Progress, Challenges, and Recognition on International Women’s Day 2025
On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2025, we celebrate the resilience and innovation of women architects worldwide, who are transforming a discipline long shaped by male dominance. While their presence continues to grow, from local impact to global accolades like the Pritzker Prize, AIA Gold Medal, and RIBA Royal Gold Medal, deep inequities remain. Leadership roles, major commissions, and industry-wide recognition still lean disproportionately male.
This post not only honors their breakthroughs but also calls attention to the structural shifts still needed.
Global Overview in Numbers of Women Architects
Women’s participation in architecture has grown significantly, with estimates suggesting they constitute 30-35% of architects worldwide by March 2025. This means around 750,000 to 875,000 women out of an estimated 2.5 million architects globally, based on trends from the AIA and RIBA. However, exact numbers are hard to pin down due to varying registration practices across countries, and the International Union of Architects (UIA), representing over 1 million architects, doesn’t specify gender breakdown. This global figure aligns with projections from sources like Architizer Journal, which estimated 2.7 million architects in 2017, suggesting a reasonable basis despite the lack of a definitive count.
Regional Breakdown
Representation varies widely by region:
- United States: In the US, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) 2024 report shows women making up 46% of new Record holders (those starting the licensure process), indicating they approach 46% of recent graduates, supported by the 2023 NAAB report showing 51% female enrollment in 2022-2023. However, only 27% of licensed architects are women, pointing to a retention gap possibly due to mid-career challenges like caregiving, as noted in UN-Habitat’s World Urban Forum 12 (WUF12) in November 2024.
- United Kingdom: RIBA’s 2022 data confirms 31% female membership, up from 28% in 2018, but senior roles remain male-dominated, with only 19% of partners and directors being women in 2018.
- Europe: The Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE) 2020 Sector Study reports 42% female architects, up from 31% in 2010, with Sweden at around 45% in 2022, reflecting progressive gender policies.
- Asia and Africa: Representation is lower, estimated at 20-30%, with specific data like India at 47.3% (RTF, 2021) and South Africa at less than one-third, though exact figures are scarce.
Senior Level Representation and Challenges
Despite this growth, women’s presence diminishes at senior levels, where leadership roles, prominent commissions, and long-term retention remain predominantly male domains. The ACE 2020 study notes a gender pay gap of 21%, and AIA’s 2023 demographics report shows only 17% of principals are women, underscoring uneven influence. This gap is particularly stark in Asia and Africa, where cultural barriers and caregiving roles, as highlighted by UN-Habitat’s WUF12 (November 2024), exacerbate challenges. Women handle 76% of unpaid care work globally, impacting their professional advancement and retention, especially mid-career.
Summary of Representation Data
The following table summarizes the data, highlighting the uneven distribution and the need for targeted efforts to enhance women’s representation and advancement in architecture:
| Region/Country | Percentage of Women Architects | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Global | 30-35% (est. March 2025) | AIA and RIBA trends |
| United States | ~46% of new Record holders (2023), 27% licensed (2023) | NCARB 2024, NAAB 2023 |
| United Kingdom | 31% (2022), up from 28% (2018) | RIBA 2022 |
| Europe | 42% (2020) | ACE 2020 Sector Study |
| Sweden | ~45% (2022 est.) | ACE 2022 Sector Study |
| Asia/Africa | 20-30% (est.) | General trends, e.g., India 47.3% (RTF, 2021), South Africa <33% (CSMonitor, 2021) |
This table summarizes the data, highlighting the uneven distribution and the need for targeted interventions to bridge leadership gaps, especially in regions with lower representation.
Gender Disparities in Prestigious Architecture Awards
Often called the ;Nobel Prize of Architecture,’ the Pritzker Architecture Prize is the profession’s most prestigious award, setting the global standard for excellence. Yet, since its inception in 1979, only six women have received the prize out of 54 laureates—a mere 11.1%, despite women making up an estimated 30-35% of the profession.
This imbalance is not unique to the Pritzker Prize. Other major accolades also reflect architecture’s gender disparity:
- AIA Gold Medal – Only 3 of 81 recipients (4%) have been women.
- RIBA Royal Gold Medal – Just 6 of 177 recipients (3.4%) have been women.
These figures highlight a persistent recognition gap at the highest levels of the field. While architecture continues to evolve, its most prestigious honors remain overwhelmingly male-dominated—raising critical questions about visibility, bias, and the structural barriers preventing women from receiving equal recognition for their contributions.
The Recognition Gap in Architectural Media
Despite the growing presence of women in architecture, mainstream design publications continue to highlight a select group of high-profile figures—predominantly from Western countries. Industry rankings and features often favor architects associated with elite institutions and large-scale commissions, while practitioners from regions such as Africa, South Asia, and Latin America receive significantly less coverage. Although efforts have been made to showcase a broader range of voices, the imbalance persists, reinforcing existing visibility gaps. This narrow focus shapes industry recognition, making it more challenging for equally impactful architects from underrepresented regions to gain global acknowledgment. Expanding architectural discourse beyond familiar geographies is crucial to fostering a truly inclusive profession.
Women in Architecture: Challenges for 2025
For women architects in 2025, progress demands structural change, amplified by fresh insights from UN-Habitat’s WUF12 (Cairo, November 2024) and recent industry discourse. Key needs include:
- Work-Life Balance: Women globally handle 76% of unpaid care work (WUF12, 2024), a burden stark in urban crises like Cairo’s housing shortage. RIBA and AIA push flexible models like remote work and part-time options, to retain women architects juggling caregiving, a top 2025 priority (AIA Equity Guides 2024).
- Major Commissions: Access to high-profile projects remains skewed toward male-led teams (68% of women cite this, WIA 2024). Equitable allocation is critical, per recent surveys.
- Mentorship: Sustained guidance for mid- and senior-level women, where retention drops, gains urgency (RIBA 2025 preview, March 2).
- Pay Equity: Closing gaps (16% UK, 15% US, RIBA/AIA 2023–2024) via transparent audits is non-negotiable, addressing systemic disparities.
- Tech Empowerment: Training in BIM, AI, and sustainable design (Dezeen, March 4, 2025) equips women for flexible, competitive roles, aligning with industry trends.
These align opportunity with capability, addressing both career and caregiving realities for women architects in 2025.
Local Architects, Global Impact: Unsung Heroes of Design
Beyond prestige and accolades, a cohort of lesser-known women architects is quietly transforming communities with innovative, context-driven designs. Often overlooked, their work champions sustainability, social equity, and resilience—offering scalable solutions that merit greater recognition.
Xu Tiantian (China) revitalizes rural landscapes through sustainable interventions in Songyang County, as highlighted by ArchDaily. In Namibia, Nina Maritz pioneers climate-responsive architecture rooted in resource efficiency. Across West Africa, Tosin Oshinowo (Nigeria) lends her expertise to UNDP’s community rebuilding efforts, while Mariam Kamara (Niger), through Atelier Masōmī/Mariam Issoufou Architects, reimagines civic and cultural spaces. Meanwhile, Marina Tabassum (Bangladesh) seamlessly blends tradition with resilience, exemplified by the award-winning Bait-ur-Rouf Mosque.
Elsewhere, Aziza Chaouni (Morocco) restores historic urban spaces with sustainable solutions, including Fez’s riverfront regeneration. In India, Revathi Kamath was a pioneer of eco-sensitive architecture, advocating mud construction long before it gained mainstream recognition. From Chile, Cazú Zegers crafts poetic, landscape-integrated designs, while Christina van Bohemen (New Zealand) champions equitable urban planning.
Spanning Africa, Asia, and beyond, these architects are driving meaningful change. Yet their contributions rarely make global headlines. As recent features suggest, it’s time to amplify their impact and recognize architecture as a powerful tool for empowerment.
Looking Ahead
International Women’s Day 2025 spotlights women architects’ third of the profession against their scant award wins; 6 of 54 Pritzker laureates. The field’s doors widen, but influence lags. Addressing commissions, mentorship, pay, flexibility, and tech access, alongside amplifying unsung voices, charts a path to equity. Share an unsung architect’s story in comments or submit via our form for future coverage.
Disclaimer
This article was written with the assistance of AI in data and statistical research. It is advised to verify all information
Key Citations
- AIA Membership Demographics Report 2023
- RIBA Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gap Data 2022
- NCARB By The Numbers 2024
- NAAB Report on Architecture Education 2023
- Pritzker Architecture Prize Archives
- Architizer Journal on Global Architects
- RTF Review into Percentage of Female Architects
- CSMonitor on South African Women Architects
- Xu Tiantian | ArchDaily
- Nina Maritz Architects | ArchDaily
- Tosin Oshinowo | ArchDaily
- Mariam Kamara | ArchDaily
- Marina Tabassum | ArchDaily
- Women in Architecture Survey 2024
- RIBA celebrates Women’s History Month 2023
- Women In Architecture | ArchDaily
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