Better by design
A celebration of women’s month, the theme for the event took the discussions to a whole new level when compared with previous years’ events.
THE Corobrik sponsored 2018 Women in Architecture Workshop on 24 August brought together professionals in the architectural, property and social sciences to explore the impact women have regarding the shaping of the workplace and the designing of future built environments.
Panelists spoke as to how each discipline plays a significant part in building living spaces that are inclusive and not restrictive. During the first discussion, panelists reflected on the notion of binaries and the need to challenge them while the second part explained how binaries have become spatially entrenched needing a fresh perspective.
Karen Petersen, Tongaat Hulett Development’s first female director responsible for strategy and business development and a member of the Women’s Property Network, highlighted the need for transformation in the property sector, addressing gender inequalities.
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Retired head of department and lecturer in architecture at the DUT, Wouter Gildenhuys, noted that there was a need for a more multi-disciplinary approach to urban design and town planning.
Professor Monique Marks, social worker and head of the Urban Futures Centre at the Durban University of Technology, shared her experiences with drug users in the city to urge her listeners to challenge gender and other stigmatised stereotypes. During the debate, she noted the need to engage with those who were excluded and vulnerable, the “invisible,” and to stop the boundaries between people from being so stark through an inclusive design process.
The Corobrik Bursary was awarded to DUT student Rohini Singh and the ABSA Bursary went to UKZN student Hlengiwe Ngubane.
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