Women Rights as Architects - Essay Example

WOMEN RIGHTS AS ARCHITECTS By Department Women Rights as Architects Introduction In the late 1950’s, the roles of women as architects were greatly undermined where very few women’s were in architectural field. The gap between men and women since then has been experienced with men dominating the field.1 In the recent past, women have realized their roles in landscape designing, building designing, urban planning among others architectural roles. Though in some countries women architect are many than male architects the average data worldwide according to architect journal, (2013) revealed that gender discrimination is still great in some countries. In developed countries like US and European countries, women architects have been in rise. This does not come on en empty silver plate rather it have taken a great effort by women through the responsible authorities to grant them equal rights as men in the field. Several effort by women participation can be pin pointed by development of E1027 house and Rietveld Schroder house in France which were built through women effort as architects. To understand the rights of women in architect, this paper focuses on two building E1027 and Rietveld Schroder house. According to Davies and Colin, E-1027 house is a modern villa building located in Roquebrune cap Martin, in the Maritimes- Alpes in France.2 It was built in year 1926 to 1929 by renowned Irish lady architect Eileen Gray and Romanian architect Jean Badovici. It is an L-shaped flat-roofed building with floor, ceiling, windows and a spiral stairway heading to guest room, E-1027 is both open and close house. This is first major architectural work for Gray Eileen, which have survived up to date. Secondly, Rietveld Schroder house is a historical house in Utrecht.3 It was first designed by Gerrit Rietveld a Dutch architect in year 1924 but later madam Truus Schroder Schrader redesigned after lack of contention to it. Today, the house is museum, which was restored by Bertus Mulder after the death of Truus Schroder Schrader in the year 1985. More comparison of the two building E1027 house and Rietveld Schroder house in the following subheading will help us understand the right of women in architects. Buildings relationship to the city The strategic position of any building matters a lot when it comes to the view people has on the building. This can be claimed to be one secret of architect when it comes to designing any building. In consideration of Rietveld Schroder house position, it is evident that the building strategically positioned. The building is located at the edge of the Utrecht city near the road and hence well accessible. The house was restructured in such a way that it could accommodate any change that may come along changing architectural culture.4 It is possible to argue that, the structure (Truus Schroder Schrader) had something in mind that the house being located near city can be affected by changing city life that have enabled it to accommodate need for museum. On focusing on E-1027 house, the house is in a city that have been restructured to take city like form by Modern architect Le Corbusier.5 This lady have made this house to be lucrative to all passerby due to its fine wonderful structures it carry. Rawan Moore, a guest in that house said that the house is super modern that need not to be renovated in pain refurnishing because it was up to the admirable standard.6 The house have wonderful balcony, good location near the sea and wonderful cool environment like the one in cool city that take captive all people passing by it. In Conclusion, the houses have many characteristic that connect to the city. We can say that the designers and restructures did a great job and as ladies, their right in planning and developing city like structures is acceptable and should be allowed in architectural fields. Planning and general arrangement of buildings accommodation and circulation In this text, we will focus the similarities and differences attributed to this two house in the way they accommodate people. E-1027 was built in year 1926 to 1929 by renowned Irish lady architect Eileen Gray and Romanian architect Jean Badovici. The house was built for family use where Gray and her children stayed. On the other hand, Rietveld Schroder house is a historical house in Utrecht which was first designed by Gerrit Rietveld a Dutch architect in year 1924 but later madam Truus Schroder Schrader redesigned after lack of contention to it. It was also built for family purpose. Arguably, E-1027 is an L-shaped flat-roofed building with floor, ceiling, windows and a spiral stairway heading to guest room; it is both open and close house, which is located at the edge of sea.7 Rietveld Schroder House is two-story building with both close and open structure. In it inside, it is an open adjustable room with its background structure accommodating historical mode of room’s kitchen, bedroom, washroom and dining table. Upstairs is madam grays spacious sitting room that can accommodate both closed and open sitting arrangement. The house is designed as per authority easy mode of fighting fire in case of such a risk. The house is located in vicinity of many neighbors but it design is special one distinct from others. The two building had many similar characteristics. Their design was specific and rhyme with acceptable designs as given by Joseph (2006).8 With this characteristic of this great building by great designers who happen to be ladies, women then qualify to be great designers and their roles in architecture should be accepted and adopted for better future development of any state. The building has overpowered many building, which have been designed by men, and hence women role as architect should be embraced by all stakeholders in construction and design industry. Buildings use. The structure of building and its location mostly attracts many people to such structures. In comparing how the building is used, it is easy to determine how users value the structure. Both building E1027 and Rietveld Schroder house have been adopted to be historical momentum by the government, with Rietveld Schroder house being converted to a national museum in year 2000 where else E-1027 have been declared a modern cite by the government and is recon structuring the inside while the outside remain. E-1027 is being maintained as historical momentum design and current design where people can visit and compare history and modern architect.9 In the past, both building were used as residential places where the families of either architect stayed in these houses. Rietveld Schroder house was rented both 2nd floor and ground floor where else the Grays family stayed in first floor. E-1027 on the other hand was residential place that accommodated several guest at the same time.10 Much of how the building have been put into use, it is so clear that the art of women is acceptable both by tenants and by the government. Women should be granted authority on managing and coming up with leaving structures. They should also be given opportunity to plan business sites as portrayed by acceptability of the two houses in their use. Considerably, the only changes that have been made are only on inside furniture but most part of the rest design remains in both cases. This give women rights to claim for their patent right on any design the come up with. Detail of an element The E-1027 have undergone very little change if there is because the developer of the plan was the one staying in the building of the building .the only major change of this building is the internal furniture but not the design. Rietveld Schroder house have undergone through a great change, which was done by Truus Schroder Schrader after great dissatisfaction of the initial design by Gerrit Rietveld.11 After that restructuring, the house did not experience any other major change apart from refurnishing. Rietveld Schroder house get its design being displayed in euro coin, which give its unique design being a desirable to many people who get the coin. On the other hand, E1027 house have no greater publicity but with its declaration as home for modern design, its design will hit the market and get to be recognized. The two building have the eyes of many people .the design reflect woman’s effort, with this at par, women should take a brave step and demand tenders to construct and design major national and international structures. Architects approach to the building in terms of funding, team and client The architect provides clients with guidance of project through approval by governing bodies. In the two houses, we see teamwork being practiced by this ladies together with their spouses. There is separation between Gray and his husband, but gray continues with design of other houses like Tempe à Pailla, near Mentonin year 1931 together with other architects like Lou Pérou.12 This shows that architects are great team workers when it comes to achieving their objectives. When it comes to funding, are made by the client in case of a normal building when it come to a building that have recognized cultural value, the government take over the funding.13 The two building have found a great favor due to their recognized historical value due to unique design possessed by them. The government has taken them up to maintain as historical sites and by so the women role in architect is highly appreciated. The clients, funding and teamwork characters in this two houses have made them to be renowned hence expressing the role of women in architects. With this recognized work, women should rise and take their roles as architects Type and or role of the building Both houses have been used as residential places since 1930’s, where they housed the owners who happen to be the architects. In the recent past, the two buildings have been pointed out to hold unique design and therefore they are now preserved history sites. These two buildings accomplished their intended and unintended roles in good faith. This should be path for women to learn and come up strong as great architecture. Conclusion The role of women as architecture according to the two cases discussed above come out clear that women can. Though perceived by many as the roe of many, this paper has evidently brought to light the fact that the role of women in architecture cannot be overlooked. As highlighted, the two cases have come out as a challenge to other buildings hence challenging existing and upcoming architects. As such, women should rise and take up their position in transforming the world in field of architecture and design. References Adam, Peter, and Eileen Gray, The adjustable table E 1027 by Eileen Gray (Frankfurt am Main: Verlag form, 1998). Demkin, Joseph A, The architects handbook of professional practice (New York: J. Wiley, 2011). Davies, Colin, Key houses of the twentieth century: plans, sections and elevations (London: Laurence King, 2006). Friedman, Alice T, Women and the making of the modern house: a social and architectural history (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2006). Gardner, Helen, and Fred S. Kleiner, Gardners art through the ages: a global history (Australia United States: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2011). Heynen, Hilde, and Gulsum Baydar, Negotiating domesticity: spatial productions of gender in modern architecture (London New York: Routledge, 2005). Joseph Giovanni, “In the Nature of Design Materials. (New York: Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, 2006). Parkins, Ilya, and Elizabeth M. Sheehan, Cultures of Femininity in Modern Fashion (Hanover: University of New Hampshire Press, 2012). Raw thorne, Alice (24 February 2013). "Eileen Gray, Freed From Seclusion". The New York Times Volvovski, Jenny, Matt Lamothe, and Julia Rothman, The who, the what, and the when 65 artists illustrate the secret sidekicks of history (San Francisco, Calif: Chronicle Books LLC, 2014). Read More