For its second historical conference-workshop to be held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, between 3rd-5th October 2016 project Women’s Creativity since the Modern Movement - MoMoWo welcomes papers addressing themes and subjects regarding activities and lives of women designers, architects and civil engineers between 1946 and 1968. The historical conference-workshop will provide the opportunity to share and discuss the professional experiences of European women active within various fields of design. The workshop is addressed to both, scholars and students.
In most European countries the period between 1946 and 1968 was marked by intensive rebuilding of the post-war society and its urban spaces. We are particularly interested in how the political and societal shifts of the period affected women active in creative professions. We propose to explore the following topics as a starting point for future research:
1. POLITICS, POLICIES AND POLITICAL REGIMES
What was the position of women architects and designers in different political regimes and how did it compare? (How) was it incorporated into state policies? Did any particular “female specialisations” within the fields of architecture, design, urban planning, civil engineering etc. emerge in this period? If so, what were their characteristics and how were they encouraged? How were women represented in architectural exhibitions and competitions? What role did they play in conservation and restoration of architectural heritage? (How) did they negotiate with the gender bias in their profession?
2. RESEARCH AND INDUSTRIES
What was the role of women in developing social housing projects, how were they involved in research and studies of interior design according to human scale? What position did they take in the developing field of industrial design? Did the extent of their participation in building construction change in comparison with the pre-war pioneers, and if so – in what ways? Papers on civil engineering, exploring women’s involvement in creation of new construction techniques and development of materials will also be most welcomed.
3. EDUCATION AND PUBLISHING
What access did female students have to schools of architecture, design and building engineering? Did they experience any obstacles? How were women professionals included in the education process and how were they represented in the academia? What are the characteristics of their affiliation with professional architectural publications (journals, magazines) either as contributors or members of editorial boards?
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