Martha Thome photo By Richter Frank-Jurgen

25 Most Famous Female Architects


 

Female architects have been present in the field of architecture since the 19th century, although their contributions were often overlooked or unrecognized. In the last few decades, there has been a shift towards recognizing and celebrating the contributions of female architects, with many countries recognizing the importance of gender equality in the field.

Some of the famous female architects include Zaha Hadid, Amanda Levete, Denise Scott Brown, and Denise Scott Brown. These architects have made significant contributions to the field of architecture, and their work has helped to shape the urban landscape of cities around the world.

1. Zaha Hadid

Zaha Hadid in Heydar Aliyev Cultural center in Baku nov 2013 Photo By Dmitry Ternovoy

Zaha Hadid is widely considered to be one of the most influential and significant female architects of the 20th and 21st centuries. Born in Baghdad, Iraq, she studied mathematics before studying architecture at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. Throughout her career, Hadid pushed the boundaries of modern architecture with her innovative and futuristic designs.

She was the first woman to win the Pritzker Prize for Architecture in 2004, and she won numerous awards for her designs, including the Stirling Prize in 2010 and 2011. Her notable projects include the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympics, the Guangzhou Opera House in China, and the Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku, Azerbaijan.

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2. Julia Morgan

Julia was one of the first female architects in the United States. After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley in 1894, she worked as an apprentice in the architecture firm of John Galen Howard and designed many buildings in the San Francisco area.

She is best known for her design of the Hearst Castle, a sprawling estate in San Simeon, California. She was also the first woman to be admitted to the architecture program at the 脡cole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Her body of work included more than 700 buildings, many of them in California. She later opened her architecture firm and was the first woman to be elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.

3. Denise Scott Brown

Denise Scott Brown photo By Columbia GSAPP

Denise Scott Brown is an American architect. She is best known for her groundbreaking research on the impact of the environment on the individual, as well as her architectural work with Robert Venturi. She is also the only female who received the AIA Gold Medal, an honor bestowed on a significant individual in the field of architecture.

Her work has been influential in the architectural world, pushing for more inclusive, human-centered design. She has worked to make the profession more diverse and to promote the role of women in architecture.

4. Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk

Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk is a leading female architect and urban planner. She is the co-founder of the firm Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company, which specializes in the practice of New Urbanism. She is best known for her work in developing and promoting the concept of New Urbanism, which seeks to create more livable cities.

She has designed many towns and neighborhoods across the United States and around the world, including Seaside, Florida; Kentlands, Maryland; and Celebration, Florida. Plater-Zyberk is also a professor at the University Of Miami School Of Architecture, where she teaches courses in architecture, urbanism, and environmental design. She has received multiple awards for her work, including the National American Institute of Architects (AIA) President’s Award in 2005.

Read also 10 Most Famous Architects of all Time.

5. Odile Decq

Odile Decq photo By Columbia GSAPP

Odile Decq is a French architect and urban planner who has made significant contributions to the field of female architecture. She is the first woman to win the prestigious Pritzker Prize for Architecture in 2020. She is a pioneer in the field of architecture, pushing boundaries and creating innovative designs that challenge traditional building methods.

She is also an advocate for gender equality in the world of architecture and has built numerous projects that have helped to empower women and create opportunities for them to become successful in the field.

6. Lise Anne Couture

Lise Anne Couture photo By Alex Cao

Lise Anne Couture is a Canadian female architect who is best known for her work on corporate and institutional projects. She has designed and completed numerous projects in the Greater Toronto Area, including the York University Student Centre and the CN Tower.

Her works are known for their innovative and modern designs, which stand out in the Toronto skyline. She has been recognized for her contributions to the profession, having received numerous awards such as the Governor General’s Award in Architecture. Couture is seen as a pioneer in the field of female architecture, inspiring other women to pursue the field.

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7. Denise L. Cherry

Denise L. Cherry is an award-winning architect and principal of Cherry Architects, living in Washington, D.C. She is a leader in the field of sustainable architecture and has been recognized for her work in creating healthier, more efficient, and environmentally conscious buildings.

She has served as a role model for aspiring female architects. She has designed a wide range of projects, including educational institutions, civic and cultural centers, and corporate offices, and her work has been featured in numerous publications.

8. Denise Chevalier

Denise Chevalier was a pioneering female architect and urban planner from France. She was a leader in the French architectural scene in the mid-20th century, and her body of work included numerous public buildings, housing projects, and urban designs. Chevalier was also known for her advocacy of modernist architecture and her commitment to providing quality and innovative buildings that addressed the needs of the local community. 

Her projects often incorporated new materials and technologies, as well as open spaces, greenery, and flexible design elements. Chevalier has received many awards, including the Grand Prix National de urbanism de France. Her legacy lives on in her buildings and urban designs, and she continues to inspire young architects and urban planners to this day. 

9. Jeanne Gang

Jeanne Gang photo By Columbia GSAPP

Jeanne Gang is a renowned female architect, the founding principal of Studio Gang, and the recipient of numerous awards, including the MacArthur Fellowship. She has been a leader in the field of architecture and has developed an impressive portfolio of projects across the globe.

Her most notable works include the Aqua Tower in Chicago, the Writers Theatre in Glencoe, Illinois, and the Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo. She has also worked on projects that seek to address issues of social justice, such as the Wabash Arts Corridor in Chicago and the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College.

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10. Martha Schwartz

Martha Schwartz is an American landscape architect and urban designer based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Institute of Contemporary Art in London.

Her work has been featured in many books and journals, and she has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors. In addition, she has been a visiting professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and a visiting lecturer at numerous universities.

11. Kazuyo Sejima

Kazuyo Sejima photo By Columbia GSAPP

Kazuyo Sejima is a Japanese architect, who is best known for her modern designs. She is the first woman to win the Pritzker Prize and is one of the most influential female architects of the 21st century.

She has worked on a variety of projects, ranging from residential homes to museums, and is known for her use of light and transparency in her designs.

12. Elizabeth Diller

Elizabeth Diller Photo By Columbia GSAPP

Elizabeth Diller is a world-renowned female architect, best known for her innovative and experimental designs. She is the founding partner of Diller Scofidio + Renfro, an award-winning architecture and design firm based in New York City. Diller is a leader in the fields of architecture and urban design, and her work has been lauded for its playful and thought-provoking nature.

She has designed many public projects, including The High Line in New York City, The Broad Museum in Los Angeles, and the Stuttgart City Library in Germany. She is a professor at Princeton University and has won numerous awards for her groundbreaking work.

Read also 10 Most Famous British Architects.

13. Marion Weiss 

Marion Weiss is an American female architect and co-founder of the award-winning architecture firm Weiss/Manfredi in New York City. She is a leader in the field of design and urbanism, having designed many notable projects such as the Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle, the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the Museum of the Earth in Ithaca, New York.

 Her work focuses on creating meaningful connections between the built environment and the natural world and she has been honored with numerous awards for her innovative designs. Weiss is also a professor and co-director of the Urban Design Program at the University of Pennsylvania.

14. Mary Jane Begin

Mary Jane Begin was an American architect who was a leader in the modernist architecture movement. She is best known for her design of the iconic “butterfly” house in Connecticut. She was the first female architect in the state of Connecticut and was a pioneer in the field of modern architecture.

 She was an advocate for sustainable design and a mentor to many young women in the field of architecture. She was also a passionate advocate for public architecture and served on the board of directors of the Connecticut Architecture Foundation. Begin’s legacy lives on in her iconic designs and her legacy of mentorship for young women in architecture.

15. Gail Peter Borden

Gail Peter Borden was an American architect and a pioneer in the field of female architecture. She was born in New York City in 1909 and educated at the Pratt Institute. She opened her firm and designed several buildings in New York City and Long Island, including the historic St. John鈥檚 Church in Brooklyn, the Bronx Academy of Music, and the Roosevelt Island Synagogue.

Borden was one of the first female architects to receive a license to practice in the state of New York. She also wrote several books on architecture and was a member of the American Institute of Architects. Borden was an advocate for women鈥檚 rights, and she was a founding member of the Association of Women in Architecture. She died in 1992, leaving a legacy of female architects who followed in her footsteps.

 

16. Martha Thorne

Martha Thome photo By Richter Frank-Jurgen

Martha Thorne is an American architect, urban planner, and academic who is best known for her role as Executive Director of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, an annual award for excellence in the field of architecture.

Thorne is an advocate for female architects and has been a member of the American Institute of Architects since 2000. She advocates for the role of women in design and the promotion of diversity in the profession.

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17. Kathryn Gustafson

Kathryn Gustafson is an internationally renowned female architect and landscape architect. She is known for her innovative and creative designs, which often feature bold shapes, natural materials, and creative solutions to urban challenges.

Her work has been featured in numerous publications, including the New York Times and Architectural Digest, and she has been recognized with many awards and honors.

18. Jeanne Ng

Jeanne Ng is a Canadian architect and professor who has made a name for herself in the field of architecture. She is the first Chinese-Canadian woman to be accepted into the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.

She is also the founder of the Jeanne Ng Architecture Scholarship, which provides financial assistance to women aspiring to become architects. Ng is passionate about creating meaningful and inspiring spaces that are both aesthetically pleasing and sustainable. She has worked on projects such as the Canadian Museum of History, the Canadian War Museum, and the National Gallery of Canada.

19. Julie Eizenberg

Julie Eizenberg is an American architect, educator, and urban designer. She is the founding partner of Koning Eizenberg Architecture, an architecture firm based in Santa Monica, California. She is known for her award-winning social housing, public works, and educational facilities.

She has worked on a variety of projects, from single-family homes to large-scale public works. Her work has been recognized by the American Institute of Architects and the National Endowment for the Arts, among others. She is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the architectural profession and beyond.

20. Marilyn Jordan Taylor

Marilyn Jordan Taylor is an American architect, author, and educator who has worked in the field of architecture for over 30 years. She is the former Dean of the School of Design at the University of Pennsylvania and is currently a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Design.

She is widely known for her advocacy for female architects, and for her efforts to promote diversity in the architecture field. In addition to her teaching and research, she has published several books, including Women in American Architecture: A Historic and Contemporary Perspective, which examines the history of female architects in the United States.

21. Kristin Jones

Kristin Jones is an award-winning female architect, urban designer, and educator. She is the co-founder of dlandstudio, an architecture and urban design firm based in Brooklyn, New York. Jones has designed a variety of projects including mixed-use residential buildings, parks and public plazas, mixed-use developments, and adaptive reuse projects.

She has received numerous awards, including the American Institute of Architects Emerging Voices Award and the Architectural League of New York鈥檚 Young Architects Award. Jones also teaches at Columbia University鈥檚 Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation.

22.Renata Sentkiewicz 

Renata Sentkiewicz is a female architect from Poland. She is known for her innovative approach to design, combining traditional Polish architectural styles with modern contemporary elements. She has designed a range of residential, public, and commercial projects across Poland, including public libraries, schools, shopping malls, and cultural centers. 

Her projects are often praised for their attention to detail and ability to create a sense of harmony between the building and its environment. She is also an advocate for sustainability and is involved in research into green construction techniques and materials. 

23. Deborah Berke

Deborah Berke photo By Cooper Hewitt

Deborah Berke is an American architect and interior designer. She is the founding principal of Deborah Berke Partners, an architecture and interior design firm based in New York City. She has designed a variety of residential, commercial, and institutional projects, ranging from private homes to public spaces.

Her work has been recognized through numerous awards, including the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award, the AIA Gold Medal, and the National Building Museum鈥檚 Honor Award. She is also the first woman to be appointed Dean of the Yale School of Architecture.

24. Sydney Lawrence

Sydney Lawrence is a female architect who works in the area of high-end residential architecture. She is known for her modern and contemporary designs, which often feature open-plan living and clean lines.

She has designed numerous homes and apartments around the world, including luxury residences in Los Angeles, New York, London, and Paris. Lawrence also works on commercial projects such as retail stores, restaurants, and office spaces. She has won numerous awards, including being named one of the 鈥50 Most Influential Women in Architecture鈥 by Architectural Digest in 2018.

25. Maya Lin

Maya Lin photo By Sharon Styer

Maya Lin is a Chinese-American architect, artist, and designer best known for her Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. she has created numerous public monuments, sculptures, and installations in both the United States and abroad.

Maya Lin is a female architect and artist who is best known for her design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. She also designed the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama, and the Women’s Table at Yale University. Lin is an inspiration to many female architects, showing that women are just as capable of creating beautiful and meaningful sculptures and public art as their male counterparts.

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