Feminine and plural: women architects trajectories and projects

• Grant number: 11/23260-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Architecture and Town Planning - Fundamentals of Architecture and Urbanism
• Principal Investigator: Ana Gabriela Godinho Lima
• Grantee: Ana Gabriela Godinho Lima
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo (FAU). Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (UPM). Instituto Presbiteriano Mackenzie. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In the context of the national academic research, gender studies are not yet configured or recognized as a credible and useful category of architectural analysis. Studies on gender and architecture in Brazil has been devoted predominantly to explore aspects related to the behavior of women architects, or their social roles (as professionals, mothers, wives, etc. ..), and their inherent difficulties. In-depth architectural projects analysis, that take into account a gender perspective, are not being carried in Brazil. For this reason, part of the problem to which this project is dedicated refers to the role of architectural design practice and its instruments in the construction of academic knowledge. The objectives of this research are then three-folded: 1.) The construction of academic arguments, based on solid theoretical framework to help characterize the gender studies as a useful category of academic analysis of architectural design; 2.) Reflection on women architects design practice, mainly through the discourses that these professionals construct about their work, reported in interviews and testimonials 3.) Finally, contributing to the current debate over the validity of the architectural project and its instruments in the construction and communication of academic knowledge. The methods to be used are listed below, in accordance with designations of Borden and Ray (2009): 1.) Empirical approach; 2.) Iconological or iconographic analysis; 3.) Social-historical analysis and 4.) Interdisciplinary Studies - the latter involves the use of the academic approach to gender studies, as well as visual (non-textual) analysis. This research will be conducted based on the responsible researcher's experience in academic research in gender studies in architecture and design practice in academic research. (AU)