In 2022 The Association for Women in Architecture turnED 100 years old.
Our Mission
The Los Angeles based organization Association for Women in Architecture + Design (AWA+D) is a Professional Society dedicated to supporting career and educational endeavors for women working in the built environment. In 2022, we will celebrate 100 years of service to members, design professions and our communities. AWA+D, along with our sister organizations, will commemorate our dynamic history and legacy throughout 2022, with events locally, nationally and internationally, all underscoring initiatives emerging from the cross-disciplinary discourse on women in architecture and the built environment. Details can be found at www.awaplusd.org.
Our organization has evolved through numerous iterations, beginning in 1915 as La Confrerie Alongine, to the official formation of the national student organization, Alpha Alpha Gamma in 1922. Renamed The Association of Women in Architecture and Allied Arts (AWA) in 1948, professional chapters across the US were formed to embrace landscape architects, interior designers, artists and engineers. A re-organization in 1964 precipitated the Los Angeles chapter (AWA-LA) and in 2012 we became The Association for Women in Architecture + Design (AWA+D) "to emphasize our commitment to furthering the cross-pollination of a range of design disciplines."
Women's voices are stronger than ever in campaigning for gender parity, best practices, diversity and inclusion and expansion. The growth of organizations advocating and advancing these principals across professions and communicating the value of design to society is exponential. Female design professionals have created vibrant networks and spaces of dialogue and activism that promote diverse contributions, expanded opportunities, mentorships, leadership, retention, relevant content, research, visibility, awareness, and support for our professions' talent at every stage of educational and professional development. These conversations and actions not only denounce discrimination and harassment, but are redefining the culture, restoring the historical record of women, establishing balance and crafting safe spaces for new generations of emerging design professionals.
Our resilience has enabled us to thrive for 100 years, thus AWA+D's 100th anniversary theme is ‘100 Years: Celebrate the past, Envision the future’. In acknowledging seismic shifts in financial, economic, environmental, geopolitical and social sectors, our role allows us to reframe built environment systems and take the lead in cultivating ecologically and culturally sustainable spaces and places for all peoples. As likely the oldest, continuing organization for women in architecture and design in the world, AWA+D celebrates her legacy in solidarity with the burgeoning body of women advocating for sustainably equitable practice, and have invited all sister organizations and individuals to celebrate her 100th anniversary as one community — an alliance of educators, scholars, practitioners, and activists working in partnership towards our common goals. No matter where we are, we are a society, globally extended to include and support those who are working to advance all women-identified individuals in architecture and the allied professions.
Los Angeles is AWA+D's base, and a nexus of design experimentation, innovation, discourse and cultural influence. AWA+D celebrates our city's history and a view towards the future of practice. Join us throughout 2022 and specifically in June 2022 in Los Angeles, where we will revel in our collective society, share our lessons learned, acclaim our impact and prompt solutions for the next 100 years. How will our advocacy to elevate women's contributions champion new interdisciplinary practices of inclusion to transform the built and natural environments for the communities we serve?
