Panel Event Recap: "Disrupting Norms" in Architecture

Last month, Curio had the pleasure of joining Ede Enablers and Disrupt Magazine to host ‘Disrupting Norms’, a captivating panel event featuring Alison Brooks, Jane Clay, and Alice Dietsch, expertly chaired and moderated by Tania Ihlenfeld.

With EH Smith providing a stunning space, the ambience was set for an intimate conversation, aptly described by Alison Brooks as a 'talking circle'. Karen Owens of Auricle Studio brought further dynamism to the evening with her thoughts on the lighting space and challenging design perceptions.

It was a genuinely personal and pertinent discussion in which the audience was visibly engrossed. In what felt like a break from convention, the conversation steered clear of describing the typical challenges that women in architecture face. Instead, the panellists shared poignant memories of their personal journeys, recognising the opportunities they have had and how these made a difference - not only to their own careers, but also to their project teams, and ultimately, their clients.

These were uplifting conversations about embracing challenges; there was joy in the struggle, with each hurdle recast as an opportunity. And the journeys described were shared as much as individual ones, illustrating the collective effort that comes from a shared passion for architecture. For each guest speaker, this passion was central to how they navigated unknown territories.

For Alice, her pivotal moment was being part of the winning team for the V&A and then leading the project. She described her insecurity around not speaking fluent English at that early point in her career while dealing with such a major client. Alice commended the client as ‘brave and courageous’, however, the audience was clearly in awe of her own personal bravery, her integrity for the design, and her choice of materials which had never been used before.

Jane's journey at Gensler underscored the critical need for strategic foresight in early project stages, advocating for a more pragmatic approach at RIBA stage 0. She emphasised how strategic planning not only enhances project outcomes but also supports client objectives holistically.

Alison highlighted the evolving role of architects today. She recalled not winning a bid after failing to convince the local borough on how many new jobs would be created in the community. With ever tighter resource constraints among boroughs, what will the future look like for architects in this sector?

Alice shared her desire for architects to break free from economic and social design constraints. Wouldn't it be a great idea for architects to shape places that are generally perceived to be mundane places? Supermarkets were given as an example. Can architects have more of an impact on society, and why are there limitations to what they design?

It really was an uplifting evening of memories, generosity of time, and warmth.

I came away feeling that there is a strong and growing need for more genuine conversations. Challenges and struggles are a fundamental and valuable part of our journeys. Together with more visibility for women in leadership positions, we need more spaces and opportunities for designers and architects to share and celebrate the mistakes and missteps that have ultimately produced extraordinary work.

A selection of photos from the Disrupting Norms panel event.