NEWS! Sophie, one of our talented and inspirational Part IIs here at West Port, recently had an article published in the architectural journal, Field: 'Embodying an Anti-Racist Architecture' issue (March, 2022). The piece is titled ‘Diversity in Architecture: What can Architectural Education and Practice Learn from Law?’. It is an adaptation of her MArch thesis from Sheffield University.

From Sophie:

‘The primary ambition [of the study] is to bring together a multiplicity of voices from the legal and architectural professions to compare attitudes towards ethnic and gender diversity. The research interrogates case studies from the legal profession to determine if any of the diversity initiatives utilised by law could be adopted to disrupt the existing homogeneous culture that exists within architecture. The issues explored were framed by a series of interviews with students and practitioners from law and architecture; the results of an online survey answered by sixty-seven architecture students; and a literature review focussing on gender and ethnic representation in the legal and architectural professions. The landscape of diversity in architecture is ever-evolving. This article acknowledges this and is intended to act as a marker of 2021, to assess what is currently being done to combat the profession’s alarming lack of diversity.’

To say the least, both the article and full issue are a must read for anyone interested in seeing our profession become more inclusive and equitable. Check it out online now by following the image link and go give Field: a follow on Instagram (@fieldjournal_open) too. Full publication available on their website. Congrats again Sophie, stellar work!

Cover art by Alem Derege