SURVEY

GENDER PARITY:
ARCHITECTURE PROFESSION IN POST-BINARY INDIA

BRIEF

Globally, the discipline of architecture has a long-standing history of being a male-dominated field; this is despite half (sometimes more) of the graduates being women. Female architects form around 17-21% of the total number of architects in the U.S.A, 35% in Britain (CW Team, 2021) and, as per one of the more sobering statistics, 50% in India. Of this 50%, less than 20% are licensed practitioners!

But, women are slowly striving to be an equal part of the profession in India. The path of progress, however, remains evidently different for the non-binary genders; in the past five years, according to information provided to us by CoA (in December 2021), three transgender students have enrolled in architecture. This immense disparity in numbers indicates a far worse reality in the areas of gender representation in this post-binary world*.

WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE?

INDEPEDENT ARCHITECTURE PRACTICES

Architects having independent architecture practices, irrespective of the size of the firm

EMPLOYEE ARCHITECTS

Architects working with architecture practices

ACADEMIC PROFESSIONALS

Architects working as academic professionals, whether full time or part time.

FREELANCERS / SELF EMPLOYED ARCHITECTS

Architects providing services such as photography, writing, documentation, visualisation etc.

ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS

Architecture Students, pursuing undergrad or post grad course.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What survey form can I participate in?

We have 5 forms displayed on the website. Depending on your role, select the survey form most applicable to you.

Independent architecture practice: Retired/ practicing Principal/ Co-Founder/ Partner
Employed Architects: Practicing or retired architect professionals
Academicians: Retired or currently practicing academicians
Freelancers: Retired from a freelance work or currently involved in freelancing
Students: Undergraduate, Postgraduate, M.Phil./Ph.D. students involved in architectural studies

Can I fill in the same form twice?

Yes, you can fill in the same form twice if it is applicable.

For example, if you are currently working as an academician in more than one educational institute/university, you can fill in the form twice to account for your varied experiences.

Can I fill in two different forms?

Yes. If you currently have two different primary roles.

For example, if you are working in a practice and are enrolled as a student in an institution, you can fill in the “EMPLOYED ARCHITECTS” and “STUDENTS” form.

What form should I fill if I have just completed my education but have no job?

You are eligible to fill the “STUDENTS” form in such a case if you fulfil the conditions mentioned below:

Less than 6 months since you graduated.
Currently not working either in academia or a practice or both.

Will my information and data be protected?

We, at ArchitectureLive!, take the protection of your information and data very seriously. Only ArchitectureLive!’s supporting team will have access to the identifying information. Unless approved by you for a follow-up discussion, no potentially identifying information will be mentioned in our outcome.

Will the form track my IP address or any such identifiable data?

The survey forms have been developed using MICROSOFT which does not allow tracking of IP addresses.

Whom do I contact for additional queries, feedback, and comments that I couldn’t/ did not include in the form?

You can reach out to us at [email protected] if you wish to share something regarding the survey, any additional queries that aren’t resolved through this FAQ, and/or feedback.

SURVEY BRIEF CONTINUED

The questions that then arise are:
How do we propel gender parity and inclusivity in the architecture field in India?

How do we address and update the profession’s imbalances?

How do we make the profession more inclusive?

WHAT ARE WE AIMING FOR?

This survey is a part of our research, where your participation will allow an accurate understanding of the perceptions, views, and experiences of various gender roles in architectural institutions and practices. It would help us analyze the current situation from first-hand accounts, the graph of embracing inclusivity over the years, and the contributing factors and obstacles hindering gender parity. This data may further help us to identify the loopholes and the attitude of the fraternity regarding gender disparity, thereby allowing us to take the discourse further. This could eventually lead to an environment where impactful measures could be suggested and adopted.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

The survey focuses on all the people with a background in architecture in India- students, academicians, practising architects or graduated architects, writers, researchers, historians, photographers, critics, and archivists. We invite you to be one of the respondent to the survey, which will remain live for the next few months.

THE FINER PRINT

Given the potentially private nature of [some] questions, we assure you that your responses will be kept anonymous. Any information provided by you through the survey will not be linked to you personally in the public dissemination of the findings. They will be integrated and summarized to protect your anonymity. Only ArchitectureLive!’s supporting team will have access to any identifying information shared by the respondent. Unless approved by the individual in follow-up discussions, no potentially identifying information will be mentioned in our outcome.

Please select the button applicable to you to proceed with filling out the form.

DEFINITION:
*Non-binary gender, gender creative, and gender expansive people:
Umbrella terms for individuals who do not fit into traditional “male” and “female” gender categories.
Includes individuals who identify as agender, bigender, gender fluid, genderqueer, and various other genders.

REFERENCES:
CW Team. (2021, August 16). Only 20% of licensed women architects in India become practitioners. Www.constructionworld.in. https://www.constructionworld.in/policy-updates-and-economic-news/only-20–of-licensed-women-architects-in-india-become-practitioners/29155
Survey Shows Best and Worst Countries for Female Architects – Arch2O.com. (2016, November 15). Arch2o. https://www.arch2o.com/survey-shows-best-and-worst-countries-for-female-architects/
LGBTQIA+ terminology – umass. (n.d.). Retrieved October 31, 2022, from https://www.umass.edu/stonewall/sites/default/files/documents/allyship_term_handout.pdf