I sometimes indulge in imagining my ‘dwelling of dreams’, even though I am pessimistic about ever being in a position to actualise my perfect space. hooks’s essay poignantly touches on the power of the imagination, the politics of space, who gets to access architecture and cultural differences in approaches to building and placemaking.
This essay talks about the notion of ‘Greatness’ in the art context. How ‘great’ artists and art is constructed in our society and what this means for female artists. Linda Nochlin shows the patterns according to which art institutions have always been organized and influenced the art scene. These descriptions and observations can probably be […]
A book I read at the beginning of the 1970s, about the time I was finishing my studies. This book doesn’t directly talk about architecture but it does explore the status of women in society and their fight for equal rights. It has supported and stimulated me to realise my ambition as a woman and […]
Although the title suggests that this book is about writing a dissertation, the content goes well beyond that. It is about going through and hopefully finishing a project, when several other projects and obligations run in parallel. It is about female life in contemporary western societies, where women but also people are expected to fulfill […]
Helen Thomas : Group two, Session two! So we’re going to start off by reading out the statements by the first group to read this text going around in groups there are six statements and so somebody from each group is going to read one statement to each. A. Disrupting dualism by acting […]
In the summer of 2024, Carla Capaul, director of the Hotel Alpina Lumbrein in Val Lumnezia, Graubünden, and Jaehee Shin, editor at Women Writing Architecture, met in the gardens of zum Alten Löwen in Zurich to talk about Annelise Leu, Switzerland’s first female hotelier, and her granddaughter Nina Zumthor, who has written a book about […]
The Power of Place, published in 1997, is relevant to anyone involved in the process of spatial and cultural production, or to young architects in search of alternative practices. It is for those who acknowledge the real way architects work, as a collective enterprise, which is not often the way architects talk about their work. […]
For Women Writing Architecture, Silvia Federici’s book, Caliban and the Witch, is a central and influential text. Not bound by academic methodology and written with ideological energy it is easy to read without being explicitly emotional. Federici challenges and questions the location of women in history as hidden and secondary through her examination of one […]
Berta Rahm is an important inspiration for women writing architecture, especially through her publishing work, which she carried out under the title ALA Verlag (1966-1993). Pionierinnen und Pioniere is one of the books that she produced during that time. Edited and written with her colleague, Renate Möhrmann, the pioneers referred to in the longer […]
The text below contains my contribution to the printed book, ‘Lives of the Most Excellent Architects’, edited and curated by Thomas Weaver and Cecilia Da Pozzo (2024). This work stems from a course taught during the spring semester of 2024 in Mendrisio. In this piece, I present an intimate conversation with Lilly Reich, which serves as […]
Although written in German, this story uncovering a complex socio-economic situation can be understood with even a rudimentary – a childlike – grasp of the language. That is, I, a perpetual student of German, could follow it, supported by sequences of drawings that show in fascinating detail the human, the architectural, landscapes of Glarus and […]
Margaret Hicks, does this name sound familiar? To me, it was unheard of before reading Despina Stratigakos’s book ‘Where are the Women Architects?’. Somehow, sadly, Margaret was the first US woman to obtain a degree in architecture, more than that, she was the first ever woman to have her work published in an architectural journal, […]
It’s common to greet someone by asking ‘Have you eaten?’ or saying ‘Let’s have a meal’ in Korea. It is seen as a way to build intimacy. The kitchen is therefore the heart of the home, where meals are prepared and organised. The author of The Modern Kitchen – Birth and Other Stories, Younjung Do, […]
Completion-poly 준공마블, a board game created by the Society of Feminist Architects, or SOFA for short, reminded me of the acclaimed Korean Pavilion at the 15th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, The FAR Game: Constrains Sparking Creativity. If the FAR Game which stands for the game of Floor Area Ratio, visualized […]
Aotearoa New Zealand has long been recognised as a place that advances the standing of women in society. It was, after all, the first country in the world to grant women the vote, in 1893. But, to date, there has been no comprehensive account of women in architecture in Aotearoa New Zealand aimed at a […]
Nos encontramos ante un apasionante escrito donde Josenia Hervás registra la historia de la Escuela de la Bauhaus desde una perspectiva singular y novedosa, la de género, que permitirá comprender, de forma más amplia y objetiva, lo que aconteció dentro de los muros de tan innovadora escuela. Entre los consabidos relatos e imágenes de esta […]
Carla Lonzi’s figure is fundamental for understanding Italian feminism in the 1970s, within which Lonzi occupied a radical position that can be understood by reading three books by her: Manifesto di Rivolta Femminile (1970), Sputiamo su Hegel (1978) and La donna clitoridea e quella vaginale (1974). These and other texts were published at the time […]
After Lucia Moholy’s partner Theodor Neubauer was arrested in her absence in their shared flat in Berlin in 1933, she fled to Paris via Prague and Vienna without any of her belongings. There she tried in vain to use press pressure to get Neubauer out of prison. In March 1934, she continued her escape – with […]
There is no state without women: On the occasion of its centenary in the year 2000, the Federation of Swiss Women’s Organisations (BSF) not only gave itself a new name: alliance F, but also commissioned historian Sike Redolfi to do an analysis of its history. The result of her research was published as a book […]
Deborah Levy is a British novelist, playwright and poet. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, the granddaughter of working-class Lithuanian Jewish immigrants on her paternal side and an upper-middle-class English family on her maternal side. Her father, Norman Levy, was a historian and a member of the African National Congress. He lived under a banning order from the Apartheid government from […]
On Valentine’s Day 2024, Shen He invited a group of people for an Anti-Valentine’s discussion and meal. These were Geraldine Tedder, Tine Milz and Helen Thomas, who came to Kunsthalle Winterthur for a conversation about Simon(e) von Saarloos and their book Playing Monogamy, which brought several of their works into play. Each of the speakers […]
It is rare to find photographs that show the ‘interior space’ of traditional Korean architecture. Even though they are indeed indoors, the gaze is deliberately directed outward rather than focusing entirely on the space itself. Using windows and columns as frames, the viewer focuses on the ‘outside’ and adds decorative touches, like frames on a […]
Kenneth Andrew Mroczek suggested Juliaan Lampens, edited by Angelique Campens, to women writing architecture. He sent us a link with the following review by jw468 on Goodreads: September 13, 2014 Originally posted 04/09/2014 I put off ordering a copy of this book and now it’s become expensive; however, the graphic designer has made the entire […]
Canzun de Sontga Margriata (Song of St Margaret) is one of the oldest surviving songs in the Romansh language. In the middle of the 19th century, it was still sung by the women farmers of Graubünden as they worked in the fields. The song tells the story of St Margriata, who worked in disguise […]
Finding out how women lived and still live in the Graubünden was the aim of a working group of women who got together several years ago to tackle the project Frauenleben in Graubünden (Women’s lives in Graubünden). A lot of material was collected, including 20 extensive interview transcripts, which are now stored at the Staatsarchiv […]
Somehow it is familiar to hear those studying art history talk about Feminism, since it is a part of the academic programme, but it rarely happens that feminism is examined in art projects in Korea.This project book is a microscope for looking at how feminist Korean art is progressing. The young critic Jinshil Lee, who […]
For a few years, a handy book has rested by the side of my desk: Städelschule Lectures, published by Koenig Books in 2019. The book is a compilation of lectures, conversations, and interviews spanning two decades of the lecture series at Städelschule, the esteemed art school in Frankfurt. The purchase of the book holds a […]
Regarding the published art text, I agree with the opinion that there is a standard writing phrase in the contemporary art scene, as the artist Seth Price stated. I believe this perspective also explains a lot of art texts that wander into this specialized field. However, the author, Wonhwa Yoon, uses her unique phrases and […]
Bad Behaviour consists of multiple short stories. Set in 80s New York, Gaitskill’s narratives capture the essence of the city through the way the characters interact with one another. Not only are the stories in the book about interpersonal relationships and how people treat each other, but the descriptions of the spaces that the characters […]
While renowned for her subsequent career as a broadcaster and newspaper editor, Janet Street-Porter spent two years as a student at the Architectural Association from 1965-67. The first volume of her autobiography Baggage: My Childhood (2004) offers a richly evocative description of the AA at a time of dramatic social and artistic upheaval. Her experiences […]
While exploring the Kunsthaus Zürich, I observed a recurring pattern within my group – each time we encountered a new entrance, we would come to a halt. Our guide would then share insights about the Kunsthaus or read aloud an article, adding an enriching layer to our visit. It intrigued me to realize the frequency […]
The Reading Circle started off with a separation of the attendees into groups. Every group would receive a certain perspective into the world of the Kunsthaus, all of which were then discussed collectively. The visit confirmed many opinions I had already had of highly institutionalized museums, like the atmosphere of tension or the high threshold […]
The rain was pouring while we were standing at the entry in front of the Kunsthaus. A well-needed canopy in our own hands, thanks to the colleagues who were prepared and brought an umbrella. We waited for the church bells to ring at 9 am and then ran inside, together with the other “kaffee schabracken” […]
The Reading Circle at the Kunsthaus Zürich guided us through the highly contested art institution, a “box with only backsides” as it was described in the closing discussion. These “backsides” became even more apparent in our tour, led by (students impersonating) the cleaning team, an invisible workforce, operating out of hidden “backrooms” and closed doors, […]
Arriving in front of the Kunsthaus the rain trickles on my head. There is no shelter, not even at the tram next to me. Why wouldn’t they make the entrance more comfortable? I’m sorted into a small group of 6 people, and I suspect some went to the wrong one. Our group is then led […]
From accepted and unaccepted donations Opposite the Kunsthaus on Heimplatz is the Schauspielhaus Zurich: Pfauen. During the National Socialist era, it was the only free theatre stage in the German-speaking world. This made it a centre for German and Austrian actors who emigrated from their home countries, and thus it was also a centre of […]
Raindrops falling onto the pavement and bouncing off umbrellas. Sounds flood my ears; cars honking, the siren of an ambulance, the flickering of traffic lights and the voices of strangers as they pass us. My thoughts get muffled by the chaos of the crossing. As we stand in the rain, the concrete structure that is […]
Where is the place for protest? On the tour of the Kunsthaus Zürich, the guides presented us with quotes criticising the Kunsthaus. Criticism does not leave the Kunsthaus unscathed. It does not refuse to engage in discourse but tends to play a defensive and conservative role. The ground floor of the Moserbau currently houses an […]
Where is the space for protest? With this question in mind, we went on a journey through the Kunsthaus Zürich. From the small entrance area, through the gigantic foyer, up the steep staircase until we reached the Emil Bührle collection on the top floor. Walking through the exhibition gave me pause for thought. A businessman […]
A discussion with a fellow student made me think that everything in this day and age is dependent on money. People set a price for all objects. Market players are given a decisive role in determining artistic value, thus linking the art world with the market world. The Reading Circle group represented this connection between […]
How are artists trained today? What service do they provide? How much is an artwork worth? What is the market price? What is value? Why is ZHdK (Zurich University of the Arts) no longer decentrally spread over the city of Zürich? Is Toni-Areal really the place where contemporary artists are educated? Why in an impermeable […]
for the Reading Circle RaMPE Grand Opening, on the 8th of November 2023, at Löwenbräukunst, Limmatstrasse 268 & 270, 8005 Zürich Andrea Fraser or the irony as a tool for “institutional critique” „There is indeed much to suggest that in recent years, whether or not an artwork was considered artistically relevant depended to […]
What is the main focus of consumption at a vernissage? Is it about the art or is it about the drinks, the exchange, seeing and being seen? Does the artwork lose more and more value and does the character of the artist and his performance gain in importance? I can’t remember the art, but I […]
I had a lot of fun at the Löwenbräu Reading Circle. The way they opened the imaginary exhibition made me think of all the real vernisages and openings I have been to. What drew my curiosity, was the hierarchy of all the different characters involved. Questions like “Who makes the most money?” or “What degree […]
This group chat is the result of a reading circle performance within the context of Studio Caruso at ETH Zurich during the spring semester of 2022. By drafting an overly exciting email, a chat about why we are „being so nice“ started. During the discussion, the exact same medium which was criticized by Rosler, was […]
Eight women: Helen, Emilie, Melinda, Natalia, Reem, Solange, Yagmür and myself, Jaehee, took part in the Erntezeit Workshop : Being a Stranger in Ennenda, Glarus in September 2023, at the headquarters of Tisch Zwei Verein. Some of the discussions held during the workshop were very intense and we focused a long time on the feelings […]
Almost 25 years after publishing her first book, L’architetto fuori di sé (1982), and more than 35 years since her first questions around self-awareness, Marta Lonzi uses a key word in the feminist lexicon, Authenticity, as a litmus test to reread the history of architecture in search of ethical connotations. Her book, Autenticità e progetto, […]
In the early months of 1982, at the height of Postmodernism, a very atypical book was published in Italy, which was L’architetto fuori di sé, by Marta Lonzi. This is a book on architecture, but published by a feminist publisher; it is a critique on the practice of architectural design at the time, but written […]
Jane Rendell’s introductory writing to part two of the book Gender Space Architecture: An Interdisciplinary Introduction provides a feminist discourse on the intricate relations between gender and space. A series of multidisciplinary gender analyses are drawn upon to challenge the existing paradigm of classifying spaces according to the biological sex of its users (e.g. public […]
In Victoria Rosner’s text, “Fear in a Handful of Dust,” she discusses how the germ theory led to a paradigm shift in how people started to view spaces, specifically the cleanliness of them. Rosner explains how senses used to be the main assessment of hygiene, meaning that people would rely on vision and smell to […]
Desai’s introduction to “Women Architects in India” encapsulates perfectly how similar the discourse of feminism in architecture is across the world. It is not particularly limited to the western world (although many of the regions that reveal a similar fight have in the past been colonized by a western entity). With certain contextual nuances in […]
In Cynthia Hammond’s text titled “Suffrage City: spatial knowledge and Suffrage Work in Bath, 1909-1913” written in 2013, she answers “how early twentieth-century feminists used the larger space of the city for their cause” (Hammond 133) in response to “the special nature of suffrage activism in Bath” (Hammond 134). Her goal was to understand how […]