Homes designed for women, by women
FOR this year’s International Women’s Day, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) noted that in the UK, women make up 49% of Part 1 architecture students and 26% of registered architects (from the Architect Registration Board, UK).
These figures hint that even in a cosmopolitan, progressive country like the UK – where women like Biba Dow of Dow Jones Architects and Stephanie Macdonald of 6a Architects were shortlisted for the Women in Architecture Award 2018 – women are still relatively under-represented in the industry.
However progress and advancements have been made on this front, in terms of women achievement in the field of architecture.
Female architects like Sandra Barclay from Peru who won this year’s Women in Architecture Award, Gloria Cabral from Paraguay who won the Moira Gemmill Prize for Emerging Architecture and standout architect Zaha Hadid who in 2004 won the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the first woman ever to receive architecture’s highest honour – stand as beacons for others to emulate.
Architects 61 Sdn Bhd’s project director Liza Yap, who was appointed by Mah Sing for several of its projects and has 20 years working experience, concurred.
“Women and architecture have advanced in the building and construction industry”, said Yap.
“Women now show a strong interest and passion in architecture and building, taking great initiatives towards producing award-winning buildings. As a result, women are achieving wider recognition in terms of their creative contribution and influence in design and defining the development of the buildings under construction.
“There is also an increasing number of women in management and decisionmaking roles.”
This trend of women advancement in the field of architecture, and in decision-making roles, dovetails in the field of property development.
As women become more career-oriented, pushing their limits to climb the corporate sector, the more the reason they have to make decisions in how they live.
With that, comes the need for architects who are intuitive and sympathetic to the needs of female property owners.
And what better way than to have architects who themselves are empowered women.
Mah Sing, as visionary builders of tomorrow, recognise this trend and strives for inclusivity of women as part of its diverse human resource policies.
It also strives for more women to take up leadership roles in the company.
“Women are now able to afford homes and properties of their own and more are living alone,” said Yap.
“Safety, therefore, is a concern when it comes to owning a property”.
According to Yap, safety is a concern when it comes to the home, especially so for women.
In its collaboration with Yap with its M Vertica development, Mah Sing incorporated safety measures that includes making car park facilities safer and more available to women.It also ensured sufficient lighting along corridors, walkways and parks.
Yap pointed out an increasing demand for lifestyle and amenities for enhanced living.
Coupling that and the factor of security, Mah Sing introduced the Ladies Gym in its previous M-City project, which received positive feedback from owners.
Similarly, a dedicated women-only gym area is allocated in M Vertica for women to work out in private.
Other elements important to women include the ability to monitor their children at play and well-connected facilities, either physically or visually, which give them peace of mind.
The team at Mah Sing has taken this on-board in the design and layout of its 4.5acre (1.8-hectare) facilities deck at M Vertica, with thoughtfully laid out facilities and semi-private areas.
Yap also observed that gender parity has improved and has increased a woman’s expectations of home planning.
As women become more independent, they actively organise and take part in open social gatherings. And spaces, which facilitate this have become increasingly important.
M Vertica’s facilities deck combines both active, passive and aqua zones, each offering a different blend of facilities such as yoga decks, tea and maze gardens and jacuzzis to ensure that there’s something to suit every lifestyle.
With the ever evolving role of women in society, and their increased expectations, designing for women has never been more rewarding.
When it comes to supporting women in this industry, Mah Sing and Yap insisted there should be equality between genders.
“There must be equal opportunities for women architects to continuously grow and contribute to the industry as well as recognition for their efforts in building up the industry”, Yap reflected.
The potential of women in architecture should be nurtured and given a chance to be fulfilled towards the continual growth and improvement of the industry to benefit everyone as a whole.
■ Find out more about Mah Sing and its projects at www.mahsing.com.my