How was involvement of female architects in the design of modernist residential complexes in Warsaw related to emerging concept of feminist design?
A.N. Sawicka (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
V. Baptist – Mentor (TU Delft - History, Form & Aesthetics)
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Abstract
This paper investigates the impact of incorporating a female perspective on housing and settlement design in Warsaw, Poland, examining the periods of early modernism (1918–1939) and late modernism (1945–1989). The study focuses on how modernism’s influence during Warsaw’s rapid post-sovereignty development provided an opportunity for women architects to contribute to – and shape – the urban landscape. By analysing key figures such as Barbara Brukalska, Helena Syrkus, and Halina Skibniewska, the paper identifies factors that enabled these pioneers to gain recognition in a predominantly male field. It explores how collaborations with male counterparts and an emphasis on niche areas like interior design, furniture, and landscape architecture supported their professional success. Moreover, the paper addresses the role of political engagement in advancing their careers and highlights how these contributions laid the foundation for inclusive and feminist design practices. Finally, it compares that context to challenges within contemporary architectural discourse.