Lori A. Brown writes in “interdisciplinary approaches to women in architecture” that women in the United States, within the architecture profession are extremely underrepresented. This is despite the fact that the proportion of women and men at the start of the training is evenly distributed. According to Lori Brown, there is a necessity that there is diversity in architectural education and among practicing architects, as this can improve our architectural context.
The text Feminist Practices provides a good insight on the architectural discipline from a feminist perspective within the various design parameters, such as social, political and illuminates the feminist inspiration of these parameters. The text reveals the advantages of a feminist analysis to understand the design of our built environment and also those in power within the discipline. Brown wants that through research projects and exhibitions give a voice to the underrepresented in the profession.
I think that the contents of Brown’s text are underestimated in our education. It is probably difficult to push more subjects in the education since it already covers many different topics. But to strive for the knowledge of how it looks at the top (where all the decision makers are) and how diversity can bring the underrepresented and powerless a voice in society should be of major importance.
Havar
archandphil 
December 11, 2013 at 11:42 pm
Thank you for the post!
I agree that it is important to discuss the distribution of power within architecture. You say that it would be hard to add more subjects to the curriculum, and this might be true. I don’t think it’s necessary though, as most of these discussions are relevant to the subjects taught today. Rather than adding new ones, we need to review how the existing subjects are taught. I think that the courses in history and theory taught during the first 3 years could do with more critical perspectives, in general.