To celebrate International Women’s Day, we asked the Brazilian non-profit group Arquitetas Invisíveis to share with us a part of their work, which identifies women in architecture and urbanism. They kindly shared with us a list of 48 important women architects, divided into seven categories: pioneers, “in the shadows,” architecture, urbanism, social architecture, landscape architecture and sustainable architecture. We will be sharing this list over the course of the week.
Today, in the last post of the series, we present the female architects who put an emphasis on sustainability.
Sustainable Architecture
Sustainable architecture is quickly gaining more importance and attention. Rather than just thinking of the building as a product, it is important to look at the whole construction process, with a focus on using alternative materials, saving resources and maintaining an ecological balance. By reducing a building’s environmental impact, saving energy and water, and providing a a more natural relationship with the environment, this type of architecture has become a reference point for those seeking a greener world. Françoise Hélène Jourda has developed projects and academic studies focusing on sustainable architecture. Carla Juaçaba has also stood out in the field of sustainable design, known especially for the relationship between her work and its context. Leiko Motomura, on the other hand, is known for her use of bamboo in construction.
Brazilian architect born in 1976. She won the ArcVison - Women and Architecture award in 2013.
FRANÇOISE HÉLÈNE JOURDA
French architect born in 1955. She graduated in 1979, with sustainable architecture as her main focus of study. She works with developing efficient methods for saving energy in her designs. Her projects like the Pajol hall and éNergie zérO are low in energy consumption. In 2004, she was appointed as the curator of the Sustainable Metamorphosis exhibition at the Venice Biennale. Her work is recognized worldwide, and has been featured at expositions in London, Chicago, Rotterdam, Berlin and at the MoMA in New York. She wrote the book “A Small Sustainable Design Manual,” and in 2007 was nominated for the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture.
LEIKO MOTOMURA
Leiko Motomura is the founder of the firm Amima Arquitetura, where she works on minimal impact projects, using bamboo as a main construction material.
View the rest of the series here.
