Women in Southern European architecture syllabi: Contributions toward fostering gender inclusion

Abstract

The history of architecture demonstrates that architectural education often reflects trends within the profession. While the presence of women in teaching and research has been widely studied, their representation in the syllabi of major graduate architecture courses remains largely overlooked. This paper addresses the prevalence of references to women in the architecture schools of five Southern European countries, chosen as representative of the region and its curriculum model. Recently, Silva (2024) highlighted a significant discrepancy in Portugal between the attention given to the biographies of women architects—through exhibitions, publications, and colloquia on their lives—and the recognition of their intellectual contributions, such as their inclusion as key authors and thinkers in architectural course syllabi. This study begins by identifying women historians and critics in Greece, Italy, Portugal, Serbia, and Spain. These countries were selected based on the authors’ visits to their architecture schools, where the work of male architects often eclipses that of women. The long-term goal is to determine which women have transcended this imbalance to become prominent figures in the history and theory of architecture, fields predominantly shaped by bibliographical references, and to highlight significant omissions. The paper explores the distinction between women’s practical achievements (e.g., buildings, exhibitions, and professional accomplishments) and their intellectual contributions (e.g., writings, theories, and critiques). It includes analytical tables illustrating the representation of women in History and Theory of Architecture-related syllabi across the case studies. The findings, discussed and summarised, aim to contribute to the potential revision—and repair—of curricula in the schools examined and beyond.