In the wake of social changes, more and more architects are designing for a diverse target audience, and research is being conducted into inclusive typologies and urban planning. However, it is clear that the industry itself is not nearly as egalitarian as its output suggests. Various initiatives are drawing attention to this. One such initiative is the Platform for Architecture & Feminism, or PAF for short, which is committed to equality for women and minority groups within the sector. A spoke with founder Evelien Pieters. “The superficiality of many conversations about the unequal playing field that the architectural world still is frustrated me enormously. PAF wants to be an environment in which depth, openness, experiences and doubts are shared.” 

Pieters, who is Dutch by origin and trained as an architect, had long had the idea of publicly highlighting the position of women in the architecture sector. The presence of organisations with the same goal abroad, as well as Wiki Women Design, a project of the Flemish Architecture Institute, were decisive factors in the establishment of PAF. A year and a half later, Pieters is organising various events in which obstacles are discussed.