AA XX 100: Celebrating Women in Architecture

The story of women at the Architectural Association is at once a history of women’s presence within a very particular educational institution, a history of women’s presence within the architectural profession and a part of the history of twentieth-century architecture in both Britain and the wider world. The exhibition explores this story and begins with ‘1917’ – a section that focuses on women’s admittance, the first students, their training and early work, and continues with a series of displays that set contemporary and historic examples side by side. Through photographs, models, drawings, and other archival material, the further themes presented are Collaborations, Beyond the Drawing Board, The AA Spirit, The Politics of Practice, Public Practice/Public Service and Local/Global, plus a special feature devoted to student work across the generations. Projects featured range from the very first building designed by AA women, recent museum projects by Amanda Levete Architects and an installation that focuses on Zaha Hadid’s connections to the AA.

The exhibition is curated by Elizabeth Darling and Lynne Walker, designed by Eva Jiricna and Georgina Papathanasiou and accompanied by the release of the book AA Women in Architecture 1917-2017, edited by Lynne Walker and Elizabeth Darling, published by AA Publications.

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