ABOUT HER STORIES
With "Her Stories" we want to draw our attention to the everyday. To those stories of gender discrimination in the field of architecture that are dismissed as unimportant only too quickly. In our opinion, it is precisely those stories that show how deeply anchored certain stereotypes are. The discussions that arise should encourage us to continue working for equality not only in the architectural environment but in society in general.
We therefore collect the small and big stories from our everyday work, be it on the construction site, in the office or in a school context.
From this collection of everyday stories, we made a selection, which is presented anonymously by an actress and shown as a video projection at the Centro Cultural Sao Paolo (CCSP).
At the same time, as a continuing project, all collected stories will be published on our website.
In a further step, we will continue to add new stories to the existing film and make it accessible to a broader public in order to highlight the current malfunctions and stimulate discussion. We also hope that our project will motivate women from other professions to uncover their everyday stories.
TELL US YOUR STORY
The biennale was the starting point for an ongoing project. We are still collecting new stories and will successively add them to the existing movie.
As a female protagonist in your field, we are therefore asking for YOUR story.
Describe a time when you have experienced gender discrimination. No incident of discrimination is insignificant in our plight for gender equality.
We would be honored to receive your contribution (herstoriesbia@gmail.com). Please know that any contribution will remain anonymous.
With your voice and others, we can provide a safe and impactful platform to highlight this important issue to the broader public and promote change.
The video installation will also be part of the exhibition „Frau Architekt“ at the ZAZ Bellerive in Zurich (28.02.2020 - 10.05.2020) and is planned to be shown at the festival “Women in Architecture Berlin 2020”.
We are also in contact with other organizations throughout Europe to make the movie accessible to a broader public in order to highlight the current problems and stimulate discussions.
STORIES
"...It is much more difficult with the building clients. The father and co-owner of a project doesn’t look into my eyes during our meetings. He only talks with my male employees. He does not respond to my suggestions...."
"...a professor at the TU Munich found it adequate to remind us women about what he thought was a fact. Apparently we only, and I quote „bridge our time between school and getting children"...
"...As women, we do not have to be explicitly discriminated against. Discrimination happens much more subtly and becomes the norm when we - anticipating discrimination - adjust to it and adapt our behaviour accordingly."
"...She said in all seriousness straight into my face, that she would rather have a man as the site (manager) supervisor, because - and I quote her: 'Women on the construction site have no say'. I was speechless and tried to argue, that in my opinion, gender makes absolutely no difference. However, she insisted on her opinion and withdrew from our agreement..."
"...An escalation occurred in the course of my independent and generally respected gender research, which was internally systematically sabotaged. Also because of my political commitment against gender discrimination, I had to accept financial sanctions in addition to various harassments. After more than two decades of successful service, I was bullied out of the work process in an injurious and dishonest way, at a difficult, already advanced working age."
"... My employer says "Please take your male colleague with you so that we can stand out as a more important architectural office". How did it go? Everyone introduces themselves, and I as a project manager introduce my colleague. From then on, everyone talks only to him!"
"...Once I had to point out to an entrepreneur that his work cannot be done yet, because others are not finished. He then wanted to talk to the site manager, rather than the secretary."
THE BIENNALE
TODO DIA | EVERYDAY
Everyday, the theme of the XII International Architecture Biennale of São Paolo, Brazil, proposed by the curators Vanessa Grossman, Charlotte Malterre-Barthes and Ciro Miguel, seeks to reveal architecture and space through everyday life. Architects and urban planners have long aspired to design total environments, civilizations, even the planet. However, in the current climate of political and economic uncertainty, occurring against the backdrop of unprecedented environmental impacts wrought by rapid technological development, design professionals have begun to acknowledge the vulnerability of their work to global transformations and the challenges of an automated future.
http://bienaldearquitetura.org.br/
UPCOMING EVENTS
Opening
FRAU ARCHITEKT at ZAZ
February 27, 2020
18.30 - 21.00
Join us at the opening of the exhibition FRAU ARCHITEKT
and watch our expanded "Her Stories" Video Installation.
The exhibition FRAU ARCHITEKT shows portraits of German and Swiss pioneers and representatives in architecture.
The show retells the history of architecture from the perspective of women who have shaped and designed architecture for over 100 years.