ArcVisionPrize or imagination is gender neutral

Livegreenblog attended the awards presentations of the arcVision Prize, Women in Architecture organised by the Italcementi Group. This year's awards ceremony of the fourth of this highly coveted architecture prize in the industry took place in Milan, as a tribute to the Triennale di Milano’s XXI International Exhibition, which is returning to the city for the first time in 20 years. 



The aim of ArcVision Prize – Women in Architecture by Italcementi Group is to give recognition to the work of women in architecture. A prize that is not just about architecture on its own but also recognises the leadership and role model qualities of the nominees. 





And during the press conference of the 4th edition, in the presence of Odile Decq (Studio Odile Decq), Yvonne Farrell (Grafton Architects), Benedetta Tagliabue (Miralles Tagliabue EMBT), Martha Thorne (direttore Pritzker Prize), Samia Nkrumah (President of the Kwame Nkrumah Pan-African Center, Ghana), Daniela Hamaui (journalist) and Stefano Casciani as the jury's scientific director, a lot was said about the role of women, and not just in the field of architecture. 



The figures for 2016 again confirm that there are very few women's architectural firms, despite the fact that 50% of architecture students are women. Is this due to lack of self-confidence? Is it a question of perception? Is it because women find it hard to assert themselves in a male-dominated field? Is it to do with cultural aspects where education still focuses on old patterns? The judges discussed the various aspects of the profession, where one thing is certain: imagination is gender neutral, as Yvonne Farrell said, and creativity is not the prerogative of one gender over another.
And although there is discrimination against more than half of the world's population, this is certainly not just harmful to architecture, but to society as a whole, because it closes off the birth of true democracy, as stressed by Samia Nkrumah.



The evening ended with the award at the Milan Triennial, venue selected because of the 21st Triennale, “Design After Design” which is hosting the exhibition “W. Women in Italian Design” until 19 February 2017.



US-based architect Jennifer Siegal was selected as the winner from a shortlist of 20 designers. Honourable mentions went to: Elisa Valero Ramos (Spain), Pat Hanson (Canada) and Cazù Segers (Chile). and a special prize to Italy's First Lady in archtecture, Gae Aulenti. 

Christiane Bürklein

Immagini della conferenza stampa: Lorenzo Ceva Valla
Immagini dei progetti courtesy of arcVision.org