. It all boils down to how hospitable the field is to women and from the story being narrated by numbers, it isn't very hospitable. Be it being mistaken an interior decorators to facing much more serious discriminations, women architects have had to undergo a lot. As bleak as the industry statistics may be, yet there are several talented women architects in India who have shaped the industry trends significantly. We at Women Entrepreneur India are dedicated to telling such stories and the current edition brings to you several such prolific women architects who have made it big in the said industry. We hope these stories can inspire other women to take on the difficult journey towards success as leaders in the field of architecture and rewrite the statistics. Do read on and let us know your thoughts. Rachita SharmaManaging Editor
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