WOMEN AND ARCHITECTURE

The course seeks to equip students with the critical and methodological tools required to engage with the principal themes and problems concerning the relationship between architecture and female presence, approached from a historical-critical and gender perspective, within a chronological framework spanning from the Late Middle Ages to the present day. In particular, it will examine spaces reserved exclusively for women, both in monastic and domestic contexts, as well as the mechanisms regulating and controlling women’s access to and use of public space (such as churches and theatres). It will further investigate the role of women in architectural patronage and in the management of family-run building enterprises.
Finally, the course will analyse the contribution of key female figures to architectural thought and practice—from Christine de Pizan, Katherine Briçonnet, Elizabeth Wilbraham and Plautilla Bricci, through to the first women professionals and graduates in architecture—culminating in a critical discussion of the profession in light of the role of women’s architectural associations and the increasing presence of women within the student body across a range of European and global contexts.

At the end of the course, the student should be able to:
1. Knowledge and Understanding
-demonstrate advanced knowledge of the principal themes and issues relating to the relationship between architecture and female presence within a historical-critical and gender-based perspective;
-understand the dynamics of production, use, and control of space (monastic, domestic, and public) in relation to gender;
-comprehend the role of women in architectural patronage and in the management of building practices;
-be familiar with the main female figures in the history of architecture, from the Late Middle Ages to the contemporary period.
2. Applying Knowledge and Understanding
-apply critical and methodological tools to the analysis of architectural case studies;
-interpret buildings and spaces in relation to gender dynamics;
-employ historical-critical categories to analyse complex architectural phenomena;
-relate local case studies (e.g. the Adriatic area) to broader European and global contexts.
3. Making Judgements
-develop independent interpretations of issues relating to architecture and gender;
-demonstrate critical awareness in the evaluation of primary and secondary sources;
-formulate interpretative and attributional hypotheses in the field of architectural history;
-show awareness of the cultural and social implications of architectural practices.
4. Communication Skills
-present complex topics clearly and coherently, both orally and in writing;
-use appropriate specialist terminology in the field of architectural history;
-present and discuss case studies in seminar settings;
-structure a scholarly essay in accordance with academic standards.
5. Learning Skills
-conduct independent research using bibliographical and archival sources;
-develop the ability to critically engage with international scholarly debates;
-integrate interdisciplinary approaches (art history, architecture, gender studies);
-acquire the skills necessary to pursue advanced studies or research activities.

A basic knowledge of architectural history and its relationship to the social context is required.

The course examines the relationship between architecture and female presence from a historical-critical and gender perspective, across a chronological span from the Late Middle Ages to the contemporary period. In particular, the following topics will be addressed:

1. Theoretical and methodological introduction
Gender studies and architectural history
Critical tools and interdisciplinary approaches
2. Space and gender
Production, use, and control of space in relation to gender
Space as a social construct
3. Female spaces
Female monastic architecture and enclosure
Domestic space and family organisation
Women’s access to and use of public space (churches, theatres, etc.)
4. Patronage and female agency
The role of women in architectural patronage
Strategies of representation and self-representation
5. Women and building practices
Female participation in construction enterprises
Transmission of skills and family roles
6. Key figures (15th–17th centuries)
Christine de Pizan
Katherine Briçonnet
Elizabeth Wilbraham
Plautilla Bricci
7. Architectural writing and theory (18th–19th centuries)
Female cultural and theoretical production
Women’s role in shaping architectural discourse
8. Professionalisation (19th–20th centuries)
Women’s access to education and the profession
Early women graduates and architects
9. Architecture and women in the 20th century
Modernism and female visibility
Dynamics of exclusion and inclusion
10. Contemporary and global perspectives
Women’s architectural associations
Gender gap in the profession
Female presence in architectural education
11. Case studies
Analysis of specific contexts (Adriatic region, European and international)
Critical interpretation of buildings and sources

Una rivoluzione silenziosa. Plautilla Bricci pittrice e architettrice, ed. Yuri Primarosa, exhibition catalogue, Milano: Officina Libraria, 2022.
Al femminile. L'architettura, le arti e la storia, cura di Chiara Baglione, Sergio Pace, Milano: Franco Angeli, 2023 [2026].
Buone nuove, eds. Pippo Ciorra, Elena Motisi ed Elena Tinacci, exhibition catalogue, Venezia: Marsilio, 2023.
Despina Stratigakos, Where Are the Women Architects?, Princeton University Press, 2016.
The Routledge Companion to Women in Architecture, Anna Sokolina, Anna ed., London and New York: Routledge, 2021.
Gender Space Architecture, Jane Rendell, Barbara Penner and Iain Borden, eds., London: Routledge, 2000.
Women Writing Architecture, 1700–1900: Expanding Histories, Hultzsch, Anne, and Sol Pérez Martínez, eds.Zurich: gta Verlag, 2025.
Minding Her Business: Women, Architecture, and Design, Alborz Dianat and Kathleen James-Chakraborty, eds. Leuven: Leuven University Press, 2026.

A more specific bibliography will be distributed at the beginning of the course.

To access the oral exam, students may choose between two options:

Option 1:
Participation in group work, specifically the preparation of a virtual exhibition that will be the subject of a group discussion. Each student will contribute with an individual research project, agreed upon at the beginning of the course, to be submitted in written form to the instructor. This written work will be part of the final evaluation process.
The exhibition text must be a maximum of 4,000 characters, including spaces (excluding bibliography and illustrations). Illustrations should be placed at the end of the text, accompanied by a list of illustrations. Final bibliography required.

Option 2:
A short paper discussing one of the female figures fundamental for architecture. The topic must be agrees with the professor.
The paper should be 10,000 characters, including spaces (excluding bibliography and footnotes).Illustrations should be placed at the end of the text, accompanied by a list of illustrations. Final bibliography required.


The final oral exam will consist of three types of questions:

A set of three multiple-choice questions on topics covered during the lectures

One open-ended question on a topic discussed in class

A discussion of the student's individual research project (exhibition entry or short paper)

oral

The lecturer has a duty to ensure that the rules regarding the authenticity and originality of exam tests and papers are respected. Therefore, if there is suspicion of irregular conduct, an additional assessment may be conducted, which could differ from the original exam description.

Grading Scale for Exams:

A. Scores in the range of 18–22 will be assigned for:

Sufficient knowledge and understanding of the exam texts and related topics

Limited ability to use relevant information and formulate independent judgments

Sufficient communication skills

B. Scores in the range of 23–26 will be assigned for:

Fair knowledge of the exam texts and related topics

Fair ability to use relevant information and formulate independent judgments

Fair communication skills

C. Scores in the range of 27–30 will be assigned for:

Good to excellent knowledge and understanding of the exam texts and related topics

Good to excellent ability to use relevant information and formulate independent judgments

Fully adequate communication skills

D. “Honors” (lode) will be awarded to students who demonstrate excellent knowledge and understanding of the exam texts and related topics.

The course is organized in a seminar format and includes lectures with image projections by the instructor, as well as student presentations.
Students who choose to work on the group virtual exhibition will present it in class to enable group discussion.
The course also includes practice in writing an exhibition entry or short paper, as described above.

Given the seminar format of the course, attendance is highly recommended, also for students who do not participate in the group project.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Poverty and inequalities" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development