Welcome to the SAH Women in Architecture Affiliate Group Legacy Committee!

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The SAH Women in Architecture Affiliate Group (SAH WiA AG) Legacy Committee was established on June 1, 2021, as a global SAH WiA AG initiative that supports the SAH mission. The initiative has been proposed on April 19, 2021, at the Third Meeting of the SAH WiA AG Council, by Anna Sokolina, SAH WiA AG founding chair, draft of the Committee’s purpose and guidelines was peer reviewed and final script approved on May 31, 2021, by the ways of e-communication of SAH WiA AG elected group leaders: Annmarie Adams, Shelley E. Roff, Margaret B. Vickery, Rebecca Siefert, Danielle S. Willkens, Franca Trubiano, and Priya Jain.

Mission: To preserve, advocate, and promote the Legacy of Women in Architecture and celebrate and honor remarkable SAH members: scholars, academics, activists, and other noted professionals who have contributed to the cause of gender equality across borders, demonstrated remarkable professional record, and championed the broad and progressive architectural knowledge.

The Objectives of the Committee are to create, maintain, and advance events, programs, and recognition efforts contributing to the cause of women in architecture.

1. Events and Projects

  • SAH Women in Architecture Day: Celebration on March 8, The International Women’s Day
  • Book Launch Annual Festival: a virtual, hybrid, or in-person event
  • Special Events celebrating scholarship and leadership of remarkable women
  • Book Talks

2. Recognition Program

  • Distinction in Scholarship: To feature across SAH WiA AG communication platforms outstanding scholarly accomplishments by one or more persons who, individually or jointly, have enhanced understanding of the built environment and architectural history through the knowledge of women’s contribution to the field
  • Annual Achievements: In SAH WiA AG Annual Reports and at SAH WiA AG meetings, to recognize SAH members who through interdisciplinary inquiry have made significant contributions to broadening networks and building bridges of understanding across continents and cultures by advocating women’s work
  • Recognition for contributions to the SAH Women in Architecture AG community: Acknowledgement in the annual letter to SAH WiA AG members

3. The SAH Women in Architecture Library and Archive

  • Develop The SAH Women in Architecture Library and Archive, in collaboration with the SAH Board and Staff
  • Create digital entries of records in collaboration with SAH Archipedia and Buildings of the U.S.
  • Allocate the physical venue to house the collection
  • Digitize, publish, and provide electronic access to the records collected in the SAH Women in Architecture Library and Archive

4. The Inclusion and Social Justice Program

Structure and Organization
  • Committee Chair:  Anna Sokolina
  • Associate Chair:  Rebecca Siefert
  • Ex-Officio: Members of SAH Board of Directors and SAH WiA AG Council
  • Committee Members: Focus of Contribution

Esra Akcan                                  The Inclusion and Social Justice Program, Recognition Program           

Jelena Bogdanovic                     Events and Projects, Recognition Program           

Sigal Davidi                                                       

Catherine Boland Erkkila         Women in Architecture Library and Archive                          

Mary Anne Hunting                   Women in Architecture Library and Archive              

Kiwa Matsushita                                             

Mari Nakahara                             Women in Architecture Library and Archive          

Katherine Kaford Papineau      Women in Architecture Library and Archive

Anna Sokolina                               Organization and contribution

Atsuko Tanaka                              Women in Architecture Library and Archive          

Thaisa Way                                                        

Julie Willis                                       Events and Projects, Recognition Program           

  • Advising Members:

Eva Alvarez

Carlos J. Gomez 

Carmen Espegel

Diane Elliott Gayer    

Liz Martin-Malikian

.

Terms of Service

This Leadership Team is a SAH WiA AG initiative and is a dynamic unit that has a potential to expand and collaborate with scholars and other professionals across border disciplines.

  • As per SAH Women in Architecture Affiliate Group Bylaws, Chair of the Committee and Committee Members shall not be constrained to limited terms of service.
  • Committee Members are not to be elected but appointed to commit and serve.
  • Any Committee Member may resign at any time by delivering written notice to Committee Chair, effective when the notice is delivered unless the notice specifies an effective date.
  • According to the protocol of best practices of SAH Women in Architecture Affiliate Group and for the purpose of better serving the SAH community, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Chair is entitled to revise from time to time the structure and organization of the Committee, and act thereof, by appointing or releasing Committee Members.

Ways of Communication

  • Timetable: according to the urgency of updates
  • Reports to SAH Women in Architecture Affiliate Group Council, liaisons with SAH Board, Listserv to group members, SAH Opportunities announcements—with prior confirmation by this Committee
  • Virtual collaboration: through Committee Listserv, SAH Women in Architecture Affiliate Group website, other as needed

The SAH WiA AG Legacy Committee Meeting Records

The SAH WiA AG Legacy Committee Website has been launched on March 20, 2022, as part of the SAH WiA AG annual program, March 2022: Celebrating Women’s History Month – SAH Women in Architecture Affiliate Group (hcommons.org)

Projects Implementation
  1. Publication of the Women in Architecture Series in SAH Archipedia – Publication of the Women in Architecture Series in SAH Archipedia – SAH Women in Architecture Affiliate Group (hcommons.org)

On March 8. 2022, as part of the SAH Women in Architecture Affiliate Group’s Annual Program, “March 2022: Celebrating Women’s History Month,” SAH Archipedia editors and the SAH WiA AG announced the publication of the Women in Architecture Series in SAH Archipedia. This collaborative publication project highlights the work of women architects and significant sites in women’s history.

Thirteen authors contributed original content for this publication series, including Alison Chiu, Devin Colman, Kathleen James-Chakraborty, Cray Kennedy, Camille Wilson Spencer, Leslie Lodwick, Gavin Moulton, Judith Paine McBrien, Vyta Pivo, David A. Rash, Annie Sloan Schentag, Rebecca Svehla, and Karol R. Williams. The Women in Architecture Series is also supplemented with previously published SAH Archipedia content selected by Managing Editor Catherine Boland Erkkila, PhD, member of SAH WiA AG Legacy Committee.

The series features a wide selection, from the properties of African American pioneer Cora Cox and building contractor Elizabeth Warren to the work of modernist architects like Amaza Lee Meredith. The collection explores technological  achievements and design as well as momentous events like the birthplace of the women’s rights movement and labor strikes by immigrant women. In addition to building entries, there are also new thematic essays on the work of Louise Bethune, Armena Louise Morse Eller, Ruth Reynolds Freeman, Theodate Pope Riddle, and Elizabeth Roberts.

2. SAH Women in Architecture Affiliate Group Proposal to SAH Board to create an Award for Distinction in Scholarship on the History of Women in Architecture

Original document: SAH Women in Architecture AG Proposal to SAH Board 3.24.22 – SAH Women in Architecture Affiliate Group (hcommons.org)

This Proposal has been developed and peer reviewed by the SAH Women in Architecture Affiliate Group leadership team: the SAH WiA AG Council and the SAH WiA AG Legacy Committee, in collaboration with SAH Executive Director Pauline Saliga. Initial outline submission to SAH Board: July 15, 2021; peer reviewed and revised submissions: January 25, February 14, and March 24, 2022.

At the Meeting of SAH Board of Directors during the Society of Architectural Historians 76th Annual International Conference in Montréal, Canada, April 12–16, 2023, a new procedure to propose a SAH Award has been developed. According to that decision, current SAH WiA AG Proposal should be revised and, if this effort would be considered feasible by members of SAH WiA AG leadership team, resubmitted as a new proposal in a new format. 

3. SAH Women in Architecture Affiliate Group Archive

Original documents:

SAHWiAAG_ArchiveGen-Docs_sbm-07.19.23Download
SAHWiAAG-Archive_IAWA_Deed_of_Gift-p_1_2Download

Following initial discussions by members of SAH WiA AG Council and communications with Jade Snelling, Collections Archivist at the International Archive of Women in Architecture IAWA, and Aaron Purcell, PhD, Director of Special Collections, Virginia Tech University Libraries, a draft of General Information and a List of Folders have been created by Anna Sokolina, PhD, SAH WiA AG Chair; peer reviewed and approved by members of SAH WiA AG Council: Wanda A. Bubriski, Advising Chair, Rebecca Siefert, PhD, Associate Chair, Ola Uduku, PhD, Associate Chair, Barbara Opar, MLS, Archivist and Registers Committee Co-chair, Maristella Casciato, FSAH, National Outreach, Priya Jain, AIA, Senior Communications Lead, Yan Wencheng, PhD, Web News Editor, Gül Kale, PhD, Mentoring Program and Special Events, Dr. Neena Zutshi, Archivist, Elisa Dainese, PhD, Administrator, and Avni Gor, Administrator. Folders finalized, updated, and submitted to International Archive of Women in Architecture IAWA at Virginia Tech University Libraries on July 19, 2023, in the name of the Group, by Anna Sokolina to Jade Snelling (electronic submission by the ways of WeTransfer). Reference to this project to be included 1) in the Fall 2023 SAH WiA AG Report to SAH Board, and 2) in the End-of the year 2023 Letter of the Chair via Group Listserv to SAH WiA AG Members.

Official title: SAH Women in Architecture Affiliate Group (SAH WiA AG) Archive. First Collection: Folders from 12.12.2019 to 07.19.2023, Documenting the Creation of SAH WiA AG and Highlighting the Groundwork of Founding Members and First Leadership Collectives.
Contents | Submission: 20 general folders containing overall 385 files of professional documentation.