29% Equal in conversation with Part W, Episode 06: Jos Boys & Fiona Macdonald.

Hosted & produced by Sarah Ackland

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In this episode the thoughtful Fi Macdonald, a core member of Part W, designer and co-founder of Matt & Fiona, a social enterprise working to empower young people speaks with the incredible Jos Boys. Jos was a founding member of Matrix, the feminist design collective operating throughout the 1970s, the all-female identifying group collaborated closely with communities and women, they are well known for designing the Jagonari Centre in Whitechapel. Jos also co-authored the book Making Space with Matrix, which was recently republished, a book outlining issues for women in the city and design which somehow is still painfully relevant today. Jos now leads DisOrdinary Architecture alongside artist Zoe Partington. Fi and Jos join together for a sensitive discussion about not wanting to be an architect, class, unconscious bias and looking at who does not conform in our society. Jos asks us to look at gender budgeting and calls for consciousness-raising for meaningful change to occur.

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This podcast has been created with thanks to the RIBA Research Fund and supported by Katie Lloyd Thomas of Newcastle University.

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If you would like to support the valuable work of Part W please do via the link here or through their website.

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Graphics by Mackinnon Byrne

29% Equal in conversation with Part W, Episode 05: Parlour & Zoë Berman.

Hosted & produced by Sarah Ackland

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In this episode, Zoë Berman, Founder and Co-Director of Part W Collective and the Founding Director of Studio Berman, speaks with the groundbreaking Justine Clark and Naomi Stead the President and Vice-President of the Australian-based Parlour. Parlour is a group whose name derives from a rather subversive feminist take on the 'parlour' as the room in a house traditionally used for receiving and conversing with visitors. In this episode, they discuss with how the organisation grew from a research project and worked tirelessly to prove that women’s inability to stay in the profession was not their fault. We discuss how campaign groups can work together and reflect on Parlour's impressive journey. From hanging out and data collection to the creation of the ‘parlour guides’ a must-read for all those hoping to support diversity; these women have paved the way for change for women in architecture.

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This podcast has been created with thanks to the RIBA Research Fund and supported by Katie Lloyd Thomas of Newcastle University.

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If you would like to support the valuable work of Part W please do via the link here or through their website.

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Photocredits: Agatha A. Nitecka/RÅN studio (Image of Zoë Berman)

Graphics by Mackinnon Byrne

29% Equal in conversation with Part W, Episode 04: Angela Brady & Tara Gbolade.

Hosted & produced by Sarah Ackland

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In this episode Tara Gbolade, a friend of Part W, architect and co-founder of Gbolade Design Studio and Paradigm Network, speaks with the inspired Angela Brady. Irish-born Angela is an architect and co-founded her studio with Robin Mallalieu over 30 years ago. She led as president at the RIBA from 2011-2013 and co-founded the RIBA 'Architects for Change' group. Angela shares her positivity for women in the profession, how co-founding with a partner can be progressive and suggests methods we can use to tackle climate change. Amongst much of the wisdom she shared with Tara, Angela argues we should all adopt a school to increase the diversity of our profession, which I wanted to note here.

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This podcast has been created with thanks to the RIBA Research Fund and supported by Katie Lloyd Thomas of Newcastle University.

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If you would like to support the valuable work of Part W please do via the link here or through their website.

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Graphics by Mackinnon Byrne

29% Equal in conversation with Part W, Episode 03: Elsie Owusu & Yẹmí Àlàdérun.

Hosted & produced by Sarah Ackland

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In this episode Yẹmí Àlàdérun, an activist, architect, development manager, Co-Founder of Paradigm network and core member of Part W Collective speaks with Elsie Owusu OBE. Elsie, an architect and activist herself has broken the glass ceiling many times and in 2000 she founded her own practice, Elsie Owusu Architects. Elsie is also the founder of the Society of Black Architects. Throughout her career she has questioned the architectural profession and stood firm. Elsie and Yẹmí discuss her campaign to become president of the RIBA, working with Peter Blake, and her defining moment, refurbishing the Supreme Court. This episode was incredible to produce, it took place during the 2021 Euro Football games which Elsie uses to ask us; why doesn’t our profession look as diverse as the England team? Elsie shares with us a woman who inspires her, which I think is my favourite of the series and gives advice to her younger self; learn how to show off.

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This podcast has been created with thanks to the RIBA Research Fund and supported by Katie Lloyd Thomas of Newcastle University.

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If you would like to support the valuable work of Part W please do via the link here or through their website.

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Photocredits: Grant Smith (Image of Elsie Owusu)

Graphics by Mackinnon Byrne

29% Equal in conversation with Part W, Episode 02: Farshid Moussavi & Tahera Rouf.

Hosted & produced by Sarah Ackland

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In this episode, Tahera Rouf, a friend of Part W, architect and associate at RCKa, speaks with the incredible Farshid Moussavi OBE. Iranian born, Farshid founded her own office and is well known for her design of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Cleveland. She has been appointed an OBE and most recently received the Jane Drew Prize for Architecture. Farshid is also a Professor in Practice of Architecture at Harvard University Farshid discusses her time working at Zaha Hadid studio, learning and unlearning, and how it is important to work for someone else first. She shares her refugee experience and how being a minority can be a strength in design. This episode left Tahera and I in awe.

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This podcast has been created with thanks to the RIBA Research Fund and supported by Katie Lloyd Thomas of Newcastle University.

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If you would like to support the valuable work of Part W please do via the link here or through their website.

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Photocredits: Paul Phung (Image of Farshid Moussavi)

Graphics by Mackinnon Byrne

29% Equal in conversation with Part W, Episode 01: Kate Macintosh & Alice Brownfield.

Hosted & produced by Sarah Ackland

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In this episode Alice Brownfield, the Co-Director of Part W Collective, architect at Peter Barber Architects and the recipient of the 2021 MJ Long Prize for Excellence in Practice, speaks with the acclaimed Kate Macintosh OBE. Kate is well known for completing the famous and well-loved Dawson Heights estate before she was 30. Her passion for social housing and climate justice weaves through this impassioned discussion as we hear all about her experience at working for Lambeth council, the inspiration she found in the work of Rosemary Sterjenst, and her work on Central Hill. And finally, her advice to her younger self; don’t be a shrinking violet, admit what you don’t know and don’t be defensive.

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This podcast has been created with thanks to the RIBA Research Fund and supported by Katie Lloyd Thomas of Newcastle University.

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If you would like to support the valuable work of Part W please do via the link here or through their website

Photocredits: Morley von Sternberg (Image of Alice Brownfield)

Graphics by Mackinnon Byrne

29% Equal is a podcast celebrating significant women who have shaped how we practice architecture today, produced by me, Sarah Ackland.

Why 29% Equal? The last formal survey undertaken by the ARB (or the Architects Registration Board) was in 2019, this revealed that only 29% of qualified architects are female identifying, women are routinely excluded from the architecture profession, from the books we read and even the references and precedents we study at university.

In an effort to eliminate this continual erasure of women I have invited a young architect, designer, artist or activist from Part W (and friends) to have a discussion with a woman they feel deserves recognition, or perhaps more recognition. We ask these amazing women about their defining moments, their activism, who inspires them, the advice they would give to their younger selves and finally what a more equitable city might look like.

This series is in conversation with Part W.

Part W is an action group of women working across architecture and design, infrastructure and construction campaigning for gender parity founded by Zoë Berman. Part W is an independent campaign group that has no formal funding. If you would like to support their valuable and on-going work, please donate here or on their website.

To give you a hint of what’s to come in this six-part series, we talk to an acclaimed social housing architect, a powerful campaign group, a member of Matrix the feminist design collective, and more.

This podcast has been created with thanks to the RIBA Research Fund and supported by my research supervisor Katie Lloyd Thomas of Newcastle University.

All graphics by the amazing Linda and Ella of Mackinnon Byrne.

Please subscribe to stay updated.