International Archive of Women in Architecture facts for kids
The International Archive of Women in Architecture (IAWA) started in 1985. It was created by Virginia Tech's College of Architecture and Urban Studies and the University Libraries at Virginia Tech.
Contents
Why IAWA Was Created
The main goal of the IAWA is to keep a record of the history of women's work in architecture. They do this by collecting, protecting, and storing important papers. These papers belong to women architects, landscape designers, and city planners. They also collect records from groups that support women in architecture. This helps researchers learn about their contributions.
What IAWA Collects
The IAWA gathers papers from women who worked in architecture a long time ago, especially before the 1950s. Back then, very few women were in this field. By October 2006, the IAWA had over 1,200 cubic feet (about 34 cubic meters) of materials. These are kept in Virginia Tech's Special Collections library.
The IAWA also collects books and other publications written by or about women architects. You can find these books using Virginia Tech's online library catalog, called Addison.
At first, IAWA focused on women who were pioneers in architecture. Now, it includes materials from many generations of women architects. These collections are very important for studying architecture, women's history, and social history. Some of the women whose work is included are Diana Balmori, Mary Colter, L. Jane Hastings, Anna Keichline, Yasmeen Lari, Eleanore Pettersen, Sigrid Lorenzen Rupp, Brinda Somaya, and Beverly Willis.
The IAWA also gathers information about women architects. Their database has details on more than 650 women. These women come from 48 different countries and 42 states in the United States.
About 1,200 images from 28 collections have been scanned. You can see these images online through the VT ImageBase.
Who Guides IAWA
The IAWA is guided by a group of advisors. These advisors include architects, city planners, designers, librarians, and professors from all over the world. The head of Special Collections at Virginia Tech helps manage the IAWA. She also prepares a report for their yearly meeting.
The Milka Bliznakov Research Prize
The Milka Bliznakov Research Prize started in 2001. It honors Dr. Milka Bliznakov (1927-2010), who helped start the IAWA. This prize encourages architects, scholars, and students to research women in architecture. This research helps fill in missing parts of history about women who designed and shaped our buildings and cities.
Recent Milka Bliznakov Award and Research Prize Winners
- 2016, Dr. Ines Moisset, for "Women Architects on the Web" and Dr. Tanja Poppelreuter, for "Refugee and émigré female architects before 1940."
- 2015, Claire Bonney Brüllman, for "The Work and Life of Adrienne Gorska" and Sarah Rafson, for "CARY (Chicks in Architecture Refuse to Yield)."
- 2014, Meredith Sattler, for research on early technology in environmental design, focusing on Beverly Willis and Associates’ CARLA platform.
- 2013, Robert Holton, for "Natalie De Blois - The role and contribution in the design of three pivotal SOM projects completed in New York City between 1950-1960: the Lever House, the Pepsi-Cola building and the Union Carbide."
Many other talented researchers have also won this important prize over the years.
See also
In Spanish: Archivo Internacional de Mujeres en Arquitectura para niños
